Constantine Cavafy: THERMOPYLAE - ΘΕΡΜΟΠΥΛΕΣ

Alexandros Hatzis sings the poem of Constantine Cavafy "Thermopylae".

Music: Yiannis Petritsis

Ο Αλέξανδρος Χατζής τραγουδά το ποίημα του Κωνσταντίνου Καβάφη "Θερμοπύλες".

Μουσική: Γιάννης Πετρίτσης

Thermopylae

Honour to those who in the life they lead, define and guard a Thermopylae.

Never stirring from duty,

consistent and just in all they do,

but showing pity also, and compassion;

generous when they're rich, and when they're poor,

still generous in small ways,

still helping as much as they can;

always speaking the truth,

yet without hating those who lie.

And even more honour is due to them

when they foresee (as many do foresee)

that Ephialtes will turn up in the end,

that the Medes will break through after all.

Constantine P. Cavafy (1903)

Θερμοπύλες

Τιμή σ' εκείνους όπου στην ζωή των

όρισαν και φυλάγουν Θερμοπύλες.

Ποτέ από το χρέος μη κινούντες•

δίκαιοι κ' ίσιοι σ' όλες των τες πράξεις,

αλλά με λύπη κιόλας κ' ευσπλαχνία•

γενναίοι οσάκις είναι πλούσιοι, κι όταν

είναι πτωχοί, πάλ' εις μικρόν γενναίοι,

πάλι συντρέχοντες όσο μπορούνε•

πάντοτε την αλήθεια ομιλούντες,

πλην χωρίς μίσος για τους ψευδομένους.

Και περισσότερη τιμή τους πρέπει

όταν προβλέπουν (και πολλοί προβλέπουν)

πως ο Εφιάλτης θα φανεί στο τέλος,

κ' οι Μήδοι επι τέλους θα διαβούνε.

Κωνσταντίνος Π. Καβάφης (1903)

Notes:

In 480 BC, Xerxes led the Persians (Medes) and invaded Greece. The Spartan king Leonidas, in charge of 7000 Greeks, was ordered to cut the advance of the Persian army at Thermopylae (in central Greece), a narrow strip of land between the sea and impassable mountains. The Persian army, 250,000 strong, attacked twice and was forced to retreat, due to the fact that the passage was so narrow that they could not fully deploy their force. However, an avaricious local farmer, Ephialtes, led a force of Persian infantry through a mountain passage and next morning they appeared behind the Greek lines. Leonidas ordered the rest of the army withdraw, and held the passage with 300 Spartans. As a true Spartan, he chose death over retreat; all 300 Spartans, including Leonidas, died, but held the Persians long enough to ensure the safe withdrawal of the rest of the Greek army.