Solitude, Art, and Immortality: C.P. Cavafy, the Modern Homer | Alexandrian Sphinxphinx

About this episode

The episode explores the life and work of poet C.P. Cavafy through the insights of his biographers Gregory Jusdanis and Peter Jeffreys.

Hello friends,In this episode of The Artidote Podcast, I speak with Gregory Jusdanis and Peter Jeffreys, authors of Alexandrian Sphinx: The Life of C.P. Cavafy — the first major biography of one of the twentieth century’s greatest poets.Together we explore the hidden life behind the polished verse:how Cavafy transformed loneliness into art, guarded his privacy while pursuing immortality, and re-imagined Hellenism for the modern age.We talk about:How Alexandrian Sphinx reveals the man behind the mythCavafy’s secret methods and his rewriting of Greek poetic traditionThe tension between fame and solitudeWhy “Ithaca”, “The City”, and “Myris: Alexandria, A.D. 340” still speak to our centuryCavafy teaches us that the journey matters more than arrival, and that art — not applause — redeems a life.🎧 Listen to the full conversation📖 Alexandrian Sphinx by Gregory Jusdanis and Peter Jeffreys — available now💬 Subscribe for more conversations on poetry, philosophy, and the art of living.00:00 Introduction — Discovering C.P. Cavafy01:10 The Magic of Bookshops & First Encounter with Cavafy02:10 Why Cavafy Matters Today04:05 Who Was Cavafy? A Poet for the 21st Century05:00 Cavafy as a…

People in this episode

Host: Vashik Armenikus

Guests: Gregory Jusdanis, Peter Jeffreys

Topics covered

• C.P. Cavafy
• poetry
• loneliness
• Hellenism
• biography
• art and immortality

Keywords

• C.P. Cavafy
• Alexandrian Sphinx
• poetry
• biography
• loneliness
• Hellenism
• modern poetry
• art
• immortality

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Alexandrian Sphinx, Ithaca, The City, Myris: Alexandria, A.D. 340

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