Poetry: Ithaca by Cavafy

From: Amara Graps (amara@amara.com)
Date: Sun Jul 21 2002 - 03:09:23 MDT


Here is a poem by Cavafy, his most famous, and one of
my favorite poems. Happy Sunday.

Amara

        Ithaca

  by Constantine P. Cavafy (1911)
(translated from Greek by someone)

When you set out on your journey to Ithaca,
then pray that the road is long,
full of adventure, full of knowledge.
Do not fear the Lestrygonians
and the Cyclops and the angry Poseidon.
You will never meet such as these on your path,
if your thoughts remain lofty, if a fine
emotion touches your spirit and your body.
You will never meet the Lestrygonians
the Cyclops and the fierce Poseidon,
if you do not carry them within your soul,
if your soul does not set them up before you.

Then pray that the road is long.
That the summer mornings are many,
that you will enter ports seen for the first time
with such pleasure, with such joy!
Stop at Phoenician markets,
and purchase fine merchandise,
mother-of-pearl and corals, amber and ebony,
and pleasurable perfumes of all kinds,
buy as many pleasurable perfumes as you can;
visit hosts of Egyptian cities,
to learn and learn from those who have knowledge.

Always keep Ithaca fixed in your mind.
To arrive there is your ultimate goal.
But do not hurry the voyage at all.
It is better to let it last for long years;
and even to anchor at the isle when you are old,
rich with all you have gained on the way,
not expecting that Ithaca will offer you riches.

Ithaca has given you the beautiful voyage.
Without her you would have never set out on the road.
But she has nothing more to give you.

And if you find her poor, Ithaca has not deceived you.
With the great wisdom you have gained, with so much experience,
you must surely have understood by then what Ithacas mean.

[stored it here
http://www.amara.com/apoetry/ithaca.html ]



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