Constantine P. Cavafy

Greek-Egyptian poet and journalist (1863–1933)

Fame59.7
Momentum1.7
Wikipedia12.5K

Source-basedStable

Lived 1863–1933, aged 70Turkey

Turkey WritersWriter / Author

Wikipedia
57 languages
Cross-language footprint
Era
1863–1933
Aged 70

Summary

Updated 2026-06-09

A Greek civil servant in Alexandria who refused to publish his poems in books, instead printing them on broadsheets and handing them out to whoever wanted one. His most important work came after forty, published after he died, and E. M. Forster called him simply "The Poet" — a man standing "at a slight angle to the universe".

Biography

About

Konstantinos Petrou Kavafis was born in Alexandria on 29 April 1863 and spent his life there as a journalist and civil servant, writing poetry that would place him among the century's essential voices. He produced 154 poems in his canon, with dozens more left incomplete, but resisted every convention of literary ambition: no books, only newspapers, magazines, and broadsheets he printed himself and gave away. The work that mattered most came after his fortieth birthday. E. M. Forster introduced him to English readers in 1923, describing a Greek gentleman in a straw hat standing motionless at a…

Voice

In their own words

Sourced, dated quotes from Constantine P. Cavafy

Constantine P. Cavafy

said1931

The Spartans weren't to be led and ordered around like precious servants.

— "In The Year 200 B.C." (1931)

Constantine P. Cavafy

said1931

And from this marvellous pan-Hellenic expedition, triumphant, brilliant in every way, celebrated on all sides, glorified incomparable, we emerged: the great new Hellenic world.

— In The Year 200 B. C. (1931)

Constantine P. Cavafy

said1929

I created you while I was happy, while I was sad, with so many incidents, so many details. And, for me, the whole of you has been transformed into feeling.

— "In the Same Space" (1929)

Constantine P. Cavafy

said1923

People of Kommagini, let the glory of Antiochos, the noble king, be celebrated as it deserves. He was a provident ruler of the country. He was just, wise, courageous.

— "Epitaph of Antiochos, King of Kommagini" (1923)

Constantine P. Cavafy

said1918

Body, remember not only how much you were loved, not only the beds you lay on, but also those desires glowing openly in eyes that looked at you, trembling for you in voices.

— "Body, Remember..." (1918)

via Wikiquote · CC BY-SA

Gallery