TRANSLATION OF THE FAMOUS GREEK WAR SONG, “ Δεῦτε παῖδες τῶν Ἑλλήνων.” 1 SONS of the Greeks, arise! The glorious hour's gone forth, Display who gave us birth. CHORUS. Sons of Greeks! let us go In arms against the foe, Till their hated blood shall flow In a river past our feet. Then manfully despising The Turkish tyrant's yoke, 1. The song Aeûte maîdes, etc., was written by Riga, who perished in the attempt to revolutionize Greece. This translation is as literal as the author could make it in verse. It is of the same measure as that of the original. [For the original, see Poetical Works, 1891, Appendix, p. 792. For Constantine Rhigas, see Poetical Works, 1899, ii. 199, note 2. Hobhouse (Travels in Albania, 1858, ii. 3) prints a version (Byron told Murray that it was "well enough," Letters, 1899, iii. 13) of Aeûre waîdes, of his own composition. He explains in a footnote that the metre is "a mixed trochaic, except the chorus." "This song," he adds, "the chorus particularly, is sung to a tune very nearly the same as the Marseillois Hymn. Strangely enough, Lord Byron, in his translation, has entirely mistaken the metre." The first stanza runs as follows: "Greeks arise! the day of glory Comes at last your swords to claim. Rival our forefathers' fame. TRANSLATION OF THE FAMOUS GREEK WAR SONG Let your country see you rising, And all her chains are broke. Oh, start again to life! At the sound of my trumpet, breaking Sons of Greeks, etc. Sparta, Sparta, why in slumbers Leonidas recalling, That chief of ancient song, The terrible! the strong! To keep his country free; And like a lion raging, Expired in seas of blood. Sons of Greeks, etc. SONGA [First published, Childe Harold, 1812 (4to).] I. Constantinople. "ETάλopos." 21 TRANSLATION OF THE ROMAIC SONG, “ Μπένω μεσ' τὸ περιβόλι, Ωραιοτάτη Χαηδή,” κ.τ.λ. I ENTER thy garden of roses, Each morning where Flora reposes, Which utters its song to adore thee, Yet trembles for what it has sung; As the branch, at the bidding of Nature, But the loveliest garden grows hateful But when drunk to escape from thy malice, My heart from these horrors to save 1. The song from which this is taken is a great favourite with the young girls of Athens of all classes. Their manner of singing it is by verses in rotation, the whole number present joining in the chorus. I have heard it frequently at our “xópo” in the winter of 1810-11. The air is plaintive and pretty. As the chief who to combat advances Secure of his conquest before, Thus thou, with those eyes for thy lances, By pangs which a smile would dispel? Would the hope, which thou once bad'st me cherish, For torture repay me too well? Now sad is the garden of roses, Belovéd but false Haidée ! There Flora all withered reposes, And mourns o'er thine absence with me. 1811. [First published, Childe Harold, 1812 (4to).] ON PARTING. I. THE kiss, dear maid! thy lip has left Shall never part from mine, Till happier hours restore the gift Untainted back to thine. 2. Thy parting glance, which fondly beams, The tear that from thine eyelid streams 3. I ask no pledge to make me blest i. Has bound my soul to thee.-[MS. M.] Nor one memorial for a breast, 4. Nor need I write--to tell the tale 5. By day or night, in weal or woe, Must bear the love it cannot show, And silent ache for thee. March, 1811. [First published, Childe Harold, 1812 (4to).] FAREWELL TO MALTA.1 ADIEU, ye joys of La Valette! Adieu, Sirocco, sun, and sweat! Adieu, thou palace rarely entered! Adieu, ye mansions where-I've ventured! (How surely he who mounts them swears!) Adieu, ye merchants often failing! Adieu, thou mob for ever railing! i. Oh! what can tongue or pen avail Unless my heart could speak.-[MS. M.] 1. [These lines, which are undoubtedly genuine, were published for the first time in the sixth edition of Poems on his Domestic Circumstances (W. Hone, 1816). They were first included by Murray in the collected Poetical Works, in vol. xvii., 1832.] 2. ["The principal streets of the city of Valetta are flights of stairs."-Gazetteer of the World.] |