On An Italian Shore Poem by Constantine P. Cavafy
On An Italian Shore
Kimos, son of Menedoros, a young Greek-Italian,
devotes his life to amusing himself,
like most young men in Greater Greece
brought up in the lap of luxury.
But today, in spite of his nature,
he's preoccupied, dejected. Near the shore
he watches, deeply distressed, as they unload
ships with booty taken from the Peloponnese.
Greek loot: booty from Corinth.
Today certainly it's not right,
it's not possible for the young Greek-Italian
to want to amuse himself in any way.
2. Greek booty. Spoils of Corinth. Today don’t be surprised if it’s unsuitable, indeed impossible, for the Italicized young man to dream of giving himself to pleasure fully. Translated by James Merrill
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4/25/2024 12:39:17 PM # 1.0.0.1119
The same poem, translated by James Merrill: 1. The son of Menedoros, Kimos, a Greek-Italian, fritters his life away in the pursuit of pleasure, according to the common practice in Magna Graecia among the rich, unruly young men of today. Today, however, wholly counter to his nature, he’s lost in thought, dejected. There on the shores he sees with bitter melancholy ship upon ship that slowly disgorges crates of booty from the Peloponnese.