Captain Corelli's Mandolin - Book Characters Quiz

Answer: The two mad people cured by St. Gerasimos

St Gerasimos was the Saint only found on Cephallonia/Kefalonia. On the first of his Saint Days in August, the mad people were all laid out and the mummified remains of the saint were passed over them.

Socrates was a young man so weak that he had not been able to do anything unaided, including sit and lift his own arms. He sat up as soon as the Saint passed over him and started to examine his hands. Mina was a young woman who was frightened of everything and usually lifted the hem of her dress over her head to hide her face. When her uncle returned to say goodbye to his niece, she asked if he had come to take her home with him.

In the book, the Saint Day was celebrated on 23rd August, but according to several on-line sites, his day is 16th August.

Answer: Francesco's pet mouse

Mario was a wild mouse that Francesco started to feed. When the orders to move out came, Francisco took Mario along and he was to be found either in Francesco's knapsack or his breast pocket.

Answer: Carlo

Carlo was an enormous Italian soldier, but he was a gentle giant. He fought side by side with Francesco in Albania and then on the march into Greece. Although Carlo believed himself to be a homosexual, he never gave any indication to his companions or acted upon his desires.

After Francesco died, Carlo was transferred to the island under the command of Captain Corelli whom he also came to love in the same way.

Answer: Carlo

In the book, Carlo stepped in front of Captain Corelli and held his body behind his own as he died at the hands of the firing squad. It was the local strongman who came upon the scene and realised what Carlo had done. He made two journeys to the doctor's house, once with the captain and the second time with Carlo.

Answer: Psipsina

Psipsina is a Greek word for a cat or puss. It is used as a term of affection. The "Greek cat" was actually a pine marten, but the child that found it, named her Psipsina.

Answer: Bunny Warren, British spy

Bunny Warren arrived on Mount Aenos by parachute, convincing Alekos the goat keeper that he was an angel because of the white canopy. The fact that Bunny spoke classical Greek added to the old man's wrong impression. In the Greek way, Bunny was Hellenized by Pelagia.

I lived on a different Greek island for a year and the locals Hellenized my name from Valerie to Valeria, to rhyme with diarrhoea.

Answer: Stamatis

Stamatis was deaf in one ear. When the doctor had a look in the ear because Stamatis was complaining of pain, he realised that there was an obstruction which turned out to be a dried pea. When the doctor told Stamatis and his wife that it had been a very successful operation, Stamatis said that he was the only person he knew that had been operated on.

Answer: Not known, it was left on the doorstep

The baby girl was abandoned on the doorstep and Pelagia raised the child as her own. It was thought that the baby was probably the child of a local girl who had a relationship with either a German or Italian soldier.

Answer: Arsenios

Father Arsenios was a glutton and a drunkard who believed that he had let God down. As the war progressed he came to believe that God had let down the people of Greece and specially those of Cephallonia/Kefalonia. He neglected his village and started to walk and preach all over the island and slimmed down a great deal in the process.

Answer: Spiros

Spiros played bazouki and attracted lots of female admirers. Pelagia's grandson wanted to learn to play too, but was told he was still too small and would be better starting with a mandolin. They went and retrieved Captain Corelli's mandolin from the cellar of their old house. When the captain returned to the island he found the grandson practising and then he went to find Pelagia.