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by Bion of Smyrna (flourished 100 BCE)
Translation by Giacomo Leopardi (1798 - 1837)

Espero
 (Sung text for setting by C. Rossaro)
 Matches base text
Language: Italian (Italiano)  after the Greek (Ελληνικά) 
O caro amabil Espero,
O luce aurea di Venere,
Sacra di notte immagine,
Seconda il mio desir.

Tu della luna argentea 
Sol cedi al chiaro splendere;
Ascolta, astro carissimo,
Ascolta, ascolta i miei sospir.

Oscurità sovrastane; 
Che già la luna pallida,
La luna ch’oggi nacquesi,
Vicina è a tramontar.

Sul mio cammino propizia
Spargi tua luce tacita;
Col mio pastor amabile
Io vado a conversar.

Al passeggier pacifico,
Che viaggia in notte placida,
Non tendo occulte insidie
Non a rubar io vo! 
Amo! Amo! Amo!

Amo, ed amor trasportami;
Vo pel mio ben sollecito,
Lo cerco, io vò ch’egli amimi, 
E pago allor sarò.

Composition:

    Set to music by Carlo Rossaro (1827 - 1878), "Espero" [ voice and piano ], from 15 Romanze e Contemplazioni in chiave di Sol con accompagnamento di Pianoforte, no. 1, confirmed with a CD booklet

Text Authorship:

  • by Giacomo Leopardi (1798 - 1837), title 1: "Idillio", title 2: "Espero", subtitle: "Romanza" [an adaptation]

Based on:

  • a text in Greek (Ελληνικά) by Bion of Smyrna (flourished 100 BCE), no title
    • Go to the text page.

See other settings of this text.


Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2020-02-16
Line count: 25
Word count: 104

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