Forty years or so ago, two Greek ship owners and the most famous diva of her time squared off in the British High Court over a financial dispute. Panaghis (I think) Vergottis, a gentleman and philanthropist, had sued Aristotle Socrates Onassis and Maria Callas over the ownership of a tanker, bought for la Callas by the two best friends, as they once were. Vergottis had, I suspect, fallen in love with the fiery coloratura, and once Onassis had dropped her for la Kennedy, tried to move in, unsuccessfully. Then who owned how much of a ship came up, and ended up in the High Court. The headlines back then were bigger than the ones covering the two Russian creeps of last week. But there were no theatrics. Onassis, the winner, made a brief, dignified statement outside the court, saying how sad it was to face a once great friend in a court action. End of story. Callas got her tanker, Onassis was saddled with Jackie and her bills, and Vergottis went back to building villages and museums in Cephalonia.
Compare this with the losing clown Berezovsky, his broken English, his ghastly looks, and the fact the judge called his testimony dishonest. That word never appeared when the two Greek tycoons clashed. Not so when the two Russkie oligarchs squared off. I must say, although no admirer of Roman Abramovich, far from it in fact, the ex-toy duck salesman did not show off and swagger after his victory. Not bothering to show up was the perfect answer to Berezovsky: you’re much too small fry to bother with. Ouch! The loser was described by an American newspaper report as an ex-academic. I wonder what subject he taught? Honesty? Both oligarchs look and smell to me something awful.
Comments
Join the debate for just £1 a month
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for £3.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just £1 a monthAlready a subscriber? Log in