by William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616)
Translation by François-Victor Hugo (1828 - 1873)
Cupid laid by his brand, and fell asleep
Language: English
Cupid laid by his brand, and fell asleep: A maid of Dian's this advantage found, And his love-kindling fire did quickly steep In a cold valley-fountain of that ground; Which borrow'd from this holy fire of Love A dateless lively heat, still to endure, And grew a seething bath, which yet men prove Against strange maladies a sovereign cure. But at my mistress' eye Love's brand new-fired, The boy for trial needs would touch my breast; I, sick withal, the help of bath desired, And thither hied, a sad distemper'd guest, But found no cure: the bath for my help lies Where Cupid got new fire -- my mistress' eyes.
About the headline (FAQ)
Authorship:
- by William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616), no title, appears in Sonnets, no. 153 [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 David Passmore (b. 1954), "Cupid laid by his brand and fell asleep" [ mezzo-soprano and piano ], from Seven Dark Lady Sonnets , no. 7 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Richard Simpson (1820 - 1876), "Sonnet CLIII", 1864-5 [ medium voice and piano ], note on score: rhythmical imitation of Beethoven's "Young spring gods" [sung text not yet checked]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in Russian (Русский), a translation by Samuil Yakovlevich Marschak (1887 - 1964) , no title, appears in Шекспир Уильям - сонеты (Shekspir Uil'jam - sonety) = Sonnets of William Shakespeare, no. 153 ; composed by Dmitry Borisovich Kabalevsky.
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- FRE French (Français) (François-Victor Hugo) , no title, appears in Sonnets de Shakespeare, no. 153, first published 1857
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2003-11-04
Line count: 14
Word count: 109
Cupidon, ayant posé près de lui sa...
Language: French (Français)  after the English
Cupidon, ayant posé près de lui sa torche, s'endormit : une des vierges de Diane saisit cette occasion et plongea vite la torche de l'amour dans la froide fontaine d'une vallée du pays. La source emprunta à ce feu sacré de l'amour une chaleur vitale inépuisable, éternelle, et devint un bain bouillant où les hommes trouvent encore un remède souverain contre d'étranges maladies. Mais l'enfant a rallumé sa torche aux yeux de ma maîtresse et a voulu absolument, pour l'essayer, toucher mon cœur. Pris d'un mal intérieur, j'ai voulu recourir à ce bain, et j'y suis vite allé, hôte triste et fiévreux, Mais je n'y ai pas trouvé la guérison ; le bain qu'il me faut se trouve là même où Cupidon a rallumé sa torche : -- dans les yeux de ma maîtresse.
About the headline (FAQ)
Authorship:
- by François-Victor Hugo (1828 - 1873), no title, appears in Sonnets de Shakespeare, no. 153, first published 1857 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in English by William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616), no title, appears in Sonnets, no. 153
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- [ None yet in the database ]
Researcher for this page: Guy Laffaille [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2009-12-05
Line count: 14
Word count: 133