 | Semele |  |
SCENE I.
The SCENE is a pleasant Country, the Prospect is terminated by a Beautiful Mountain adorn'd with Woods and Water-falls. Juno and Iris descend in different Machines. Juno in a Chariot drawn by Peacocks; Iris on a Rainbow; they alight and meet.JUNO.
Iris , impatient of thy Stay,
From Samos have I wing'd my Way,
To meet thy slow Return;
Thou know'st what Cares infest
My anxious Breast,
And how with Rage and Jealousie I burn:
Then why this long Delay?
IRIS.
With all his Speed not yet the Sun
Thro' half his Race has run,
Since I to execute thy dread Command
Have thrice encompass'd Seas and Land.
806
Say, where is Semele's Abode?
'Till that I know,
Tho' thou hadst on Lightning rode,
Still thou tedious art and slow.
IRIS.
Look where Citheron proudly stands,
Bœtia parting from Cecropian Lands.
High on the Summit of that Hill,
Beyond the Reach of Mortal Eyes,
By Jove's Command, and Vulcan's Skill,
Behold a new-erected Palace rise.
Bœtia parting from Cecropian Lands.
High on the Summit of that Hill,
Beyond the Reach of Mortal Eyes,
By Jove's Command, and Vulcan's Skill,
Behold a new-erected Palace rise.
There from mortal Cares retiring,
She resides in sweet Retreat;
On her Pleasure, Jove requiring,
All the Loves and Graces wait.
She resides in sweet Retreat;
On her Pleasure, Jove requiring,
All the Loves and Graces wait.
Thither Flora the Fair
With her Train must repair,
Her amorous Zephyr attending,
All her Sweets she must bring
To continue the Spring,
Which never must there know an Ending.
With her Train must repair,
Her amorous Zephyr attending,
All her Sweets she must bring
To continue the Spring,
Which never must there know an Ending.
807
Bright Aurora, 'tis said,
From her old Lovers Bed
No more the grey Orient adorning,
For the future must rise
From fair Semele's Eyes,
And wait 'till she wakes for the Morning.
From her old Lovers Bed
No more the grey Orient adorning,
For the future must rise
From fair Semele's Eyes,
And wait 'till she wakes for the Morning.
JUNO.
No more—I'll hear no more.
How long must I endure?—
How long with Indignation burning,
From impious Mortals
Bear this Insolence!
Awake Saturnia from thy Lethargy;
Seize, destroy the curst Adultress.
Scale proud Citheron's Top:
Snatch her, tear her in thy Fury,
And down, down to the Flood of Acheron
Let her fall, let her fall, fall, fall:
Rolling down the Depths of Night,
Never more to behold the Light.
If I am own'd above,
Sister and Wife of Jove;
(Sister at least I sure may claim,
Tho' Wife be a neglected Name,)
808
By Hell—
Tremble thou Universe this Oath to hear,
Not one of curst Agenor's Race to spare.
IRIS.
Hear mighty Queen, while I recount
What Obstacles you must surmount;
With Adamant the Gates are barr'd,
Whose Entrance two fierce Dragons guard:
At each approach they lash their forky Stings,
And clap their brazen Wings:
And as their scaly Horrours rise,
They all at once disclose
A thousand fiery Eyes,
Which never know Repose.
JUNO.
Hence, Iris, hence away,
Far from the Realms of Day;
O'er Scythian Hills to the Meotian Lake
A speedy Flight we'll take:
There, Somnus I'll compell
His downy Bed to leave and silent Cell:
With Noise and Light I will his Peace molest,
Nor shall he sink again to pleasing Rest,
'Till to my vow'd Revenge he grants Supplies,
And seals with Sleep the wakeful Dragons Eyes.
[They ascend.
| Semele | |