Ερωτόκριτος [Erotokritos] [English translation]

Have you heard, my Aretousa, the sad news?

your Master has exiled me in the foreign land's path

Four days only he gave me to wait,

and then to leave, very far to go,

And how can I part from you, and how can I be far from you,

and how can I live without you that parting

I understand that your Master with haste is marrying you,

A royal-blood, a prince, like you, he's looking for.

And you at all cannot resist, if your Parents want

they defeat your opinion, and your mood changes.

"One favour, Mistress, I ask of you, and this only I want,

and after it full of joy I can end my life.

The time you are engaged, let out a heavy sigh,

and when you dress the bridal jewels, when you change as a married woman,

let out a tear and say: "Poor Erotokritos,

those I promised you I forgot, what you wanted exists no more"

And every month once in your chamber,

think about what I endured for you, may your heart ache for me.

And take the painting, that you found inside the chest,

and the songs, that I sung, and which you very much liked,

and read them, look at them, and remeber me too,

that I was sent to exile for you way far to foreign lands.

And may I promise, the bad-lucked, that I never saw you,

but a candle lit hold for me and blow out."

May I promise that I held on from a woman's hair,

The hair broke and I lost in the world everything that I had

Forget forever, and lose every hope,

And say that you never met me and that I never saw you.

• Artist:Nikos Xilouris