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Listen, Euterpe
Listen, Euterpe, to the sweet song
That Cupid begs me to sing,
And to tune the sweet song
To the golden tone of my lyre,
To relate what he tells me
So sweetly does love spur me.
Under the chaste veil of night
My Lydia covered her breasts,
But the moon, high in the heavens,
Gently revealed her breasts to me,
And to see such lovely treasure
It glowed with flames of gold.
Never did it appear so bright
And lovely on the horizon,
Not even when it gazed upon
Its beloved on Mount Cario,
For seeing such things of beauty
It shone like a thousand stars.
And even though its rays
Had less power and passion,
The sun of your eyes, Lydia,
Made them clearer and brighter
To reveal your beautiful breasts
And your serene glow.
And I saw the soft and pure
Snow of her uncovered breasts;
And I felt my heart yearn
With sweet and fond desire;
And rising swiftly, my heart
Leaped from snow to snow.
And from those soft dawns
Shone a glowing fire;
And the graces with their loves
Had there a sweet abode;
And when it reached there
My heart burned in the snow.
But my heart burned so gently
That each flickering flame
In those beloved breasts
Constantly refreshed my gaze,
And sweetly invited pain
Into my already aching heart.
I gazed and you, my Lydia,
Wounded me softly;
I spurred on my ardent gaze,
And you held it in your breasts;
I kindled a few sparks
And you, thousands of flames.
And as the baring of your breasts
Kindled so many flames
So my eyes shone
On seeing so many lights,
And I could see in your breasts
Marvels ever more precious.
But my feeble sight weakens
When so much is revealed
I can never stay firm
When seeking so many delights
And my wretched gaze dies
Between two alabaster apples.
English translation by Paul Archer of the text of Odi, Euterpe by Guilio Caccini (1551-1618) from Le nuove musiche, 1602. The text by Ansaldo Cebà (1565-1623) was published in 1601. Caccini set the first ten verses, there are five further verses in the original poem. The piece is often shortened in performance to the 1st and 2nd verses with three or four others. Euterpe was the Greek muse of music and lyric poetry. The reference to Mount Cario in the text is obscure. It may refer to Mount Carius in Lydia named after Carius (or Karios) who was the son of Zeus and Torrhebia. According to legend, he heard the Muses singing by a lake. He learned music from them and taught it to the people of Lydia. It may not be by accident that the love interest in the text is named Lydia.
See the copyright notice below.
Odi, Euterpe
Odi, Euterpe, il dolce canto
Ch'a lo stil Amor m'impetra,
Et accorda al dolce canto
L'aureo suon della mia cetra,
Ch'a dir quel ch'ei mi ragiona
Troppe dolce amor mi sprona.
Di notturno e casto velo
La mia Lidia il sen copria;
Ma la luna in mezzo il cielo
Dolcemente il sen m'apria;
Ch'a mirar si bel tesoro
Lampeggiò di fiamme d'oro.
Nè si vivo, o vago aspetto
Portò mai fu l'orizzonte
Nè pur quando il suo diletto
Rimirò fu'l Cario monte
Ch'a mirar cose sì belle
Tanti rai fur tante stelle
Anzi, i lumi e i lampi suoi
Men possenti e meno ardenti
Lidia, il Sol degli occhi tuoi
Fea più chiari e più lucenti
E scopriva il tuo bel seno
Pur il lume tuo sereno
E vedea soave e pura
La sua neve il petto aprire;
E sentia di dolce cura
Nel mio petto il cor languire;
E salir veloce, e leve
Il mio cor tra neve e neve
E da quei soavi albori
Sfavillava un foco;
E le grazie con gli amori
Avean quivi un dolce loco;
E, se quivi il cor giungea
Su la neve il cor m'ardea
Ma si dolce ardeva il core,
Ch'ogni fiamma ed ogni dardo
In quel caro sen d'amore
Rinfrescava ogni ora un guardo,
E già m'era il cor ferito
A le piaghe un dolce invito
Io mirava e tu ferivi
Lidia mia, soavemente;
Io spronava e tu rapivi
Nel tuo sen la vista ardente;
Io movea poche faville
Tu le fiamme à mille à mille
E se come il seno aprendo
Tante fiamme tu movei
Sfavillar potean vedendo
Tanti lumi gli occhi miei
Nel tuo sen potea mirare
Maraviglie assai più care
Ma languia la vista inferma
A l'aprir di tanti obbietti
Ne potea giammai star ferma
A cercar tanti diletti
E moriro i rai meschini
Tra duoi pomi alabastrini
Recording. Performed by The Archduke's Consort.
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnD0yMrxNdU
Copyright notice. The translation is provided as an aid to musicians and audiences. Publication of the translation in print or digital formats is expressly forbidden unless permission from the author has been first obtained and acknowledgement of authorship is duly made. Permission will usually be granted so please contact Paul Archer with details of how you wish to make use of the translation.
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