by Marcus Valerius Martialis (38?41 - 102?4)
Translation by Kirby Flower Smith (1862 - 1918)
Erotion
Language: English  after the Latin
Dear father and dear mother: Let me crave Your loving kindness there beyond the grave For my Erotion, the pretty maid Who bears these lines. Don't let her be afraid! She's such a little lassie -- only six -- To toddle down that pathway to the Styx All by herself! Black shadows haunt those steeps And Cerberus the Dread who never sleeps. May she be comforted, and may she play About you merry as the live long day, And in her childish prattle often tell Of that old master whom she loved so well. Oh earth, bear lightly on her! 'Tis her due; The little girl so lightly bore on you.
Authorship:
- by Kirby Flower Smith (1862 - 1918), "Erotion" [an adaptation] [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in Latin by Marcus Valerius Martialis (38?41 - 102?4)
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by John Woods Duke (1899 - 1984), "Erotion", 1939. [voice and piano] [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2011-02-12
Line count: 14
Word count: 109