Songs

Hymne à Astarté

by Charles Koechlin From Chansons de Bilitis (1897) Op. 39 1897-1898

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Text & Translation

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Hymne à Astarté (1894)
French source: Pierre Louÿs

Mère inépuisable, incorruptible, créatrice,
née la première, engendrée par toi-même,
conçue de toi-même, issue de toi seule
et qui te réjouis en toi, Astarté !

O perpétuellement fécondée,
ô vierge et nourrice de tout, chaste et désireuse,
pure et jouissante, ineffable, nocturne,
douce, respiratrice du feu, écume de la mer !

Toi qui accordes en secret la grâce,
toi qui unis, toi qui aimes, toi qui saisis
d’un furieux désir les races multipliées
des bêtes sauvages, et joins les sexes dans les forêts.

O Astarté irrésistible, soit que tu imposes la douleur,
soit que tu délivres dans la joie, entends moi,
prends moi, arrache de mon corps bienheureux
les libations sanglantes!

Hymn to Astarte
English translation © Richard Stokes

Inexhaustible, incorruptible, creative mother,
Born of the first mother, begot by yourself,
Conceived by yourself, issued from yourself alone
And who rejoice in yourself, Astarte!

O perpetually impregnated,
O virgin and wet-nurse of all, chaste and desirous,
Pure and orgasmic, ineffable, nocturnal, sweet,
Fire-breathing, foam from the sea!

You who secretly grant favours,
Who join together, who seize
With furious desire the multiplying stock of wild animals,
And cause the sexes in the forest to copulate.

O irresistible Astarte, you who impose pain
Or else deliver in joy, listen to me,
Take me, possess me, wrest bleeding libations
From my contented body!

Hymne à Astarté (1894)
French source: Pierre Louÿs

Hymn to Astarte
English source: Richard Stokes

Mère inépuisable, incorruptible, créatrice,
Inexhaustible, incorruptible, creative mother,
née la première, engendrée par toi-même,
Born of the first mother, begot by yourself,
conçue de toi-même, issue de toi seule
Conceived by yourself, issued from yourself alone
et qui te réjouis en toi, Astarté !
And who rejoice in yourself, Astarte!

O perpétuellement fécondée,
O perpetually impregnated,
ô vierge et nourrice de tout, chaste et désireuse,
O virgin and wet-nurse of all, chaste and desirous,
pure et jouissante, ineffable, nocturne,
Pure and orgasmic, ineffable, nocturnal, sweet,
douce, respiratrice du feu, écume de la mer !
Fire-breathing, foam from the sea!

Toi qui accordes en secret la grâce,
You who secretly grant favours,
toi qui unis, toi qui aimes, toi qui saisis
Who join together, who seize
d’un furieux désir les races multipliées
With furious desire the multiplying stock of wild animals,
des bêtes sauvages, et joins les sexes dans les forêts.
And cause the sexes in the forest to copulate.

O Astarté irrésistible, soit que tu imposes la douleur,
O irresistible Astarte, you who impose pain
soit que tu délivres dans la joie, entends moi,
Or else deliver in joy, listen to me,
prends moi, arrache de mon corps bienheureux
Take me, possess me, wrest bleeding libations
les libations sanglantes!
From my contented body!

Composer

Charles Koechlin

Charles Koechlin was a French composer, teacher and writer on music. He was a political radical all his life and a passionate enthusiast for such diverse things as medieval music, Kipling's The Jungle Book, J.S Bach, film stars (especially Lilian…

Poet

Pierre Louÿs

Pierre Louÿs was a French poet and writer, best known for his classical themes and sensual style. Read more here.

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