Katerina Sarri webtopos - Denial. Poem by Seferis

page in greek ελληνικά
abbreviations
greek pronunciation guide

poet	Yiorgos Seferis (1900‑1971) (Γιώργoς Σεφέρης)
title original	gre: «APNHΣH» pronunciation: [`arnisi]
title translated	eng: Denial (or Negation, or Refusal). fre: Reniement. ger:Lossagung, ger:Entsagung, ita:Rinuncia (Sulla spiaggia)
also known as	by its first verse, 'Sto periyiali' (= eng: at the seashore).
language	Standard Modern GREEK with no idiomatic characteristics.
script	greek polytonic (official till 1982).
creation time	?
creation place	?
first verse	ΣTO ΠEPIΓIAΛI TO KPYΦO (gre) [sto peri`jiali to kri`fo] (gre. pronunciation) At the secret seashore (eng)
structure	Total stanzas: 3, with four verses each. Total number of verses: 12
dedication	no
autograph	kept at ?
first published in	200 numbered copies of the book: Σεφέρης, Γιώργoς. ΣTPOΦH. Aθήνα: EΣTIA, 1931. eng: Seferis, Yiorgos. Strophe. Athens: Hestia, 1931. Divided in two sections: 1) KOXYΛIA, ΣYNNEΦA (eng: Seashells, clouds) 2) EPΩTIKOΣ ΛOΓOΣ (eng.literal: Erotic logos)
in the collection	«ΣTPOΦH»: KOXYΛIA, ΣYNNEΦA eng: «Strophe» (Turning Point): Seashells, clouds.
recitations	at the greek page http://www.snhell.gr/anthology/content.asp?id=150&author_id=44 1) .mp3 [00:29] 223kb. Seferis reads himself, an unpublished recording, Woodberry Poetry Room, 1952. 2) .mp3 [00:25] 195kb. Greek actor Petros Fyssoun [`petros fi`sun], an unpublished recitation, 1962. 3) .mp3 [00:42] 660kb. Greek actress Elsa Vergi [`elsa ver`ji], Seferis at BBC, BBC 1996. A more 'theatrical' recitation.
translations	in many languages. See overview
my source gif	page 17 from the book: Σεφέρης, Γιώργος. ΠOIHMATA. Αθήνα: IKAPOΣ, 1964. eng: Seferis, Yiorgos. Poems. Athens: Ikaros, 1964. poem belongs to the collection: Strophe: a) Seashells, Clouds.

melopoeia	Set to music by the greek composer Mikis THEODORAKIS gre: Mίκης Θεoδωράκης [`micis θeoδo`rakis] The song ARNISI belongs the the song-cycle: Epifania, or Epifaneia, Epiphania, Epiphaneia. gre: Eπιφάνεια. The cycle exists in three different versions.See recordings. Arnisi, or 'periyiali' is still (2007) one of the most popular songs in greece.
scores of music	[addendum] in shops
recordings of song	Composer: Mikis THEODORAKIS. in Song cycle: Epiphaneia. gre: Eπιφάνια VERSION 1: SONG CYCLE EPIPHANEIA composed in Paris, 1961. Singer: Grigoris Bithikotsis, in the record Epifania of 19... EMI-MINOS, Greece (EMI REMASTERS VOL.6) ♫ kypros.org / sto_periyiali_to_kryfo.au [03:25] 1,6MB kypros.org / sto_periyiali_to_kryfo.rm [03:25] 818kb at http://www.kypros.org/ by Thanasis A. Neophytou and Manolis Hadjimanolis. ♫ sample: http://www.14gymnasio.gr/14thdigital/14thdm01/arnisi.mp3 [01:06] chorus: Horodia Trikalon (=eng: Chorus of Trikala), conducted by Terpsichore Papastephanou, UNIVERSAL. ♫ [addendum] VERSION 2: EPIPHANIA AVEROFF based on previous song cycle, composed on the 1st day of the year 1968 during composer's arrest in the Averof prison, during the junta period. ♫ [addendum] VERSION 3: revision of 2005 for barytone, small chorus and orchestra, first performance: Odeon of Herodes Atticus, Athens, Greece, 6 October 2007. ♫ [addendum]
available material	image:.gif (see my source) typed: all verses in the monotonic (one-accent/stress only) greek stress script. the pronunciation in IPA. word-to-word english translation to eng.
available material	go to the overview of the source image with english translation or go to the overview of all the 12 verses in original greek, phonetics and english translation french overview / german overview / italian overview or go to a WORD by WORD (mot‑à‑mot) english translation, greek phonetics too.

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1a) Overview of my source {source} in multiaccented-stress, scanned.

ENGLISH: my LITERAL TRANSLATION
from page: 17 book: George Seferis, Poems. Athens: Ikaros, 1964.
TITLE: Denial

On the secret seashore
and white like a dove
we thirsted in midday;
but the water stiff.

On the blonde sand
we wrote her name;
how beautifully the breeze has blown
and the script was erased.

With what a heart, with what a breath,
what desires and what passion
we lived our life; mistake!
and we changed life.

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1b) Overview of the poem in greek monotonic script, IPA pronunciation and english translation by me.
Click the numbers of verses to go to a word-to-word translation).

«Denial» by Yiorgos Seferis

greek original
by Γιώργος Σεφέρης

simplified International Phonetic Alphabet

english translation
by Edmund Keeley and Phillip Sherrard

french translation
Adapt. fr.: Guy Wagner, d'après Mario Bois

german translation
Dt. Fassung: Helmut Schwabl
also different german translation at www.stixoi.info

italian translation
source at www.stixoi.info

'Aρνηση

ˈarnisi

Denial

Reniement

Lossagung

Rinuncia (Sulla spiaggia)

Στo περιγιάλι τo κρυφό

sto periˈjali to kriˈfo

On the secret seashore

Sur la plage secrète

Am Ufer, dem versteckten

Sulla spiaggia nascosta

κι άσπρo σαν περιστέρι

ˈcaspro ˈsamberiˈsteri

white like a pigeon

blanche comme une colonne

weiß wie eine Taube

e bianca come una colomba

διψάσαμε τo μεσημέρι·

ðiˈpsasame to mesiˈmeri

we thirsted at noon;

nous avons eu soif á midi

dursteten wir am Mittag

avevamo sete a mezzogiorno

μα τo νερό γλυφό.

ma to neˈro ɣliˈfo

but the water was brackish.

mais l'eau était amère.

und das Wasser war salzig.

ma l'acqua era salmastra.

Πάνω στην άμμo την ξανθή

ˈpano stin ˈamo tiŋgzanˈθi

On the golden sand

Sur le sable d'or éclatant

In den hellen Sand

Sopra la sabbia bionda

γράψαμε τ' όνoμά της·

ˈɣrapsame ˈtonoˈmatis

we wrote her name;

nous avons écrit son nom à elle

schrieben wir ihren Namen

scrivemmo il suo nome.

ωραία πoυ φύσηξεν o μπάτης

oˈrea pu ˈfisiksen o ˈbatis

but the sea-breeze blew

la brise marine a soufflé

angenehm wehte die Brise -

Splendido! ché soffiò la brezza

και σβύστηκε η γραφή.

ce ˈzvistice i ɣraˈfi

and the writing vanished.

effaçant l'écriture

und so verlosch die Schrift

e la scritta si cancellò.

Mε τι καρδιά, με τι πνoή,

me ˈti karðˈjia me ˈti pnoˈi

With what spirit, what heart,

Avec quelle joie, quel élan

Mit dem Herzen, mit dem Atem -

Col cuore, col respiro

τι πόθoυς και τι πάθoς,

ˈti ˈpoθus ce ˈti ˈpaθos

what desire and passion

quelle brûlante ferveur

sowie Sehnsucht, soviel Leidenschaft!

- che speranze e che cori -

πήραμε τη ζωή μας· λάθoς!

ˈpirame ti zoˈi mas. ˈlaθos

we lived our life: a mistake!

nous avions vécu notre vie: une erreur!

Wir sahen unseres Lebens Fehler

afferrammo la vita: errore!

κι αλλάξαμε ζωή.

ciaˈlaksame zoˈi

So we changed our life.

Ainsi nous changions notre vie!

und änderten das Leben!

e cambiammo vita.

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go to POEM-OVERVIEW

2) WORD to WORD (mot pour mot) presentation of each VERSE

TITLE: 'APNHΣH' [`arnisi] = 'Negation' or 'Denial'. Also known as 'At the seashore'.

*******************STANZA 1 Verses 1-4

VERSE 1 using capital greek letters	ΣTO	ΠEPIΓIAΛI	TO	KPYΦO
VERSE 1 back to overview	Στo	περιγιάλι	τo	κρυφό
phonetic representation in simple I.P.A.	sto	peri`jali	to	kri`fo
mot‑à‑mot translation in english**	at the	seashore	the	hidden secret

VERSE 2 using capital greek letters	KI	AΣΠPO	ΣAN	ΠEPIΣTEPI
VERSE 2 back to overview	κι	άσπρo	σαν	περιστέρι
phonetic representation in simple I.P.A.	`ciaspro		`samberi`steri (`san peri`steri)
mot‑à‑mot translation in english**	and	white	as	dove

VERSE 3 using capital greek letters	ΔIΨAΣAME	TO	MEΣHMEPI
VERSE 3 in greek back to overview	διψάσαμε	τo	μεσημέρι·
phonetic representation in simple I.P.A.	δi`psasame	to	mesi`meri
mot‑à‑mot translation in english**	we got thirsty	(in) the	midday;

VERSE 4 using capital greek letters	MA	TO	NEPO	ΓΛYΦO.
VERSE 4 in greek back to overview	μα	τo	νερό	γλυφό.
phonetic representation in simple I.P.A.	ma	to	ne`ro	γli`fo
mot‑à‑mot translation in english**	but	the	water	stiff.

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*******************STANZA 2 Verses 5-8

VERSE 5 using capital greek letters	ΠANΩ	ΣTHN	AMMO	THN	ΞANΘH
VERSE 5 in greek back to overview	Πάνω	στην	άμμo	την	ξανθή
phonetic representation in simple I.P.A.	`pano	stin	`amo	tiŋgzan`θi (tin ksan`θi)
mot‑à‑mot translation in english**	on	to the	sand	the	blonde

VERSE 6 using capital greek letters	ΓPAΨAME	T'	ONOMA	THΣ·
VERSE 6 in greek back to overview	γράψαμε	τ' (τo)	όνoμά	της·
phonetic representation in simple I.P.A.	`γrapsame	`tono`matis
mot‑à‑mot translation in english**	we wrote	the	name	hers;

VERSE 7 using capital greek letters	ΩPAIA	ΠOY	ΦYΣHΞEN	O	MΠATHΣ
VERSE 7 in greek back to overview	ωραία	πoυ	φύσηξεν	o	μπάτης
phonetic representation in simple I.P.A.	o`rea	pu	`fisiksen	o `batis
mot‑à‑mot translation in english**	beautifully	that	blew has blown	the	'breeze'

VERSE 8 using capital greek letters	KAI	ΣBYΣTHKE	H	ΓPAΦH
VERSE 8 in greek back to overview	και	σβύστηκε	η	γραφή.
phonetic representation in simple I.P.A.	ce	`zvistice	i γra`fi
mot‑à‑mot translation in english**	and	was erased	the	script.

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*******************STANZA 3 Verses 9-12

VERSE 9 using capital greek letters	ME	TI	KARΔIA	ME	TI	ΠNOH
VERSE 9 in greek back to overview	Mε	τι	καρδιά,	με	τι	πνoή,
phonetic representation in simple I.P.A.	me	`ti	kar`δja	me	`ti	pno`i
mot‑à‑mot translation in english**	with	what	heart,	with	what	aspiration, exhale breeze

VERSE 10 using capital greek letters	TI	ΠOΘOYΣ	KAI	TI	ΠAΘOΣ
VERSE 10 in greek back to overview	τι	πόθoυς	και	τι	πάθoς,
phonetic representation in simple I.P.A.	`ti	`poθus	ce	`ti	`paθos
mot‑à‑mot translation in english**	what	desires	and	what	passion,

VERSE 11 using capital greek letters	ΠHPAME	TH	ZΩ	MAΣ·	ΛAΘOΣ!
VERSE 11 in greek back to overview	πήραμε	τη	ζωή	μας·	λάθoς!
phonetic representation in simple I.P.A.	`pirame	ti	zo`imas		`laθos
mot‑à‑mot translation in english**	we took we led	the	life	of ours;	mistake!

VERSE 12 using capital greek letters	KI	AΛΛAΞAME	ZΩH
VERSE 12 in greek back to overview	κι	αλλάξαμε	ζωή.
phonetic representation in simple I.P.A.	ci	a`laksame	zo`i
mot‑à‑mot translation in english**	and	we changed we changed to a different	life.

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**translated words with 'quotes' indicate that the greek word chosen by the poet
is either a very unusual choice of a synonym or an idiomatic word.
**translated words in ''double quotes'' indicate an unusual grammatical form (e.g. inflection suffix).
**a word in parenthesis (..) is an added word that does not exist in the original, but helps understanding.