TRANSLATIONS OF BÜRGER'S LENORE
71
VIII. The Lenore Translations and Bürger's Lenore.
LEONORA
By J. T. Stanley.
"Ah, William! art thou false or dead?"
Cried Leonora from her bed.
"I dreamt thoud'st ne'er return."
William had fought in Frederick's host
At Prague, but what his fate—if lost
Or safe, she could not learn.[1]
Cried Leonora from her bed.
"I dreamt thoud'st ne'er return."
William had fought in Frederick's host
At Prague, but what his fate—if lost
Or safe, she could not learn.[1]
Hungaria's Queen and Prussia's King,
Wearied, at length, with bickering,
Resolv'd to end the strife;
And homewards, then, their separate routs
The armies took, with songs and shouts,
With cymbals, drum, and fife.[2]
Wearied, at length, with bickering,
Resolv'd to end the strife;
And homewards, then, their separate routs
The armies took, with songs and shouts,
With cymbals, drum, and fife.[2]
As deck'd with boughs they march'd along,
From ev'ry door, the old and young
Rush'd forth the troops to greet.
"Thank God," each child and parent cry'd.
And "welcome, welcome," many a bride,
As friends long parted meet.
From ev'ry door, the old and young
Rush'd forth the troops to greet.
"Thank God," each child and parent cry'd.
And "welcome, welcome," many a bride,
As friends long parted meet.
They joy'd, poor Leonora griev'd:
No kiss she gave, no kiss receiv'd;
Of William none could tell;
She wrung her hands, and tore her hair;
Till left alone, in deep despair,
Bereft of sense she fell.
No kiss she gave, no kiss receiv'd;
Of William none could tell;
She wrung her hands, and tore her hair;
Till left alone, in deep despair,
Bereft of sense she fell.
Swift to her aid, her mother came,
"Ah! say," she cried, "in mercy's name,
What means this frantic grief?"
"Mother, 'tis past—all hopes are fled,
God hath no mercy, William's dead,
My woe is past relief."[3]
"Ah! say," she cried, "in mercy's name,
What means this frantic grief?"
"Mother, 'tis past—all hopes are fled,
God hath no mercy, William's dead,
My woe is past relief."[3]
- ↑ First edition,Slight differences in punctuation are not noted, and two or three misprints are corrected. The stanzas in both editions are numbered with Roman numerals above.As Leonora left her bed,
"Wiliam," she cried, "art false or dead!
I dreamt thou'd ne'er return." - ↑ Second line, Wearied with their long bickering; fourth, no and; sixth, cymbal.
- ↑ Second line, Heaven's; fifth line, God hath no Mercy.
