 | Orpheus and Eurydice |  |
9
INTERLUDE I.
SCENE, an Apartment.[After the Overture, the Curtain rises to slow Musick; and discovers Rhodope in a reclin'd Posture. She rises, and comes forward.
Rhodope
alone.
Vain are these Sounds, this Seat of Rest!
Still, still I burn!—Love fires my Breast.
O Orpheus!—Ha!—am I a Queen?
Ah, no! Love rules my Heart unseen.
“Ah! What are 'Sceptres, when they prove
“Too weak to gain the Man I love?
“Yet all I'll try.—Vain Pride, adieu!
AIR.
Still, still I burn!—Love fires my Breast.
O Orpheus!—Ha!—am I a Queen?
Ah, no! Love rules my Heart unseen.
10
“Too weak to gain the Man I love?
“Yet all I'll try.—Vain Pride, adieu!
Kind Powers, asswage this killing Smart;
Or give me Death to ease my Heart.
[Exit Rhodope.
SCENE, a rocky mountainous Place.
Enter Orpheus with his Lyre.
Orph.
Amidst these unfrequented Rocks I rove,
From Rhodope, the Queen's unhappy Love.
Yet these dreary Wastes among
I tune my ever constant Song
To my Eurydice.
Eurydice!
Where dost thou loiter, charming Maid?
“Fly, ye Moments, swifter move,
“Bring me Pleasure, bring me Love;
“'Till my Charmer cheers my Sight,
“Fancy feels the Gloom of Night.
“Bring, &c.
“Bring me Pleasure, bring me Love;
“'Till my Charmer cheers my Sight,
“Fancy feels the Gloom of Night.
“Bring, &c.
Enter Rhodope.
Rho.
See, Orpheus, see—O hapless Fate!
This Posture ill becomes my State.
But, oh, I love! Leave, leave these Plains,
The rude Abode of ruder Swains.
11
Return her Love, and share her Throne.
Orph.
Thrones cannot tempt the Soul
Whom Solitude and vernal Joys delight;
In soothing Quiet, rural Ease,
Orpheus strives to live in Peace.
Rho.
This soothing Quiet, rural Ease,
I know too well for whom they please;
'Tis here Eurydice retires,
To meet thy Love with mutual Fires:
'Tis for Eurydice alone
You scorn my Love, you scorn my Throne.
Orph.
Alas! no more.
Rho.
Ha! am I scorn'd!
Think better, Orpheus, and be wise:
Delights and purple Greatness wooe thee.
Orph.
Tempt me no more to leave the Plain:
Thy Love, thy promised Thrones are vain.
[Exit.
Rho.
Alas, he's gone!
And Pity dwells not in his savage Breast.
But whither goes he? O my Heart!
'Tis to Eurydice he goes.
But if the Powers of Hell can my Resentment aid,
He shall in Death alone possess her.
And Pity dwells not in his savage Breast.
But whither goes he? O my Heart!
'Tis to Eurydice he goes.
But if the Powers of Hell can my Resentment aid,
He shall in Death alone possess her.
12
Avenging Furies arise;
Haste from the nether Skies,
Aid an injur'd Lover's Rage.
Haste from the nether Skies,
Aid an injur'd Lover's Rage.
Sting my Rival's Soul with Anguish,
'Till, like me, she rave—and languish:
Torture her, my Pains to asswage.
'Till, like me, she rave—and languish:
Torture her, my Pains to asswage.
[A Serpent appears, who receives Rhodope's Commands, and, those ended, glides off the Stage.
[Exit Rhodope.
Here the Comic Part begins.
SCENE, a Grove terminated with a Water-Fall.
Enter Orpheus with his Lyre.
Orph.
The Grove is mute, the feather'd Choir
Suspend their wonted Song,
Till she arrives, whose Beauties cheer
And brighten up the Morn.
And see, the lovely Maid appears.
13
Eur.
My Orpheus!
Orph.
My Eurydice!
[They embrace.
Eur.
Ye Powers! What verdant Scenes are here!
Orph.
All Nature springs when you appear.
AIR.
Eur.
Orph.
DUETTO.
Eur.
What Joys the happy Pair await
In Hymen's rosy Fetters bound:
When in the soft connubial State,
The Lover in the Husband's found!
In Hymen's rosy Fetters bound:
When in the soft connubial State,
The Lover in the Husband's found!
Orph.
'Tis Female Sweetness gives us Joy,
Thro' every varied Scene of Life:
And Marriage Raptures never cloy,
Indulgent from a vertuous Wife.
Thro' every varied Scene of Life:
And Marriage Raptures never cloy,
Indulgent from a vertuous Wife.
DUETTO.
Thus ever renewing Embraces,
A Circle of Pleasures we'll prove:
No Time those Endearments effaces,
Which are founded on Virtue and Love.
A Circle of Pleasures we'll prove:
No Time those Endearments effaces,
Which are founded on Virtue and Love.
14
Orph.
No more. Now let us part, my Fair,
Each to our rural Care.
May Blessings still thy Steps pursue!
Eur.
Orpheus, my faithful Swain, adieu!
[Exit Orpheus.
Your Sports pursue, while, fleet as Air,
[To the Nymphs.
I fly, my Grotto to prepare.
Hither again shou'd Orpheus speed,
O call me from the neighbouring Mead.
[Exit.
[The Nymphs continue dancing.
Orpheus returns.
Orph.
Where is my sweet Eurydice?
Nym.
Her Grotto she prepares for thee,
And thy Return impatient waits.
15
Nym.
O Sight of Woe!
Orph.
What pale Affright sits on thy Cheek?
Why burst those Tears?
'Tis for Eurydice, I fear.
Nym.
She dies! she dies!
Orph.
What do I hear? Avert it, Gods!
Nym.
From out the Mountains bushy Sides
A Serpent, with indented-Glides,
Came forth,—and pierced her tender Heel.
But see, she comes, a Look to steal,
A Sigh from Orpheus e'er she die.
Orph.
Oh! let me meet her fainting Eye.
[Eurydice is led in by two Nymphs, the rest grieve over her.
Orph.
O cruel Gods! O Fate unjust!
Eur.
Waste not a falling Tear on me:
O think, we part, my faithful Swain,
To meet in happier Climes again.
O Orpheus! lo, I die, I die!
“But, ah! no Pains in Death I find
“Like those of leaving you behind!
16
Alas! thy blooming Colour fades!
Thy Eye grows dim!—Eurydice!
Eur.
No more.
I die within thy Arms.—Now all is o'er.—
[Dies.
Orph.
The Musick of her Tongue is fled;
Cold Death has seiz'd on all her Charms:
Orpheus shall snatch her from his Arms!
No—Rage is vain.—It will not be.
O lost Eurydice!
[Eurydice is borne off by the Nymphs, Orpheus mourning over her.
The Comic Part continues.
| Orpheus and Eurydice | |