Απολείπειν ο θεός Αντώνιον : ο κλασικός χαρακτήρας της καβαφικής ποίησης
Part of : Παρνασσός ; Vol.ΜΓ, No.1, 2001, pages 133-146
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133-146
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The god forsakes Antony : the classical character of Cavafy ’s poetry
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Abstract:
Constantine Cavafy was deeply influenced and inspired by ancient Greek writers, especially by those who flourished during hellenistic and roman times. The author of the paper explores this tendency of Cavafy, which is most obvious in his so-called “historical” poems. She thus examines in detail the poem The god forsakes Antony, where the poet relies on Plutarch ’s Life of Antony in order to comment upon an anecdote related to the fall of the latter. The night before Antony’s defeat, Dionysus, his favorite god, was said to have abandoned Alexandria, followed by his thiasos. Conducting a comparative analysis of the poem, of its Plutarchan model, but also of other ancient texts, the author succeeds in showing that Cavafy, while respecting classical literary tradition, ingenuously exploits its themes in order to express his own moral and philosophical views. Thus, the poet praises an attitude based on stoic dignify, self-respect and endurance, even in the face of adversity that often characterizes the tragic fate of illustrious personalities.
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