C.P.CAVAFY - PASSIONS AND ANCIENT DAYS - New Poems Translated and Introduced by Edmund Keeley and George Savidis

Sep 29, 2026

Uploaded by Jake

This volume presents newly discovered Cavafy poems, offering readers an unexpected, archaeological pleasure alongside a detailed introduction and notes. The accompanying discussion highlights how Cavafy differs from much nineteenth- and early twentieth-century poetry, stripping away simile and metaphor and presenting events and states of mind directly. It describes the poems as appearing simple at first, yet quickly revealing depths that exceed their immediate boundaries.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLiterature

FormatPDF

Pages104

Reading Time2 h 40 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Notes

# C.P.CAVAFY PASSIONS AND ANCIENT DAYS NEW POEMS TRANSLATED AND INTRODUCED BYEDMUND KEELEY AND GEORGE SAVIDIS 2W/msa功力鹏 6898 | "Because of his very distinctive sensi-
bility,Cavafy is one of the most elusive
figures among recent major writers.
These new poems,together with the
very revealing introduction and notes
not only bring Cavafy closer to us,but
throw some side lights on the poetic
process itself.”
—Robest Gorham Davis | | --- | C.P.CAVAFY PASSIONS AND ANCIENT DAYS NEW POEMS TRANSLATED AND INTRODUCED BYEDMUND KEELEY AND GEORGE SAVIDIS The discovery of new poems by a great poetthirty years after his death is “archaeological”in its unexpected delight.Such an experienceis exotic in the highest sense—as in thereading experience offered here. Unlike most poetry of the nineteenth andearly twentieth centuries,Cavafy's work istotally stripped of simile and metaphor.Occurrences,states of mind,are not gauzedby symbolic counterparts;history is strippedof the objectified overview that definesprosaic history;even the language itself doesnot draw its power from literary reservoirs.Hence the poems appear simple at first,yetwithin seconds they flash beyond their owncircumferences.It is because the tiny incidenthe had chosen to describe is so perfecly at(continued on back flap) TACOMA COMUNITY COLLEGE 39332016128029 Kabaphes,Kōnstantinos P. PA 5610 K2 Passions and ancient days. P3 1971 TACOMA COMMUNITY COLLEGE LIBRARY5900 SOUTH 12th STREETTACOMA,WASHINGTON 98465 / DEMCO https://archive.org/details/passionsancientd0000unse OTHER BOOKS BY THE TRANSLATORS Edmnd Keeley THE LIBATION SIX POETS OF MODERN GREECEwith Philip Sherrard THE GOLD-HATTED LOVER VASSILIS VASSILIKOS:THE PLANT,THE WEIL,THE ANGELwith Mary Keeley GEORGE SEFERIS:COLLECTED POEMS,I924-I955with Philip Sherrard THE IMPOSTOR George Savidis FOR SEFERIS C.P.CAVAFY:POEMS,I886-I933 ANGELOS SIKELIANOS:LYRIC LIFE THE EDITIONS OF CAVAFY(I89I-I932) K.G.KARIOTAKIS:THE COMPLETE POEMS C.P.CAVAFY:UNPUBLISHED POEMS,I882-I923 C.P.CAVAFY # PASSIONS AND ANCIENT DAYS NEW POEMS TRANSLATED AND INTRODUCED BY EDMUND KEELEY AND GEORGE SAVIDIS THE DIAL PRESS/NEW YORK 创 Copyright CI963,I968 by Kyveli A.Singopoulo Copyright I97I by Edmund Keeley and George Savidis All rights reserved.No part of this book may be reproducedin any form or by any means without the prior writtenpermission of the Publisher,excepting brief quotes used inconnection with reviews written specifically for inclusion in amagazine or newspaper Library of Congress Catalog Card Number:70-I3II76 Printed in the United States of America First printing Book design by Richard Gabriel Rummonds

FAQs

What does the book offer readers?

It offers newly discovered poems by Cavafy, translated and introduced by Edmund Keeley and George Savidis, together with an introduction and notes.

How is Cavafy’s style described in the book’s accompanying discussion?

Unlike much poetry of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Cavafy’s work is described as stripped of simile and metaphor, presenting states of mind and occurrences directly.

Why are the poems said to feel simple at first yet reveal more quickly?

The text explains that the small incident Cavafy chose to describe is so precisely formed that the poems quickly flash beyond their own immediate boundaries.

Sep 29, 2026

Uploaded by Jake