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“Things impolitic and dangerous:
praise for Greek ideals,
supernatural magic, visits to pagan temples.”

Julian in Nicomedia http://www.cavafy.com/poems/content.asp?id=106&cat=1 Collected Poems (1992) Context: Things impolitic and dangerous: praise for Greek ideals, supernatural magic, visits to pagan temples. Enthusiasm for the ancient gods

“Of what’s to come the wise perceive
things about to happen.”

Constantine P. Cavafy

But the Wise Perceive Things about to Happen http://www.cavafy.com/poems/content.asp?id=128&cat=1 Collected Poems (1992) Context: Of what’s to come the wise perceive things about to happen. Sometimes during moments of intense study their hearing’s troubled: the hidden sound of things approaching reaches them, and they listen reverently, while in the street outside the people hear nothing whatsoever.

“The people going by would gaze at him,
and one would ask the other if he knew him,
if he was a Greek from Syria, or a stranger.
But some who looked more carefully
would understand and step aside”

Constantine P. Cavafy

One of Their Gods http://www.cavafy.com/poems/content.asp?id=40&cat=1 Collected Poems (1992) Context: The people going by would gaze at him, and one would ask the other if he knew him, if he was a Greek from Syria, or a stranger. But some who looked more carefully would understand and step aside; and as he disappeared under the arcades, among the shadows and the evening lights, going toward the quarter that lives only at night, with orgies and debauchery, with every kind of intoxication and desire, they would wonder which of Them it could be, and for what suspicious pleasure he had come down into the streets of Selefkia from the August Celestial Mansions.

“How quickly the candles multiply that have been put out.”

Constantine P. Cavafy

"Candles" [Κεριά], as translated by Manolis, in Constantine P. Cavafy: Poems (2008) edited by George Amabile
Context: I look before me at my lighted candles,
I don’t want to turn around and see with horror
How quickly the dark line is lengthening,
How quickly the candles multiply that have been put out.

“What are we waiting for, assembled in the forum?The barbarians are due here today.”

Constantine P. Cavafy Waiting for the Barbarians

Source: Waiting for the Barbarians (1904), l. 1

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

Constantine P. Cavafy

Source: To Have Taken The Trouble (1930), l. 1

“So let's not exaggerate.
The light is good; and those coming are good,
their words and actions also good.
And let's hope all goes well.”

Constantine P. Cavafy

Collected Poems (1992), When the Watchman Saw the Light (1900)
Context: So let's not exaggerate.
The light is good; and those coming are good,
their words and actions also good.
And let's hope all goes well.
But Argos can do without the house of Atreus.
Ancient houses are not eternal.

“Why this sudden bewilderment, this confusion?”

Constantine P. Cavafy Waiting for the Barbarians

Source: Waiting for the Barbarians (1904), l. 26
Context: Why this sudden bewilderment, this confusion?
(How serious people's faces have become.)
Why are the streets and squares emptying so rapidly,
everyone going home lost in thought?Because night has fallen and the barbarians haven't come.
And some of our men who have just returned from the border say
there are no barbarians any longer.Now what's going to happen to us without barbarians?
Those people were a kind of solution.

“Of course many people will have much to say.
We should listen. But we won't be deceived
by words such as Indispensable, Unique, and Great.”

Constantine P. Cavafy

Collected Poems (1992), When the Watchman Saw the Light (1900)
Context: Of course many people will have much to say.
We should listen. But we won't be deceived
by words such as Indispensable, Unique, and Great.
Someone else indispensable and unique and great
can always be found at a moment's notice.

“Now what's going to happen to us without barbarians?
Those people were a kind of solution.”

Constantine P. Cavafy Waiting for the Barbarians

“Its councils are full of Legislators
no charlatan can fool.”

Constantine P. Cavafy

The First Step http://www.cavafy.com/poems/content.asp?id=145&cat=1 Collected Poems (1992) Context: Just to be on the first step should make you happy and proud. To have come this far is no small achievement: what you have done is a glorious thing. Even this first step is a long way above the ordinary world. To stand on this step you must be in your own right a member of the city of ideas. And it is a hard, unusual thing to be enrolled as a citizen of that city. Its councils are full of Legislators no charlatan can fool.

“The frivolous can call me frivolous.
I’ve always been most punctilious about
important things.”

Constantine P. Cavafy

A Byzantine Nobleman in Exile Composing Verses http://www.cavafy.com/poems/content.asp?id=16&cat=1 Collected Poems (1992) Context: The frivolous can call me frivolous. I’ve always been most punctilious about important things. And I insist that no one knows better than I do the Holy Fathers, or the Scriptures, or the Canons of the Councils.

“And, for me, the whole of you has been transformed into feeling.”

Constantine P. Cavafy

" In the Same Space http://cavafis.compupress.gr/kave_134.htm" (1929) Context: p>I created you while I was happy, while I was sad, with so many incidents, so many details.And, for me, the whole of you has been transformed into feeling.</p

“Don’t mourn your luck that’s failing now,
work gone wrong, your plans
all proving deceptive — don’t mourn them uselessly.”

Constantine P. Cavafy

The God Abandons Antony http://www.cavafy.com/poems/content.asp?id=12&cat=1 (1911). Variant translations: Like one who’s long prepared, like someone brave, as befits a man who’s been blessed with a city like this, go without faltering toward the window and listen with deep emotion, but not with the entreaties and the whining of a coward, to the sounds — a final entertainment — to the exquisite instruments of that initiate crew, and bid farewell to her, to Alexandria, whom you are losing. As translated by Daniel Mendelsohn (2009). Don't mourn your luck that's failing now, work gone wrong, your plans all proving deceptive — don't mourn them uselessly: as one long prepared, and full of courage, say goodbye to her, to Alexandria who is leaving. Unknown translator http://cavafis.compupress.gr/kave_20.htm Collected Poems (1992) Context: Don’t mourn your luck that’s failing now, work gone wrong, your plans all proving deceptive — don’t mourn them uselessly. As one long prepared, and graced with courage, say goodbye to her, the Alexandria that is leaving. Above all, don’t fool yourself, don’t say it was a dream, your ears deceived you: don’t degrade yourself with empty hopes like these.

“Speak not of guilt, speak not of responsibility.”

Constantine P. Cavafy

The Regiment of the Senses http://www.cavafy.com/poems/content.asp?id=296&cat=5 as translated by Manuel Savidis Context: Speak not of guilt, speak not of responsibility. When the Regiment of the Senses parades by, with music, and with banners; when the senses shiver and shudder, it is only a fool and and an irreverent person that will keep his distance, who will not embrace the good cause, marching towards the conquest of pleasures and passions. All of morality’s laws – poorly understood and applied – are nil and cannot stand even for a moment, when the Regiment of the Senses parades by, with music, and with banners.

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

Constantine P. Cavafy

"Candles" [Κεριά], as translated by Manolis, in Constantine P. Cavafy: Poems (2008) edited by George Amabile

“The holy Cross goes forward; it brings joy and consolation
to every quarter where Christians live;
and these God-fearing people, elated,
stand in their doorways and greet it reverently,
the strength, the salvation of the universe, the Cross.”

Constantine P. Cavafy

A Great Procession of Priests and Laymen http://www.cavafy.com/poems/content.asp?id=87&cat=1 Collected Poems (1992)

“If you are one of the truly elect,
be careful how you attain your eminence.”

Constantine P. Cavafy

Theodotos http://www.cavafy.com/poems/content.asp?id=105&cat=1 Collected Poems (1992)

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

Constantine P. Cavafy

To Call Up the Shades http://www.cavafy.com/poems/content.asp?id=17&cat=1 Collected Poems (1992)

“And from this marvellous pan-Hellenic expedition,
triumphant, brilliant in every way,
celebrated on all sides, glorified
incomparable, we emerged:
the great new Hellenic world.”

Constantine P. Cavafy

In The Year 200 B. C. (1931)