Summary The parallel stories of two people who live in the same block of flats in Athens during the 1950s. Antonis is a former fighter in the communist movement, and now, after the movement’s defeat, he tries to live by whatever means are offered to him in post-war Greek society, slowly abandoning struggle, dreams and ideology. Eftychis, who enjoys a life of prosperity, moves about in the same circles and has intensely optimistic expectations. With the little money that he has from his wife’s dowry, he convinces Antonis to set up a textile-mill, the failure of which shatters their dreams, dragging them both down.