A Greek Slave
Freedom
Song No. 5
Words by Henry Hamilton
Solo Aria, Diomed
 MIDI File 16K, 3 min. |
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(DIOMED sings while ARCHIAS goes on chiselling and scraping)
- Content?
- It were to say my manhood nay,
- My soul were slave to find my fetters light;
- To me they mar the glory of the day,
- They mock the soft nepenthe of the night.
- Creation fair with freedom cries my wrong,
- Free is the wind, unfettered is the wave;
- It breaks my heart to hear the wild bird's song
- That doth but sing of freedom to the slave.
- Let me be free,
- 'Tis all the world and more to me.
- Free as the boundless heav'n above,
- To dare, to do, to live, to love.
- Be mine the freeman's heart and soul,
- My fate to conquer and control;
- I cry, as cry the blind to see,
- Let me be free,
- Let me be free.
- 'Tis liberty, and liberty alone
- Man's live illumes with lustre light of gold.
- What hath a slave to offer of his own,
- Can maiden love a helot bought and sold?
- In dreams alone with freeman I compete
- I join in joy of battle with the brave,
- I lay my laurels at my lady's feet,
- To wake again and find myself a slave.
- Let me be free,
- 'Tis all the world and more to me.
- Free as the boundless heav'n above,
- To dare, to do, to live, to love.
- Be mine the freeman's heart and soul,
- My fate to conquer and control;
- I cry, as cry the blind to see,
- Let me be free,
- Let me be free.
(At end of song, enter Heliodorus from arch, left)
Page updated 23 June 2004