21. THAT'S HIM! Come from Edessa to Antioch, in the new city unknown, he continues his composition. At last it is done. Eighty-three minted poems in all! Such labour! Such intensity! The weary lyrist is wrung, his talent worn, his head too full of words. And it all seems so worthless, all that effort wasted. Then a sudden thought lightens his mood. He imagines them saying 'There goes the man, that's him, the poet.' - Like words to those the scribbler Lucian heard as he lay dreaming. 22. KING DEMETRIOS Abandoned by the Macedonians who favoured his rival Pyrros, noble Demetrios didn't react like a king. He simply slid out of his golden robes, kicked off the royal purple shoes. Dressed as a commoner, he left at once like an actor when the play is done changing out of his costume, slipping away down the street. 23. THE OLD TOWN You said: 'I'll emigrate, find somewhere better than this. Whatever i do turns sour. I feel as if entombed. I'll not stay here and rot away. Here, my life is ruined, my years run uselessly into the sand.' You will not find another country nor sail an unknown sea. This town will dog you everywhere; to whichever place you journey our faded streets will follow. You will age in these same districts, turn grey in similar houses. In your wanderings you will always end up here. You spoiled your life in this crumbling town: so it will be wherever you go. 24. THE PROVINCE (SATRAPY) How awful, that you, so noble, so accomplished, never get a chance to prove yourself in a fulfilling manner. Vulgar people stand in your way, the mean and the indifferent. It will be a sorry day when you disregard your higher principles and set out for Susa and the court of Artaxerxes, the Great King. Of course, he will take you in, offer you the governance of some province - all that sort of thing. So demeaning! Not at all what you deserve. Despairing, you will feel you have to accede. Your intellect was formed for better things: the acclamations of the people, the praise of the philosophers, the senate, the public stage, crowned with crowns of laurel. - You won't get these from Artaxerxes or from governing some huge province. Without them, how you will droop in an unfit setting. 25. IDES OF MARCH I mustn't get above myself. If I cannot curb ambition I'll be extra vigilant the higher I ascend the greasy pole. And when I get to the top - leader of the Roman state - assuming that persona, I shall be very careful going out in public surrounded by my retinue. Should Artemidoros, who cautioned Julius Caesar, or somebody like him thrust a letter into my hand, saying (as he said to him) 'Read this at once and heed my warning' - I will scrutinise his paper in minute detail disregarding people pressing to see me, disregarding even vital business. I will ignore the sycophants; the senate itself will have to wait - all those noble and learned gentlemen - While I carefully study Artemidoros's words. 26. THE GOD ABANDONS ANTONY At the ghostly midnight hour you sense an unseen procession, a mystic train sweeping onwards past you. Accompanied by melodious voices you hear a thrilling music: the sound of waves on a deserted beach drenched in bright white moonlight; the whisper of star to star along galactic highways. At last your luck's run out. All you made and did is turned to water trickling away through illusory hands held out in supplication. Do not despair. You're ready. You have courage. Whisper 'farewell' to Alexandria. She is passing. Don't choose the prosaic option. Do not say the music was a dream, that you imagined voices. - That would just be silly. You are ready. You have your courage. You were worthy of this great city. Step to the window. Go out upon the balcony. Listen, with responding deep emotion which sets aside all carping, any whining, to that precious fading melody, to the voices of the unseen company; and say goodbye; farewell to Alexandria who is leaving. The photographs are of Cavafy's flat in Rue Lepsius, taken while the poet was alive and in residence. They come from the first edition of 'Cavafy a critical biography' published by Gerald Duckworth & Co Ltd in 1974. (It has recently been reprinted as a paperback but without the wonderfully evocative photographs.) The music accompanying 'The God Abandons Antony' is from 'The Pines of Rome' by Respighi, the second movement 'Pines Near A Catacomb'.

Author: cavafyinenglish
Keywords: Cavafy Greek Poetry Ides of March The God Abandons Antony Alexandria Respighi Charles Bryant
Added: December 4, 2008

Nov 2008

Author: salamanderbeing
Keywords: Tree Planting
Added: November 30, 2008

Nikolas Asimos - Mpagasas I am leaving behind the agora and the bazaars I want to run in the stubble and the greenfields Be a rider again - and, come and take me sky cause i wasn't tricky and i need your grace Hey Mate! You are having a good time up there I am looking for a breadth to heal me I don't believe you are mocking me As i am staring at you, you don'g give a damn Offer me a solution It's not going to cost you much And i will be making little songs for you With the best lyrics at the refrain For my lost cause And the little starts that were left alone to mourn it I am leaving behind the noise and the people I had enough slaps and i am looking for ways To get away from fate And i have a flood within me, sky cause i wasn't tricky and you will like to flirt with me, blue one Hey Mate! You are having a good time up there pass a look down there were you're sleeping and sailing suddenly you illuminate and thunder And you are mumbling whatever comes to your mind Don't think that you are upsetting me 'Cause i'll be making little songs for you With the best lyrics at the refrain For my lost cause And the little starts that were left alone to mourn it. Νικόλας Άσιμος- Μπαγάσας Aφήνω πίσω τις αγορές και τα παζάρια θέλω να τρέξω στις καλαμιές και τα λιβάδια να ξαναγίνω καβαλάρης και ξαναέλα να με πάρεις ουρανέ για δεν υπήρξα κατεργάρης και τη χρειάζομαι τη χάρη σου μωρέ Ρε μπαγάσα! Περνάς καλά εκεί πάνω μιαν ανάσα γυρεύω για να γιάνω δεν το πιστεύω να με χλευάζεις σαν σε χαζεύω δεν χαμπαριάζεις πρότεινέ μου κάποια λύση δεν θα σου παρα-κοστήσει και θα σου φτιάχνω τραγουδάκια με τα πιο όμορφα στιχάκια στο ρεφρέν για το χαμένο μου αγώνα που τ' αστεράκια μείναν μόνα να τον κλαίν' Aφήνω πίσω το σαματά και τους ανθρώπους έχω χορτάσει κατραπακιές και ψάχνω τρόπους πως να ξεφύγω από τη μοίρα κι έχω μέσα μου πλημμύρα ουρανέ για δεν υπήρξα κατεργάρης και θα το θες να με φλερτάρεις γαλανέ Ρε μπαγάσα! Περνάς καλά εκεί πάνω κάνε πάσα καμιά ματιά και χάμω 'κει που κοιμάσαι και αρμενίζεις ξάφνου αστράφτεις και μπουμπουνίζεις κι ότι σου 'ρθει κατεβάζεις μην θαρρείς πως με ταράζεις γιατί σου φτιάχνω τραγουδάκια με τα πιο όμορφα στιχάκια στο ρεφρέν για το χαμένο μου αγώνα που τ' αστεράκια μείναν μόνα να τον κλαίν'.

Author: aggitis1
Keywords: Νικόλας Άσιμος Μπαγάσας Nikolas Asimos Mpagasas ελληνική ροκ μουσική greek rock music
Added: November 30, 2008

4 weeks of sailing. Greece 18-25 July, Croatia 1-22 August

Author: TheYachtWeek
Keywords: sailing event croatia TYW09 TYWBESTOF
Added: November 30, 2008

Zeilen met de Rania van van Eufimia naar Fiskardo (22-09-2008)

Author: zwitserw
Keywords: Griekenland Greece zeilen sailing Ionian Ionische zee Eufimia Keffalonia Fiskardo Skuytevaert
Added: November 29, 2008

Een impressie van de zeil regatta met vrienden in drie boten rond Poros in Griekeland door Jan Coenders uit Driel

Author: jacoe
Keywords: 2004 Griekeland Pinnacle zeilen
Added: November 29, 2008

Een impressie van de zeil regatta met vrienden en drie boten rond Poros in Griekeland. Door Jan Coenders uit Driel.

Author: jacoe
Keywords: Zeilen Athene Poros Driel
Added: November 29, 2008

"http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/An_Account_of_Egypt" - Egypt: and if any one came to any other of the Nile mouths, he was compelled to swear that he came not thither of his own free will, and when he had thus sworn his innocence he had to sail with his ship to the Canobic mouth, or if it were not possible to sail by reason of contrary winds, then he had to carry his cargo round the head of the Delta in boats to Naucratis: thus highly was Naucratis privileged. Moreover when the Amphictyons had let out the contract for building the temple which now exists at Delphi, agreeing to pay a sum of three hundred talents (for the temple which formerly stood there had been burnt down of itself), it fell to the share of the people of Delphi to provide the fourth part of the payment; and accordingly the Delphians went about to various cities and collected

Author: h4ck3rm1k3
Keywords: HERODOTUS EGYPT HISTORY GREEK
Added: November 28, 2008

"http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/An_Account_of_Egypt" - which is called Sebennytic, as one sails up the river from the sea; and the name of this city where the Oracle is found is Buto, as I have said before in mentioning it. In this Buto there is a temple of Apollo and Artemis; and the temple-house of Leto, in which the Oracle is, is both great in itself and has a gateway of the height of ten fathoms: but that which caused me most to marvel of the things to be seen there, I will now tell. There is in this sacred enclosure a house of Leto made of one single stone upon the top, the cornice measuring four cubits. This house then of all the things that were to be seen by me in that temple is the most marvellous, and among those which come next is the island called Chemmis. This is situated in a deep and broad lake by the side of the temple

Author: h4ck3rm1k3
Keywords: HERODOTUS EGYPT HISTORY GREEK
Added: November 28, 2008

"http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/An_Account_of_Egypt" - showed himself ungrateful to the Egyptians; for when he set forth to sail away, contrary winds detained him, and as this condition of things lasted long, he devised an impious deed; for he took two children of natives and made sacrifice of them. After this, when it was known that he had done so, he became abhorred, and being pursued he escaped and got away in his ships to Libya; but whither he went besides after this, the Egyptians were not able to tell. Of these things they said that they found out part by inquiries, and the rest, namely that which happened in their own land, they related from sure and certain knowledge. Thus the priests of the Egyptians told me; and I myself also agree with the story which was told of Helen, adding this consideration, namely that if Helen had been in Ilion she would have

Author: h4ck3rm1k3
Keywords: HERODOTUS EGYPT HISTORY GREEK
Added: November 28, 2008