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The God Forsakes Anthony

When suddenly, at midnight, you hearan invisible procession going bywith exquisite music, voices,don't mourn your luck that's failing now,work gone wrong, your plansall 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 sayit was a dream, your ears deceived you:don't degrade yourself with empty hopes like these.

As one long prepared, and graced with courage,as is right for you who were given this kind of city,go firmly to the

And listen with deep emotion, but notwith whining, the pleas of a coward;listen — your final delectation — to the voices,to the exquisite music of that strange procession,and say goodbye to her, to the Alexandria you are losing.

Greek Original:

Απολείπειν ο θεός

Σαν έξαφνα, ώρα μεσάνυχτ', ακουσθείαόρατος θίασος να περνάμε μουσικές εξαίσιες, με φωνές --την τύχη σου που ενδίδει πια, τα έργα σουπου απέτυχαν, τα σχέδια της ζωής σουπου βγήκαν όλα πλάνες, μη ανοφέλετα θρηνήσεις.

Σαν έτοιμος από καιρό, σα θαρραλέος,αποχαιρέτα την, την Αλεξάνδρεια που φεύγει.

Προ πάντων να μη γελασθείς, μην πείς πως ήτανένα όνειρο, πως απατήθηκεν η ακοή σου·μάταιες ελπίδες τέτοιες μην καταδεχθείς.

Σαν έτοιμος από καιρό, σα θαρραλέος,σαν που ταιριάζει σε που αξιώθηκες μια τέτοια πόλι,πλησίασε σταθερά προς το παράθυρο,κι άκουσε με συγκίνησιν, αλλ' όχιμε των δειλών τα παρακάλια και παράπονα,ως τελευταία απόλαυσι τους ήχους,τα εξαίσια όργανα του μυστικού θιάσου,κι αποχαιρέτα την, την Αλεξάνδρεια που χάνεις.

The poem refers to Plutarch's story that, when Antony was besieged in Alexandria by Octavian, he heard the sounds of instruments and voices, which made its way through the city, and then passed out; the god Bacchus (Dionysus),

Antony's protector, was deserting him.

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Constantine P Cavafy

Constantine Peter Cavafy (April 29 (April 17, OS), 1863 – April 29, 1933) was an Egyptiot Greek poet, journalist and civil servant. His consciou…

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