Nero was not worried when he heard
the prophecy of the Delphic Oracle.
"Let him fear the seventy three years."
He still had ample time to enjoy himself.
He is thirty. More than sufficient
is the term the god allots him
to prepare for future perils.

Now he will return to Rome slightly tired,
but delightfully tired from this journey,
full of days of enjoyment --
at the theaters, the gardens, the gymnasia...
evenings at cities of Achaia...
Ah the delight of nude bodies, above all...

Thus fared Nero. And in Spain Galba
secretly assembles and drills his army,
the old man of seventy three.

Added: Feb 20 2003 | Viewed: 618 times | Comments (0)

Poet: Constantine P. Cavafy
Poem: Nero's Term

Year: Published/Written in 1918
There are no comments for this poem. Why not be the first one to post something about it?

Are you looking for more information on this poem? Perhaps you are trying to analyze it? The poem, Nero's Term, has not yet been commented on. You can click here to be the first to post a comment about it. Of course you can also always discuss poems by Constantine P. Cavafy with others on the Poetry Connection poetry forum!