ithaca island

C.P. Cavafy, the most important modern Greek poet, wrote the most inspiring poem, “Ithaca.” Illustrator Wu Ruei-jhe created the artwork, and the Greek manuscript of “Ithaca” is authorized for inclusion. This is a single poem as a book——

Give it as a gift to those who are chasing their dreams.

Give it as encouragement, so they don’t get discouraged by setbacks or by not yet reaching their dream destination, "Ithaca."

More importantly, tell them not to rush, because the journey itself is the reward.

Keep this little book. When you encounter setbacks, open it and regain a bit of courage.

As you set out for Ithaca,

Hope your road is a long one, 

full of adventures, full of discovery.

Laistrygonians and Cyclops,

angry Poseidon—don’t be afraid of them:

you’ll never find things like that on your way

as long as you keep your thoughts raised high,

as long as a rare excitement 

stirs your spirit and your body.

Laistrygonians and Cyclops,

wild Poseidon—you won’t encounter them

unless you bring them along inside your soul, 

unless your soul sets them up in front of you.

Hope your road is a long one.

May there be many summer mornings when,

with what pleasure, what joy, 

you enter harbors you’re seeing for the first time;

may you stop at Phoenician trading stations

to buy fine things,

mother of pearl and coral, amber and ebony,

sensual perfume of every kind—

as many sensual perfumes as you can get;

and may you visit many Egyptian cities 

to learn and go on learning from their scholars.

Keep Ithaca always in your mind.

Arriving there is your destiny.

But do not hurry the journey at all.

Better if it lasts for years,

so you’re old by the time you reach the island,

rich with all you’ve gained on the way,

not expecting Ithaca to make you rich. 

Ithaca gave you the marvelous journey.

Without her you wouldn’t have set out.

She has nothing left to give you now.

And if you find her poor, Ithaca won’t have fooled you.

Wise as you will have become, so full of experience,

you’ll have understood by then what these Ithacas mean.

——Ithaca