In 1601, the English composer, poet and physician
Thomas Campion wrote this rhyming free translation of the first half (to which he added two verses of his own, and music, to create a lute song): My sweetest Lesbia, let us live and love; And though the sager sort our deeds reprove, Let us not weigh them. Heaven's great lamps do dive Into their west, and straight again revive, But soon as once is set our little light, Then must we sleep one ever-during night.
Ben Jonson drew on the poem in poems 5, "Song. To Celia", and 6, "Song. To the Same" in his collection
The Forrest. Soon thereafter, Sir
Walter Raleigh included the following verse, apparently based on Campion's translation, in his
The Historie of the World, which he wrote while imprisoned in the
Tower of London: The Sunne may set and rise But we contrariwise Sleepe after our short light One everlasting night. A 16th-century French translation by
Jean-Antoine de Baïf was used by
Reynaldo Hahn in the song "Vivons, mignarde, vivons". Also set in French, a translation by
Georges Lafaye was composed by
Darius Milhaud as song "Ma chérie, aimons‑nous".
Henry Purcell used an anonymous translation in his song "Let us, kind Lesbia, give away" (1684).
Dominick Argento used his English translation in his song "Let us live, my Clodia, and let us love". == References ==