{ Constantine P. Cavafy: The City. }

[delga]

The City
by Constantine P. Cavafy (trans. Daniel Mendelsohn)

You said: "I'll go to some other land, I'll go to some other sea.
There's bound to be another city that's better by far.
My every effort has been ill-fated from the start;
my heart--like something dead--lies buried away;
How long will my mind endure this slow decay?
Wherever I look, wherever I cast my eyes,
I see all round me the black rubble of my life
where I've spent so many ruined and wasted years."

You'll find no new places, you won't find other shores.
The city will follow you. The streets in which you pace
will be the same, you'll haunt the same familiar places,
and inside those same houses you'll grow old.
You'll always end up in this city. Don't bother to hope
for a ship, a route, to take you somewhere else; they don't exist.
Just as you've destroyed your life, here in this
small corner, so you've wasted it through all the world.

With thanks to the_grynne who posted this today.

Comments

[belantana.livejournal.com]

The bane of my life is that I love different parts of this poem in different translations, and there is no one translation I like best. (I can't remember the details now of course but I love the translation with there is no ship for you, there is no road.)

Thanks for passing it on.

[delgaserasca.livejournal.com]

Oh, oh, that's the Rae Dalven one. I have it somewhere. BRB.

[delgaserasca.livejournal.com]

The City
by Constantine P. Cavafy (trans. Rae Dalven)

You said, 'I will go to another city, I will go to another sea.
Another city will be found, a better one than this.
Every effort of mine is a condemnation of fate;
and my heart is - like a corpse - buried.
How long will my mind remain in this wasteland.
Wherever I turn my eyes, wherever I may look
I see the black ruins of my life there,
where I spent so many years destroying and wasting.'

You will find no new lands, you will find no other seas.
The city will follow you. You will roam the same
streets. You will age in the same neighbourhoods;
and you will grow gray in these same houses.
Always you will arrive in this city. Do not hope for any other -
There is no ship for you, there is no road.
As you have destroyed your life here
in this little corner, you have ruined it in the entire world.

[belantana.livejournal.com]

That's it! Thank you! Always you will arrive in this city, ohhh, that was the other line I adore in this one. The language seems much cleaner. But then, I find the entire world a really unsatisfying end.

[delgaserasca.livejournal.com]

I know exactly what you mean. I nearly always prefer Dalven's translations (Stratis Haviaras' are always SO DRY) but I like Mendelsohn's.

Of course, very little of The City matches up to The God Forsakes Anthony: Above all do not be fooled, do not tell yourself / it was only a dream, that your ears deceived you; / do not stoop to such vain hopes.

[belantana.livejournal.com]

Haha, so, I am very much lacking an education in literature, and I actually came to Cavafy via Leonard Cohen: Do not say the moment was imagined / Do not stoop to strategies like this. I think I prefer the line you posted, but it's hard to disentangle from my feelings on first hearing the song.

Actually, that's great, I've been meaning to buy a book but was unsure which translation - I'll go with Dalven on your recommendation. :)

[twincy.livejournal.com]

Leonard Cohen! Is what that line reminded me of, thank you. Alexandra Leaving is exquisite.

/stalking comment thread

[the-grynne.livejournal.com]

I love the Rae Dalven version of The God Forsakes Antony as well, especially: As if long prepared for this, as if courageous.

Here's Mendelsohn's take on it:


THE GOD ABANDONS ANTONY

When suddenly, at midnight, there comes the sound
of an invisible procession passing by
with exquisite music playing, with voices raised--
your good fortune, which now gives way; all your efforts'
ill-starred outcome; the plans you made for life,
which turned out wrong: don't mourn them uselessly.
Like one who's long prepared, like someone brave,
bid farewell to her, to Alexandria, who is leaving.
Above all do not fool yourself, don't say
that it was a dream, that your ears deceived you;
don't stoop to futile hopes like these.
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 loosing.

[delgaserasca.livejournal.com]

Ahhh, thank you. all your efforts' / ill-starred outcome

[belantana.livejournal.com]

Isn't it! It's one of the very few (~10 or so) songs I can listen to over and over again.