And if you can't shape your life the way you want, at least try as much as you can not to degrade it.
C.P. CavafyRead
Give me artificial flowers - porcelain and metal glories - neither fading nor decaying, forms unaging. Flowers of the splendid gardens of another place, where Forms and Styles and Knowledge dwell. I love flowers made of glass or gold, true Art's true gifts, their painted hues more beautiful than nature's, worked in nacre and enamel, with perfect leaves and branches.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote expresses a preference for artificial beauty over natural beauty, valuing created art as superior.
C.P. Cavafy's quote reflects a deep admiration for the permanence and perfection of artificial creations, particularly flowers made from materials like porcelain and metal. The poet contrasts these enduring forms with the fleeting nature of real flowers, implying that art, crafted through human creativity, possesses a beauty that transcends the natural world. This preference indicates a philosophical stance on the nature of beauty and its representation through art, suggesting that there is a realm of beauty that exists beyond the limitations of nature.
Themes
ArtBeautyNatureCreativityPermanence
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech at an art gallery opening, one might quote this to emphasize the value of artistic interpretation over natural forms.
More from C.P. Cavafy
All quotes →When you set out on your journey to Ithaca, pray that the road is long, full of adventure, full of knowledge.
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Don’t mourn your luck that’s failing now, work gone wrong, your plans all proving deceptive — don’t mourn them uselessly. As one long prepared, and graced with courage, say goodbye to her, the Alexandria that is leaving. Above all, don’t fool yourself, don’t say it was a dream, your ears deceived you: don’t degrade yourself with empty hopes like these.
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And if you find her poor, Ithaca has not deceived you. Wise as you have become, with so much experience, you must already have understood what these Ithacas mean.
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