Source
r/Poetry•
jaybee

[Help] Identify a poem by Cavafy?

HELP!!

In Kenneth Clark's documentary Civilisation, he mentions a poem by Cavafy without naming it. In the poem the inhabitants of a city wait for it to be sacked by the barbarians. The barbarians eventually move on but instead of being relieved, the inhabitants of the city are disappointed -- a catastrophe would have been better than nothing. Can you tell me which poem this is?

Posted Aug 16, 2016, 6:23 PM UTC

56
Jefferqson•

Perhaps it was this poem?

http://www.cavafy.com/poems/content.asp?id=119&cat=1

5
jaybeeOP•

Yes, that must be it, thanks!

1
angusdegraosta•

"Waiting for the Barbarians"... awesome piece. Here's another translation: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-poets/poems/detail/51294

3
UraniaArgus•

So that's where J. M. Coetzee got the title for his book "Waiting for the Barbarians". What a nice serendipitous discovery in a seemingly unrelated thread.

2
jaybeeOP•

It reminds me so much of our current situation w.r.t. ISIS and Trump etc.

1
angusdegraosta•

Isn't it something? Looking for reasons to unite a people behind fear - yes, a whole lot like now.

1