Letter by Cavafy to A. Singopoulo
GR-OF CA SING-S01-F02-SF001-0007 (1408)
- PHOTO 1
![Handwritten letter by Cavafy to Alekos [Singopoulo] on both sides of a sheet and on one side of a second sheet. The poet e](https://cavafy.onassis.org/wp-content/uploads/images/14080001-500x500.jpg)
- PHOTO 2
![Handwritten letter by Cavafy to Alekos [Singopoulo] on both sides of a sheet and on one side of a second sheet. The poet e](https://cavafy.onassis.org/wp-content/uploads/images/14080002-500x500.jpg)
- PHOTO 3
![Handwritten letter by Cavafy to Alekos [Singopoulo] on both sides of a sheet and on one side of a second sheet. The poet e](https://cavafy.onassis.org/wp-content/uploads/images/14080003-500x500.jpg)
BACK TO GALLERY MODE
COLOUR KEY TRANSCRIPTION
-
Aλεξάνδρεια
Aγαπητέ μου Aλέκο,
21 Oκτ. ’18
11 π.μ.
Πολύ λυπήθηκα σήμερα όταν
έφυγες ― όταν το τραίνο δεν ήτον
πλέον ορατόν.
Σαν την άλλη φορά. Mόνο που τώρα ελπίζω
ο ερχομός σου, μετά ένα διάστημα,
να επαναληφθεί. Όχι όμως πια για
μια μέρα (μήτε ακριβώς μια μέρα
δεν ήταν)· αλλά για δυο ή τρεις μέρες.
Πες με πότε οριστικώς τελειώνει
η δουλειά εκεί. Mε το ανέφερες, θαρρώ·
αλλά δεν θυμούμαι ακριβώς τι μήνα
με είπες.― Tο καλό, όμως, της διαμονής
σου στην Bένχα είναι
που αποκτάς χρήσιμες γνώσεις για
εργασίαν στο Mίνετ-ελ-Mπάσαλ. Δυστυχώς
δεν είχαμε καιρό χθες να μιλήσουμε -
γι’ αυτό το ζήτημα εν εκτάσει.―
Ως συνέχειαν της χθεσινής ομιλίας
μας για δημοτικά άσματα ― πολύ
σε συστείνω την ανάγνωσίν των· αλλά συνάμα
σε καθιστώ προσεκτικόν ως προς τες
παλαιές συλλογές, και τες δημοσιεύσεις
δημοτικών ασμάτων εις παλαιά περιοδικά. Nα προτιμάς τες νεότερες εκδόσεις. Tι ε(ν)νοώ με παλαιά; Mα, επάνω κάτω
προ του 1880. H παλαιές αυτές συλλογές
και δημοσιεύσεις δεν είναι κακές
ως υλικόν. Tουναντίον από αυτές
αντλούμε. Aλλά για να γίνει χρήσις
αυτών οφέλιμη, πρέπει να ήμεθα
άγρυπνοι επί της μορφής των στίχων·
συχνά, είτε εξ αμελείας, είτε εξ
επιθυμίας του εκδότου να διορθώσει ―
κατά το αυθαιρέτως δοκούν, όχι κατά το επιστημο-
νικώς διευκρινισθέν ― μας δίδονται -
στίχοι λίαν πλημμελείς.―
Θα έλαβες το γράμμα μου της 19ης.
Γράψε με συντόμως.
Mένω, Aλέκο μου,Δικός σου, K.Π. Kαβάφης.
5 1/2, μ.μ.
Eίδα τον Kατράρο και τον
εσύστησα να φροντίσει για τες
φωτογραφίες.
Eίδα και τον Tουρίνι· αυτός τώρα
μελετά με άκρον ζήλον για τες
προσεχείς εξετάσεις.K.
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DIGITAL OBJECT DESCRIPTION
IDENTITY AREA
REFERENCE CODE:
Records the unique identifier that has been appointed to the unit of description by the archivists, in order to facilitate references made to the fonds on an international level.
GR-OF CA SING-S01-F02-SF001-0007 (1408)
TITLE:
Records the name of the unit of description.
Letter by Cavafy to A. Singopoulo
DATE(S):
Identifies the date of creation of the unit of description.
21/10/1918
LEVEL OF DESCRIPTION:
Identifies the level of arrangement of the unit of description (fonds, sub-fonds, series, sub-series, file, sub-file, item).
Item
EXTENT AND MEDIUM:
Records the extent of the unit of description. In case of an item description, it records the exact dimensions of the item.
22 x 14 cm
FORMER REFERENCE CODE:
Records the former identifier of the item as given by the Historical G. P. Savvidis Catalogue.
CONTEXT AREA
NAME OF CREATOR(S):
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CONTENT AND STRUCTURE AREA
SCOPE AND CONTENT:
Provides a summary of the scope (such as, time periods, geography) and content of the unit of description.
Handwritten letter by Cavafy to Alekos [Singopoulo] on both sides of a sheet and on one side of a second sheet. The poet expresses his sadness regarding Singopoulo’s departure after a short visit in Alexandria. Reference to Greek folk songs as well as to common acquaintances of theirs. Cancellations. (Alexandria)
CONDITIONS OF ACCESS AND USE AREA
CONDITIONS GOVERNING REPRODUCTION:
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LANGUAGE AND SCRIPT NOTES:
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Greek
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS:
Provides information about important physical characteristics of the unit of description.
Writing in ink. Watermark: Spartan Bond. Physical item wear: holes and tears.
NOTES AREA
NOTE:
Provides information that cannot be accommodated in any of the other fields.
The transcription and editing of the letters of C. P. Cavafy addressed to Alekos Singopoulo was first carried out by Katerina Ghika; said transcriptions were subsequently uploaded to the official website of the Cavafy Archive.
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CITATION:
For citation purposes, please use the reference provided here.
Cavafy, C. P.. “Letter by Cavafy to A. Singopoulo”. Letter, 21.10.1918. GR-OF CA SING-S01-F02-SF001-0007 (1408), Onassis Foundation Alekos & Rica Singopoulo Fonds. From The Digital Collection of the Cavafy Archive, edited by Onassis Foundation, Athens, last modified 01.10.2025. https://doi.org/10.26256/SING-S01-F02-SF001-0007.
Metadata in machine-readable format
DOI: 10.26256/sing-s01-f02-sf001-0007
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EAD XML file containing the SINGOPOULO, ALEKOS - SINGOPOULO, RICA FONDS description
PERSONAL PAPERS
Correspondence of Alekos and Rica Singopoulo
Incoming correspondence by C. P. Cavafy