by Anonymous / Unidentified Author
Che fiero costume
Language: Italian (Italiano)
Available translation(s): ENG POR
Che fiero costume
D'aligero nume,
Che a forza di pene si faccia adorar!
E pur nell' ardore
Il dio traditore
Un vago sembiante mi fe' idolatrar.
Che crudo destino
Che un cieco bambino
Con bocca di latte si faccia stimar!
Ma questo tiranno
Con barbaro inganno,
Entrando per gli occhi, mi fe' sospirar!
Note (courtesy Laura Prichard): This is one movement of a three-part cantata, first published in
Echi di reverenza, op. 14 (Bologna, 1678). The other movements are recitative and aria. Lengrenzi re-used this melody in his 1680 opera
Eteocle e Polinice with the text “Festeggia mio core."
Authorship:
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
Available translations, adaptations, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Laura Prichard) , title 1: "What fierce power", copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- POR Portuguese (Português) (Débora Letícia Batista) , title 1: "Que costume feroz", copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [
Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 53
Que costume feroz
Language: Portuguese (Português)  after the Italian (Italiano)
Que costume feroz
de um deus alado,
Que pela força das dores se faça adorar!
E assim, na minha paixão
O deus traidor
Um rosto adorável me fez idolatrar.
Que cruel destino
Que um menino cego
Com boca de leite se faça estimar!
Mas, este tirano
Com bárbaro ingano
Entrando pelos olhos, me fez suspirar.
Authorship:
Based on:
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 55