Maid of Athens, ere we part

Maid of Athens, ere we part,
Give, oh give me back my heart!
Or, since that has left my breast,
Keep it now, and take the rest!
Hear my vow before I go,
Ζωή μου, σᾶς ἀγαπῶ.
 
By those tresses unconfined,
Woo'd by each Ægean wind;
By those lids whose jetty fringe
Kiss thy soft cheeks' blooming tinge;
By those wild eyes like the roe,
Ζωή μου, σᾶς ἀγαπῶ.
 
By that lip I long to taste;
By that zone-encircled waist;
By all the token-flowers that tell
What words can never speak so well;
By love's alternate joy and woe,
Ζωή μου, σᾶς ἀγαπῶ.
 
Maid of Athens! I am gone:
Think of me, sweet! when alone.
Though I fly to Istambol,
Athens holds my heart and soul:
Can I cease to love thee? No! 
Ζωή μου, σᾶς ἀγαπῶ.

by George Gordon Noel Byron, Lord Byron (1788-1824) , "Song", 1810, from Childe Harold's Pilgrimage, published 1812

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive)

by Henry Robinson Allen (1809-1876) , "Maid of Athens", published 1861. [voice and piano or organ]
by Michael William Balfe (1808-1870) , "Maid of Athens", published 1869. [medium voice and piano]
by John G. Barnett (1802-1890) , "Maid of Athens", 1825, published 1909, stanzas 1,4. [voice and piano]
by Pietro Cimino , "Maid of Athens", published 1933. [voice and piano], also set in Italian
by William Edmondstoune Duncan (1866-1920) , "Maid of Athens", op. 115 [voice and piano], from Six Declamatory Songs
by George Vincent Duval , "Maid of Athens", published 1830? [high voice and piano]
by John Lodge Ellerton (1801-1873) , no title, 1822. [voice and piano]
by Bernard Farebrother , "Maid of Athens", published 1873. [baritone and piano]
by Charles Gounod (1818-1893) , "The Maid of Athens", 1872, first performed 1872. [voice and piano]
by Andre Louis Eugene Guilbert , "My life, I love you", published 1823-4 [voice and guitar or lyre], from Twelve English Songs
by William Horsley (1774-1858) , "Maid of Athens", published c1814. [voice and piano]
by H. Kalliwoda , "Maid of Athens", op. 7, published 1863. [tenor and piano]
by George Kiallmark (1781-1835) , "The Maid of Athens", published 1820? [voice and piano]
by George Linley (1798-1865) , "Maid of Athens", published 1854. [tenor and piano]
by Edward James Loder (1813-1865) , "Maid of Athens", published 1840? [voice and piano]
by Julian Mount, né William Hutchinson , "Maid of Athens", published 1880. [voice and piano]
by Isaac Nathan (1790-1864) , "My life, I love you", published c1815. [voice and piano]
by Sidney Nelson (1800-1862) , "The Maid of Athens", published 1840? [medium voice and piano]
by Henry Hugo Pierson (1816-1873) , "Maid of Athens, ere we part", published 1839 [voice and piano], from Thoughts of Melody
by Vincenzo Puccita (1778-1861) , "The maid of Athens", published 1815? [tenor and piano], also set in Italian
by H. A. Salwey , "Maid of Athens", published 1877? [voice and piano]
by F. Vollrath , "An Athenian song", published 1820? [tenor and piano]
by Sidney Waller , "The maid of Athens", published 1820? [tenor and piano]
by William Langton Williams (c1832-1896) , "Maid of Athens", published 1878. [baritone and piano]

by Leopold Lenz (1803-1862) , "Abschied von Athen" [voice and piano], note: another version exists for voice and horn or violoncello

by Pietro Cimino , "Vergine d'Atene", published 1933. [voice and piano], also set in English

by Hugo von Senger (1835-1892) , "Maid Athens", published >>1892. [voice and piano]

by Wilhelm Herzberg , "Holdes Mädchen von Athen", op. 1 (6 Lieder) no. 5, published 1844. [soprano or tenor and piano]

by Wilhelm Alexander Knappe , "Maid Athen's", op. 5 (3 Lieder) no. ? [TTBB a cappella]

by Eduard Lassen (1830-1904) , no title, op. 68 (6 Lieder) no. ? [voice and piano], note: title is in Greek - will be added when ascertained

by Carl Lührss (1824-1882) , "Mädchen von Athen", op. 9. [voice and piano]

by Vincenzo Puccita (1778-1861) , "La giovane Ateniese", published 1815? [tenor and piano], also set in English

by Robert von Hornstein (1833-1890) , "Mädchen von Athen", op. 40 (<<1890). [voice and piano]

by Alexander Winterberger (1834-1914) , "Der Mädchen von Athen", op. 33 no. 2, published 1875. [tenor and piano]

Date added to the website: 2008-07-01.

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Maid Athens

Maid Athens, beim Trennungschmerz
Gib, o gib zurück mein Herz,
Oder seit mir's aus 'rem Sinn,
Nimm noch alles Andre hin,
Eh' ich scheide, hör' mich so:
Ζωή μου, σᾶς ἀγαπῶ.

Bei den Locken, ungezwängt,
Von Aegeas Wind umdrängt,
Bei den Wimpern, deren Nacht
Küßt der Rosenwange Pracht,
Bei den Augen, licht und loh:
Ζωή μου, σᾶς ἀγαπῶ.

Bei dem kußgeformten Wund,
Bei dem Wuchse, schlank und rund,
Bei der Blumensprache Kraft,
Was kein Wort so spricht und schafft,
Bei der Liebe, band und froh:
Ζωή μου, σᾶς ἀγαπῶ.

Maid Athens gedenke mein,
Wenn ich fern und du allein;
Ob ich nach Vyzanz gereist,
Hält Athen doch Herz und Geist.
Von dir laffen? - Nirgendwo!
Ζωή μου, σᾶς ἀγαπῶ.

by Adolf Böttger (1815-1870) , "Lied"

a text in English by George Gordon Noel Byron, Lord Byron (1788-1824) , "Song", 1810, from Childe Harold's Pilgrimage, published 1812

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive)

by Hugo von Senger (1835-1892) , "Maid Athens", published >>1892. [voice and piano]

Date added to the website: 2009-08-09.