Θέλω λέγειν Ἀτρείδας, θέλω δὲ Κάδμον ἄιδειν, ὁ βάρβιτος δὲ χορδαῖς ἔρωτα μοῦνον ἠχεῖ. ἤμειψα νεῦρα πρώην καὶ τὴν λύρην ἅπασαν· κἀγὼ μὲν ἦιδον ἄθλους Ἡρακλέους, λύρη δέ ἔρωτας ἀντεφώνει. χαίροιτε λοιπὸν ἡμῖν, ἥρωες· ἡ λύρη γάρ μόνους ἔρωτας ἄιδει.
Note (provided by Peter Rastl): this text might not be by Anacreon but by a later imitator. See Anacreontea quæ dicuntur secundum levesquii collationem codicis palatini recensuit, strophis suis restituit, stephani notis integris, aliorum selectis suisque, illustravit Dr. Fridericus Mehlhorn, gymnasii evangelici glogaviensis archididascalus, Glogaviæ, in Libraria Nova Guenteriana, 1825 ; also see Albin Lesky, Geschichte der griechischen Literatur, 3rd edition, 1971, Bern und München, page 210.
Show a transliteration: DIN | ISO 843
Note on TransliterationsAuthorship:
- possibly by Anacreon (c582BCE - c485BCE), "Εις λυραν", appears in Odes, no. 1 [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 Carl Loewe (1796 - 1869), "Εις λυραν", 1815?, also set in German (Deutsch) [sung text checked 1 time]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in Dutch (Nederlands), a translation by Carel Vosmaer (1826 - 1888) , "Op mijne lier" ; composed by Lodewijk Mortelmans.
- Also set in English, a translation by John Berkenhead, Sir (c1617 - 1679) ; composed by Henry Lawes.
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Franz Seraph Ritter von Bruchmann (1798 - 1867) [an adaptation] ; composed by Paul Mirsch, Franz Peter Schubert.
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Johann Heinrich Friedrich Meinecke (1745 - 1825) , "Die Leyer" ; composed by Carl Loewe.
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Eduard Mörike (1804 - 1875) , "Verschiedener Krieg", appears in Anakreontische Lieder, no. 2 [an adaptation] ; composed by Fritz Franz Schieri.
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Thomas Moore) , "Ode XXIII", appears in Odes of Anacreon, no. 23, first published 1800 [an adaptation]
- FRE French (Français) (Ernest Falconnet) , "Sur sa lyre", first published 1847
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 40
I long to sing the Seidge of Troy; or Thebe's which Cadmus rear'd so high; but though with hand & voice I strove, my Lute will sound nothing but Love. I chang'd the strings, but 'twould not do't; at last I took an other Lute; & then I tri'd to sing the praise of All-performing Hercules. But when I sung Alcide's name, my Lute resounds Love, Love again. The farewell all ye Græcian Peers, and all true Trojan Cavalleers: Nor Godds nor men my Lute can move; 'Tis dumb to all but Love, Love, Love.
Authorship:
- by John Berkenhead, Sir (c1617 - 1679) [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in Greek (Ελληνικά) possibly by Anacreon (c582BCE - c485BCE)
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Henry Lawes (c1595 - 1662), "Anacreon's Ode, call'd, The Lute ", from Ayres and Dialogues, Book 1 [sung text checked 1 time]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2014-04-15
Line count: 15
Word count: 95