Questi i campi di Tracia

English Libretto or Translation:

ORPHEUS
These are the plains of Thrace, and this the place
where grief pierced my heart
at the bitter tidings.
Since I no longer have any hope
of regaining my lost treasure
by pleading,
weeping and sighing,
what else can I do but turn to you,
sweet woods, once the comfort
of my anguish, when it pleased heaven
to make you pine with me
in pity at my pining?
You grieved, O mountains, and you mourned,
ye rocks, at the departure of our sun.
And I will mourn with you evermore,
and give myself up forever to my pain and grief.

ECHO
.. aye, grief!

ORPHEUS
Kind, loving Echo,
thou who art disconsolate
and dost seek to console me in my sorrow,
although these eyes of mine have already,
through weeping, become two fountains,
in such grievous and cruel misery
I still have not tears enough.

ECHO
... enough!

ORPHEUS
Had I the eyes of Argus
and all were to pour forth a sea of tears,
their sorrow would not suffice for such woe.

ECHO
... Oh!

ORPHEUS
If thou hast pity for my misery, I thank thee
for thy kindness.
But while I lament,
ah, why dost thou answer me
only with my last syllables?
Return my laments to me in full.

But you, my dearest soul, if ever your cold shade
should return to these friendly slopes,
accept from me this final homage,
for now I dedicate to you my lyre and my song,
as, on the altar of the heart,
I already offered you my ardent spirit in sacrifice.

You were beautiful and wise, and to you
bounteous heaven confided all its graces,
while to all other women it was sparing of its gifts.
Every praise in every tongue for you is meet,
for in your lovely body you harboured a soul still lovelier,
as modest as worthy of honour.

Now other women are haughty and faithless,
callous and fickle to those who adore them,
devoid of judgement and all nobility of thought,
so that their conduct is, rightly, not praised.
Therefore may it never happen that Love
should pierce my heart with his golden arrow for a worthless woman.