Listen

When you dream of brave deeds,
my black-fated sons,
when you dream of bravery,
of taking to the hills,
ask me first about a klepht’s hard life.
For a captain I was o’er twelve long years.
And ’twas battles all day and watch all night,
no hot bread to eat, no sweet wine to drink.
My arm for a pillow, my sword for a mattress.
My solitary musket
a young maid in my arms.

Translated by Michael Eleftheriou

Photo: Le Giaour, painted by Théodore Géricault, lithograph (chez Gihaut), Athens, National Historical Museum, no. 14794.

Παιδιά μ’ σαν θέλτε λεβεντιά

Πιδιά μ’ σαν θέ- μαύρα πιδιά,
πιδιά μ’ σαν θέλτι λιβιντιά
πιδιά μ’ σαν θέλτι λιβιντιά κι κλέφτις να γινείτι,

ιμένα να ρουτήσιτι του τι τραβούν οι κλέφτις.
Δώδικα χρόνους έκανα στους κλέφτις καπιτάνιους.
ν-Όλη μιρούλα πόλιμου, του βράδυ καραούλι.1
Ζιστό ψουμί δεν έφαγα, γλυκό κρασί δεν ήπια.
[Το χέρι μου προυσκέφαλου κι του σπαθί μου στρώμα,
του έρημου καριόφιλου κόρη στην αγκαλιά μου.]

1καραούλι: παρατηρητήριο κλεφτών (πολεμιστών επί Τουρκοκρατίας)

Φωτ. Le Giaour, έργο εμπνευσμένο απο τον «Γκιαούρ» του Λόρδου Βύρωνα. Λιθογραφία Σχ. Théodore Géricault,
(chez Gihaut). Αθήνα, Εθνικό Ιστορικό Μουσείο, αρ. κατ. 14794.

Information

Collaborators

Albums

Recording information

Studio recording, 2004.

Based on Simon Karas' recording which belongs to the Association for the Dissemination of Greek National Music.

Member Comments

0 Comments

Post a comment


up to 2000
Login to post a comment

See also

d25_18_badge
Song
A Great Command
And the king did command and ’twas a great command: fleet and admiral were to quit the land. By the Lord’s command and the...
d25_badge
Song
Hey Mountains of Grevená
Hey mountains of Grevená, hey mountain pine of Métsovo, can’t you dip a little lower. Dip two rifle shots so we can see Gr...
d25_badge
Song
Nine Villages They Razed
Nine villages of ours they razed amán amán, and fifteen castles. Amán, come see the body you torture. And they took Náouss...
d25_badge
Song
A Maid Decided
A maid decided to join the klephts and set fire, vr’ amán och amán, she set fire to her loom. She set fire to her loom, to...
d25_28_badge
Song
All the Castles I Have Seen
The Castle of the Beautiful Maid All the castles I have seen, not one have I not visited vr' amán amán, not one have I not visited, oh maid Frankish, maiden...
d25_badge
Song
At Tserítsiana’s Well
At the well of Tserítsiana, in the heart of the land, hail fine fellows, there were Bulubasiades watching. There were Bulu...
d25_21_badge
Song
Great Joy Across the Land
Joy and celebrations across the land but Náfplion, my Náfplion, why are you not joyous? Why no scenes of joy, no celebratio...
d25_20_badge
Song
I Passed by One Saturday
One Saturday I passed through Mesolonghi, – hail fine fellows, ’twas Palm Saturday I remember. Palm Saturday it was, Saint...
d25_badge
Song
On Tríkorfa Peak
’Tis on Tríkorfa, up on the peak that Kolokotronis is fighting, and ’tis on Tríkorfa, high on the ridge that the blood flo...
d25_badge
Song
Rock of Monemvasiá
Rock, vai, rock of Monemvasiá Rock of Monemvasiá and Athens’ citadel. Hey Palamedi of Náfplion, open up and let me in. So ...
d25_35_badge
Song
The Captains of Trípoli
The captains of Trípoli, mana mou, the captains of Trípoli and the brave men of Moriá. In Albania they lie, in Iván they r...
d25_04_badge--2
Song
They Took the City
They took the City, they took Salonika and they took Haghia Sophia along with it. And they took Haghia Sophia, the Great Mo...
d25_badge
Song
What Ails You, Poor Plane-Tree?
What ails you, poor plane-tree? Your roots draw water, amán, your roots draw well, yet you stand there limp, your roots dr...
d20_badge
Song
Why, It Was Easter Day
Easter Dance Song Why, it was Easter Day, good George, t’was Easter, the day of happy tidings, my good George, a day of happy tidings, dear D...