1
ΕπιθυμίεÏ‚Σαν σώματα ωÏαία νεκÏών που δεν εγÎÏασανκαι τάκλεισαν, με δάκÏυα, σε μαυσωλείο λαμπÏÏŒ, με Ïόδα στο κεφάλι και στα πόδια γιασεμιά --Îτσ' η επιθυμίεÏ‚ μοιάζουν που επÎÏασανχωÏίÏ‚ να εκπληÏωθοÏν· χωÏίÏ‚ ν' αξιωθεί καμιάτηÏ‚ ηδονήÏ‚ μια νÏχτα, ή Îνα Ï€ÏωϊτηÏ‚ φεγγεÏÏŒ."Desires"Like beautiful bodies of the dead who had not grown oldand they shut them, with tears, in a brilliant mausoleum, with roses at the head and jasmine at the feet --this is what desires resemble that have passedwithout fulfillment; without any of them having achieveda night of sensual delight, or a morning of brightness.Constantinos P. Cavafis
2
Άλλα ζητεί η ψυχή σου, γι’ άλλα κλαίει·Constantinos P. Cavafis
3
He said he'd hurt himself against a wall or had fallen down. But there was probably some other reason for the wounded, the bandaged shoulder. With a rather abrupt gesture, reaching for a shelf to bring down some photographs he wanted to look at, the bandage came came undone and a little blood ran. I did it up again, taking my time over the binding; he wasn't in pain and I liked looking at the blood. It was a thing of my love, that blood. When he left, I found, in front of his chair, a bloody rag, part of the dressing, a rag to be thrown straight into the garbage; and I put it to my lips and kept it there a long while- the blood of love against my lips.Constantinos P. Cavafis
4
I have gazed so much on beautythat my eyes overflow with it.Constantinos P. Cavafis
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Pray that the summer mornings are many when with such pleasure, with such joy you will enter ports seen for the first timeConstantinos P. Cavafis
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The days of the future stand in fornt of us Like a line of candles all alight Golden and warm and lively little candles The days that are past are left behindConstantinos P. Cavafis
7
Anyway, those things would not have lasted long. The experience of the years shows it to me. But Destiny arrived in some haste and stopped them. The beautiful life was brief. But how potent were the perfumes, On how splendid a bed we lay, To what sensual delight we gave our bodies. An echo of the days of pleasure, An echo of the days drew near me, A little of the fire of the youth of both of us, Again I took in my hands a letter, And I read and reread till the light was gone. And melancholy, I came out on the balcony Came out to change my thoughts at least by looking at A little of the city that I loved, A little movement on the street and in the.Constantinos P. Cavafis
8
The god abandons AntonyWhen at the hour of midnight an invisible choir is suddenly heard passingwith exquisite music, with voices ― Do not lament your fortune that at last subsides, your life’s work that has failed, your schemes that have proved illusions. But like a man prepared, like a brave man, bid farewell to her, to Alexandria who is departing. Above all, do not delude yourself, do not say that it is a dream, that your ear was mistaken. Do not condescend to such empty hopes. Like a man for long prepared, like a brave man, like the man who was worthy of such a city, go to the window firmly, and listen with emotion but not with the prayers and complaints of the coward (Ah! supreme rapture! ) listen to the notes, to the exquisite instruments of the mystic choir, and bid farewell to her, to Alexandria whom you are losing.Constantinos P. Cavafis