Is this Tauris, where the Eumenides'

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by Johann Baptist Mayrhofer (1787 - 1836)

Translation © by Malcolm Wren

Orest auf Tauris

(Sung text for setting by F. Schubert)

See original

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: CAT DUT ENG FRE ITA

Ist dies Tauris, wo der Eumeniden
Wuth zu stillen, Pythia versprach?
Weh, die Schwestern mit den Schlangenhaaren
Folgen mir vom Land der Griechen nach!
Rauhes Eyland, kündest keinen Segen:
Nirgends sproßt der Ceres milde Frucht.
Keine Reben blühn, der Lüfte Sänger,
Wie die Schiffe, meiden diese Bucht.

Steine fügt die Kunst nicht zu Gebäuden,
Zelte spannt des Scythen Armuth sich;
Unter starren Felsen, rauhen Felsen
Ist das Leben einsam, schauerlich!
Und hier soll, so ist ja doch ergangen
An den Flehenden der heilige Spruch:
Eine hohe Priesterin Dianens 
Lösen meinen und der Väter Fluch.

Note: Schubert received Mayrhofer's texts generally in handwriting; the printed edition of Mayrhofer's poems appeared much later and presents the texts usually in a revised version.

Composition:

Franz Peter Schubert

Text Authorship:

by Johann Baptist Mayrhofer (1787 - 1836), "Der landende Orest"

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Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Orestes a Tàurida", copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Orestes op Tauris", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
ENG English (Malcolm Wren) , copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Oreste en Tauride", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
ITA Italian (Italiano) (Amelia Maria Imbarrato) , "Oreste in Tauride", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Research team for this page: Richard Morris , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 16
Word count: 99

Orestes on Tauris

(Sung text translation for setting by F. Schubert)

See original

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

Is this Tauris, where the Eumenides'
Fury is to be stilled, according to the promise of the Delphic oracle?
Alas, the sisters with snakes for their hair
Have followed me here from the land of the Greeks!
Bleak island, you offer no blessing:
The gentle fruit of Ceres never sprouts here.
No vines blossom, singers in the air,
Like ships, avoid this bay.

Art does not structure these stones into buildings,
The poverty of the Scythians has stretched out tents;
Amongst rigid cliffs, primeval forests,
Life is lonely, horrific!
"And it is here," so it has been proclaimed
To the suppliant in the sacred pronouncement:
"That one of the high priestesses of Diana
Will lift the curse on me and my forefathers."

This is a translation of the text as set by Schubert

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2018 by Malcolm Wren, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
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Based on:

a text in German (Deutsch) by Johann Baptist Mayrhofer (1787 - 1836), "Der landende Orest"
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This text was added to the website: 2018-07-25
Line count: 16
Word count: 122