The New Monthly Magazine, Volume 13, Pages 369-370
GREEK FUNERAL CHANT.*[1]
A wail was heard around the bed, the death-bed of the young!
Amidst her tears the Funeral Chant a mournful Mother sung.
—"Ianthis! dost thou sleep?—thou sleep'st—but this is not the rest,
The breathing and the rosy calm I have pillow'd on my breast!
I lull'd thee not to this repose, Ianthis! my sweet son!
As in thy laughing childhood's days by twilight I have done.
How is it that I bear to stand and look upon thee now?
And that I die not, seeing Death on thy pale glorious brow?
"I look upon thee, thou that wert of all most fair and brave!
I see thee wearing still too much of beauty for the grave!
Though mournfully thy smile is fix'd, and heavily thine eye
Hath shut above the falcon-glance that in it loved to lie,
And fast is bound the springing step, that seem'd on breezes borne,
When to thy couch I came and said—'Wake, hunter, wake! 'tis morn!'
—Yet lovely art thou still, my flower! untouch'd by slow decay;
And I, the wither'd stem, remain!—I would that Grief might slay!
"Oh! ever when I met thy look, I knew that this would be!
I knew too well that length of days was not a gift for thee!
I saw it in thy kindling cheek and in thy bearing high—
—A voice came whispering to my soul, and told me thou must die!
- ↑
>* "Les Chants funèbres par lesquels on déplore, en Grèce, la mort de ses proches, prennent le nom particulier de Myriologia, comme qui dirait, Discours de lamentation, complaintes—A les plaintes spontanées et simultanées autour du Mort, succèdent bientôt des lamentations d'une autre espèce; ce sont les Myriologues. Ordinairement c'est la plus proche parente qui prononce le sien la première: après elle, les autres parentes, les amies, les simples voisines, toutes celles des femmes présentes qui peuvent payer au dèfunt ce tribut d'aflection.— Les Myriologues sont toujours composés et chantés par les femmes. Ces sortes d'improvisations sont toujours en vers, et toujours chantées."
Fauriel's Chants Populaires de la Grèce Moderne.
