Bacchus’ song
“Youth is sweet and well
but doth speed away!
Let who will be gay,
tomorrow, none can tell.”
Italian original version:
“Quant’è bella giovinezza
che si fugge tuttavia!
Chi vuol esser lieto, sia,
di doman non v’è certezza.”
(Lorenzo de’ Medici, “the Magnificent”, about 1490)
Lorenzo di Piero de’ Medici, commonly known as “Lorenzo the Magnificent” (1449-1492), ruled Florence from 1469 until his death, becoming the third leader of the Medici dynasty.
He was not only a politician but also a writer, poet, patron, and humanist, recognized as one of the most influential figures of the Renaissance.
Lorenzo embodied the ideal of the humanist prince, known for his skillful diplomacy and strategic governance.
These verses reflect the transitory nature of time.
The ballad urges the celebration of life’s pleasures—beauty, love, and the senses—while being mindful of their impermanence.
Lorenzo himself conceived the work, intended to be performed with music and sung in chorus during Carnival festivities.
It described and accompanied the procession of masked floats depicting mythological scenes.
Its rhythmic, intense, and haunting refrain lingers in the mind, almost like a magical incantation, seeking to freeze time and preserve the brightness of youth.