Constantinople
I’m making headway in the history book I’m reading on the history of the Rome of the East. I know nowadays it’s called Istanbul. Even the book I’m reading is called Istanbul: The Imperial City. But it’ll always be Constantinople to me. I’ve always known it as such, the intermediate name, the one given to it by a mediocre Roman emperor. Not even Yeats can tune me into calling it the romantic Byzantium nor can modern history convince me to call it Istanbul. It just comes out Constantinople. I don’t know why. I’ve never been there but I’ve always wanted to as far back as I can remember. Will I ever? I don’t know. Things being how they are, both in world affairs and the mundane array of my life and the yolk of work etc, I feel increasingly that barring a lucky twist of fate, I’ll have to bid Europe goodbye.
Posted on April 28th, 2005 under Life • 
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