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Shay explains that Odysseus doesn't trust anybody, tells a lot of lies, gets into a

lot of dangerous and foolish situations, conceals himself, disguises himself, and

emotionally is as cold as ice to those closest to him. This is realistic of combat

veterans at home. He is forever different.

 

IthacaWhen you set out on your journey to Ithaca,

 pray that the road is long, full of adventure, full of knowledge.The Lestrygonians and the Cyclops ,the angry Poseidon -- do not fear them:You will never find such as these on your path,if your thoughts remain lofty, if a fineemotion touches your spirit and your body.The Lestrygonians and the Cyclops,

the fierce Poseidon you will never encounter,if you do not carry them within your soul,if your soul does not set them up before you.

 Pray that the road is long.That the summer mornings are many, when,with such pleasure, with such joy

 you will enter ports seen for the first time; stop at Phoenician markets,and purchase fine merchandise,

mother-of-pearl and coral, amber and ebony,and sensual perfumes of all kinds,as many sensual perfumes as you can;visit many Egyptian cities,to learn and learn from scholars.

 Always keep Ithaca in your mind.To arrive there is your ultimate goal.

 But do not hurry the voyage at all. It is better to let it last for many years;and to anchor at the island when you are old,rich with all you have gained on the way,

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not expecting that Ithaca will offer you riches.

 Ithaca has given you the beautiful voyage.Without her you would have never set out on the road.She has nothing more to give you.

 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 Ithacas mean.

ODYSSEUS TO CALYPSO:

is comes to inform you, that after my departure from your coasts

in the vessel 

which you were so kind as to provide me with, I was shipwrecked, and saved withthe greatest difficulty by Leucothea, who conveyed me to the country of the Phaeacians, and from thence I got home;

where I found a number of suitors about my wife, revelling there at my expense. I destroyed 

every one of them, and was afterwards slain myself by Telegonus, a son whom I had by Circe.

I still lament the pleasures which I left behind at Ogygia, and the immortality

which you promised me; if I can ever find an opportunity, I will certainly make my escape from

hence, and come to you." , Lucian of Samosata

haca

by Constantine P. Cavafy (1863 - 1933) Timeline

English version byGeorge Barbanis

Original LanguageGreek 

Secular or Eclectic

19th Century

en you set out on your journey to Ithaca,y that the road is long,of adventure, full of knowledge.Lestrygonians and the Cyclops,

angry Poseidon -- do not fear them: will never find such as these on your path,

our thoughts remain lofty, if a fineotion touches your spirit and your body.

Themes

  Bliss

  Perfume

  Smile

  Womb

 

Recommended Books

C. P. Cavafy: Collected Poems, byConstantine P. Cavafy / Translatedby Edmund Keely

Cavafy: A Biography, by RobertLiddell

Cavafy's Alexandria, by EdmundKeely

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Lestrygonians and the Cyclops,fierce Poseidon you will never encounter,

ou do not carry them within your soul,our soul does not set them up before you.

y that the road is long.t the summer mornings are many, when,

h such pleasure, with such joy will enter ports seen for the first time;

p at Phoenician markets,purchase fine merchandise,

ther-of-pearl and coral, amber, and ebony,sensual perfumes of all kinds,

many sensual perfumes as you can;t many Egyptian cities,earn and learn from scholars.

ays keep Ithaca on your mind.arrive there is your ultimate goal.do not hurry the voyage at all.better to let it last for many years;to anchor at the island when you are old,

h with all you have gained on the way,expecting that Ithaca will offer you riches.

aca has given you the beautiful voyage.

hout her you would have never set out on the road.has nothing more to give you.

d if you find her poor, Ithaca has not deceived you.e as you have become, with so much experience,must already have understood what these Ithacas mean.

The Complete Poems of Cavafy:Expanded Edition, by ConstantineP. Cavafy / Translated by RaeDalven

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o by Wolfgang Staudt   / 

 

<<Previous Poem | More Poems by Constantine P. Cavafy | Next Poem >>

Commentary by Ivan M. Granger

A little motivation to take down that old copy of the Odyssey, dust it off, and crack it open once

again. It was a favorite of mine when I was a teenager, with gods, monsters, heroes, adventure...

and a reminder of my Greek heritage (my father's father was from the Greek island of Chios).

Cavafy's poem reminds us of the Odyssey's hidden truth, that the hero's journey to Ithaca is

the soul's journey home.

Ancient tradition says that Homer's epics, the Illiad and the Odyssey, combine into a grand

mystery tale, understood by initiates as describing the stages and struggles of the soul's inner

 journey.

pray that the road is long,

full of adventure, full of knowledge...

Too often seekers decry the road, its bumps and turns, impatient for the destination.

To arrive there is your ultimate goal.

But do not hurry the voyage at all.

But the stops along the journey are not roadblocks, they are stepping stones. Actually, eventhat's not true. Seen clearly, the journey and the destination are a single continuum. The river

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pours into the sea, and they are one. Seated on the slow-moving river, we already touch the sea.

...and purchase fine merchandise,

mother-of-pearl and coral, amber, and ebony,

and sensual perfumes of all kinds,

as many sensual perfumes as you can...

Cavafy suggests that worldly experience, the senses, a certain amount of materialism, these too

are part of the journey. The physical world is the realm through which the soul journeys.

Encountering marvels and terrors the soul strengthens and comes to know itself. Knowing itself

in victory and adversity, the soul is finally ready to return. But to navigate through such

bewildering, overwhelming experiences, the destination must never be forgotten:

Always keep Ithaca on your mind.

Don't rush through the journey, impatient only for its end. The adventure is your soul's story.

Wise as you have become, with so much experience,

you must already have understood what these Ithacas mean.

The wisdom you attain with each step reveals the destination's true meaning.

And it is just as true to say that the destination's gift is contained in the journey itself:

Ithaca has given you the beautiful voyage.

 

Constantine P. Cavafy

(1863 - 1933)

Cavafy, one of the most prominent Greek poets, was bornon April 29, 1863 and died on the same date in 1933 inAlexandria (Egypt). Here's a short biographical note bythe poet himself:

I am from Constantinople by descent, but I was born inAlexandria -- at a house on Seriph Street; I left veryyoung, and spent much of my childhood in England.Subsequently I visited this country as an adult, but for ashort period of time. I have also lived in France. Duringmy adolescence I lived over two years in Constantinople.It has been many years since I last visited Greece.

My last employment was as a clerk at a government officeunder the Ministry of Public Works of Egypt. I know

English, French, and a little Italian.

Here are a few of my favorite poems by Cavafy, translated into English. I have

included the Greek original, but you will need Greek fonts to view these properly.

If you do not have Greek fonts, or your browser is not set to display them, the

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Greek titles will look strange, but you will be able to view the English translation

with no problems.

Ithaka is about about facing fears and enjoying life for the things

that are most important in shaping us as human beings.Experiences, and the wisdom that is gained from them. It is aninspirational poem and i use it as a reminder when i find myself ina comfort zone and i have doubts or fear about setting upon anew adventure in life.

Theme and Symbolism on Cavafy’s Ithaka

In his poem Ithaca Constantine Cavafy uses the familiar story of the Odyssey as a metaphor for the

journey of life. Cavafy wrote his poetry in Greek (Constantine P. Cavafy ) Although some of thelyricism and rhyme of the original is probably lost in translation, it is still a powerful piece that

speaks to the reader in any language.

The major theme of the poem is to take your time on your journey through life, stopping to obtain

wisdom, pleasure and experience. Some people always find the straight and easy way through life,

proceeding linearly and avoiding distractions and detours. When they reach the end, what do they

have to show for it? Cavafy seems to be saying that the things that really matter in the end are

experiences and memories. You can not get many of these on the straight and narrow path.

Odysseus’ ten year voyage home from the Trojan war, with its many turnings and adventures, is a

metaphor for a fulfilling life.

One unusual feature of the work is that it is written in the second person imperative. It tells the

reader, the metaphorical Odysseus, what to do. While this point of view is almost never workable in

a narrative work, it is effective in a short lyrical poem like this.

Ithaka uses several strong symbols, loosely drawn from the Odyssey. In the first stanza, for instance,

refers to the Laistrygonians, the Cyclops, and “Angry Poseidon”. These were among the most

terrifying of Oddyseus’ enemies. The Laistrygonians and the Cyclops were gigantic cannibals who

ate most of his followers. Poseidon was a vengeful god who persecuted him for years. Cavafy

chooses these enemies to symbolize conflict, particularly conflict with people or powers that are

much bigger and more powerful than the reader. Luckily, the reader need not fear these external

conflicts: “…you won’t meet them / unless you carry the in your soul” (11-12). A person without

internal strife is less likely to encounter external strife.

Another symbol the idea of coming into new harbors. The harbors are happy times and places in the

life of the reader where pleasure, knowledge and experience are gained. Cavafy mentions two main

types, Phoenician trading stations, and Egyptian cities. In the Phoenician stations, one is to buy fine

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things and sensual perfumes. Cavafy is not telling the reader to amass treasure. The message is to

enjoy luxury and beauty when the chance arises. One should appreciate the fine things that come

into one’s path for the sake of the experience. The Phoenician trading stations symbolize times in

life when one is exposed to art and beauty and culture. The Egyptian cities, on the other hand,symbolize times of knowledge and education. This could be a time of formal education such as going

to college. It could just as easily by an informal educational experience. Either way, Cavafy enjoins

the reader to visit many of these “Egyptian Cities”. Education is not something that is sought once

in life. Rather, should occur in a series of episodes throughout a lifetime.

When he wrote this reference to Egyptian cities, Costantine Cavafy was undoubtedly thinking of

Alexandria, where he spent most of his life. Alexandria has always been a great center of learning

and a confluence of cultures and ideas. It was the sight of the largest library of the ancient world. It

would not, however, have existed at the time the events in the historical Odyssey took place.

Cavafy is thus either creating a deliberate anachronism or referring to other older Egyptian cities.

The symbolism is still effective either way.

The final, and perhaps most important, symbol in Ithaka is Ithaka itself. Ithaka, Odysseus’ island

kingdom, represents both the starting and ending place. Everyone comes from somewhere. There

was a time and place them shaped them and made them they are. As they reached adulthood they

left home. Some went far indeed, even as this poem recommends. Ironically, the farther people get

from home (physically, temporally, and ideologically) the more they want to return. The great risk,

however, is of idealizing your own personal Ithaka. In the penultimate stanza Cavafy warns against

expecting too much:

Ithaka gave you the marvelous journey.

Without her you would not have set out.

She has nothing left to give you now.

The point of life is the journey and the experiences along the way. If you go long enough you will

eventually get back to where you began. As natural as this is, this starting and ending point issimply that: a starting and ending point. It is the path in between that makes life worth living.

Cavafy is justifiably referred to as the father of Greek modernist poetry, and Ithaka is widely

regarded as one of his finest poems. In it he develops elements of a familiar story, The Odyssey ,

into powerful symbols to support his theme.

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Works Cited

Cavafy, Constantine P. Ithaka. The Cavafy Archive. Accessed 28 March 2008.

Constantine P. Cavafy . Encyclopedia of World Biography . Vol. 3. 2nd ed. Detroit: Gale, 2004. 381-

382. 23 vols. Gale Virtual Reference Library . Gale. CCL Fullerton College. 29 Mar. 2009 .Ithaka: Introduction

The first version of “Ithaka” was probably written in 1894. Cavafy revised the poem in 1910, and it

was first published in 1911. The first English translation was published in 1924, and there have

been a number of different translations since then. The poem can be found in Cavafy’sCollected 

Poems, translated by Edmund Keeley and Philip Sherrard, edited by George Savidis, Princeton

University Press, 1980.

“Ithaka” is an unrhymed poem of five stanzas that employ conversational, everyday language.The narrator, probably a man who has traveled a lot, addresses either Odysseus, the hero of 

Homer’s epic poem theOdyssey , or an imaginary modern traveler or reader. The narrator tells the

traveler that what is really important is not Ithaka, the island home that was the goal of 

Odysseus’s years of wandering, but the journey itself. It is the journey that must be fully enjoyed

at every moment, using all the resources of senses and intellect, because the goal itself is likely

to be disappointing.

Cavafy enjoys a reputation as one of the finest of modern Greek poets. “Ithaka” is one of his

bestknown poems and is considered to express his outlook on life.

Ithaka Summary

Stanza 1

“Ithaka” begins with the poet addressing the reader directly in the second person, as “you,” and

offering a piece of advice. The character addressed is not identified. He could be Odysseus, the

hero of Homer’s epic poem the Odyssey , but the poet is also addressing any reader of the poem.

The poet states that as the traveler sets out on his journey, he must hope that it is a long one, full

of adventure and discovery. The destination of the journey is Ithaka. Ithaka is the island off the

western coast of Greece to which Odysseus returned after the Trojan war. Odysseus’s journey

was a long and difficult one. It was ten years before he was able to rejoin his wife Penelope in

Ithaka. However, Ithaka in this poem can also be understood as the destination of any journey,

and it can be further understood metaphorically as a journey through life.

In line 4, the poet mentions two of the obstacles that Odysseus encountered in the Odyssey . First

are the Laistrygonians, who were half-men and halfgiants, who devoured many of Odysseus’s

crew. Second are the Cyclops, who were giants with just one eye, placed in the middle of their 

foreheads. One of the Cyclops, Polyphemus, took Odysseus and his men prisoner and ate six of 

them before Odysseus escaped with the remaining six men.

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In line 5, the poet mentions another of the forces that obstructed Odysseus’s return. This is

Poseidon, who was the Greek god of the sea. He is referred to as angry because in the Odyssey

Poseidon was angry that Odysseus had blinded Polyphemus, who was Poseidon’s son.

In the Odyssey , each of these three types of beings are powerful and seek to... » Complete

Ithaka Summary

Stanza 1

“Ithaka” begins with the poet addressing the reader directly in the second person, as “you,” and

offering a piece of advice. The character addressed is not identified. He could be Odysseus, the

hero of Homer’s epic poem the Odyssey , but the poet is also addressing any reader of the poem.

The poet states that as the traveler sets out on his journey, he must hope that it is a long one, full

of adventure and discovery. The destination of the journey is Ithaka. Ithaka is the island off the

western coast of Greece to which Odysseus returned after...

“Ithaka” has long been recognized as one of Cavafy’s finest poems, and one that expresses his

outlook on life. It was first admired by T. S. Eliot, who published the first translation of “Ithaka” into

English in his literary periodical Criterion in 1924. Since then, almost every writer on Cavafy has

had something to say about the poem, which has appeared in at least four different English

translations, each of which contains subtle differences.

Jane Lagoudis Pinchin, in Alexandria Still , evaluates the different translations of the poem,

including the first...

(The entire page is 392 words.)

http://www.enotes.com/ithaka/historical-context Metaphor 

Although the island of Ithaka will always be associated with the homeland of Odysseus, in this

poem, Cavafy uses the place name in an additional sense. Just as the journey to Ithaka is ametaphor for the human journey through life, so Ithaka is a metaphor for all destinations. Itrepresents all the goals and ideals that humans strive for, all the expectations of a reward to bereceived in the future for actions performed in the present. This metaphorical meaning of Ithaka isclear not only from the context in which the word is used but also because the last line...

Life as a Journey

The theme of the poem may be summed up in one phrase: it is better to journey than to arrive.

Life should not be wasted in always contemplating the goal of one’s endeavors or in building up

hopes and schemes for the future but in enjoying the journey. An obsession with the final goal

can blind a person to the real business of living, which is to enjoy every minute that is available.

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There is also the hint that life can be disappointing. The goals people strive for, their Ithakas, may

not yield what they hoped for. Therefore, it is better not to...

One of Cavafy's most important works is his 1904 poem "Waiting for the Barbarians". In 1911, Cavafy

wrote Ithaca, inspired by the Homeric return journey of Odysseus to his home island, as depicted in

the Odyssey . The poem's theme is that enjoyment of the journey of life, and the increasing maturity of the soul as that journey continues, are all the traveler can ask for.

Almost all of Konstantinos Kavafis' work was in Greek; yet, his poetry remained unrecognized in

Greece until after the publication of his first anthology in 1935. He is known for his prosaic use of 

metaphors, his brilliant use of historical imagery, and his aesthetic perfectionism. These attributes,

amongst others, have assured him an enduring place in the literary pantheon of the Western World.

[edit]Ithaca

Original Greek English Translation

Σ βγε ς στ ν πηγαιμ γι τ ν θάκη,ὰ ῖ ὸ ὸ ὰ ὴ Ἰ

ν ε χεσαι νά ναι μακρ ς δρόμος,ὰ ὔ ῾ ὺ

γεμάτος περιπέτειες, γεμάτος γνώσεις.

Το ς Λαιστρυγόνας κα το ςὺ ὶ ὺ  

Κύκλωπας,

τ ν θυμωμένο Ποσειδ να μ φοβ σαι,ὸ ῶ ὴ ᾶ

τέτοια στ ν δρόμο σου ποτέ σου δ νὸ ὲ  

θ βρε ς,ὰ ῖ

ν μέν σκέψις σου ψηλή, νἂ ᾿ ὑ ἂ  

κλεκτἐ ὴ

συγκίνησις τ πνε μα κα τ σ μα σουὸ ῦ ὶ ὸ ῶ  

γγίζει.ἀ

Το ς Λαιστρυγόνας κα το ςὺ ὶ ὺ  

Κύκλωπας,

τ ν γριο Ποσειδ να δ ν θὸ ἄ ῶ ὲ ὰ 

συναντήσεις,

ν δ ν το ς κουβανε ς μ ς στ ν ψυχήἂ ὲ ὺ ῖ ὲ ὴ  

σου,

ν ψυχή σου δ ν το ς στήνει μπρόςἂ ὲ ὺ ἐ  

σου.

Ν ε χεσαι νά ναι μακρ ς δρόμος.ὰ ὔ ῾ ὺ

Πολλ τ καλοκαιριν πρωιν ν ε ναιὰ ὰ ὰ ὰ ὰ ἶ

πο μ τί ε χαρίστηση, μ τί χαρῦ ὲ ὐ ὲ ὰ

θ μπαίνεις σ λιμέναςὰ ὲ  

When you set sail for Ithaca,

wish for the road to be long,

full of adventures, full of knowledge.

The Lestrygonians and the Cyclops,

an angry Poseidon -- do not fear.

You will never find such on your path,

if your thoughts remain lofty, and your spirit

and body are touched by a fine emotion.

The Lestrygonians and the Cyclops,

a savage Poseidon you will not encounter,

if you do not carry them within your spirit,

if your spirit does not place them before you.

Wish for the road to be long.

Many the summer mornings to be which with

pleasure, with joy

you will enter ports seen for the first time;

stop at Phoenician markets,

and purchase the fine goods,

nacre and coral, amber and ebony,

and exquisite perfumes of all sorts,

the most delicate fragances you can find,

to many Egyptian cities you must go,

to learn and learn from the cultivated.Always keep Ithaca in your mind.

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πρωτοειδωμένους.

Ν σταματήσεις σ μπορε α Φοινικικά,ὰ ᾿ ἐ ῖ

κα τ ς καλ ς πραγμάτειες ν ὶ ὲ ὲ ᾿ 

ποκτήσεις,ἀ

σεντέφια κα κοράλλια, κεχριμπάρια κ ὶ ᾿ 

βενους,ἔ

κα δονικ μυρωδικ κάθε λογ ς, ὶ ἡ ὰ ὰ ῆ

σο μπορε ς πι φθονα δονικὅ ῖ ὸ ἄ ἡ ὰ 

μυρωδικά.

Σ πόλεις Α γυπτιακ ς πολλ ς ν π ς,ὲ ἰ ὲ ὲ ὰ ᾷ

ν μάθεις κα ν μάθεις π το ςὰ ὶ ὰ ἀ ᾿ ὺ  

σπουδασμένους.Πάντα στ νο σου νά χεις τ ν θάκη.ὸ ῦ ῾ ὴ Ἰ

Τ φθάσιμον κε ε ν προορισμόςὸ ἐ ῖ ἶ ᾿  

σου.

λλ μ βιάζεις τ ταξίδι διόλου.Ἀ ὰ ὴ ὸ

Καλλίτερα χρόνια πολλ ν διαρκέσει.ὰ ὰ

Κα γέρος πι ν ράξεις στ νησί, ὶ ὰ ᾿ ἀ ὸ

πλούσιος μ σα κέρδισες στ ν δρόμο,ὲ ὅ ὸ

μ προσδοκώντας πλούτη ν σ δώσειὴ ὰ ὲ  θάκη.Ἰ

θάκη σ δωσε τ ρα ο ταξίδι.Ἡ Ἰ ᾿ ἔ ᾿ ὡ ῖ

Χωρ ς α τ ν δ ν θά βγαινες στ ν ὶ ὐ ὴ ὲ ῾ ὸ  

δρόμο.

λλα δ ν χει ν σ δώσει πιά.Ἄ ὲ ἔ ὰ ὲ

Κι ν πτωχικ τ ν βρε ς, θάκη δ νἂ ὴ ὴ ῖ Ἰ ὲ  

σ γέλασε.ὲ

τσι σοφ ς πο γινες, μ τόση πε ρα,Ἔ ὸ ὺ ἔ ὲ ῖδη θ τ κατάλαβες ο θάκες τἤ ὰ ὸ ἱ Ἰ ὶ 

σημαίνουν.

To arrive there is your final destination.

But do not hurry the voyage at all.

It is better for it to last many years,

and when old to rest in the island,

rich with all you have gained on the way,not expecting Ithaca to offer you wealth.

Ithaca has given you the beautiful journey.

Without her you would not have set out on

the road.

Nothing more has she got to give you.

And if you find her threadbare, Ithaca has

not deceived you.

Wise as you have become, with so muchexperience,

you must already have understood what

Ithacas mean.

Ithaca Poem: The lyric poem Ithaka by Constantine Cavafy

 

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 The Poem Ithaka of Constantine Cavafy: Since Homer's Odyssey, Ithacasymbolizes the destination of a long journey, the suppreme aim that every mantries to fulfill all his life long, the sweet homeland, the eternal calmness andsatisfaction…

Many artists and literary people have been inspired by this interpretation of Homer's poem and have given to this small island of the Ionian Sea a specialsense. Famous poets have been inspired by Ithaca and have used its namemetaphorically on their works.

 The most famous poem about Ithaca has been written by the renowned Greekpoet Constantine Cavafy and is entitled "Ithaka". There he makes an allusion of 

the legendary journey of Ulysses to the journey of every man through life andsuggests that each person is looking for his own Ithaca, his personal supremegaol. However, in the end, it is not the goal but the journey that matters, becausethis journey makes us wise and gives people the richest good: experience,knowledge and maturity.

 This poem was written in 1911 and has been translated in many languages sincethen. Its lyric words and message are touching.

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When you set out for Ithakaask that your way be long,full of adventure, full of instruction.The Laistrygonians and the Cyclops,angry Poseidon - do not fear them:such as these you will never findas long as your thought is lofty, as long as arareemotion touch your spirit and your body.The Laistrygonians and the Cyclops,

angry Poseidon - you will not meet themunless you carry them in your soul,unless your soul raise them up before you.

Ask that your way be long.At many a Summer dawn to enter with what gratitude, what joy -ports seen for the first time;to stop at Phoenician trading centres,and to buy good merchandise,mother of pearl and coral, amber and ebony,and sensuous perfumes of every kind,sensuous perfumes as lavishly as you can;

to visit many Egyptian cities,to gather stores of knowledge from the learned.

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Have Ithaka always in your mind.Your arrival there is what you are destined for.But don't in the least hurry the journey.Better it last for years,so that when you reach the island you are old,

rich with all you have gained on the way,not expecting Ithaka to give you wealth.Ithaka gave you a splendid journey.Without her you would not have set out.She hasn't anything else to give you.

And if you find her poor, Ithaka hasn't deceivedyou.So wise you have become, of such experience,that already you'll have understood what theseIthakas mean.

Constantine P Cavafy

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Ithak 

a

As you set out for Ithaka

hope the voyage is a long one,full of adventure, full of discovery.Laistrygonians and Cyclops,angry Poseidon—don’t be afraid of them:you’ll never find things like that on your wayas long as you keep your thoughts raised high,as long as a rare excitementstirs your spirit and your body.Laistrygonians and Cyclops,wild Poseidon—you won’t encounter them

unless you bring them along inside your soul,unless your soul sets them up in front of you. Hope the voyage is a long one.May there be many a summer morning when,with what pleasure, what joy,you come into harbors seen for the first time;may you stop at Phoenician trading stationsto buy fine things,mother of pearl and coral, amber and ebony,

sensual perfume of every kind—as many sensual perfumes as you can;

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and may you visit many Egyptian citiesto gather stores of knowledge from their scholars. Keep Ithaka always in your mind.Arriving there is what you are destined for.

But do not hurry the journey at all.Better if it lasts for years,so you are old by the time you reach the island,wealthy with all you have gained on the way,not expecting Ithaka to make you rich. Ithaka gave you the marvelous journey.Without her you would not have set out.She has nothing left to give you now. 

And if you find her poor, Ithaka won’t have fooled you.Wise as you will have become, so full of experience,you will have understood by then what these Ithakas mean.

ITHAKA

As you set out for Ithakahope your road is a long one,full of adventure, full of discovery.Laistrygonians, Cyclops,angry Poseidon - don't be afraid of them:

you'll never find things like that one on your wayas long as you keep your thoughts raised high,as long as a rare excitementstirs your spirit and your body.Laistrygonians, Cyclops,wild Poseidon - you won't encounter themunless you bring them along inside your soul,unless your soul sets them up in front of you.

Hope your road is a long one.

May there be many summer mornings when,with what pleasure, what joy,you enter harbours you're seeing for the first time;may you stop at Phoenician trading stationsto buy fine things,mother of pearl and coral, amber and ebony,sensual perfumes of every kind -as many sensual perfumes as you can;and may you visit many Egyptian citiesto learn and go on learning from their scholars.

Keep Ithaka always in your mind.

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Arriving there is what you're destined for.But don't hurry the journey at all.Better if it lasts for years,so you're old by the time you reach the island,wealthy with all you've gained on the way,not expecting Ithaka to make you rich.

Ithaka gave you the marvellous journey.Without her you wouldn't have set out.She has nothing left to give you now.And if you find her poor, Ithaka won't have fooled you.Wise as you will have become, so full of experience,you'll have understood by then what these Ithakas mean

ITHAKA

When setting out upon your way to Ithaca,wish always that your course be long,full of adventure, full of lore.Of the Laestrygones and of the Cyclopes,of an irate Poseidon never be afraid;such things along your way you will not find,if lofty is your thinking, if fine sentimentin spirit and in body touches you.

 Neither Laestrygones nor Cyclopes,nor wild Poseidon will you ever meet,unless you bear them in your soul,unless your soul has raised them up in front of you.

Wish always that your course be long;that many there be of summer mornswhen with such pleasure, such great joy,you enter ports now for the first time seen;that you may stop at some Phoenician marts,to purchase there the best of wares,mother-of-pearl and coral, amber, ebony,

hedonic perfumes of all sorts--as many such hedonic perfumes as you can;that you may go to various Egyptian townsto learn, and learn from those schooled there.

Your mind should ever be on Ithaca.Your reaching there is your prime goal.But do not rush your journey anywise.Better that it should last for many years,and that, now old, you moor at Ithaca at last,a man enriched by all you gained upon the way,

and not expecting Ithaca to give you further wealth.

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For Ithaca has given you the lovely trip.Without her you would not have set your course.There is no more that she can give.

If Ithaca seems then too lean, you have not been deceived.

As wise as you are now become, of such experience,you will have understood what Ithaca stands for.

İthakaİthaka'ya doğru yola çıktığın zaman,dile ki uzun sürsün yolculuğun,serüven dolu, bilgi dolu olsun.Ne lestrigonlardan kork,ne kikloplardan, ne de öfkeli Poseidon'dan.Bunların hiçbiri çıkmaz karşına,düşlerin yüceyse, gövdeni ve ruhunuince bir heyecan sarmışsa eğer.

Ne Lestrigonlara rastlarsın,ne Kikloplara, ne azgın Poseidon'a,onları sen kendi ruhunda taşımadıkça,kendi ruhun onları dikmedikçe karşına.

Dile ki uzun sürsün yolun.Nice yaz sabahları olsun,eşsiz bir sevinç ve mutluluk içindeönceden hiç görmediğin limanlara girdiğin!Durup Fenike'nin çarşılarındaeşi benzeri olmayan mallar al,sedefle mercan, abanozla kehribar,ve her türlü başdöndürücü kokular;bu başdöndürücü kokulardan al alabildiğin kadar;nice Mısır şehirlerine uğra,ne öğrenebilirsen öğrenmeye bak bilgelerinden.

Hiç aklından çıkarma İthaka'yı.Oraya varmak senin başlıca yazgın.Ama yolculuğu tez bitirmeye kalkma sakın.Varsın yıllarca sürsün, daha iyi;sonundakocamış biri olarak demir at adana,yol boyunca kazandığın bunca şeylerle zengin,İthaka'nın sana zenginlik vermesini ummadan.Sana bu güzel yolculuğu verdi İthaka.O olmasa, yola hiç çıkmayacaktın.Ama sana verecek bir şeyi yok bundan başka.

Onu yoksul buluyorsan, aldanmış sanma kendini.Geçtiğin bunca deneyden sonra öyle bilgeleştin ki,Artık elbet biliyorsundur ne anlama geldiğiniİthakaların.

(Çeviren: Cevat Çapan) 

Konstantin Kavafis

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