Cavafy: Ithaca

The following is the poem “Ithaca” by the famous Greek poet Cavafy, in its translation by Rae Dalven, the original Greek, and also with my own horribly-bastardized pronunciation guide for the Greek. Note that the translation is not line-based, which is to say that each line in English does not *exactly* say what is in the same Greek line.

<td class="greek">
  Σα βγεις στον πηγαιμο για την Ιθακη,
</td>

<td class="guide">
  sah vays ston paygaimo geeya tain eeTHAkey
</td>

<td>
  να ευχεσαι να ναι μακρυς ο δρομος,
</td>

<td>
  na euchesai na nay makros o dromos,
</td>

<td>
  γεματος περιπετειες, γεματος γνωσεισ.
</td>

<td>
  gematos peripetays, gematos no-sis.
</td>

<td>
  Τους Λαιστρυγονας και τους Κυκλωπας,
</td>

<td>
  twos laistregonas kay twos kooklipass,
</td>

<td>
  τον θυμωμενο Ποσειδωνα μη φοβασαι,
</td>

<td>
  ton themumeno poseiden-ahh may phobasai,
</td>

<td>
  τετοια στον δρομο σου ποτε σου δεν θα βγεις,
</td>

<td>
  tetoya ston dromo sue poetay sue den tha vays,
</td>

<td>
  fineαν μεν η σκεψις σου υψηλη, αν εκλεκτηan
</td>

<td>
  men ay skepsis sue waylay, an eklektay
</td>

<td>
  συγκιvησις το πνευμα και το σωμα σου αγγιζει.
</td>

<td>
  sugkeyvaysis to newma kay to summa sue aggEEzay.
</td>

<td>
  Τους Λαιστρυγονας και τους Κυκλωπας,
</td>

<td>
  twos laistregonas kay twos kooklipass,
</td>

<td>
  τον αγριο Ποσειδωνα δεν θα συναντησεις,
</td>

<td>
  ton agrio poseiden-ahh den tha soonantaysays,
</td>

<td>
  αν δεν τους κουβανεις μες στην ψυχη σου,
</td>

<td>
  an den twos koubanays mess stain psueshay sue,
</td>

<td>
  αν η ψυχη σου δεν τους στηνει εμπρος σου.
</td>

<td>
  An ay psueshay sue den twos staynei empros sue.
</td>

When you start on your journey to Ithaca,

then pray that the road is long,

full of adventure, full of knowledge.

Do not fear the Lestrygonians

and the Cyclopes and the angry Poseidon.

You will never meet such as these on your path,

if your thoughts remain lofty, if a

emotion touches your body and your spirit.

You will never meet the Lestrygonians,

the Cyclopes and the fierce Poseidon,

if you do not carry them within your soul,

if your soul does not raise them up before you.