University of Virginia Library

Scen. 1.

Celia.
Oh Nerea, thou hast kil'd my woeful heart,
And from thy lips death shot his fatal dart.
Woes me, 'twas long ere I did burn, but now
I am all fire, nor can there be Ah-me!
A way to quench the fury of my flame,
Love be my guide Amyntas!
To thee my dear Amyntas, unto thee
I do submit my self, I will be thine,
And thou shalt be my love, my life, my all,
Ah-me: what did I say?
And can I then without my Niso live?
No, No, but for Amyntas, I can dye
And dow behold me given over quite
Unto my wonted fury,
Oh Celia!
Unhappy Celia, still dost thou rave
What dost thou think, and whether dost thou tend,
In this estate, depriv'd of all my bliss.
It cannot be I should continue long.
Enjoy but one? Love will not give me leave
To enjoy both, both Heaven and Earth forbid.
Then I must dye, for other remedy
Then death this death cannot invent.
Must I then dye?
But lately born and must I dye so soon?
Sad mourning eyes, the time is short which fate,
Allotted to you, to behold this Sun,
And yet alas I have but seen too much.
Fool that I am, what i'st I greeve for for thus?
Loss of my life? and what can I expect
To gain by living here? nought else but woe
Nothing but grief: and doth it greeve thee then
To part with grief? Oh no, let death, kinde death
Come then, and with his hand close up mine eyes,
And dry up all my tears: And yet alas,
Those tears, nor all my sad despairs cannot
Call out so loud for death in my poor soul,
As others torments do,
Oh Nerea, Nerea.
For love of me then doth Amyntas burn?
And Niso too? for me doth Niso dye?
Yea and Amyntas too? and I who love you both.
Unhappy lovers, is it I whom love
Too cruel love hath set against you both?
And is it I that kill you? then 'tis I,
'Tis I must dye, and fear not, I will dye,
That so my death may either give you ease,
Or else revenge your cruel suff'rings.
Oh direful voice! And yet base Coward heart,
Fear'st thou one death, that dost not fear two loves?
No, no, vain pitty! pitty pittyless
Base trembling fear, and you cold frozen thoughts,
You can no longer lodge within this breast.
Behold my hand full armed for the deed,
Oh vile and cowardly hand! what trembling thus
Dost thou discharge thy darts? Woes me, I want
Force that will second this my just revenge:
Let then my feet do what my hands deny,
Oh my sad furies! Oh despairing grief!
Be you my faithful guide, lead on, lead on,
Shew me another way to finde out death.
Conduct me to a Precipice where I
Shall need no force to press me to my fall:
But if a bush, or any stub should stop
My fatal fall? for so Amyntas was
Sav'd when he would have dyed for Silvia:
That would be my misfortune then, that was to him
A happy blessing: What then shall I do?
Oh you Celestial Gods! and you sad powers,
That govern in the deep infernal Lake.
You that inspir'd me with desire to dye,
Shew one the way to do it speedily.