 | Dido and Aeneas |  |
ACT the First,
Scene the PalaceEnter Dido and Belinda, and Train.
Bel.
Shake the Cloud from off your Brow,
Fate your wishes do Allow.
Empire Growing,
Pleasures Flowing
Fortune Smiles and so should you,
Shake the Cloud from off your Brow,
Cho.
Banish Sorrow, Banish Care.
Grief should ne're approach the Fair.
Dido,
Ah! Belinda I am prest,
With Torment not to be Confest.
Peace and I are Strangers grown,
I Languish till my Grief is known,
Yet wou'd not have it Guest.
4
Grief Encreasing, by Concealing,
Dido
Mine admits of no Revealing.
Bel.
Then let me Speak the Trajan guest,
Into your tender Thoughts has prest.
2 Women,
The greatest Blessing Fate can give,
Our Carthage to secure, and Troy revive.
Cho.
VVhen Monarchs unite how happy their State.
They Triumph at once on their Foes and their Fate.
Dido,
VVhence could so much Virtue Spring,
VVhat Stormes, what Battels did he Sing.
Anchises Valour mixt with Venus's Charmes,
How soft in Peace, and yet how fierce in Armes.
Bel.
A Tale so strong and full of wo,
Might melt the Rocks as well as you.
2 Women,
VVhat stubborn Heart unmoved could see,
Such Distress, such pity.
Dido,
Mine with Stormes of Care opprest,
Is Taught to pity the Distrest.
Mean wretches grief can Touch,
So soft so sensible my Breast,
But Ah! I fear, I pity his too much.
Bel.
Fear no danger to Ensue,
2 Women,
The Hero Loves as well as you.
Cho.
Ever Gentle, ever Smiling,
And the Cares of Lite beguiling.
Cupid Strew your path with Flowers,
Gathered from Elizian Bowers.
Dance this Cho.
The Baske.
Æneas Enters with his Train
Bel.
See your Royal Guest appears,
How God like is the Form he bears.
Æn.
VVhen Royal Fair shall I be blest,
VVith cares of Love, and Stare distrest.
Dido,
Fate forbids what you Ensue,
Æneas has no Fate but you.
Let Dido Smile, and I'le defie,
The Feeble stroke of Destiny.
5
Cupid only throws the Dart,
That's dreadful to a Warriour's Heart.
And she that VVounds can only cure the Smart.
Æn.
If not for mine, for Empires sake,
Some pity on your Lover take.
Ah make not in a hopeless Fire,
A Hero fall, and Troy once more Empire.
Bel.
Pursue thy Conquest, Love—her Eyes,
Confess the Flame her Tongue Denyes.
A Dance Gittars Chacony
Cho.
To the Hills and the Vales, to the Rocks and the Mountains
To the Musical Groves, and the cool Shady Fountains.
Let the Triumphs of Love and of Beauty be Shown,
Go Revel ye Cupids, the day is your own.
The Triumphing Dance.
| Dido and Aeneas | |