(from Cilea's "L'Arlesiana")

[Federico loves a girl of ill repute, so his family arranges a marriage with a childhood sweetheart. The heart-broken lad compares his sad adventure to the well known tale of a shepherd boy. He knows he will never foreget his one true love.]

E la solita storia del pastore...
Il povero ragazzo voleva raccontarla
e s'addormi.
C'e nel sonno l'oblio.
Come l'invidio!
Anch'io vorrei dormir cosi,
nel sonno almen l'oblio trovar!
La pace sol cercando io vo'.
Vorrei poter tutto scordar!
Ma ogni sforzo e vano.
Davanti ho sempre
di lei il dolce sembiante.
La pace tolta E solo a me.
Perche degg'io tanto penar?
Lei! sempre lei mi parla ancor!
Fatale vision, mi lascia!
Mi fai tanto male,
Ahime!


[Translation:]

It's That Familiar Tale

It's that familiar tale you've heard of the shepherd...
That penniless young man, attempting to retell it,
fell sound asleep.
In such slumber there's oblivion.
How I've envied him!
Like him, I would sleep all of my days-
at least if I slept, I might forget!
I seek only peace, it's all I need!
Forget it all, never recall!
Yet all is futile effort,
before me will always be
that sweet face of hers, alas!
My peace and my quiet, forever gone!
Why must I suffer so, oh why?
She, always she, speaks again to me!
Vision so fatal, please vanish!
How you have harmed me!
Alas!