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Classic and Contemporary Poetry


THE BIRDS: THE HOOPOE'S CALL TO HIS WIFE PROCNE, THE NIGHTINGALE by ARISTOPHANES

First Line: DEAR COMRADE, ARISE, FROM SLUMBER AWAKE
Last Line: (A PIPE-SOLO FOLLOWS, REPRESENTING THE NIGHTINGALE.)
Subject(s): BIRDS; NIGHTINGALES;

(@3To his wife Procne, the nightingale@1)
DEAR comrade, arise, from slumber awake,
let flow the sad rapture of hallowed song;
mindful of Itys, ever-wept, sing on,
tell again old tales of your sorrow and mine.
There's a throbbing in air as the heavenly cry of your brown bright throat
travels up, flung clear through the bryony-leaf
skyward to high-throned Zeus in his heaven.
To the sorrowful sound golden Apollo
gives ear, and a sweet response strikes out
on his ivoried lute. Ranged round to his will
celestial choirs in unison chant,
giving out from lips immortal a sound
loud-voiced, of all heaven acclaiming.

(@3A pipe-solo follows, representing the nightingale.@1)



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