Manuel Komninos
One dreary September
Emperor Manuel Komninosfelt his death was near.
The court astrologers -bribed, of course- went on babblingabout how many years he still had to live.
But while they were having their say,he remembered an old religious customand ordered ecclesiastic al vestmentsto be brought from a monastery,and he put them on, glad to assumethe modest image of a priest or monk.
Happy all those who believe,and like Emperor Manuel end their livesdressed modestly in their faith.
Original Greek:
Μανουήλ
Ο βασιλεύς κυρ Μανουήλ ο Κομνηνόςμια μέρα μελαγχολική του Σεπτεμβρίουαισθάνθηκε τον θάνατο κοντά.
Οι αστρολόγοι(οι πληρωμένοι της αυλής εφλυαρούσανπου άλλα πολλά χρόνια θα ζήσει ακόμη.
Ενώ όμως έλεγαν αυτοί, εκείνοςπαληές συνήθειες ευλαβείς θυμάται,κι απ' τα κελλιά των μοναχών προστάζειενδύματα εκκλησιαστικά να φέρουν,και τα φορεί, κ' ευφραίνεται που δείχνειόψι σεμνήν ιερέως ή καλογήρου.
Ευτυχισμένοι όλοι που πιστεύουν,και σαν τον βασιλέα κυρ Μανουήλ τελειώνουνντυμένοι μες την πίστι των σεμνότατα.
Constantine P Cavafy
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