One of the most valuable documents
“The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.”
Mark Twain
In the newspaper “Aristophanes” the most adulterated part of the history of Coutalianos is published. The publisher of this newspaper was not only an ardent follower of Coutalianos, but also developed family ties with him since we know that the athlete baptized the journalist’s daughter, giving her the name of his wife Palmyra. ( “Imagine a tiny baby in the giant hands of Coutalianos. What a contrast! As if one could say that the lion caresses a little mouse” cf. No. 15-6-1884, No. 7-29-1884 ). The facts listed in this biography are extremely valuable and constitute an amazing document, because they shed light on the most unknown period of the athlete’s life which coincides with his legendary tours in South America. But the most important thing is that the specific text is an interview of the athlete himself, which was given at the height of his glory. The strange thing is that the text of this long interview stops without an epilogue on September 18, 1884. The flow of speech stops abruptly while the athlete describes his tours in Latin America. We know of course that he has returned to Europe and that before coming to Athens (where he gives his interview) he has already triumphed in Constantinople fighting the most famous wrestlers of the Ottoman Empire. Unfortunately, however, a description of all these shocking events do not follow in the following pages. But something extra suspicious is happening. We notice that while this newspaper was published every 3 or 4 days, the very next sheet that follows the last one containing an interview with the athlete, is printed 10 days later! (From September 18 sheet number 44, we reach September 29 sheet number 45). Without being able to know exactly what happened and why the text of the interview is interrupted so abruptly, we proceed to publish the entire text which has been one of our most important sources.
