Читать книгу The Complete Poems of C.P. Cavafy - Daniel Mendelsohn, Daniel Mendelsohn - Страница 26

Damon the artisan (none as fine

as he in the Peloponnese) is

fashioning the Retinue of Dionysus

in Parian marble. The god in his divine

glory leads, with vigor in his stride.

Intemperance behind. Beside

Intemperance, Intoxication pours the Satyrs wine

from an amphora that they’ve garlanded with vines.

Near them delicate Sweetwine, his eyes

half-closed, mesmerizes.

And further down there come the singers,

Song and Melody, and Festival

who never allows the hallowed processional

torch that he holds to go out. Then, most modest, Ritual.—

That’s what Damon is making. Along with all

of that, from time to time he gets to pondering

the fee he’ll be receiving from the king

of Syracuse, three talents, quite a lot.

When that’s added to the money that he’s got,

he’ll be well-to-do, will lead a life of leisure,

can get involved in politics—what pleasure!—

he too in the Council, he too in the Agora.

[1903; 1907]