拜倫(1788—1824),英國浪漫詩人。 拜倫旅居雅典時,住在Mrs. Tarsia Macri的家中,她有三個女兒Teresa, Mariana, and Kattinka,長女Teresa即詩中的「雅典的少女」,拜倫瘋狂的愛上了她。當他離開雅典到伊斯坦堡時, 寫下了這首浪漫的愛情詩歌. 希臘文"Zoe uml; mou sas agapo"貫穿整個詩篇,是希臘人表達柔情的誓語"My Life, I Love You","你是我的生命,我愛你。"
Maid of Athens, Ere We Part
by George Gordon Byron
Maid of Athens, ere we part,
Give, oh give me back my heart!
Or, since that has left my breast,
Keep it now, and take the rest!
Hear my vow before I go,
Zoë mou, sas agapo!
By those tresses unconfined,
Wood by each Ægean wind;
By those lids whose jetty fringe
Kiss thy soft cheeks' blooming tinge;
By those wild eyes like the roe,
Zoë mou, sas agapo!
By that lip I long to taste;
By that zone encircled waist;
By all the token-flowers that tell
What words can never speak so well;
By love's alternate joy and woe.
Zoë mou, sas agapo!
Maid of Athens! I am gone:
Think of me, sweet! when alone.
Though I fly to Istambol,
Athens holds my heart and soul:
Can I cease to love thee? No!
Zoë mou, sas agapo!
雅典的少女
喬治.戈登.拜倫
雅典的少女呵,在我們別前,
把我的心,把我的心交還!
或者,既然它已和我脫離,
留著它吧,把其餘的也拿去!
請聽一句我別前的誓語:
你是我的生命,我愛你。
我要憑那鬆開的鬈髮,
每陣愛琴海的風都追逐著它;
我要憑那長睫毛的眼睛,
睫毛直吻著你臉頰上的桃紅;
我要憑那野鹿似的眼睛誓語:
你是我的生命,我愛你。
還有那久欲一嘗的紅唇,
還有那輕盈緊束的腰身;
我要憑這些定情的鮮花,
它們勝過一切言語的表達;
我要說,憑愛情的一串悲喜:
你是我的生命,我愛你。
雅典的少女呀,我們分了手;
想著我吧,當你孤獨的時候。
雖然我向著伊斯坦堡飛奔,
雅典卻抓住我的心和靈魂:
我能夠不愛你嗎?不會的!
你是我的生命,我愛你。