When I first came across Cavafy’s Ithaca, it did not strike me as something that would be nearly as significant as it is to me today. I was definitely intrigued by its meaning and possibility at first. Over the course of several months, especially during application season and through this day, it sheds an entirely new light in my eyes. It provided me with a source of inspiration while writing what seemed like an endless number of essays. There was also an essence of serendipity as it referenced Ithaca…how better could the puzzle pieces have come together, right? My own variation took a little spin without butchering the source:
“As I set out for Ithaca, I had a long road indeed, full of adventure, and full of discovery…” — There are various translations, and each one provides a slightly different feel, but the meaning nevertheless remains the same. The road to Ithaca was indeed how it is described above.
Today, as I read through each line and verse, I understand it on a different level. It rings as though it were a new creed to live by. Perhaps it should be.
No matter what walk of life you are in, it can have a unique meaning for you too. I hope that you enjoy.
Ithaca
by Constantine P. Cavafy (1911)