The King of the Boeotians

[marnanel]

This is the song Eurydice's jailer sings to her in hell. As so often in Offenbach's "Orpheus in the Underworld", comic pathos abounds.

"When I was king of the Boeotians, my kingdom prospered far and wide,
Bounded only by the oceans, until one day I took ill and died.
I remember without emotion the crown from which I had to part,
For now your charms cause such commotion in the kingdom of my heart!
Oh, had I known these fond emotions when I was king of the Boeotians!

If I were king of the Boeotians, you would reign there by my side.
Ah, do not shudder at the notion! I was attractive... before I died.
And though I have not one promotion through the ranks of souls in hell,
No ghost could offer such devotion, or take the heart that means so well
Of the late king of the Boeotians, the former king of the Boeotians."

Comments

Slight error in The King of the Boeotians

[(Anonymous)]

And though I have not one promotion
should be
And though I have not won promotion

:-)

Re: Slight error in The King of the Boeotians

[marnanel]

This is one of those moments when you see something afresh that you previously thought you knew. Thank you!

Another version

[(Anonymous)]

When I did this in school, many moons ago, I sang

When I was king of the Boeotians,
I had a hundred thousand men.
But I was slain in battle and lost my power then.
But though I lost my power, the only thing that I regret,
That throughout my earthly kingdom a girl like you I never met