Lamento della Ninfa

Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1743)

From Madrigali guerrieri ed amorosi (1640)

The Rinuccini poem represents a dramatic scene in which the protagonist, having been spurned by her faithless, no-good
lover, walks and raves against her fate. Three sympathetic onlookers tell the story and also express great pity and distress
at her plight.

The utterances of the rejected lover are in Roman type; those of the onlookers at in Italic type.

1. Non havea Febo ancora recato al mondo il dì, Phoebus had not yet ushered in the day
ch’una donzella fuora del proprio albergo uscì. when a girl came forth from her house.

Sul pallidetto volto scorgeasi il suo dolor, On her pallid face her grief was visible,
spesso gli venia sciolto un gran sospir dal cor. and frequently she heaved a great sigh from her heart.

Sì calpestando fiori errava hor qua, hor là, Trampling the flower, she wandered this way and that,
i suoi perduti amori cosí piangendo va: lamenting thus her lost love:

2. ‘Amor’, dicea, il ciel mirando, il piè fermo, ‘O Love,’ she said, gazing at the sky, her foot steady,
‘dov’è la fè ch’el traditor giurò? ‘what has become of the faith that the deceiver swore?
Fa che ritorni il mio amor com’ei pur fu, Persuade him to be once more the lover he used to be,
o tu m’ancidi, ch’io non mi tormenti più.’ or kill me, so that I may no longer torment myself.’

Miserella, ah più no, no, Unhappy girl! Ah, no, no more

tanto gel soffrir non può. can she bear such coldness.

‘Non vo’ più ch’ei sospiri ‘I do not want him to sigh

se non lontan da me, unless he is far away from me;
no, no che i martiri No, for then all this misery
più non darammi affè. will be spared me.

Perchè di lui mi struggo, Since my pining for him

tutt’orgoglioso sta, makes him so proud,
che si se’l fuggo perhaps if I show indifference,
ancor mi pregherà? he will return to me?

Se ciglio ha più sereno Her eyes may shine more brightly

colei, che’l mio non è, than mine do, but in her breast
già non rinchiude in seno, Love has not implanted
Amor, sì bella fè. a faith as true as mine.

Ne mai sì dolci baci Nor will he receive sweeter kisses

da quella bocca havrà, from those lips,
ne più soavi, ah taci, nor more tender... Ah, be silent,
taci, che troppo il sa.’ be silent, for he knows it too well.’

3. Sì tra sdegnosi pianti spargea le voci al ciel; And so with angry tears her cries filled the sky;
così ne’ cori amanti mesce amor fiamma, e gel. thus in the hearts of lovers love mixes fire and ice