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Né più mai toccherò le sacre sponde
ove il mio corpo fanciulletto giacque,
Zacinto mia, che te specchi nell'onde
del greco mar da cui vergine nacque
Venere, e fea quelle isole feconde
col suo primo sorriso, onde non tacque
le tue limpide nubi e le tue fronde
l'inclito verso di colui che l'acque
cantò fatali, ed il diverso esiglio
per cui bello di fama e di sventura
baciò la sua petrosa Itaca Ulisse.
Tu non altro che il canto avrai del figlio,
o materna mia terra; a noi prescrisse
il fato illacrimata sepoltura.
To Zakynthos
I'll never step ashore and feel your beach
the way I felt it as a barefoot child,
or see you waver in the windy reach
of goddess-bearing sea. You were the island
Venus made with her first smile,
Zakynthos, the moment she was born.
No song embraced your leafy sky,
not even his who sang the fatal storm
and how Ulysses, his misfortunes past
and beautiful with fame, sailed home at last.
Some will not return: I too
offend the powers that be, am banned
from home. Oh maternal land,
my words are all I have to send to you
the way I felt it as a barefoot child,
or see you waver in the windy reach
of goddess-bearing sea. You were the island
Venus made with her first smile,
Zakynthos, the moment she was born.
No song embraced your leafy sky,
not even his who sang the fatal storm
and how Ulysses, his misfortunes past
and beautiful with fame, sailed home at last.
Some will not return: I too
offend the powers that be, am banned
from home. Oh maternal land,
my words are all I have to send to you
"A tribute to his birthplace, written while in exile ©
by owner. provided at no charge for educational purposes"
A Zacinto - Ugo Foscolo - Lezioni di Letteratura (YouTube) - discussion and reading in Italian
Another analysis and commentary, in Italian
UGO FOSCOLO - A ZACINTO, another reading (YouTube)
About Foscolo (Wikipedia)
A Zacinto - Ugo Foscolo - Lezioni di Letteratura (YouTube) - discussion and reading in Italian
Another analysis and commentary, in Italian
UGO FOSCOLO - A ZACINTO, another reading (YouTube)
About Foscolo (Wikipedia)
Πλιά στη ζωή δεν θα πατεί το δύστυχο ποδάρι
Τις άγιες όχθες που άγγιζα στα χρόνια τα χρυσά,
Ω ποθητή μου Ζάκυνθο, που πάντοτε με χάρη
Στο κύμα καθρεφτίζεσαι, στα Ελληνικά νερά.
Η Αφροδίτη ολόλαμπρη από κει μέσα βγήκε
Κ’ έκαμε με το γέλιο της γόνιμα τα νησιά,
Οπού απερίγραφτα ο λαμπρός ο στίχος δεν αφήκε
Τα νέφη σου τα διάφανα, τα δένδρα τα πυκνά,
Του ποιητή που έψαλλε τη διάφορη εξορία,
Της μοίρας τ’ άγρια κύματα, που το μικρό νησί
Ο Οδυσσέας εφίλησε τρανός στη δυστυχία.
Απ’ το παιδί σου το άχαρο, ω μητρική μου γη,
Μονάχα το τραγούδι του θα χεις για συντροφιά.
Σ’ εμένα η Μοίρα μου έγραψε αδάκρυτη ταφή.
Another version in a free Greek translation, by Anna Plaisa Antonopoulou:
Compare: Edgar Allen Poe's Sonnet
To Zante
Fair isle, that from the fairest of all flowers,
Thy gentlest of all gentle names dost take!
How many memories of what radiant hours
At sight of thee and thine at once awake!
How many scenes of what departed bliss!
How many thoughts of what entombed hopes!
How many visions of a maiden that is
No more- no more upon thy verdant slopes!
No more! alas, that magical sad sound
Transforming all! Thy charms shall please no more--
Thy memory no more! Accursed ground
Henceforth I hold thy flower-enameled shore,
O hyacinthine isle! O purple Zante!
"Isola d'oro! Fior di Levante!"
Another version in a free Greek translation, by Anna Plaisa Antonopoulou:
Compare: Edgar Allen Poe's Sonnet
To Zante
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