by George Gordon Noel Byron, Lord Byron (1788 - 1824)
Translation by Alexis Paulin Pâris (1800 - 1881)

Maid of Athens, ere we part
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.
 
By that lip I long to taste;
By that zone-encircled waist;
By all the token-flowers that tell
What words can never speak so well;
By love's alternate joy and woe,
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.

J. Barnett sets stanzas 1, 4
J. Coulthard sets stanzas 1-2, 4

About the headline (FAQ)

Confirmed with Lord Byron, Childe Harold's Pilgrimage, a Romaunt: and other Poems, seventh Edition, London: John Murray, 1814, pages 207 - 209. Appears in Poems.

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


Authorship:

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:

  • Also set in French (Français), a translation by Jules Ruelle (1834 - 1892) ; composed by Charles Gounod.
  • Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist ; composed by Heinrich Dorn.
  • Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist ; composed by Leopold Lenz.
  • Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Adolf Böttger (1815 - 1870) , "Lied" ; composed by Hugo von Senger.
  • Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist ; composed by Wilhelm Herzberg.
  • Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist ; composed by Wilhelm Alexander Knappe.
  • Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist ; composed by Eduard Lassen.
  • Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist ; composed by Carl Lührss.
  • Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist ; composed by Robert von Hornstein.
  • Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist ; composed by Alexander Winterberger.
  • Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist ; composed by Alexander Winterberger.
  • Also set in Italian (Italiano), a translation by Giuseppina Turrisi Colonna (1822 - 1848) ; composed by Pietro Cimino.
  • Also set in Italian (Italiano), a translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist ; composed by Vincenzo Puccita.

Other 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

Vierge d'Athènes
Language: French (Français)  after the English 
Vierge d'Athènes, avant mon départ,
rends-moi, oh! rends-moi mon cœur;
ou bien, puisque ce cœur a quitté mon sein,
garde-le maintenant et prends le reste!
Entends mon vœu avant que je parte,
ζώη μοῦ, σὰς ἀγαπῶ.

J'en jure par ces tresses flottantes
que caressent les brises de la mer Égée;
par ces paupières dont les franges de jais
baisent les roses de ta joue;
par ces yeux aussi vifs que les yeux du chevreuil sauvage,
ζώη μοῦ, σὰς ἀγαπῶ.

Par cette lèvre que je brûle de savourer;
par la ceinture qui entoure ta jolie taille;
par tous ces emblêmes de fleurs 160 qui expriment
ce que les paroles ne diraient jamais si bien;
par les joies et les misères que l'amour tour à tour amène,
ζώη μοῦ, σὰς ἀγαπῶ.

Vierge d'Athènes! je suis parti:
pense à moi, douce amie! quand tu seras seule.
Quoique je fuie à Istamboul,
Athènes renferme mon cœur, et mon ame.
Puis-je donc cesser de t'aimer? Non!
ζώη μοῦ, σὰς ἀγαπῶ.

Note du traducteur : Zoë mou, sas agapo, ou Ζώη μοῦ, σὰς ἀγαπῶ, est une expression de tendresse en langue romaïque (grec moderne). Si je la traduis, j'offenserai mes lecteurs, en paraissant supposer qu'ils sont incapables de le faire; mais si je ne la traduis pas, j'offense peut-être mes lectrices. De crainte que ces dernières ne donnent quelque mauvais sens à la phrase, je la traduirai, en demandant pardon aux savans. Cela signifie donc: «Ma vie, je vous aime!» paroles fort douces dans tous les idiomes, et aujourd'hui aussi souvent prononcées en Grèce que l'étaient autrefois, au dire de Juvénal, les deux premiers mots parmi les dames romaines, dont toutes les expressions d'amour étaient tirées du grec.

Authorship:

Based on:

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 text: Guy Laffaille [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2012-01-16
Line count: 24
Word count: 165