Ithaca by C.P.Cavafy (with Sean Connery & Vangelis)

C.P.Cavafy's poem 'Ithaca', recited by Sir Sean Connery and with music specially composed by Vangelis.

ITHACA [1910, 1911]
As you set out for Ithaca
hope that your journey 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 way
as long as you keep your thoughts raised high,
as long as a rare sensasion
touches 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 that your journey is a long one.
May there be many summer mornings when,
with what pleasure, what joy,
you come into harbors you're seeing for the first time;
may you stop at Phoenician trading stations
to buy fine things,
mother of pearl and coral, amber and ebony,
sensual perfume of every kind-
as many sensual perfumes as you can;
and may you visit many Egyptian cities
to learn and learn again from those who know.

Keep Ithaka always in your mind.
Arriving there is what you're destined for.
But don't hurry the journey at all.
Better if it lasts for years,
so that you're old by the time you reach the island,
wealthy with all you've gained on the way,
not expecting Ithaca to make you rich.
Ithaca gave you the marvelous journey.
Without her you would have not set out.
She has nothing left to give you now.

And if you find her poor, Ithaca won't have fooled you.
Wise as you will have become, so full of experience,
you'll have understood by then what these Ithacas mean.

• Category

  Travel & Events

[João Aragão]

For me, Greece is not just about the crisis, the bankruptcy, the public debt, etc. Greece is also a beautiful country with a wonderful people which is able to do such marvelous things like this poem by Kavafis. The world owes you very much! Thank you!

Greetings from Portugal

[Dasoulman007]

One more masterpiece offered by a greek remaining in history of human culture. They can't destroy you, doesnt matter how hard they try. Thank you for giving the light to the world.

[Tito Christo Polichronis]

Thank you..

[Mørtis V.]

για την ακρίβεια, είμαι έλληνας.

[LifeDrop88]

I will talk about the poem thats the meaning as Konstantinos Moschonas said below!His voice is tremendous,the pictures are amazing,the poem is beautiful,the journey is incredible,the feelings are so powerful,thank you for this uploader these 4:26 minutes made me think what life means...

[deepstrider]

and how would you know that? maybe you did not like the Greek people you met but you shouldn't just apply that to the majority of us.

[Mørtis V.]

most of the greek people are not wonderful at all, unfortunately.

[MrJosephFrank]

Does anybody know who did the translation?

[Immanuel De Leon]

ITHAKA... ITHAKA... ITHAKA...

"We now have arrive... not to the end of our journey,

but beyond the veil set upon that journey.

We are wealthy with experience as we reach your isle,

What Joy Pleasure and Gratitude we carry,

With lofty thoughts and in spirit,

We now sit with poseidon and cyclops, for

Wisdom sought sees deceit no longer."

[Bunnypunker]

Inside a book is the correct answer.