by Ben Jonson (1572 - 1637)
Queen and huntress, chaste and fair
Language: English
Queen and huntress, chaste and fair, Now the sun is laid to sleep, Seated in thy silver chair, State in wonted manner keep: Hesperus entreats thy light, Goddess excellently bright. Earth, let not thy envious shade Dare itself to interpose; Cynthia's shining orb was made Heav'n to clear when day did close; Bless us then with wishèd sight, Goddess excellently bright. Lay thy bow of pearl apart, And thy crystal shining quiver; Give unto the flying hart Space to breathe, how short so-ever: Thou that mak'st a day of night, Goddess excellently bright.
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Authorship
- by Ben Jonson (1572 - 1637) [author's text not yet checked 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 Dominick Argento (1927 - 2019), "Hymn", 1957, published 1970 [ high voice and piano ], from 6 Elizabethan Songs, no. 6, New York, Boosey [ sung text checked 1 time]
- by (Edward) Benjamin Britten (1913 - 1976), "Hymn", op. 31 no. 5 (1943), first performed 1943 [ tenor, horn, and strings or piano ], from Serenade for tenor, horn and strings, no. 5 [ sung text checked 1 time]
- by Hans Gál (1890 - 1987), "Hymn to Diana", first performed 1967 [ SATB chorus a cappella ], from Six Part-Songs [formerly: Four Part-Songs], no. 3 [ sung text checked 1 time]
- by Walter J. Lockitt , "Hymn to Diana", published [1919] [ chorus ], from Three Part Songs, no. 2, London : Weekes & Co [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- FRE French (Français) (Jean-Pierre Granger) , "Hymne", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- NYN Norwegian (Nynorsk) (Are Frode Søholt) , "Hymne", copyright © 2004, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- SPA Spanish (Español) (Pablo Sabat) , "Himno"
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 18
Word count: 93