Mentre, lumi maggior de secol nostro
Sotto’l Belgico ciel porge la luce
Al carro ch’a l’oprar e al sonno induce,
Nova Delia et Apol, lo splendor vostro;
E mentr’il santo amor fra l’oro e l’ostro
Da le perle e i robini al cor traluce
Et a l’alto gioir vi riconduce,
Cui non cape pensier nè adombr’inchiostro.
Le caste nimphe su l’erbose sponde
De la Trebia e del Taro in negro manto
Doglionsi d’ogni lor gloria sparita,
E colme di desir vaghe di pianto
Tra mestissimi accenti e gli antri e l’onde
Fan risonar Ottavio e Margherita.
English translation
O luminaries of our time, New Diana and New Apollo!
While your splendor under the Belgic sky imparts light
To the solar chariot that either wakes us to labor,
Or lulls us to sleep, as it courses across the heavens,
And while holy love, through heraldic gold and crimson
Shines from pearls and rubies into your hearts,
Lifting you back to a lofty joy
That no thought can grasp and no ink can darken,
The virtuous Nymphs on the grassy banks
Of Parma’s rivers – Trebia and Tarus –
Weep in black cloaks over their departed glory,
And filled with longing and faint from sobbing,
Through doleful whimpers they echo the names of
Ottavio and Magherita across caves and streams.