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Ein greiser Invalide sass auf der Lagerstatt, wundkrank an manchem Gliede und flehte sterbensmatt: "Noch einmal moecht'ich sehen des grossen Kaisers Bild, noch einmal vor ihm stehen wie einst im Schachtgefild; dann werd'ich ohne Grauen voll Mut und Zuversicht dem Tod in's Antlitz schauen, bis mir das Auge bricht!" Er sinkt zurück vor Schwäche, sie tragen ihn zum Saal; dort glaenzt des Bildes Fläche im sanften Abendstrahl. Sie [hoben]1 ihn vom Lager, es stüzt ihn manche Hand; so steht er bleich und hager dem Kaiser zugewandt. Da träumt der Invalide sich in die Schlacht marschirt und sich aufs neu im Gliede vom Kaiser kommandiert. Sein Herz ist kampfestrunken, er ruft im Jubelton, im Blicke [Siegesfunken]2: "Hoch! Hoch Napoleon!" Und als er so gesprochen, lallt er kein [Wörtchen]3 mehr, sein Auge [ist]4 gebrochen, sein Körper ist so schwer. Auf dem entschlaf'nen Greise spielt sanft das Abendrot; rings sprechen alle leise: "Ein schöner Heldentod!"
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)1 Baldenecker: "heben"
2 Baldenecker: "Siegestrunken"
3 Baldenecker: "Wörtlein"
4 Baldenecker: "starrt"
Text Authorship:
- by Adolf Bube (1802 - 1873) [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Nicolaus Baldenecker (1783 - 1858), "Der sterbende Krieger" [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Albert Lortzing (1801 - 1851), "Der Invalide" [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Amelia Maria Imbarrato) , "L'invalido", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Amelia Maria Imbarrato , Johann Winkler
This text was added to the website: 2009-04-30
Line count: 36
Word count: 156
Un vecchio invalido, disteso sul suo giaciglio, offeso in tutto il corpo, gemeva, prossimo a morire: "Ancora una volta vorrei vedere il ritratto del grande Imperatore, ancora una volta stare davanti a lui, come allora, sul campo di battaglia, allora potrei senza paura, pieno di coraggio e di fiducia, guardare in faccia la morte, fin che i miei occhi avranno luce!" Ricade giù, sfinito, lo portano nella sala, dove splende la superficie del ritratto nella docle luce del tramonto. Lo sollevano dal giaciglio, più d'una mano lo sostiene; così sta ritto, pallido e scarno, rivolto all'Imperatore. Qui sogna l'invalido di marciare alla battaglia, di nuovo sano, agli ordini dell'Imperatore. Il suo cuore è ebbro di guerra, egli grida in tono di giubilo, con lampi di vittoria nello sguardo: "Viva! Viva Napoleone!" E, detto questo, non più una parola, il suo sguardo si perde, il suo corpo si fa pesante. Sul vecchio addormentato gioca lieve la luce del tramonto; intorno tutti parlano piano: "Una bella morte da eroe!"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to Italian (Italiano) copyright © 2009 by Amelia Maria Imbarrato, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you must ask the copyright-holder(s) directly for permission. If you receive no response, you must consider it a refusal.
Amelia Maria Imbarrato. We have no current contact information for the copyright-holder.
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Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Adolf Bube (1802 - 1873)
This text was added to the website: 2009-04-30
Line count: 36
Word count: 167