University of Virginia Library

SCENE, The Gardens of Cepheus.
Cepheus,
Cassiope, Andromeda. Attendants.
When will the saving Gods
Look down with Pity on this groaning Land?
Relentless Juno! will thy Wrath ne'er cease?
Inexorable Queen!
Still must the fell Medusa range
Wide o'er my Realms with Gorgon Terrors arm'd,
And turn my gazing Subjects into Stone:
Then I in vain am call'd a King;
Soon Desolation will o'er-run my Realms,
And only breathless Statues be my Subjects.

Cass.
That your dear Subjects thus you lose,
Such is the Curse of my aspiring Pride!
How happy, had I known my glorious Lot,
Nor arrogantly vied
With Jove's avenging Consort.
But deep repenting Sorrow can alone
This Crime of Insolence repair.

Cep.
In Perseus, Jove's triumphant Son,
Rests all my Hope. The Warlike Youth,
Intrepid as his Sire, has sworn
To dare the curs'd Medusa's Rage,
And rid my Empire of the cruel Spoiler.

And.
What do I hear? O my presaging Heart!

Cep.
And in Reward of this heroick Deed,
Demands our Daughter for his Bed.

And.
Alas! what Woes can equal mine?
Can I survive, and see
The Lord of all my Wishes
For me to certain Death expos'd?
Forbid it Gods. O Perseus! Perseus!

Enter an Æthiopian.
Mess.
Fly, fly, my Lord,
E'er instant unavoided Death
You, and your Royal House o'ertake:
Medusa is at hand; where'er she moves,
Your gazing Subjects, now no more,
But Monuments of Men, turn'd sudden Rocks,
Mark out the Magick of her baleful Eye.

Cep.
The assembled Gods have doom'd my Fall,
And make Prevention vain.

Cep., Cass., And.
Ye righteous Powers, at whose dread Hand
Mercy and Rage obedient stand,
Arrest a suffering Empire's Fate:
Behold what Victim'd Crowds have dy'd;
See we repent, forgive our Pride,
E'er Death make Pity come too late.

SCENE, a Wood.
Enter Perseus reading a Letter.
Pers.
Welcome thou Harbinger, O lov'd Andromeda!
She tells me here, oft as my Dangers fill her Thoughts,
Unwonted Tremblings seize her Heart, and Sorrows drown her Eyes.

[Going.
[Mercury rises as from Hell.
Mer.
Whence, Perseus, this impetuous Haste?

Pers.
I fly, a Land distress'd to save.

Mer.
Immortal Jove, who boasts in thee a Son,
Thy great Design approves,
Bids thee, by me, go on,
And still by generous Acts assert thy Sire;
But let not Rashness prompt thy Arm
To Danger unadvis'd;
Wisdom and Heaven must join to guard the Hero;
All Nature is inform'd, that Jove
Seconds thy great Exploits.
In vain the jealous Juno raves,
Even Hell prepares to lend thee Aid.

[Several Cyclops enter, and Dance. Afterwards they present Perseus with a Sword and wing'd Sandals from Vulcan.
Cyc.
For thee, immortal Vulcan's Hand,
This Sword has forg'd, these Wings prepar'd:
Fortune and Conquest wait thee.

[A Train of Warlike Nymphs form an Entry; then present Perseus with a Diamond Shield from Pallas.
Nym.
The bravest Warrior oft is foil'd,
Who on his single Force relies.
Hop'st thou Medusa to subdue,
This Shield of Pallas make thy Guard:
'Tis Prudence that makes strong the Hero's Hand.

[A Company of Infernals rise; they Dance, and then present Perseus with a Helmet from Pluto.
Inf.
See, Perseus, from the gloomy King,
Whose Court is Darkness, and whose Empire Shade,
This saving Helm I bring,
To guard thee in the dreadful Hour of Danger.
This worn, the Darkness of our Realms
Shall spread thee round, and, with a Cloud,
Hide thee from keenest Mortal Eye.
Hence learn, whoe'er Success wou'd hope,
Secret as Night his purpos'd Act must vail.

Mer.
Auspicious Warrior, to my Care
Thy Conduct is assign'd.
I see Impatience sparkles in thy Eye,
And thy big Heart burns for the promis'd Glory.

Per.
Lead on, and be my Guide.
Lead on, to Conquest and to Love.

[Perseus and Mercury fly away.
Cho.
Let Heaven, Earth, and Hell unite,
To favour the Godlike Son of Jove.

[The Cyclops and Warlike Nymphs go off on different Sides, the Infernals sink.
Here the Comic Part begins, in which is sung the following Recitative and Air.
Enter Harlequin, shewing Actions of Despair, and to him a Magician.
Magic.
Dispel that horrid Gloom:
Your dire Distress by Magic Power I've learn'd,
And will redress.
Resume your wonted Joy,
Receive this Sword,
Aided by this, your Power shall be ador'd.

SCENE The Gorgon's Cave, embellish'd with Figures of Men and Beasts turn'd into Stone.
Medusa.
Med.
Fled are those Charms that late with Pride
Swell'd up my Woman's Breast,
And made the Sea-God languish with Desire.
My Golden Tresses, that with Grace
In Ringlets flow'd, are now exchang'd
For Curls of hissing Snakes. A Sight of Horror!
Pernicious Pallas, such thy Spleen,
To blast a favour'd Rival!
Yet this in Recompence is given;
Not the wing'd Bolts of Jove
Carry more swift Destruction than my Eyes;
Still with a Glance I kill;
What can the proudest Beauty more?
For this, the Gods by Turns employ
Me, and my baleful Power,
To execute their worst Revenge.

[Soft Musick without.
Euryale, Stheno.
Eur.
Ha! Whence that soothing Sound?
No Mortal to these dreary Cells
Dares make Approach, and hope to live.
Hermes! 'tis he my dreadful Aid demands.
Enter Mercury.
My nimble God, what grateful Mischief
Waits on your swift Command?

Mer.
Still one unceasing Thirst of Rage!

Med.
'Tis from the cruel Gods I copy
Those Cruelties that feast my Soul.

Mer.
Still this becoming Fury breathe,
And know such Ruin now is ripe in Fate,
As will your utmost Rancour claim.
But e'er the pleasing Task you learn,
With Sleep your baleful Powers repair,
And rise renew'd and fresh for mighty Horrors.

Sth.
Rest is our Bane, Destruction our Delight:
To Works of Woe we ever wake.

Mer.
Permit me best your Strength to know,
And for your Good be counsell'd.
[Mercury touches 'em with his Caduce.

[They retire to sleep.
Mer.
Perseus advance, the Dæmons sleep.
Enter Perseus.
But look not on them as you strike,
For certain Death rides on their baleful View.

Per.
Thy Caution I with Thanks embrace.

Mer.
Adieu, and guard a Life the Gods hold dear.

Per.
[Holds his Shield before his Face, and cuts off Medusa's Head.
The Monster is no more:
The World is freed! O happy Arm!
Heaven's Instrument of Vengeance.

[Euryale and Stheno awake at the Voice of Perseus, and run to the Place from whence the Sound came.
2d Gor.
What Voice! Ha, Hell! Medusa slain!
Seek out the Traitor; dreadful Vengeance wait him.

[They seek about for Perseus, whom his Helmet renders invisible.
1st. Gor.
Where is he fled? What unknown Charm
Secures him from our Eyes?
But see, Medusa still in Death,
Her venom'd Powers retains!
Lo, what an Off-spring from her Blood arises!

Several frightful and fantastic Monsters spring from Medusa's Blood; some creep, some run, all in Search of Perseus.
2d. Gor.
Dæmons, your destin'd Victim seek,
Revenge the Blood from whence you sprung;
Revenge, revenge Medusa.

Mercury returns.
Mer.
Avaunt, ye hideous Forms,
And sink to lowest Hell.

Gor.
What horrid Gulphs appear!
Earth to her Center yawns; O dreadful, Change!

Gorgons and Monsters sink.
Mer.
Danger's no more. Victorious Youth,
Now the Rewards of Glory wait you.

Mer.
The Charmer waits, Desires invite.

Per.
Oh! that a Wish could speed my Flight.

Her.
Blest Moments move a Lover's Pace,
And wing me to the Fair's Embrace.

[Perseus and Mercury fly away.
The Actions of Harlequin continued.
SCENE, The Palace of Cepheus.
Cepheus, Cassiope, Attendants.
Cep.
Victorious Perseus! Gallant Youth!
Our great Deliverer comes.
E'er this, with Smiles our Royal Daughter
Her conquering Lover greets.
A rescu'd People's Love,
A Monarch's and a Father's Thanks,
Must join his generous Toils to crown.

Enter an Ethiopian.
Eth.
O cruel Heavens! disastrous Fate!

Cep.
What mean these ill-tim'd Strains of Woe?

Eth.
Juno, relentless in her Rage,
To our Destruction arms
The watry World.
O lost Andromeda!
A hideous Monster rises from the Flood,
And thou its destin'd Victim.
Rude Tritons issuing sudden from the Deep,
Seiz'd in our Sight, and to a Rock
The trembling Princess bore.

Cass.
What Horrors shake my Soul!

Eth.
Perseus, 'tis said, will arm in her Defence;
But all, we fear, in vain.

Cep.
O dire Reverse of Fate! Is this
Your Justice, Gods! Can Innocence,
Can Vertue merit such Distress!

Cass.
Mine is the Crime, mine be the Punishment.

[Scene opens to a Prospect of the Sea; Andromeda bound to a Rock. The Monster appears.
Cass.
Ha, blasted be my Eyes!
The Monster comes.—Is there no Rescue?

Cep.
Assist, ye righteous Gods.—The Hero comes,
Perseus, to her and our Relief.

[Perseus, flies down, and fights with the Monster.
Cep.
Perseus o'ercomes: O mighty Joy!

Trit.
Rise, rise, at once, ye swelling Waves,
O'erwhelm us and our Shame.

[Tritons sink.
[The Sea grows calm. Perseus unbinds Andromeda, and they come forward, and sing the following Air.
Both.
O Transport, do I hold thee here!

Per., And.
Thou Blessing/Guardian of my Days!

Both.
For thee, what anxious Tumults Fear
In my poor Heart did raise!
O Transport, &c.

Cep.
Lead to the Temple strait.
This Hour your Hands shall join.
Hymen, and all auspicious Powers,
This Pair with choicest Blessings crown.

[The Palace of Venus descends, in it the Goddess, Cupid, Hymen, the Graces, Loves and Sports.
Ven.
Mortals, your Woes have here an End,
Peace shall succeed your Cares;
For Jove, in Favour of his gallant Son,
Henceforth will guard the harrass'd Land.
E'en Juno's dire Resentments cease,
Cepheus, Cassiope and you,
Most happy Pair, so Fate ordains,
Begin Celestial Joys to share,
And with new Stars enrich our Heaven.

[Machine ascends.
CHORUS.
Happy Hero, Loves surround you,
And your Bliss for ever guard:
Hymen has with Beauty crown'd you,
Beauty, Valour's best Reward.

[The Subjects of Cepheus end with Dances, expressing their Joy.