Firstpublished:1570 in Il primo libro a quattro voci, no. 11 2ndpublished:1590 in Gemmae musicalis Liber Tertius, no. 4 Description: In 1568, the insurrection of the later Netherlands against King Philip II of Spain began. In 1570 Duc published his first madrigal book, which is dedicated to his Flemish patrons because of their departure; this departure is the theme of the present madrigal.
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Original text and translations
Italian text
Alli illustri Signori Fiamenghi
Dite, Signori miei, qual speranza v’invita
A far d’Italia subita partita?
Amor, debito et fede ci invitano a partire,
Ben che qui dolce è’l viver e’l morire.
Dite perché n’andate longe dal bel terreno,
Che parv’ al buon Troian si dolce e ameno?
Perché quel gran FILIPPO, ch’invitto regn’ et vive,
Ne’ invit’ et chiama a le paterne rive.
German translation
An die edlen flämischen Herren
Sagt, meine Herren, welche Hoffnung bewegt euch,
von Italien so plötzlich Abschied zu nehmen?
Die Liebe, die Pflicht und die Treue bewegen uns zur Abreise,
auch wenn hier Leben und Sterben süß ist.
Sagt, warum reist ihr so weit weg von der schönen Gegend,
die einem guten Trojaner süß und angenehm erscheint?
Weil jener große PHILIPP, der unbesiegt herrscht und lebt,
uns einlädt und ruft zu den väterlichen Gefilden.
Tell me, gentlemen, which hope moves you
to depart so suddenly from Italy?
Love, duty and loyalty invite us to depart,
although living and dying here is sweet.
Tell me, why do you go so far away from this lovely land,
which appears so sweet and pleasant to every good Trojan?
Because the great PHILIP, who reigns and lives invincibly,
invites and calls us to the paternal banks.