Hymn to Diana | Queen and huntress, chaste and fair

by Ben Jonson (1572 - 1637)

Queen and huntress, chaste and fair

Language: English

Our translations: CAT FRE NYN SPA

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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Text 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), published 1944, first performed 1943 [ tenor, horn, and strings or piano ], from Serenade for tenor, horn and strings, no. 5, London : Boosey & Hawkes [sung text checked 1 time]
by Mary Grant Carmichael (1851 - 1935), "Hymn to Diana", 1877 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
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]
by John Theodore Livingston Raynor (1909 - 1970), "Hymn To Diana", op. 434 (1955) [sung text not yet checked]
by Charles Villiers Stanford, Sir (1852 - 1924), "Queen and Huntress", published 1923 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]

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

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