Seneca the Younger: A time will come when there will be no world
Kaysen: In the parallel universe

Cavafy: At least this is still in our power

6a00d8341c82d353ef0240a441614b200c-800wi

Kratisklia didn't allow
the people to see her weeping and grieving:
she walked in dignified silence.
Her calm face
betrayed nothing of her sorrow, her agony....

"Come, O King of the Lacedaimonians,
When we go outside
let no one see us
weeping or behaving in any way unworthy of Sparta.
At least this is still in our power;
What lies ahead is in the hands of the gods."...

Constantine Cavafy (1863–1933), translated by Edmund Keeley and Philip Sherrard in C.V. Cavafy: Collected Poems (1975). Kratiskleia was the mother of Cleomenes, the last king of Sparta (Lacedaemonia). He was defeated by Ptolemy III of Egypt and forced to send his mother and son to Egypt as hostages, where they were later killed. According to Plutarch, she was wise and brave.

Δεν καταδέχονταν η Κρατησίκλεια
ο κόσμος να την δει να κλαίει και να θρηνεί.
και μεγαλοπρεπής εβάδιζε και σιωπηλή.
Τίποτε δεν απόδειχνε η ατάραχη μορφή της
απ’ τον καϋμό και τα τυράννια της....


...«Άγε, ω βασιλεύ
Λακεδαιμονίων, όπως, επάν έξω
γενώμεθα, μηδείς ίδη δακρύοντας
ημάς μηδέ ανάξιόν τι της Σπάρτης
ποιούντας. Τούτο γαρ εφ’ ημίν μόνον·
αι τύχαι δε, όπως αν ο δαίμων διδώ, πάρεισι.»

...

Comments

Feed You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.

Verify your Comment

Previewing your Comment

This is only a preview. Your comment has not yet been posted.

Working...
Your comment could not be posted. Error type:
Your comment has been saved. Comments are moderated and will not appear until approved by the author. Post another comment

The letters and numbers you entered did not match the image. Please try again.

As a final step before posting your comment, enter the letters and numbers you see in the image below. This prevents automated programs from posting comments.

Having trouble reading this image? View an alternate.

Working...

Post a comment

Comments are moderated, and will not appear until the author has approved them.

Your Information

(Name is required. Email address will not be displayed with the comment.)