Quotes from C.P. Cavafy

I'm practically broke and homeless. This fatal city, Antioch, has devoured all my money: this fatal city with its extravagant life.

Roses by the head, jasmine at the feet so appear the longings that have passed without being satisfied, not one of them granted a night of sensual pleasure, or one of its radiant mornings.

What shall become of us without any barbarians? Those people were a kind of solution.

My life has been awaiting you. Your footfall was my own heart's beat.

One candle is enough. Its gentle light will be more suitable, will be more gracious when the Shades arrive, the Shades of Love.

On hearing about powerful love, respond, be moved like an aesthete. Only, fortunate as you've been, remember how much your imagination created for you.

And if you can't shape your life the way you want, at least try as much as you can not to degrade it.

When you set sail for Ithaca, wish for the road to be long, full of adventures, full of knowledge.

And if you can't shape your life the way you want, at least try as much as you can not to degrade it by too much contact with the world, by too much activity and talk. Try not to degrade it by dragging it along, taking it around and exposing it so often to the daily silliness of social events and parties, until it comes to seem a boring hanger-on.

You will always end up in this city. Don't hope for things elsewhere: there is no ship for you, there is no road. As you've wasted your life here, in this small corner, you've destroyed it everywhere else in the world

If you cannot fashion your life as you would like, endeavour to do this at least, as much as you can: do not trivialize it through too much contact with the world, through too much activity and chatter. Do not trivialize your life by parading it, running around and displaying it in the daily stupidity of cliques and gatherings until it becomes like a tiresome guest. (As Much As You Can)

In these dark rooms I pass such listless days, I wander up and down looking for the windows - when a window opens there will be some relief. But there are no windows, or at least I cannot find them. And perhaps it's just as well. Perhaps the light would prove another torment. Who knows what new things it would reveal? (The Windows)

Distinguishing Marks Every land has its distinguishing mark. Particular to Thessaly are horsemanship and horses; what marks a Spartan is war's season; Media has its tables with their dishes; hair marks the Celts, the Assyrians have beards. But the marks that distinguish Athens are Mankind and the Word.

And now, what's going to happen to us without barbarians? They were, those people, a kind of solution.

From all I did and all I said let no one try to find out who I was. An obstacle was there that changed the pattern of my actions and the manner of my life. An obstacle was often there to stop me when I'd begin to speak. From my most unnoticed actions, my most veiled writing— from these alone will I be understood.

Hope the voyage is a long one, full of adventure, full of discovery.

Without compunction, pity or shame, they've built towering walls around me. Desperate, I sit and think one thing: alone here this fate confounds me. For there were many things I'd hoped to do out there. With all the construction, how was I not aware? Yet the crack and clang of hammers I never once heard. Imperceptibly they've confined me from the outside world. ("Walls")

SETI SE, TELO... Telo, seti se ne samo koliko si bilo voljeno, ne jedino kreveta na kojima si ležalo, nego i onih želja, koja su zbog tebe iskrile u onim jasnim o?ima i drhtale u glasu – a neka ih je slu?ajna prepreka osujetila. Sada, kad je sve to ve? u prošlosti, izgleda skoro kao da si se onim željama i predavalo – kako su iskrile, seti se, u o?ima što su te gledale: kako su drhtale u glasu zbog tebe, seti se, telo.

I have seen the absolute black; it was unspeakably beautiful.

Yo bebí un vino fuerte, como sólo el audaz bebe el placer.

THE WINDOWS Within these dark chambers, where I live through oppressive days, I pace up and down, trying to find the windows.-When a window opens, it will be a consolation. But the windows are not to be found, or I am unable to find them. And perhaps it's better that I don't. Perhaps the light will be a new tyranny. Who knows what novel things it will reveal.

Ithaca gave you the beautiful journey. Without her you would not have set out. She has nothing more to give you. And if you find her poor, Ithaca has not fooled you. Having become so wise, with so much experience, You will have understood, by then, what these Ithacas mean.

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 these Ithacas mean.

The days of the future stand in front of us Like a line of candles all alight Golden and warm and lively little candles.