Il pastor fido is admired for the grace, inventiveness and fluidity of its language. Composers, beginning with Marenzio (Sixth Book, 1594), were attracted to its pathos-laden monologues and it is the source of four texts set in Wert’s Eleventh Book of madrigals: Cruda Amarilli (from Act 1), Ah dolente partita, O primavera, gioventù de l’anno, and Udite, lagrimose spirti d’Averno (from Act 3). All of these texts are spoken by Mirtillo (the Faithful Shepherd of the title). It is improbable that We...