Maid of Athens, ere we part
 (Sung text for setting by J. Coulthard)
 See original
Language: English 
Maid of Athens, ere we part,
Give, oh give me back my heart!
Or, since that has left my breast,
Keep it now, and take the rest!
Hear my vow before I go,
Ζωή μου, σᾶς ἀγαπῶ.

By those tresses unconfined,
Woo'd by each Ægean wind;
By those lids whose jetty fringe
Kiss thy soft cheeks' blooming tinge;
By those wild eyes like the roe,
Ζωή μου, σᾶς ἀγαπῶ.

 ... 

Maid of Athens! I am gone:
Think of me, sweet! when alone.
Though I fly to Istambol,
Athens holds my heart and soul:
Can I cease to love thee? No! 
Ζωή μου, σᾶς ἀγαπῶ.

Note: Byron translated the Greek refrain as "My life, I love thee." On the Coulthard score, it is translated "My soul, I love thee."

Composition:

    Set to music by Jean Coulthard (1908 - 2000), "Maid of Athens, ere we part", 1991, stanzas 1-2,4 [ voice and piano ], from Two Byron Songs, no. 2, note: this is circulated as a set, but was not written that way; also the Greek is given phonetically in the score (IPA)

Text Authorship:

See other settings of this text.

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


Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2008-07-01
Line count: 24
Word count: 137