by William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616)
Translation by François-Victor Hugo (1828 - 1873)
What is your substance, whereof are you...
Language: English
Our translations: ITA
What is your substance, whereof are you made,
That millions of strange shadows on you tend?
Since every one, hath every one, one shade,
And you but one, can every shadow lend.
Describe Adonis, and the counterfeit
Is poorly imitated after you;
On Helen's cheek all art of beauty set,
And you in Grecian tires are painted new:
Speak of the spring, and foison of the year,
The one doth shadow of your beauty show,
The other as your bounty doth appear;
And you in every blessed shape we know.
In all external grace you have some part,
But you like none, none you, for constant heart.
About the headline (FAQ)
See also Mobile for Shakespeare by Roman Haubenstock-RamatiText Authorship:
- by William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616), no title, appears in Sonnets, no. 53 [author's text checked 1 time 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 Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco (1895 - 1968), "Sonnet LIII - What is your substance", subtitle: "The mirror", op. 125 (Shakespeare Sonnets), Heft 1 no. 7 (1944-7) [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Richard Simpson (1820 - 1876), "Sonnet LIII", 1864 [ medium voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- FRE French (Français) (François-Victor Hugo) , no title, appears in Sonnets de Shakespeare, no. 53, first published 1857
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , no title, copyright © 2024, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2010-08-11
Line count: 14
Word count: 107
De quelle substance êtes‑vous donc fait
Language: French (Français) after the English
De quelle substance êtes-vous donc fait, vous qu'escortent des millions d'ombres étranges ? Chaque être n'a qu'une ombre unique, et vous, qui n'êtes qu'un pourtant, vous prêtez votre ombre à tout. Qu'on décrive Adonis, et le portrait n'est qu'une pauvre imitation de vous-même ; qu'on déploie toutes les beautés de l'art sur la joue d'Hélène, et vous voilà peint à nouveau sous le costume grec ; Qu'on parle du printemps et de la saison féconde, l'un n'est qu'une ombre de votre beauté, l'autre que le reflet de votre bonté ; et nous vous reconnaissons sous toute forme bénie. Il n'est pas de grâce extérieure où vous n'ayez quelque part ; mais nul ne vous ressemble et vous ne ressemblez à nul par la constance du cœur.
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- by François-Victor Hugo (1828 - 1873), no title, appears in Sonnets de Shakespeare, no. 53, first published 1857 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in English by William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616), no title, appears in Sonnets, no. 53
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- [ None yet in the database ]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2010-08-17
Line count: 14
Word count: 121