Myris: Alexandria, A.d. 340 Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCDEFDGHIJKGCCLCCMG GDNCOCCCCCPPQRSCCLCT UPLPPCCPVAWDXYDDCPXD DZDWXZPLCCD

When I heard the terrible news that Myris was deadA
I went to his house although I avoidB
going to the houses of ChristiansC
especially during times of mourning or festivityD
I stood in the corridor I didn't wantE
to go further inside because I noticedF
that the relatives of the deceased looked at meD
with obvious surprise and displeasureG
They had him in a large roomH
and from the corner where I stoodI
I could catch a glimpse of it all precious carpetsJ
and vessels in silver and goldK
I stood and wept in a corner of the corridorG
And I thought how our parties and excursionsC
wouldn't be worthwhile now without MyrisC
and I thought how I'd no longer see himL
at our wonderfully indecent night long sessionsC
enjoying himself laughing and reciting versesC
with his perfect feel for Greek rhythmM
and I thought how I'd lost foreverG
his beauty lost foreverG
the young man I'd worshipped so passionatelyD
Some old women close to me were talking with loweredN
voicesC
about the last day he livedO
the name of Christ constantly on his lipsC
his hand holding a crossC
Then four Christian priestsC
came into the room and said prayersC
fervently and orisons to JesusC
or to Mary I'm not very familiar with their religionP
We'd known of course that Myris was a ChristianP
known it from the very startQ
when he first joined our group the year before lastR
But he lived exactly as we didS
more devoted to pleasure than all of usC
he scattered his money lavishly on amusementsC
Not caring what anyone thought of himL
he threw himself eagerly into night time scufflesC
when our group happened to clashT
with some rival group in the streetU
He never spoke about his religionP
And once we even told himL
that we'd take him with us to the SerapeionP
But I remember nowP
he didn't seem to like this joke of oursC
And yes now I recall two other incidentsC
When we made libations to PoseidonP
he drew himself back from our circle and looked elsewhereV
And when one of us in his fervour saidA
'May all of us be favoured and protectedW
by the great the sublime Apollo'D
Myris unheard by the others whispered 'Not countingX
me 'Y
The Christian priests were praying loudlyD
for the young man's soulD
I noticed with how much diligenceC
how much intense concernP
for the forms of their religion they were preparingX
everything for the Christian funeralD
And suddenly an odd sensation took hold of meD
indefinably I feltZ
as if Myris were going from meD
I felt that he a Christian was unitedW
with his own people and that I was becomingX
a stranger a total stranger I even feltZ
a doubt come over me that I'd been deceived by my passionP
and has always been a stranger to himL
I rushed out of their horrible houseC
rushed away before my memory of MyrisC
could be captured could be perverted by their ChristianityD

Constantine P. Cavafy



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