"A Greek gentleman in a straw hat, standing absolutely motionless at a
slight angle to the universe." E. M. Forster's famous description of C.
P. Cavafy--the most widely known and best loved modern Greek
poet--perfectly captures the unique perspective Cavafy brought to bear
on history and geography, sexuality and language. Cavafy wrote about
people on the periphery, whose religious, ethnic and cultural identities
are blurred, and he was one of the pioneers in expressing a specifically
homosexual sensibility. His poems present brief and vivid evocations of
historical scenes and sensual moments, often infused with his
distinctive sense of irony. They have established him as one of the most
important poets of the twentieth century. The only bilingual edition of
Cavafy's collected poems currently available, this volume presents the
most authentic Greek text of every poem he ever published, together with
a new English translation that beautifully conveys the accent and rhythm
of
Cavafy's individual tone of voice. In addition, the volume includes an
extensive introduction by Peter Mackridge, explanatory notes that gloss
Greek historical names and events alluded to in the poems, a
chronological list of the poems, and indexes of Greek and English
titles.
About the Series: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has
made available the broadest spectrum of literature from around the
globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to
scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other
valuable features, including expert introductions by leading
authorities, voluminous notes to clarify the text, up-to-date
bibliographies for further study, and much more.
