Letter by John Cavafy to C. P. Cavafy

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                      [Alexandria] Tuesday 19 September 1882
    My dear Costi,
                I am just this moment
    in receipt of your letters 10th and 11th
    and hasten to reply to the queries
    contained therein. I wrote you in e
    xtenso on Sunday, and must needs
    abbreviate this letter for want of time.
    Blunt’s article I read in the Nineteenth
    Century, kindly lent to me by Mr. Moss,
    and have also seen Nedim’s account of the
    bombardment in the Times transla-
    ted by Roger Bey, who is a perfect scholar in Arabic. I posted you
    Gentleman’s for September on Sunday
    and have at last got Stivala to write
    home for the August and July Nos.
    “Ingenious” is pronounced with a
    long é = mé.
    I beg your pardon for having
    misunderstood query about “K” and “X”.
    K is pronounced like english K
    and X is pronounced like “ch” in Christ.
    i.e. χειρ = cheir (keir)―
    I have looked up “Dhulkarnein”
    in the Koran, and you will find
    a faithful copy of all there is about
    him on separate slip herewith.
    Please thank mamma for her
    kind appreciation of my poems
    and assure her that Mr. Moss is as
    kind and good towards me as e
    ver.
    Georgy. I meant Photius’ ――
    Yesterday I posted you an Egyptian
    Gazette with a large drawing
    by Moss’ friend ― George.
    Mrs. Jones is an old woman of about
    55 ― with grey hairs and a face wrinkled
    all over. Good, attentive, kind and but
    for an innate eager curiosity and inter-
    minable chit-chat ― I could wager my
    head she will go straight to Heaven.
    Other lodgers besides ourselves are
    Gentilli, a Mr. Brewster, a Mr. Collier
    and two Syrian gentlemen. On the
    second floor at Mrs. Griffin’s there are
    lots of Englishmen, amongst which     Allchin, Smith, Vivian etc.
    I am pleased to hear grandfather’s
    satisfaction at my letter. Remember
    me to him and say I will write
    by first next opportunity ―
    An international Commission
    for the Indemnity question is
    expected to be appointed within a
    few weeks ― I am following up
    the matter.
    I thought I had already given
    you to understand that the
    Banque Générale was all right.     Schutz is now back and at the
    head of affairs ―
    Ralli’s house is also in good
    condition and, to all appearances,
    has not been broken into. The
    office however is completely destroyed ―
    as is the whole of that little
    street leading from the square to
    the Hotel Abbat.     Have you received the photo of
    our Office I sent some time ago?
    Antoniades’ house on the Canal
    has not suffered. ―
    I wait anxiously your criticism
    on the “Rivers of Babylon” and thank
    you for your continued genealogical
    notes.
    The Greek, Roman Catholic, and
    Protestant cemeteries are all right
    but I have not yet been able to
    go out there. I intend to do so
    when I have time.
     Give my love to all
        and believe me
            Yours in haste
                Johannisberg
“Dhu΄lkarnein” (Koran chap. XVIII) “The Jews will ask thee concerning D. Answer, I will rehearse unto an account of him. We made him powerful on earth and we gave him means to accomplish everything he pleased. And he followed his way, until he came to the place where the sun setteth; and he found it to set in a spring of mud; and he found near the same a certain people. And we said, ‘o Dhu΄lkarnein, either punish this people, or use gentl- eness towards them.’ He answered: ‘Whosoever of them shall commit injustice, we will surely punish him in this world; after shall he return unto the Lord, and he shall be punished severely. But whosoever believeth and doth that which is right shall receive the most excellent reward.’ Then he continued his way until he came to the place where the sun riseth, and he found it to rise on certain people unto whom he had not given anything, and he said:
    Verily I am only a man as ye are. It is revealed unto me            that your God is one only God. Let him therefore            who hopeth to meet his Lord work a righteous work;            and let him not make any other partake his worship.’ ”
    Note by G. Sale. Dh΄ulkarnein means “two-horned”. Critics
    suppose this to be Alexander the Great or, as they call him, Skander     al Rûmi, King of Persia and Greece. Some think this surname     (two-horned) was given because he was King of East and West,     or else, because he had two horns on his diadem, and two curls     of hair like horns on his forehead, or ― which is most likely ―     by reason of his great valour. Several modern writers
    rather suppose it was occasioned by his being represented in     coins and statues with horns as the son of Zeus Ammon ―     Some think the prince intended in this part of the     Koran, is not Alexander but a King of Yaman, called     Assaab Ebn al Râyeesh.
                                                                                     (Transcripsit Johannes Cavafius)

                                                                                     Ad Septembri medio MDCCCLXXXII

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GR-OF CA CA-SF02-S01-SS02-F20-SF001-0004 (379)

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Letter by John Cavafy to C. P. Cavafy

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19/9/1882

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Item

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17 x 20.5 cm

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F49_Φ1-37

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Cavafy, John

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Handwritten letter by John Cavafy to C. P. Cavafy on three letterheads of R. J. Moss & Co., Alexandria. Sheets 2 and 3 are numbered at top right. Answers to questions of C. P. Cavafy and update on the situation in Alexandria. Handwritten quote from the Quran related to Dhul-Qarnayn, asked for by C. P. Cavafy. Signed and dated in Latin by John.

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CC BY-SA 4.0 Cavafy Archive Onassis Foundation

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English

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Writing in ink. Indiscernible watermark. Physical item wear: oxidations.

NOTES AREA

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The transcription and editing of the letters of John Constantine Cavafy addressed to C. P. Cavafy was first carried out by Katerina Ghika; said transcriptions were subsequently uploaded to the official website of the Cavafy Archive.

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John Cavafy refers to his poem “Rivers of Babylon” and anxiously awaits the critique of C. P. Cavafy.