Envoys from Alexandria
For centuries they hadn’t seen gifts at Delphi
as wonderful as those sent by the two brothers,
the rival Ptolemaic kings. But now that they have them,
the priests are nervous about the oracle. They’ll need
all their experience to decide
how to express it tactfully, which of the two—
of two brothers like these—will have to be offended.
And so they meet secretly at night
to discuss the family affairs of the Lagids.
But suddenly the envoys are back. They’re taking their leave.
Returning to Alexandria, they say. And they don’t ask
for an oracle at all. The priests are delighted to hear it
(they’re to keep the marvelous gifts, that goes without saying)
but they’re also completely bewildered,
having no idea what this sudden indifference means.
They do not know that yesterday the envoys heard serious news:
the “oracle” was pronounced in Rome; the partition was decided there.
Reprinted from C.P. CAVAFY: Collected Poems Revised Edition, translated by Edmund Keeley and Philip Sherrard, edited by George Savidis. Translation copyright © 1975, 1992 by Edmund Keeley and Philip Sherrard. Princeton University Press. For reuse of these translations, please contact Princeton University Press.
Translations in other languages
Desde siglos no se veían en Delfos ofrendas tan hermosas
como las enviadas por los dos reyes Ptolomeos,
hermanos y rivales. Desde que las recibieron,
inquietos, sin embargo, por el oráculo estuvieron los sacerdotes.
Precisarán de toda su experiencia para redactarlo sagazmente;
quién de los dos, quién de tan grandes soberanos quedará contrariado.
En secreto por la noche se reúnen
y discuten los asuntos de la casa de los Lágidas.
Mas he aquí que los embajadores regresaron. Se despiden.
Vuelven a Alejandría —dicen—. Y no piden
ningún oráculo. Con alegría oyen esto los sacerdotes
(claro está que ellos se guardan los espléndidos presentes)
mas quedan en extremo confusos,
sin entender qué significa esta repentina indiferencia.
Porque ignoran que ayer graves nuevas llegaron a los embajadores.
El oráculo se emitió en Roma: allí se había hecho el reparto.
Cavafis, C. (2023). Ciento cincuenta y cuatro poemas (P. Bádenas de la Peña, traducción e introducción). UMA Editorial.
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