Ithaca

A travellers Tale - Ithaca

What man of you, having a hundred sheep,
if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety
and nine in the wilderness, and go after that
which is lost, until he find it?
Luke 15:4

But isn't that what love is all about? Find the one that's lost? And rest only when you've found the lost? And the journey is long and tiring...with the fear of loosing an already lost battle. But you still carry on because you want to...for all that you have done...for all that was there...you carry on to Ithaca...Ithaca

Ithaca

When you set out on your journey to Ithaca,
Pray that the journey is long,
Full of adventure, Full of Knowledge,
The Lestrygonians and the Cyclops,
the angry Poseidon - do not fear them:
You will never find such as these on your path
if your thoughts remain lofty, if a fine
emotion touches your spirit and your body.
The Lestrygonians and the Cyclops,
The fierce Poseidon you will never encounter,
If you do not carry them within your soul,
if your heart does not set them up before you.

Pray that the road is long,
That the summer mornings are many, when,
with such pleasure, with such joy
you will enter ports seen for the first time;
stop at the Phoenician markets,
And purchase fine merchandise,
mother-of-pearl and coral, amber and ebony,
and sensual perfumes of all kinds,
as many sensual perfumes as you can;
visit many Egyptian cities,
to learn and learn from scholars.

Always keep Ithaca in your mind,
To arrive there is your ultimate goal.
But do the hurry the voyage at all.
It is better to let it last for many years;
And to anchor at the island when you are old,
Rich with all you have gained on the way,
Not expecting you that Ithaca will offer you riches.
Ithaca has given yo the beautiful voyage.
Without her you would never have set out on the road.
She has nothing more to give you.

And if you find her poor, Ithaca has not deceived you,
Wise as you have become, with so much experience,
You must have already understood what Ithaca means.

Constantine Cavafy (1863-1933)
Translated by Rae Dalven
From: Paulo Coelho's The Zahir