Alcaeus (Alceo) – Castore e Polluce / To Castor and Pollux

Ernst Ferdinand Oehme (1797-1855), Thunderstorm in the area of the village Kaditz

Come hither, ye mighty sons of Zeus
and Leda; Olympus leave behind,
your flashing home. With gladsome mind,
Castor and Pollux, appear to us.
Ye who traverse the whole expanse
of the earth and over the spacious seas
on your swift-footed steeds, ye save with ease
all men whom to meet chill Death did chance.
On the tops of the well-benched ships ye leap,
gleaming afar in the murky night.
As ye land on its cables ye bring a light
to the swift black ship which sails o’er the deep.

Qui, a me, staccandovi da isola di Pelope,
figli vigorosi di Zeus e di Leda
…intimo calore, qui apparite, Castore e Polluce!
Voi che di spazi di pianeta, oceani
totali percorrete su scatto di cavalli,
lievi custodite noi viventi da glaciale morte
scalate picchi in scafi, meraviglia d’assi,
e da lontano siete lumi corridori sulle sartie
carichi di chiaro in notte amara
a scafo buio.