Tomb of Evrion
In this tomb—ornately designed,
the whole of syenite stone,
covered by so many violets, so many lilies—
lies handsome Evrion,
an Alexandrian, twenty-five years old.
On his father’s side, he was of old Macedonian stock,
on his mother’s side, descended from a line of magistrates.
He studied philosophy with Aristokleitos,
rhetoric with Paros, and at Thebes
the sacred scriptures. He wrote a history
of the province of Arsinoites. That at least will survive.
But we’ve lost what was really precious: his form—
like a vision of Apollo.
Constantine Cavafis
Translated by Edmund Keeley/Philip Sherrard
