For my part all men must allow
Whatever I was, I'm classic now.
Whatever I was, I'm classic now.
Byron
(See
_Letters_, 1900, iv. 83, _note_ I. ) The quatrain was translated (see the
following poem) into eleven different languages--Greek, Latin, Italian
(also the Venetian dialect), German, French, Spanish, Illyrian, Hebrew,
Armenian, and Samaritan, and printed "in a small neat volume in the
seminary of Padua. " For nine of these translations see _Works_, 1832,
xi. pp. 324-326, and 1891, p. 571. Rizzo was a Venetian surname. See W.
Stewart Rose's verses to Byron, "Grinanis, Mocenijas, Baltis, Rizzi,
Compassionate our cruel case," etc. , _Letters_, iv. 212. ]
[E NIHILO NIHIL;
OR
AN EPIGRAM BEWITCHED. ]
OF rhymes I printed seven volumes--[96]
The list concludes John Murray's columns:
Of these there have been few translations[97]
For Gallic or Italian nations;
And one or two perhaps in German--
But in this last I can't determine.
But then I only sung of passions
That do not suit with modern fashions;
Of Incest and such like diversions
Permitted only to the Persians,
Or Greeks to bring upon their stages--
But that was in the earlier ages
Besides my style is the romantic,
Which some call fine, and some call frantic;
While others are or would seem _as_ sick
Of repetitions nicknamed Classic.
For my part all men must allow
Whatever I was, I'm classic now.
I saw and left my fault in time,
And chose a topic all sublime--
Wondrous as antient war or hero--
Then played and sung away like Nero,
Who sang of Rome, and I of Rizzo:
The subject has improved my wit so,
The first four lines the poet sees
Start forth in fourteen languages!
Though of seven volumes none before
Could ever reach the fame of four,
Henceforth I sacrifice all Glory
To the Rinaldo of my Story:
I've sung his health and appetite
(The last word's not translated right--
He's turned it, God knows how, to vigour)[98]
I'll sing them in a book that's bigger.
Oh! Muse prepare for thy Ascension!
And generous Rizzo! thou my pension.
_February_, 1818.
[From an autograph MS. in the possession of Mr. Murray,
now for the first time printed. ]
FOOTNOTES:
[96] [Byron must have added the Fourth Canto of _Childe Harold_ to the
complete edition of the _Poetical Works_ in six volumes. See Murray's
list, dated "Albemarle Street, London, January, 1818. " The seventh
volume of the Collected Works was not issued till 1819. ]
[97] [A French translation of the _Bride of Abydos_ appeared in 1816, an
Italian translation of the _Lament of Tasso_ in 1817. Goethe (see
_Letters_, 1901, v.
_Letters_, 1900, iv. 83, _note_ I. ) The quatrain was translated (see the
following poem) into eleven different languages--Greek, Latin, Italian
(also the Venetian dialect), German, French, Spanish, Illyrian, Hebrew,
Armenian, and Samaritan, and printed "in a small neat volume in the
seminary of Padua. " For nine of these translations see _Works_, 1832,
xi. pp. 324-326, and 1891, p. 571. Rizzo was a Venetian surname. See W.
Stewart Rose's verses to Byron, "Grinanis, Mocenijas, Baltis, Rizzi,
Compassionate our cruel case," etc. , _Letters_, iv. 212. ]
[E NIHILO NIHIL;
OR
AN EPIGRAM BEWITCHED. ]
OF rhymes I printed seven volumes--[96]
The list concludes John Murray's columns:
Of these there have been few translations[97]
For Gallic or Italian nations;
And one or two perhaps in German--
But in this last I can't determine.
But then I only sung of passions
That do not suit with modern fashions;
Of Incest and such like diversions
Permitted only to the Persians,
Or Greeks to bring upon their stages--
But that was in the earlier ages
Besides my style is the romantic,
Which some call fine, and some call frantic;
While others are or would seem _as_ sick
Of repetitions nicknamed Classic.
For my part all men must allow
Whatever I was, I'm classic now.
I saw and left my fault in time,
And chose a topic all sublime--
Wondrous as antient war or hero--
Then played and sung away like Nero,
Who sang of Rome, and I of Rizzo:
The subject has improved my wit so,
The first four lines the poet sees
Start forth in fourteen languages!
Though of seven volumes none before
Could ever reach the fame of four,
Henceforth I sacrifice all Glory
To the Rinaldo of my Story:
I've sung his health and appetite
(The last word's not translated right--
He's turned it, God knows how, to vigour)[98]
I'll sing them in a book that's bigger.
Oh! Muse prepare for thy Ascension!
And generous Rizzo! thou my pension.
_February_, 1818.
[From an autograph MS. in the possession of Mr. Murray,
now for the first time printed. ]
FOOTNOTES:
[96] [Byron must have added the Fourth Canto of _Childe Harold_ to the
complete edition of the _Poetical Works_ in six volumes. See Murray's
list, dated "Albemarle Street, London, January, 1818. " The seventh
volume of the Collected Works was not issued till 1819. ]
[97] [A French translation of the _Bride of Abydos_ appeared in 1816, an
Italian translation of the _Lament of Tasso_ in 1817. Goethe (see
_Letters_, 1901, v.
