ABSTRACT
Yesterday we talked about C. P. Cavafy's poem Ithaca, which recounts Odysseus's travels on his return home and the wonderful things that he saw and experienced. Cavafy imagines himself addressing Odysseus when he gets to Ithaca, saying “Ithaca may seem like a relatively poor place, compared to the splendors you have seen on your way back to it, but you should be grateful to Ithaca because it has given you,” he says in Greek, “τ' ὡραῖο ταξείδι,” “the beautiful journey.” This has indeed been a very beautiful journey for me, especially this last day and a half. I hope it has been for you, too, because it gave you all a chance to see my life, or my world. This has been a kind of a sample, a slice of my world. I really like my world … [laughter] I think it's a lot of fun and it keeps me going and I enjoy it very much.
