Cavafy's Ithaca....

The Lighthouse of Alexandria

( see image information below)

Constantin Cavafy is one of the most prominent Greek Poets. Cavafy was born to Greek parents on April 29, 1863 and died on the same day in Alexandria, Egypt .His father was a prosperous importer-exporter who had lived in England in earlier years and acquired British nationality. After his father died in 1870, Cavafy and his family settled, for a while, in liverpool, UK ; he moved back to Alexandria in 1877 after the financial problems the family had faced in the crash of 1876. [1] Subsequently, due to problems in Alexandria , the family moved to Constantinople in 1882 . It was here that young Cavafy met his Greek relatives and became acquainted with the legendary Queen City of the Greeks, the seat and capital of Greekness. [2] In 1885 Cavafy moved back to Alexandria where he spent rest of his life. He first worked as a journalist and then as a civil servant.

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Cavafy's poetry [1][2] : In his poetry , Cavafy drew inspiration from his own experiences as well as from his tremendous knowledge of history.Cavafy was unique in his method for publishing the poems he wrote. He never published a collection in book form, and refused at least two such offers (one for a Greek edition and one for an English). He opted to publish his poems in newspapers, periodicals and annuals, then printing them privately in broadsheets, which he would collate in makeshift collections for any interested party.

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My Ithaca : One of my all time favorite poems is Cavafy's Ithaca.The poem , written in 1911 , is based on the voyage to return to the famous island that was depicted in Homer's Odyssey. To me Ithaca is symbolic for life itself .Its central theme is the importance of relishing the journey over the destination and exploring the beauty and priceless wisdom this journey has to offer. Here is to Ithaca...mine, your's , anybodies...

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Ithaca

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When you set out on your journey to Ithaca,

pray that the road is long,

full of adventure, full of knowledge.

The Lestrygonians and the Cyclops,

the angry Poseidon -- do not fear them:

You will never find such as these on your path,

if your thoughts remain lofty,

if a fine emotion touches your spirit and your body.

The Lestrygonians and the Cyclops,

the fierce Poseidon you will never encounter,

if you do not carry them within your soul,

if your soul does not set them up before you.

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Pray that the road is long.

That the summer mornings are many,

when,with such pleasure, with such joy

you will enter ports seen for the first time;

stop at Phoenician markets,

and purchase fine merchandise,

mother-of-pearl and coral, amber and ebony,

and sensual perfumes of all kinds,

as many sensual perfumes as you can;

visit many Egyptian cities,

to learn and learn from scholars.

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Always keep Ithaca 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 many years;

and to anchor at the island when you are old,

rich with all you have gained on the way,

not expecting that Ithaca will offer you riches.

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Ithaca has given you the beautiful voyage.

Without her you would have never set out on the road.

She has nothing more to give you.

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And if you find her poor, Ithaca has not deceived you.

Wise as you have become, with so much experience,

you must already have understood what Ithacas mean.

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Constantine P. Cavafy (1911)

Resources :

1. For more about the life and times of Cavafy see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constantine_P._Cavafy

2.The official website of Cavafy Archive : http://www.cavafy.com/

3.One of my favorite resources for Cavafy's work : http://users.hol.gr/~barbanis/cavafy/

4. Read about Cavafy Museum in Alexandria : http://www.greece.org/alexandria/cavafy/cavafy2.htm

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Image Information : This image is of lighthouse of Alexandria. Sometimes called the "Pharos of Alexandria" (Pharos or Φάρος in Greek means lighthouse), the Lighthouse of Alexandria was built in the 3rd century BC and is traditionally considered one of the Seven Wonders of the World. To read more about the lighthouse see http://fixedreference.org/2006-Wikipedia-CD-Selection/wp/l/Lighthouse_of_Alexandria.htm