Lydé
French source:
Charles-Marie-René Leconte de Lisle
Le Cécube clos au cellier.
Fière Lydé, permets au plaisir familier
D’amollir un peu ta sagesse.
L’heure fuit, l’horizon rougit sous le soleil,
Hâte-toi. L’amphore remplie
Sous Bibulus consul, repose ensevelie:
Trouble son antique sommeil.
Je chanterai les flots amers, la verte tresse
Des Néréides; toi, Lydé,
Sur ta lyre enlacée à ton bras accoudé
Chante Diane chasseresse.
Puis nous dirons Vénus et son char attelé
De cygnes qu’un lieu d’or guide,
Les Cyclades, Paphos, et tes rives, ô Gnide!
Puis un hymne au ciel étoilé.
Lyde
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
Of Caecuban wine from the cellar.
Proud Lyde, allow domestic pleasure
To diminish a little your modesty.
Time passes, the horizon reddens the sun,
Make haste. The amphora, filled
When Bibulus was consul, rests in its tomb:
Disturb its ancient slumber.
I shall sing of the briny deep, the Nereids’
Green tresses; you, Lyde,
On your lyre that nestles in your arms,
Shall sing of Diana the Huntress.
Then we shall invoke Venus and her swan-drawn
Chariot with golden reins,
The Cyclades, Paphos, and your shores, O Gnidus!
And hymn the starry sky.
Translation © Richard Stokes, author of A French Song Companion (Oxford, 2000)
Lydé
French source:
Charles-Marie-René Leconte de Lisle
Lyde
English source:
Richard Stokes
Viens! C’est le jour d’un Dieu. Puisons avec largesse
Come! The day is god-like. Let us drink liberally
Le Cécube clos au cellier.
Of Caecuban wine from the cellar.
Fière Lydé, permets au plaisir familier
Proud Lyde, allow domestic pleasure
D’amollir un peu ta sagesse.
To diminish a little your modesty.
L’heure fuit, l’horizon rougit sous le soleil,
Time passes, the horizon reddens the sun,
Hâte-toi. L’amphore remplie
Make haste. The amphora, filled
Sous Bibulus consul, repose ensevelie:
When Bibulus was consul, rests in its tomb:
Trouble son antique sommeil.
Disturb its ancient slumber.
Je chanterai les flots amers, la verte tresse
I shall sing of the briny deep, the Nereids’
Des Néréides; toi, Lydé,
Green tresses; you, Lyde,
Sur ta lyre enlacée à ton bras accoudé
On your lyre that nestles in your arms,
Chante Diane chasseresse.
Shall sing of Diana the Huntress.
Puis nous dirons Vénus et son char attelé
Then we shall invoke Venus and her swan-drawn
De cygnes qu’un lieu d’or guide,
Chariot with golden reins,
Les Cyclades, Paphos, et tes rives, ô Gnide!
The Cyclades, Paphos, and your shores, O Gnidus!
Puis un hymne au ciel étoilé.
And hymn the starry sky.
Composer
Reynaldo Hahn
Reynaldo Hahn was a French composer, conductor and music critic. He moved to France at the age of three from Venezuela. Read more here.
Poet
Charles-Marie-René Leconte de Lisle
Charles Marie René Leconte de Lisle was a French poet of the Parnassian movement. He is traditionally known by his surname only, Leconte de Lisle. Leconte de Lisle was born on the French overseas island of La Réunion, in the Indian Ocean. He…