Enríquez de Valderrábano
En la ciudad de Betulia
Silva de sirenas (1547), fol. 20v
va030
| Source title | Esta historia es de la sagrada scriptura, del libro q[ue] llama[n] Iudich, a los doze capitulos, quando siendo biuda degollo a Holofernes por libertar al pueblo que estaua cercado. Primero grado. |
|---|---|
| Title in contents | Historia de Judith quando siendo biuda degollo a Holofernes en el primero grado. |
| Text incipit | En la ciudad de betulia |
Music
Category song
Genre Historia
Fantasia type
Mode 1
Voices 4
Length (compases) 72
Vihuela
Tuning E
Courses 6
Final IV/1
Highest I/6
Lowest VI/1
Difficulty easy
Tempo medium
Song Text
Language ES
Vocal notation texted cifras rojas
Commentary
Romance. The source title reads “This story is from the holy scriptures, from the book called Judith, from chapter twelve, when as a widow she beheaded Holofernes in order to free the town that was under siege”. The Laudate Dominum [va031] that follows is the second part of the deshecha pair. Binkley and Frenk describe the song as follows (binkley 1995, 144: “Betulia (Bethulia, Betylia) was the medieval name for the Frank Mountain near Dothan where the events concerning the beheading of Holophernes as described in the book of Judith, chapter 12 took place. Judith is one of the three books (Tobit, Judith and Esther) that follow the Histories in the Vulgate. These books came late to the Canon; Judith was not included in the Hebrew bible and was not recognized by some reformers, hence that book is absent from many modern English language bibles.
Editions
Recordings
Song Text
En la ciudad de Betulia
la Judich quiso dexar
el luto que avía guardado
del contino sospirar.
Vestida muy rricamente,
que era gloria de mirar,
pártese para la hueste,
para Holofernes hablar:
—Si te pluguiese, Holofernes,
me quisieses escuchar.
—Mas suplicote, señora,
comigo quieras cenar.
Holofernes fue tan ciego,
que se quiso embriagar;
grande esfuerço fue a Judich,
pues le pudo degollar
A aquel que puesto tenía
el exército sin par,
y fue causa la su muerte
se oviese de retirar.
In the city of Bethulia
Judith decided to cease
the mourning that she had been keeping
with continuous sighs.
Dressed in gorgeous finery,
so that she was a marvel to behold,
she made her way towards the camp,
to speak with Holofernes:
"If it pleases you, Holofernes,
listen to me now."
"Indeed, I beg you, lady
to stay and dine with me."
Holofernes was so blind
that he got drunk;
Judith had much courage,
for she beheaded him
he who had led
that army without peer,
and his death caused them
to be forced to retreat.
From Binkley Spanish Romances, 144