Barbara Strozzi – L'Eraclito amoroso | Arwen Myers & John Lenti

"L'Eraclito amoroso" ("Udite, amanti") by Barbara Strozzi, performed by soprano Arwen Myers & John Lenti on Baroque guitar. Footage courtesy of WFIY & Indianapolis EMF.

Recorded live at the Indianapolis Early Music Festival. Translation:

Listen, lovers, to the cause (oh God!)
the cause of my weeping:
in my beautiful, adored idol,
who I believed to be faithful - faith is dead.

I have pleasure only in weeping,
I nourish myself only with tears.
Grief is my delight
and groans are my joys.
Every anguish gives me pleasure,
every pain delights me,
sobs heal me,
sighs console me.

But if that fickle traitor
denies me constancy,
at least let my devotion serve me
until death. O tears!
Every sadness soothes me,
every sorrow is eternal,
every pain afflicts me so much
that it kills me and buries me.

(Adapted from translation by Richard Kolb)