Αργία : διήγημα by Kostas Faltaits

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Αργία : διήγημα by Kostas Faltaits

(3 User reviews) 539

By Anastasia Zhang Posted on Jan 17, 2026

In Category - Chivalry

Authors: Faltaits, Kostas, 1891-1944 Published By : Faltaits, Kostas, 1891-1944

Book Language: Greek

Have you ever wondered what happens when a whole village just... stops? Not in a violent way, but in a quiet, stubborn refusal to do anything? That's the strange situation at the heart of 'Αργία' (which translates to 'Idleness' or 'Sloth'). In this little-known Greek story from the early 20th century, Kostas Faltaits imagines a remote community that collectively decides to give up work, farming, and even basic chores. No one knows why it started, and no one seems interested in ending it. The story follows an outsider—maybe a traveler or official—who stumbles upon this eerie, silent place where life has ground to a halt. It’s less about action and more about the unsettling power of a shared idea. Is it a protest? A mass depression? A weird social experiment? Faltaits doesn't give easy answers, but he makes you feel the strange tension of a place choosing stillness in a world that never stops moving. It’s a short, haunting read that sticks with you, making you question the very rhythms of your own life.

File: Αργία : διήγημα by Kostas Faltaits

Kostas Faltaits's Αργία is a quiet story about a loud idea: what if everyone just quit?

The Story

The tale is simple on the surface. An unnamed narrator arrives at a remote Greek village. He expects the usual sights—people working in fields, children playing, the hum of daily life. Instead, he finds silence and stillness. The villagers are not sick or dead. They are awake, present, but utterly inactive. They have, as one, embraced 'argía'—a complete and deliberate idleness. Crops are left to wilt, animals wander untended, and homes gather dust. No one explains the decision. There's no leader or manifesto. It's simply a fact of life now. The narrator tries to understand, talking to a few residents, but their answers are vague, almost philosophical. The story unfolds through his growing confusion and the eerie, passive resistance of the villagers. There's no grand battle or last-minute twist, just the persistent, unsettling question of why.

Why You Should Read It

This isn't a book you read for plot twists. You read it for the mood it creates and the questions it plants in your head. Faltaits wrote this between the World Wars, and you can feel the weight of a society exhausted by conflict and change. The village's idleness feels like a radical, silent protest against the modern world's demand for constant progress and productivity. What I found most fascinating was how the story makes you uncomfortable. As a reader, you side with the narrator—you want answers, you want action! The villagers' calm refusal to provide either is brilliantly frustrating. It forces you to consider the value we place on work and purpose. Is their choice a form of freedom or a slow suicide? Faltaits lets you decide.

Final Verdict

Perfect for readers who love atmospheric, philosophical short stories that linger. If you enjoy the unsettling quiet of a Shirley Jackson story or the allegorical weight of a Kafka parable, you'll find a kindred spirit in Αργία. It's also a great pick for anyone interested in early 20th-century European literature beyond the usual French or English classics. The translation I read was clear and kept the story's haunting, simple tone. Just be warned: you might finish it and look at your own to-do list with a sudden, profound sense of irony.