Song to Celia

Drink to me only with thine eyes,
And I will pledge with mine;
Or leave a kiss within the cup,
And I'll not ask for wine.
The thirst that from the soul doth rise
Doth ask a drink divine;
But might I of Jove's nectar sup,
I would not change for thine.

I sent thee late a rosy wreath,
Not so much honouring thee,
As giving it a hope that there
It could not withered be.
But thou thereon didst only breathe
And send'st it back to me:
Since when it grows, and smells, I swear
Not of itself, but thee.

by Ben Jonson (1572-1637) , "Song to Celia"

a text in Greek by Lucius Flavius Philostratus (c170-c248) , quotes from love letters 24, 30 and 31 [text unavailable]

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

by Ernst Alexander 'Sas' Bunge (1924-1980) , "Drink to me only", published 1966, from Three poems of Ben Jonson, no. 3.
by Richard Bruce Faith (1926-) , "To Celia"
by Roger Quilter (1877-1953) , "Drink to me only with thine eyes", from Three songs from old English popular songs, no. 1.

Added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.

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