University of Virginia Library

INTERLUDE II.

SCENE, Hell.
Enter Pluto, and Attendants.
Plut.
What daring Mortal, who yet draws
The Breath of upper, vital Air,
Presumes to trespass on our Realms!
Am I the least of all the Gods,
That I'm so little fear'd?
Some rash, adventurous Son of Jove,
Arm'd with the Thunder of his Sire,
Comes to invade my Throne!
Bid all the avenging Powers of Hell
Instant unite their potent Bands;
Our Empire is at Stake.

AIR.
Chor.
Give the Alarm, &c.

Plut.
Nought shou'd save
The bold Slave
Who thus rashly dares violate Hell.

Chor.
Give the Alarm; &c.

[Soft Musick at a Distance.
Plu.
What distant Sounds steal thro' the Night!
[Musick louder.
O soothing Softness! vast Delight!
But 'tis not now a Time
To waste in soft deluding Sounds,
When stern Rebellion's at our Gates.
Therefore to Arms—to Arms!

[An Alarm.
Enter a Shade.
Shade.
Pardon, great King, that I appear—
The very Fiends their Tasks forbear;
The Vulture now Prometheus leaves,
Nor Sisyphus his Burthen heaves;
Ixion smiles upon his Wheel,
And all thy Realms the powerful Influence feel.

Plut.
I feel it too. Ha! whence that Throng?

Shade.
See, Orpheus comes, from Phœbus sprung,
And Heir to his all-potent Song:
Unhappy Shades his Sounds adore,
And dream of Bliss unknown before.

Plut.
Fiends, this presumptuous Wretch oppose.

[Orpheus enters, as the Poets describe him, with a Lyre, and a Crown of Bays.
Orph.
Monarch of Night, whose awful Sway
These incorporeal Shapes obey,
Relenting hear.
“By no presumptuous Motives led,
“I on thy dreary Confines tread:
“I mourn a Wife;—a Virgin Wife, whose Charms
“Ne'er yet had bless'd these longing Arms:
“By rigid Death's remorseless Doom
“She's snatch'd away, in Beauty's Bloom.
By all those Charms thy Queen inspir'd,
When in sweet Enna's Plains retir'd,
Attend a Lover's Prayer.

Plut.
These Strains unheeded Power dispence,
Like rich Perfumes, they charm the Sense!

Orph.
Among thy Shades there roves this Fair,
Unbodied, Form of fleeting Air.

AIR.
Orph.
Oh! to my Arms restore Eurydice!
Or, never, never more
Set Orpheus free.
But let him rove,
A Form of Air,
Thro' Bowers of Love,
To seek the Fair.

Plut.
O wond'rous Power of Sound, to move
Hell, and its King, to Thoughts of Love!

Orph.
Oh! to my Arms restore Eurydice!

Plut.
Thou hast prevail'd.
Fly, Ascalax, to blissful Bowers repair;
Reverse her Doom, and bring the willing Fair.
Again Eurydice is thine.

[Exit Ascal.
Orph.
Thus let me grateful fall, and thank thy Power.

Plut.
Arise. Let Torment be no more,
Let Anguish cease, let Hell be gay;
Orpheus has blest the coming Day.

AIR.
Plut.
Thy tuneful Sire
Informs the Lyre,
And each melodious Sound is Love.
These melting Strains
Can charm Hell's Pains,
And rigorous Fate it self remove.

[Exit Pluto.
A Dance of Furies.
[Ascalax enters with Eurydice veil'd. Orpheus and Eurydice running to embrace, Ascalax interposes.
Orph.
My Life!

Eur.
My Love!

Asc.
Lovers, forbear.
Hell's dread Commands with Patience hear.
Pluto thy beauteous Shade restores,
To follow thee to happier Shores.
If, e'er you pass the utmost Bound
Of Hell's extended Shade, thou turn thy Eyes,
To steal one Look, again she dies,
Again, from thy Embraces, flies.

Orph.
O hard Decree!

Asc.
To jealous Rhodope you ow'd
Her first Disaster. Now beware;
The second Crime will be your own.

[Exit.
Orph.
The rigid Mandate I embrace.
Follow, sweet Shade, and quit this horrid Place.

[Exit Orpheus followed by Eurydice.
SCENE changes to another Part of Hell.
Orpheus passes over, followed by Eurydice.



SCENE changes to a Part of the Confines of Hell.
Orpheus appears, and, coming out, stops and listens.
Orph.
My Love!—Not answer! Oh, my Fear!
Hell's gloomy Shade
Has, sure, her erring Feet betray'd.
Where art thou? My Eurydice, appear.

[Orpheus turns, sees Eurydice following him. Fiends appear and convey her back again. Orpheus striving to follow her, other Fiends oppose, and drive him out of Hell.
The Comic Part continues.