Tornate, o cari baci

General information

Lyricist: Giambattista Marino

Settings by composers (automatically updated)

• Claudio Monteverdi — Tornate  Italian TT
• Heinrich Schütz — Tornate, o cari baci, SWV 16  Italian SSATB

Texts and Translations

Italian text Tornate, o cari baci, a ritornarmi in vita, baci al mio cor digiun esca gradita! Voi di quel dolce amaro per cui languir m’è caro, di quel dolce non meno nettare che veleno pascete i miei famelici desiri, luci in cui dolci provo anco i sospiri!

English translation Return, oh dear kisses, and bring me back to life, kisses to relieve my starving heart! With your bitter sweetness for which I adore to languish, a sweetness no less nectar than poison, you will nourish my famished desires, kisses that still taste of sweet sighs!