Language: Latin 
Our translations:  ENG
Incassum Lesbia, incassum rogas,
Lyra mea, mens est immodulata;
Terrarum orbe lachrymarum pleno,
Dolorum pleno,
Rogita tu cantilenam?

En nymphas! En pastores!
Caput omne reclinat
Juncorum instar!
Admodum fletur;
Nec Galatea canit,
Nec ludit Tityrus agris;
Non curant oves,
Moerore perditi.

Regina, heu!
Arcadiae regina periit!
O! damnum non exprimendum!
Non suspiriis, non gementibus imis,
Pectoris aut queruli
Singultu turbido.
Miseros, Arcades!
O quam lugentes!
Suorum gaudium oculorum, mirum
Abiit, nunquam, O nunquam reversurum!
Stella sua fixa
Coelum ultra lucet.

Composition:

    Set to music by (Edward) Benjamin Britten (1913 - 1976), "The Queen's Epicedium", 1946 [ voice and piano ], a realization of the Purcell song. Confirmed with a CD booklet

Text Authorship:

See other settings of this text.

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

  • ENG English (Grant Hicks) , "In vain, Lesbia, in vain do you ask", copyright © 2025, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Grant Hicks [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 25
Word count: 80