Era l'anima mia

General information

Author: Giovanni Battista Guarini, 1598 in Rime. Madrigal 69

• Madrigale LXV in Volume 2 of Delle opere del Cavaliere Battista Guarini, edit. Giovanni Alberto Tumermani, Verona, 1737
• Madrigale LXIX in the first publication of the Rime, Venezia, 1608

In the Rime, this poem is entitled "Morte soccorsa".

Settings by composers

• Antonio Cifra SSATB
• Alfonso Fontanelli SATTB
• Annibale Gregori SSATB
• Claudio Monteverdi SATTB
• Benedetto Pallavicino SSAAB
• Enrico Radesca SB, bc

Text and translations

Italian text Era l'anima mia già presso l'ultim'hore e languia come langue alma che more; quand'anima più bella, e più gradita volse lo sguardo in sì pietoso giro che mi ritenne in vita. Parean dir que'bei lumi, deh, perché ti consumi? Non m'è sì caro il cor, ond'io respiro, come se' tu, cor mio; se mori, ohimé, non mori tu, mor io.

English translation My soul was already close to its final hour and languished as languishes a dying soul; when a most beautiful and pleasant soul set her gaze upon me with such pity that it kept me alive. Seemed to say those eyes: "Ah!, why do you consume yourself? The heart which keeps me breathing is not as dear to me as you are. If you die, alas!, it is not you who dies, but I." Translation by Campelli

French translation Était mon âme déjà si proche de son heure finale et languissait comme languit âme mourante; quand âme plus belle et plus agréable tourna son bel égard avec tant de pitié que me maintint en vie. Paraissent dire ces belles prunelles : « Alors, pourquoi dépérir autant? Ce cœur qui me fait respirer ne m'est pas aussi cher que toi-même, mon cœur; si tu meurs, hélas, ce n'est pas toi qui meurs, c'est moi. » Translation by Campelli