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Pharos and Pharillon
Book by Forster, E. M.
100 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 1980
38 people are currently reading
165 people want to read
About the author
E.M. Forster
697 books4,278 followersEdward Morgan Forster, generally published as E.M. Forster, was an English novelist, essayist, and short story writer. He is known best for his ironic and well-plotted novels examining class difference and hypocrisy in early 20th-century British society. His humanistic impulse toward understanding and sympathy may be aptly summed up in the epigraph to his 1910 novel Howards End: "Only connect".
He had five novels published in his lifetime, achieving his greatest success with A Passage to India (1924) which takes as its subject the relationship between East and West, seen through the lens of India in the later days of the British Raj.
Forster's views as a secular humanist are at the heart of his work, which often depicts the pursuit of personal connections in spite of the restrictions of contemporary society. He is noted for his use of symbolism as a technique in his novels, and he has been criticised for his attachment to mysticism. His other works include Where Angels Fear to Tread (1905), The Longest Journey (1907), A Room with a View (1908) and Maurice (1971), his posthumously published novel which tells of the coming of age of an explicitly gay male character.
He had five novels published in his lifetime, achieving his greatest success with A Passage to India (1924) which takes as its subject the relationship between East and West, seen through the lens of India in the later days of the British Raj.
Forster's views as a secular humanist are at the heart of his work, which often depicts the pursuit of personal connections in spite of the restrictions of contemporary society. He is noted for his use of symbolism as a technique in his novels, and he has been criticised for his attachment to mysticism. His other works include Where Angels Fear to Tread (1905), The Longest Journey (1907), A Room with a View (1908) and Maurice (1971), his posthumously published novel which tells of the coming of age of an explicitly gay male character.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
March 5, 2016
This is an utterly delightful book of essays on the subject of Alexandria, Egypt. E.M. Forster writes with a crystalline prose which at times rises to the memorable, as when he described "The Solitary Place" near Lake Mariout:
The book ends with an essay on Constantine P. Cavafy, the poet of Alexandria, with a few excerpts from his work translated, I suspect, by Forster himself. This is a gem of a book I recommend to everyone.
But what impresses one most in the scene is the quiet persistence of the earth. There is so little soil about and she does so much with it. Year after year she has given this extraordinary show to a few Bedouins, has covered the Mareotic civilization with dust and raised flowers from its shards. Will she do the same to our own time and barbed wire? Probably not, for man has now got so far ahead of other forms of life that he will scarcely permit the flowers to grow over his works again. His old tins will be buried under new tins. This is the triumph of civilization, I suppose, the final imprint of the human upon this devoted planet, which should exhibit in its apotheosis a solid crust of machinery and graves. In cities one sees this development coming, but in solitary places, however austere, the primaeval softness persists, the vegetation still flowers and seeds unchecked, and the air still blows untainted hot from the land or cold from the sea.And this was written back in 1923!
The book ends with an essay on Constantine P. Cavafy, the poet of Alexandria, with a few excerpts from his work translated, I suspect, by Forster himself. This is a gem of a book I recommend to everyone.
July 11, 2022
This is fascinating for EM Forster fans and completists. He was stationed in Alexandria in WWI, and wrote a short history and guide, and this selection of remarkable essays.
His brilliant prose shines in these essays, richly responsive emotionally and imaginatively to Alexandria’s situation and history. The essays suggest to me he was possibly playing around with a longer piece somehow referencing Alexandria. He was always a writer strongly influenced by geography and local nature - very clear in Howard’s End and culminating in A Passage to India: but here the sense of place is foregrounded utterly.
The first, to me best part focuses on the ancient history, with the second part on more modern history, ending in a piece on the Greek Alexandrian poet Cavafy who Forster introduced to the English speaking world.
The pieces are fact-based but certainly not non-fiction - they almost tend to novelisations of historical incident. A sort of prose equivalent of Cavafy’s project in poetry.
His brilliant prose shines in these essays, richly responsive emotionally and imaginatively to Alexandria’s situation and history. The essays suggest to me he was possibly playing around with a longer piece somehow referencing Alexandria. He was always a writer strongly influenced by geography and local nature - very clear in Howard’s End and culminating in A Passage to India: but here the sense of place is foregrounded utterly.
The first, to me best part focuses on the ancient history, with the second part on more modern history, ending in a piece on the Greek Alexandrian poet Cavafy who Forster introduced to the English speaking world.
The pieces are fact-based but certainly not non-fiction - they almost tend to novelisations of historical incident. A sort of prose equivalent of Cavafy’s project in poetry.
February 15, 2022
After reading the Alexandria Quartet I wasn't quite ready to leave Alexandria, so I picked up E.M. Forsters's Pharos and Pharillon.
P&P is a small book of essays on Forster's reflections on Alexandria as well as some history, religion, descriptions of the landscape, the cotton market, and the people. A particularly funny story is one called Eliza in Egypt. Little did I know that this was from a derived from her letters of her actual visit and now that I know that these misadventures of Eliza Fay actually happened, they may not be quite as funny. Forster pays special homage to the Greek poet Cavafy.
It was a nice bit of dessert after reading the Quartet!
P&P is a small book of essays on Forster's reflections on Alexandria as well as some history, religion, descriptions of the landscape, the cotton market, and the people. A particularly funny story is one called Eliza in Egypt. Little did I know that this was from a derived from her letters of her actual visit and now that I know that these misadventures of Eliza Fay actually happened, they may not be quite as funny. Forster pays special homage to the Greek poet Cavafy.
It was a nice bit of dessert after reading the Quartet!
September 12, 2020
Lovely, irreverent sketches of Alexandrian history. The first half on ancient Alexandria is much more enjoyable, the modern half is very scathing and feels quite random, but it does end on a high discussing Cavafy's poetry, stood at an angle to the world.
"Everything passes, or almost everything. Only the climate, only the north wind and the sea remain as they were when Menelaus, the first visitor, landed upon Ras el Tin, and exacted from Proteus the promise of life everlasting."
"Everything passes, or almost everything. Only the climate, only the north wind and the sea remain as they were when Menelaus, the first visitor, landed upon Ras el Tin, and exacted from Proteus the promise of life everlasting."
October 22, 2013
Very poetic and determinedly beautiful. The chapter on Cavafy is a jewel.
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November 27, 2024Kolonna Publication-ը յուրահատուկ ձևով գտնում է ստանդարտից դուրս հեղինակներ ու ստեղծագործություններ, որոնք մեյնսթրիմ չեն: Էնքա~ն իմը չի մեյնսթրիմը (բայց ծանոթ լինելու համար ժմնկ ծախսում եմ), ու էնքա~ն իմն է յուրահատուկ գրականությունը:
Ֆորսթերը բացահայտում էր ինձ համար, հատկապես, որ կապված է նաև Կոնստանտին Կավաֆիի հետ:
Արագ կարդացվեց, առավոտյան, մի քանի ժամ ու վերջ: Բայց որոշ ժամանակ հետո ես էլի կվերադառնամ այս գրքին: Առաջին հայացքից պարզ էսսեները Ալեքսանդրիայի կյանքի մասին թեթև են թվում, բայց շերտեր կան, տողատակեր կան, որ ավելի շատ ժամանակ է պահանջում:
Գրքի վերջում ներառված է Կավաֆիի հետ նամակագրությունը (!) ու վարորդ Ալիին ուղղված հետմահու նամակը, որը այլ տեսակի հարաբերությունների շղարշ ունի:
Անպայման կարդալու գիրք չէ: Այն ավելի շատ Ֆոսթերին ծանոթ ընթերցողները կհավանեն, բայց ես ուրախ եմ, որ առաջին ծանոթությունս հեղինակի հետ սրանով սկսվեց:
Ֆորսթերը բացահայտում էր ինձ համար, հատկապես, որ կապված է նաև Կոնստանտին Կավաֆիի հետ:
Արագ կարդացվեց, առավոտյան, մի քանի ժամ ու վերջ: Բայց որոշ ժամանակ հետո ես էլի կվերադառնամ այս գրքին: Առաջին հայացքից պարզ էսսեները Ալեքսանդրիայի կյանքի մասին թեթև են թվում, բայց շերտեր կան, տողատակեր կան, որ ավելի շատ ժամանակ է պահանջում:
Գրքի վերջում ներառված է Կավաֆիի հետ նամակագրությունը (!) ու վարորդ Ալիին ուղղված հետմահու նամակը, որը այլ տեսակի հարաբերությունների շղարշ ունի:
Անպայման կարդալու գիրք չէ: Այն ավելի շատ Ֆոսթերին ծանոթ ընթերցողները կհավանեն, բայց ես ուրախ եմ, որ առաջին ծանոթությունս հեղինակի հետ սրանով սկսվեց:
November 12, 2024
a beautifully written glimpse of Alexandria
October 1, 2014
E.M. Forster shares his love and deep appreciation of Alexandria, Egypt by evoking the sense of being "on the margins" that he felt Alexandria embodied. On the coast of Africa, peopled by Egyptians, Greeks and Jews, inhabiting a city of steeped in history, the city imparts a poetic feeling to those who position themselves to receive it. Lawrence Durell in his Quartet and C.P. Cavafy, the great poet wrote both drew from this well.
Forster shares the interest of Cavafy in a "different Greece", not "Athens and Sparta, so drubbed into us at school" but the Greek legacy from Alexander and the Ptolemies, Greek Pharaohs descended from Alexander's generals, through the Byzantine Empire.
He brings a characteristic wit and skeptical eye toward the rich as here when he describes Clement of Alexandria, an early Christian. Clement wrote 'The Rich Man's Treatise' and "handles with delicacy a problem on which business men are naturally sensitive and arrives a the comforting conclusion that Christ did not mean what he said".
Often when I read books from the early 20th century or earlier times I make allowances for, and gird myself against, the offensive racism and Anti-Semitism that was so openly on display. It is important to note that authors of this time do not deserve this free pass of being "just a product of their time". The works of thinking people as represented by E.M. Forster prove that, even then, racism was a failure of sympathy and a weakness of character. Forster rose above this and in so doing demonstrates that in our own time we can not fall back on cultural norms or whatever justification we manufacture to excuse bigotry. There is a glittering vein of gold in human action, celebrating nature, our bodies and each other. Forster mined this vein; Pharos and Pharillon is one of his gems.
Forster shares the interest of Cavafy in a "different Greece", not "Athens and Sparta, so drubbed into us at school" but the Greek legacy from Alexander and the Ptolemies, Greek Pharaohs descended from Alexander's generals, through the Byzantine Empire.
He brings a characteristic wit and skeptical eye toward the rich as here when he describes Clement of Alexandria, an early Christian. Clement wrote 'The Rich Man's Treatise' and "handles with delicacy a problem on which business men are naturally sensitive and arrives a the comforting conclusion that Christ did not mean what he said".
Often when I read books from the early 20th century or earlier times I make allowances for, and gird myself against, the offensive racism and Anti-Semitism that was so openly on display. It is important to note that authors of this time do not deserve this free pass of being "just a product of their time". The works of thinking people as represented by E.M. Forster prove that, even then, racism was a failure of sympathy and a weakness of character. Forster rose above this and in so doing demonstrates that in our own time we can not fall back on cultural norms or whatever justification we manufacture to excuse bigotry. There is a glittering vein of gold in human action, celebrating nature, our bodies and each other. Forster mined this vein; Pharos and Pharillon is one of his gems.
January 15, 2018
Hmm... mixed feelings on this small collection of stories cum essays cum historical facts... the blending of the genres is quite interesting. The difficulty is the shortness of the texts, reading more like vignettes, that make it hard for me as a reader to connect with anything except the place. And as someone who has never been to Alexandria nor share Forster's infatuation with it, it's hard to relate. Still, the writing and the references are beautifully rendered.
January 8, 2015
A minor bit of Forster, but damn, this man can write.How about this for an arresting and succinct first sentence? "The career of Menelaus was a series of small mishaps." The final essay on Cavafy's poetry is lovely and acute.
October 6, 2016
I mean, seriously, folks: E.M. Forster is a great writer. He superbly arranges his ideas and thinks great thoughts, while he crafts phrases of sublime beauty.
August 12, 2025
Pharos refers to the huge lighthouse raised in Ancient Alexandria, which at the time was considered to be a miraculous construction and a wonder to ancient seafarers. Over the centuries it was reduced in size by wars and natural disasters. The word Pharillon might intended as a diminutive of the first word, referring to the reduced size of the original artifact, i.e., small lighthouse. I consider this book to be a collector's item, and it fits well into my collection on the lore of this amazing Greek city on the continent of Africa. Alexandria was clearly never like the rest of Egypt.
This little book of about 100 pages offers many pleasant surprises as it sketches the history of Ancient Alexandria starting with the bare land and then in another section gives us a series of witty shorts from the layout of the city to the agonies of travel in Egypt in a prior millinium. His style and wording is catchy and refreshing to the eye of an American rustic. You can see his brilliance in the first few words written, and it gets more interesting from there.
I admit to being a casual and neglectful reader of E.M. Forster. I have several of his novels, but so far I have only read "Passage to India." Just note that he worked in Alexandria for the British in World War One, where he found love as well as access to the famous Greek poet of Alexandria, Constantine Cavafy. That being said, I have great affection for British writers of his era because I find their use of the English language interesting and powerfully descriptive. I have on my shelf Forster's "Alexandria, a History and a Guide," and now this quirky little book of his that is seldom seen.
On top of this book I have for a long time had interest in Ancient Alexandria and the role it played in the history of technology and natural science, and later I became entranced by the intoxicating literature set in cosmopoltian Alexandria between the two World Wars--and actually reaching into the history of Egypt. The British occupation of Egypt offers an interesting period of diversion, and even the short rule of Napolean in Egypt resulted in the French language being used by the elites, the press, and the courts. Of course, these foreign influences have been substantially diluted by the Pan-Arab movement since the 1950's.
You could read this small book in one sitting, or string it out and savor its uniqueness. But I suspect that only those readers who have been already exposed to the romantic mysteries of Alexandria would find it interesting.
This little book of about 100 pages offers many pleasant surprises as it sketches the history of Ancient Alexandria starting with the bare land and then in another section gives us a series of witty shorts from the layout of the city to the agonies of travel in Egypt in a prior millinium. His style and wording is catchy and refreshing to the eye of an American rustic. You can see his brilliance in the first few words written, and it gets more interesting from there.
I admit to being a casual and neglectful reader of E.M. Forster. I have several of his novels, but so far I have only read "Passage to India." Just note that he worked in Alexandria for the British in World War One, where he found love as well as access to the famous Greek poet of Alexandria, Constantine Cavafy. That being said, I have great affection for British writers of his era because I find their use of the English language interesting and powerfully descriptive. I have on my shelf Forster's "Alexandria, a History and a Guide," and now this quirky little book of his that is seldom seen.
On top of this book I have for a long time had interest in Ancient Alexandria and the role it played in the history of technology and natural science, and later I became entranced by the intoxicating literature set in cosmopoltian Alexandria between the two World Wars--and actually reaching into the history of Egypt. The British occupation of Egypt offers an interesting period of diversion, and even the short rule of Napolean in Egypt resulted in the French language being used by the elites, the press, and the courts. Of course, these foreign influences have been substantially diluted by the Pan-Arab movement since the 1950's.
You could read this small book in one sitting, or string it out and savor its uniqueness. But I suspect that only those readers who have been already exposed to the romantic mysteries of Alexandria would find it interesting.
June 9, 2023
This short book, subtitled 'An Evocation of Alexandria' was first published in 1923 after Forster returned from Alexandria where he had been a Red Cross volunteer during World War One. In his conclusion Forster says, "A serious history of Alexandria has not yet been written, and perhaps the foregoing sketches may have indicated how varied, how impressive such a history might be."
He starts with Menelaus and he ends with C.P. Cavafy taking stops along the way with Jews, Christians - of different types, Byzantines, Romans, and even a diversion with a British woman, Eliza Fay. Who writes about her visit to Egypt in a book called, 'The Original Letters from India of Mrs Eliza Fay.' He describes Eliza Fay, after quoting from one of her letters, saying that she has been 'Rather cattish, that last remark, considering how much the Consul had done for her. But a cat she is- spirited and observant, but a cat' That last sentence might equally serve to describe how Forster comes across in this book.
Perhaps the most famous part of this book - and famous is probably stretching it - is the essay of Cavafy, which is probably responsible for introducing Cavafy to the English and which gives a description of Cavafy - "...a Greek gentleman in a straw hat standing absolutely motionless at a slight angle to the universe" - that has, to quote the introduction to the Oxford World's Classic edition of Cavafy's poetry, "...become a cliche [but that] does not alter the act that it is one of the most perceptive comments ever made on Cavafy's view of the world, and it can be a useful key for exploring his poetic universe."
Overall I found this a fascinating read. Forster's writing is lovely. Clear, sardonic, and informative.
He starts with Menelaus and he ends with C.P. Cavafy taking stops along the way with Jews, Christians - of different types, Byzantines, Romans, and even a diversion with a British woman, Eliza Fay. Who writes about her visit to Egypt in a book called, 'The Original Letters from India of Mrs Eliza Fay.' He describes Eliza Fay, after quoting from one of her letters, saying that she has been 'Rather cattish, that last remark, considering how much the Consul had done for her. But a cat she is- spirited and observant, but a cat' That last sentence might equally serve to describe how Forster comes across in this book.
Perhaps the most famous part of this book - and famous is probably stretching it - is the essay of Cavafy, which is probably responsible for introducing Cavafy to the English and which gives a description of Cavafy - "...a Greek gentleman in a straw hat standing absolutely motionless at a slight angle to the universe" - that has, to quote the introduction to the Oxford World's Classic edition of Cavafy's poetry, "...become a cliche [but that] does not alter the act that it is one of the most perceptive comments ever made on Cavafy's view of the world, and it can be a useful key for exploring his poetic universe."
Overall I found this a fascinating read. Forster's writing is lovely. Clear, sardonic, and informative.
December 10, 2018
Sketches of Alexandria, it's origins, architecture (the famous lighthouse), it's founding (Alexander), notables (especially the early Church Fathers) and notable industries (hashish?, cotton) associated with the city. Particularly interesting, from a literary perspective, is that C.P. Cavafy's poetry is essentially introduced to English readers here. About 100 pages. A slight book, in Forster's clear, characteristically humane and ironic style. A delightful way to spend a drizzly December evening.
January 1, 2026
It was a difficult read for me even though I was highly motivated because I wanted to read a primary source (or close to primary source) document about the region and learn its history from a non-modern perspective - and by that, I mean our current day perspective. My favorite part of his sketches were the reflections on Mrs. Eliza Fay travelogues. Second to that, the section on Cavafy. Perhaps I appreciate his exegesis.
October 30, 2024
As series of essays reflecting on ancient and modern Alexandria. Sometimes fact, mostly myth, accepted fiction and dreamy impressions of the city and the surrounds. An Englishman trying to understand Alexander, Cleopatra & Marc Anthony, the Christain Copts, and mostly the various incarnations of the busy, trading, scheming, wandering Arabs.
September 2, 2025
A very personal look at Forster's adopted home of Alexandria. Each piece is beautifully written and spans the city's history from its origins, through the early church, and finally to modern times. The short piece based on the writings of an 18th Cent. woman traveling to India and hating virtually everything and everyone she met reads like a Forster novel that he never had time to develop.
October 16, 2017
A wonderful take on the old area of Alexandria and the mid 20th century update. Not a travel book but it will make you want to visit.
April 9, 2020
Tell me something I don't know.
Thanks! There's so much I didn't know, and still don't, but I love being enlightened.
Take an armchair journey with E. M. Forster on Project Gutenberg ;0)
Thanks! There's so much I didn't know, and still don't, but I love being enlightened.
Take an armchair journey with E. M. Forster on Project Gutenberg ;0)
May 17, 2021
Interesting little read.
June 9, 2023
Interesting… more profound than I was looking for but very neat… a sort of literary history/anthropology I guess
January 4, 2020
Even E. M. Forster can't be great every time. I just didn't enjoy it as much as I wanted to. But the writing was descriptive and poetic, with many beautiful passages. Would recommend for the EMF completist.
January 9, 2023
beautifully beautifully written and absolutely stunning in the historical segments but once you get to the modern egypt stories it’s just white european condescension. the brand of racism where they talk about places being wild and untouched and gorgeous and spiritual and then talk about the people as being poor and unfortunate and uncivilized. so unfortunate as the first half was just stunning.
Want to read
March 5, 2016Free download available at InternetArchive.
December 21, 2016
A number of short stories and reflections on ancient and modern (early 1900s) Alexandria, Egypt. Wonderful travel guide in its own way!
February 12, 2020
a small treasure
October 10, 2020
Curious little book about Alexandria, Egypt, noted primarily for being the introduction to C. P. Cavafy for English speakers.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews