Infelix ego - Quid igitur faciam? - Ad te igitur (William Byrd)
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- Editor: David Fraser (submitted 2002-07-30). Score information: A4, 28 pages, 266 kbytes Copyright: CPDL
- Edition notes: Revised April 2008.
General Information
Title: Infelix ego
Composer: William Byrd
Number of voices: 6vv Voicing: SATTBB
Genre: Sacred, Motet
Language: Latin
Instruments: a cappella
Published: Cantiones sacrae II (1591), nos.24-26
Description: Motet in three parts.
- Prima pars: Infelix ego
- Secunda pars: Quid igitur faciam
- Tertia pars: Ad te igitur
A setting of the beginning of the Meditation on the Miserere by Girolamo Savonarola (1452-98), written the day before his execution for heresy.
External websites:
Original text and translations
Latin text
Infelix ego, omnium auxilio destitutus, qui cœlum terramque offendi: Quo ibo? Quo me vertam? Ad quem confugiam? Quis mei miserebitur? Ad cœlum levare oculos non audeo. Quia ei graviter peccavi. In terra refugium non invenio. Quia ei scandalum fui.
Quid igitur faciam? Desperabo? Absit. Misericors est Deus, pius est salvator meus. Solus igitur Deus refugium meum: Ipse non despiciet opus suum, non repellet imaginem suam.
Ad te igitur, piissime Deus, tristis ac mœrens venio: Quoniam tu solus spes mea, tu solus refugium meum. Quid autem dicam tibi? Cum oculos levare non audeo, verba doloris effundam, misericordiam tuam implorabo, et dicam: Miserere mei Deus, secundum magnam misericordiam tuam.
English translation
by Mick Swithinbank
How unhappy I feel: there is no one I can ask for help, as I have broken the laws of both earth and heaven. So which way can I turn? Who can I run to? Who will take pity on me? I dare not look up to heaven, as I have sinned against it grievously. I can find no refuge on earth, as I have been a scandal to it also.
What then can I do? Despair? I shall not. God is merciful, my Saviour will take pity on me. Then God alone shall be my refuge, he will not despise the work of his own hands, his own image he will not turn away.
To you then, most merciful God, I come in sadness and penitence. You are my only hope, my only refuge. But what can I say to you? Since I dare not look up to heaven, let me pour out words of sorrow, let me beg for your mercy and say:
Have mercy on me, according to your infinite loving kindness.
