when new heroes look like old ones

The god abandons Antony
by Constantine P. Cavafy (1863-1933)

When suddenly, at midnight, you hear
an invisible procession going by with exquisite music,
voices, don’t mourn your luck that’s failing now,
work gone wrong, your plans all proving deceptive—
don’t mourn them uselessly.
As one long prepared, and graced with courage,
say goodbye to her, the Alexandria that is leaving.
Above all, don’t fool yourself, don’t say it was a dream,
your ears deceived you: don’t degrade yourself
with empty hopes like these.
As one long prepared, and graced with courage,
as is right for you who were given this kind of city,
go firmly to the window and listen with deep emotion,
but not with the whining, the pleas of a coward;
listen—your final delectation—
to the voices, to the exquisite music of that strange procession,
and say goodbye to her, to the Alexandria you are losing.