The road to Ithaca

The Island of Ithaca

A few years ago, when I was a high-school student I hated the module of literature. I always had in mind that some of the poems which we analyzed might be a result of intoxication, drug consumption or pure madness. A poem of K. Kavafis called "Ithaca" is the only poem that I really like.

The poem is a metaphor of the trip of Odysseus from Ithaca to Troy and back. This trip lasted 20 years and Odysseus fought with several mythical creatures and gods until he arrived back home. The poem starts as:

When you set out on your journey to Ithaca,
pray that the road is long,
full of adventure, full of knowledge. 

Kavafis supports that the fulfillment of the goal itself is not a big deal. The difficulties you face and the knowledge that you acquire is the whole benefit of the process. He claims that the the trip should be long, in order to gain as much as you can. New experiences, new knowledge. Wisdom. And he ends the poem:

Ithaca gave you the marvelous journey.
Without her you wouldn’t have set out.
She has nothing left to give you now.

The lyrics of this poem claim that in our lives we should set new goals which we have to fulfill. However, the goal is only needed to encourage as to start a new trip. A trip that makes as better people. A trip that can enrich our spirit. So, whenever you encounter some problems in your trip to Ithaca, then you know that it is for good. It is a part of the game which is called life.

The whole poem can be found here.