MODERN GREEK / GRECO MODERNO. Explanatory notice for an easier
pronunciation and stressing in Romanized Greek texts. (by Alexandros Koumas).
MODERN GREEK / GRECO MODERNO Explanatory notice for an easier pronunciation and stressing in Romanized Greek texts (by Alexandros Koumas) * accents shows phonetic stressing on words * all alphabetic characters are pronounced clearly * consecutive vowels always belong to different syllables ("màtia" is 3 syllables "mà-ti-a", "enoisan" is 4 syllables "e-no-ì-san"). Sometimes dieresis are employed in order to avoid every possible misunderstanding * “e” and “s” are always pronounced even at the end of the words * “e” is always pronounced [e] (as in English "ever") * “s” is always pronounced [s] and never [z], even between two vowels * “a” is always pronounced [a] * “ou” is always pronounced [u] (as in English "you") * “ch” is pronounced [ç] (as in German "ich") before E and I, or [x] (as in German "ach") in all other environments * "y" is pronounced as a palatal /ʝ/ before E and I, or as a velar /ɣ/ in all other environments * “th” is pronounced [θ] (as in English “think") * “dh” is pronounced [ð] (as in English “than, there”)
Konstantinos Kavafis
Σταίς Σκάλαις Την άτιµη την σκάλα σαν κατέβαινα, από την πόρτα έµπαινες, και µια στιγµή είδα το άγνωστό σου πρόσωπο και µε είδες. Έπειτα κρύφθηκα να µη µε ξαναδείς, και συ πέρασες γρήγορα το πρόσωπό σου κρύβοντας, και χώθηκες στο άτιµο το σπίτι µέσα όπου την ηδονή δεν θά ’βρες, καθώς δεν την βρήκα. Κι όµως τον έρωτα που ήθελες τον είχα να σ’ τον δώσω· τον έρωτα που ήθελα — τα µάτια σου µε το ’παν τα κουρασµένα καί ύποπτα — είχες να µε τον δώσεις. Τα σώµατά µας αισθανθήκαν και γυρεύονταν· το αίµα και το δέρµα µας ενόησαν. Aλλά κρυφθήκαµε κ’ οι δυο µας ταραγµένοι.
Stes skàles Tin àtimi tin skàla san katèvena, Apo tin pòrta èbenes, ke mià stigmì ìdha to àgnostò sou pròsopo ke me ìdhes. Èpita krìfthika na mì me xanadhìs, ke sì pèrases grìgora to pròsopò sou krìvondas, ke chòthikes sto àtimo to spìti mèsa òpou tin idhonì dhen thàvres, kathòs dhen tin vrìka. Ki òmos ton èrota pou ìtheles ton ìcha na ston dhòso ; ton èrota pou ìthela – ta màtia sou me tòpan ta kourasmèna ke ìpopta – ìches na me ton dhòsis. Ta sòmatà mas esthanthìkan ke yirèvondan ; to èma ke to dhèrma mas enòïsan. Alà krifthìkame k’i dhiò mas taragmèni.
On The Stairs As I was going down those ill-famed stairs you were coming through the door, and for a second I saw your unfamiliar face and you saw mine. Then I hid so you wouldn't see me again, and you hurried past me, hiding your face, and slipped inside the ill-famed house where you couldn't have found pleasure any more than I did.
And yet the love you were looking for, I had to give you; the love I was looking for -so your tired, knowing eyes impliedyou had to give me. Our bodies sensed and sought each other: our blood and skin understood. But we both hid ourselves, flustered.
Sulle scale Mentre scendevo la scala ignobile, tu entrasti dalla porta e per un istante vidi il tuo volto sconosciuto e tu vedesti me. Subito mi nascosi per non farmi vedere di nuovo e tu passasti rapido nascondendo il volto e ti infilasti nella casa ignobile dove non avresti trovato il piacere, così come non l’avevo trovato io. Eppure l’amore che volevi io l’avevo da darti, l’amore che volevo - me l’hanno detto i tuoi occhi stanchi e ambigui - tu l’avevi da darmi. I nostri corpi si avvertirono e si cercarono, il sangue e la pelle intuirono. Ma noi, turbati, ci nascondemmo.
Konstantinos Kavafis
Στο Θέατρο Βαρέθηκα να βλέπω την σκηνή, και σήκωσα τα µάτια µου στα θεωρεία. Και µέσα σ’ ένα θεωρείο είδα σένα µε την παράξενη εµορφιά σου, και τα διεφθαρµένα νιάτα. Κι αµέσως γύρισαν στο νου µου πίσω όσα µε είπανε το απόγευµα για σένα, κ’ η σκέψις και το σώµα µου συγκινηθήκαν. Κ’ ενώ εκοίταζα γοητευµένος την κουρασµένη σου εµορφιά, τα κουρασµένα νιάτα, το ντύσιµό σου το εκλεκτικό, σε φανταζόµουν και σε εικόνιζα, καθώς µε είπανε το απόγευµα για σένα.
Sto théatro Varèthika na vlèpo tin skinì, ke sìkosa ta màtia mou sta theorìa. Ke mèsa s’ èna theorìo ìdha sèna me tin paràxeni emorfià sou, ke ta dhieftharmèna niàta. Ki amèsos yìrisan ston noù mou pìso òsa me ìpane to apòyievma yia sèna, k’ i skèpsis ke to sòma mou sinkinithìkan. K’ enò ekìtaza goïtevmènos tin kourasmèni sou emorfià, ta kourasmèna niàta, to dìsimò sou to eklektikò, se fantazòmoun ke se ikòniza, kathòs me ìpane to apòyievma yia sèna.
At The Theatre I was bored looking at the stage, and I lifted my eyes to the loges and I saw you in a loge with your strange beauty, your dissolute youth. And at once there came back to my mind all they had told me about you in the afternoon, and my mind and body were moved. And while fascinated I gazed at your tired beauty, your tired youth, your tastefully selected clothes, I imagined you and depicted you, the way they spoke to me of you that afternoon.
A teatro Mi annoiai di guardare la scena, levai lo sguardo ai palchi. E dentro un palco vidi te, con quella tua bellezza strana e la tua corrotta gioventù. Mi tornò a mente quello che mi avevano raccontato di te quel pomeriggio, il mio pensiero e il mio corpo si scossero. E mentre rimiravo affascinato quella tua bellezza stanca, la tua stanca gioventù, la foggia ricercata del vestire, t’immaginavo e ti raffiguravo nella maniera in cui avevo sentito parlare di te nel pomeriggio.
Konstantinos Kavafis
Ο Σεπτέµβρης του 1903 Τουλάχιστον µε πλάνες ας γελιούµαι τώρα· την άδεια την ζωή µου να µη νιώθω. Και ήµουνα τόσες φορές τόσο κοντά. Και πώς παρέλυσα, και πώς δειλίασα· γιατί να µείνω µε κλειστά τα χείλη· και µέσα µου να κλαίει η άδεια µου ζωή, και να µαυροφορούν οι επιθυµίες µου. Τόσες φορές τόσο κοντά να είµαι στα µάτια, και στα χείλη τα ερωτικά, στ’ ονειρεµένο, το αγαπηµένο σώµα. Τόσες φορές τόσο κοντά να είµαι.
O Septèmvris tou 1903 Toulàhiston me plànes as yelioùme tòra ; tin àdhia tin zoḯ mou na mìn niòtho. Ke ìmouna tòses forès tòsso kondà. Ke pòs parèlisa, ke pòs dhilìasa ; yiatì na mìno me klistà ta hìli ; ke mèsa mou na klèï i àdhia mou zoḯ , ke na mavroforoùn i epithimìes mou. Tòses forès tòso kondà na ìme sta màtia, ke sta chìli ta erotikà, st' oniremèno, to agapimèno sòma. Tòses forès tòso kondà na ìme.
September, 1903 At least let me now deceive myself with illusions so as not to feel my empty life. And yet I came so close so many times. And yet how paralyzed I was, how cowardly; why did I keep my lips sealed while my empty life wept inside me, my desires wore robes of mourning? To have been so close so many times to those sensual eyes, those lips, to that body I dreamed of, loved. To have been so close so many times.
Settembre, 1903 Almeno inganniamoci adesso con illusioni per non sentire la mia vita vuota. Ci sono arrivao così vicino tante volte ma mi paralizzò la mia vigliaccheria, perchè rimasi con le labbra chiuse mentre dentro di me piangeva la mia vita vuota e vestivano a lutto i desideri. Tante volte ci ero arrivato così vicino agli occhi e alle labbra sensuali a quel corpo che sognavo e amavo. Tante volte ci ero arrivato così vicino.
Konstantinos Kavafis
Γκρίζα Κυττάζοντας ένα οπάλλιο µισό γκρίζο θυµήθηκα δυο ωραία γκρίζα µάτια που είδα· θάναι είκοσι χρόνια πρίν .... ……………………………………………….. Για έναν µήνα αγαπηθήκαµε. Έπειτα έφυγε, θαρρώ στην Σµύρνη, για να εργασθεί εκεί, και πια δεν ιδωθήκαµε. Θ’ ασχήµισαν — αν ζει — τα γκρίζα µάτια· θα χάλασε τ’ ωραίο πρόσωπο. Μνήµη µου, φύλαξέ τα συ ως ήσαν. Και, µνήµη, ό,τι µπορείς από τον έρωτά µου αυτόν, ό,τι µπορείς φέρε µε πίσω απόψι.
Grìza Kitàzontas èna opàlio misò grìzo thimìthika dhiò orèa grìza màtia pou ìdha; thàne ìkosi chrònia prìn… ………………………………………… Yia ènan mìna agapithìkame. Èpita èfiye, tharò stin Smìrni, yia na ergasthì ekì, ke pià dhen idhothìkame. Th’ aschìmisan – an zì – ta grìza màtia ; tha chàlase t’ orèo pròsopo. Mnìmi mou, fìlaxè ta sì os ìsan. Ke, mnìmi, òti borìs apò ton èrotà mou aftòn, òti borìs fère me pìso apòpsi.
Grey Looking at an opal, a half-grey opal, I remembered two beautiful grey eyes I had seen it must have been twenty years before . . . …………………………………………………………… For a month we loved each other Then he went away, I think to Smyrna,
To work there; we never saw each other again... The grey eyes — if he lives — have lost their beauty; The beautiful face will have been spoiled. O Memory, preserve them as they were. And, Memory, all you can of this love of mine Whatever you can bring back to me tonight.
Grigio Rimirando un opale a metà grigio mi risovvengo d'occhi belli e grigi ch'io vidi(forse vent'anni fa)... ........................................... Per un mese ci amammo. Poi sparì, credo a Smirne, a lavorare. E poi non ci vedemmo più. Si saranno guastati gli occhi grigi — se è ancora vivo — il suo bel viso. Serbali tu com'erano, memoria. E più che puoi, memoria, di quell'amore mio recami ancora, più che puoi, stasera.
