 | The Fall of Egypt |  |
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2. PART II.
SCENE I.
Goshen; the Time, Evening.First and Second Israelite, and Chorus.
RECITATIVE.
1st Israelite.
When shall our Labours and our Wrongs be past!
The Rising Sun beholds our Toils commenc'd,
The Setting comes, and sees them still unfinish'd.
2d Israelite.
O! that untroubled by deceitful Hopes
Content still sweeten'd Toil, and welcome Rest
Still crown'd our Evening when the Day was past!
Enter Moses.
Moses.
Cease to repine, nor with ungrateful murmurs
Accuse the wise Benevolence of Heav'n.
1st Israelite.
'Tis not in Mortals to endure the Pains
That Rage now adds to Bondage, and be silent.
AIR.
At early Dawn the lab'ring Hind
With rustic Song his Toil beguiles,
Who hopes at dusky Eve to find
In homely Cot domestic Smiles.
With rustic Song his Toil beguiles,
Who hopes at dusky Eve to find
In homely Cot domestic Smiles.
But he whose sad Reward is Pain,
Whom Sorrow meets at his Return,
Can ne'er the Load of Life sustain,
To hide his Anguish ne'er can learn.
Whom Sorrow meets at his Return,
Can ne'er the Load of Life sustain,
To hide his Anguish ne'er can learn.
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Moses.
Mark me; by me your Strength Jehovah speaks,
E'er yet To-morrow's Dawn shall tinge the Skies,
The Sons of Israel shall depart from Egypt.
2d Israelite.
If this were certain, all our Toils and Pains
Would in a Moment be, like Dreams, forgotten.
Moses.
That this is certain, let the Signs attest,
Which he who speaks by me, by me has wrought.
AIR.
By Doubts and Fears no more deprest,
To Hope we give the joyful Breast,
To Hope and all her smiling Train;
Great Nature's Lord, our Guard and Guide,
Our Hearts in Nature's Lord confide,
And Egypt's haughty Pow'r disdain.
SCENE II.
The outward Court of the Palace at Memphis: the Time, two Hours after Midnight.An Officer of the Guard. To him another Officer of the Palace.
RECITATIVE.
2d Officer.
Thy Looks are wild, and Terror's in thy Eye:
What of this dreadful Night upon thy Watch
Has Rumour brought thee?
1st Officer.
Nothing have I learnt;
What my own Thoughts suggest I fear to tell thee.
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What hast thou heard or seen while others slept?
1st Officer.
As here I kept my Watch, some two Hours since,
At Depth of Midnight, when the World around
Was hush'd in awful Silence, next to Death,
A sudden Blast, impetuous from the South,
Shook the proud Palace to its Base, and soon
A gen'ral Groan on all Sides echo'd round me;
Loud Shrieks of Terror, and the languid Moans
Of Grief succeeded; ever and anon
A ghastly Face rush'd by me, full of Haste,
And Terror and Distraction: Oft I ask'd
What had befall'n 'em, but gain'd no Reply,
Save broken. Words and frantic Exclamations.
2d Officer.
Where will Destruction stop! the eldest Hope
Of ev'ry House, as far as yet we learn,
This Night expir'd; and Egypt's proudest Boast,
Heir to her Empire, now lies cold in Death.
AIR.
Death where'er we turn we meet,
Death has broke through Nature's Bounds,
Death the sighing gales repeat,
Death from ev'ry Echo sounds.
RECITATIVE.
1st Officer.
See where the Sister of our King approaches,
With all the weeping Virgins of her Train!
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They hoped to grace the Nuptials of the Prince:
A softer Band had bound him, had not Heav'n
Giv'n up our Land to Darkness and to Death.
Enter Menytis, and a Chorus of Egyptian Virgins.
AIR, by Menytis.
Alas! in blooming Youth he died,
E'er hallow'd Love his Virtue blest;
When conscious Blushes warm'd the Bride,
And tender Tumults fill'd her Breast:
E'er hallow'd Love his Virtue blest;
When conscious Blushes warm'd the Bride,
And tender Tumults fill'd her Breast:
Ye Virgins now no Myrtles twine,
No Roses for his Bed prepare;
In Silence o'er his Grave incline,
And strew the fading fragrance there.
No Roses for his Bed prepare;
In Silence o'er his Grave incline,
And strew the fading fragrance there.
CHORUS.
No more our Hands shall Myrtles twine,
Nor Roses for his Bed prepare;
Our Heads shall o'er his Grave incline,
And fading sweets be scatter'd there.
RECITATIVE.
Menytis.
O! that my Tears had yet in Time prevail'd,
And Israel's Tribes had been dismiss'd from Egypt!
1st Virgin.
What unknown Woes may Pharaoh yet incur,
If yet he grants not the Demand of Moses!
Menytis.
Your Fears, if yet there can be ought to fear,
Are vain, for all that Israel asks is giv'n:
Now on their March they leave this wasted Land,
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So will'd the King, who, deaf to Comfort's Voice,
On the bare Earth lies stretch'd in silent Sorrow.
AIR, by Menytis.
How vain is Grandeur's purple Pride!
And Guards and Roofs of Gold how vain!
Through circling Guards can Sorrow glide!
And golden Roofs are claim'd by Pain.
And Guards and Roofs of Gold how vain!
Through circling Guards can Sorrow glide!
And golden Roofs are claim'd by Pain.
Give me, ye Pow'rs, unknown to dwell,
Remote from Pomp, and Care, and Strife,
Secure from Passions that rebel,
And shelter'd from the Storms of Life.
Remote from Pomp, and Care, and Strife,
Secure from Passions that rebel,
And shelter'd from the Storms of Life.
RECITATIVE.
1st Officer.
But see the King—Contending Passions shake him.
Enter Pharaoh.
Pharaoh.
Accursed Sorcerer!—But in vain I curse him;
I am myself the Murderer of my Child!—
Why did I fear to take a forfeit Life!
A Life twice forfeit!—He was once an Outcast
Of a vile Slave, preserv'd with erring Pity!
And once a Murderer, flying unpursu'd.
My Thoughts are wilder than a Whirlwind's Rage—
Yes, I will follow him to Nature's Verge,
And wou'd to bottomless Perdition's Gulph
Leap after him.—
Menytis.
My gracious Lord!
Pharaoh.
No more.—
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Menytis and Pharaoh.
Men.
O! let my Voice Attention gain!
Pha.
Thy Suit the World should urge in vain:
Men.
Let then my Tears thy Pity move!
Pha.
Thy Tears, tho' Blood, would fruitless prove.
Men.
O! for thy Life—
Pha.
Forbear—
Men.
O! stay—
Pha.
My Life I scorn—
Men.
For mine!—
Pha.
Away.
[Exit Pharaoh, the rest following.
SCENE III.
The Borders of the Red Sea.Moses and the Israelites on their March.
RECITATIVE.
1st Israelite.
The Joy of sudden Freedom is too great;
Th'expanding Heart is pain'd to give it Room.
2d Israelite.
My Spirits all mount upward, and I feel
As I could tread on Air; even Nature's Wants
Almost I could forget, and Toil, and Hunger,
Lose their Effects upon me as I march.
AIR.
Less are youthful Charms to Love,
Less is Danger to the Brave,
Less to Misers Gold must prove,
Less than Freedom to the Slave.
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This is sacred Truth's Decree,
Truth, the Friend of human Race;
Death is Honour to the Free,
Life is to the Slave Disgrace.
Enter Messenger.
RECITATIVE.
Messenger.
Cease the loud Triumph of your joyful Strains:
Egypt's stern Tyrant, dreadful and resistless,
As the blue Pestilence that rides the Wind,
Enrag'd pursues us with prevailing Speed;
The rapid Chariot plows the smoking Ground,
And the proud Courser scorns our tardy flight.
CHORUS.
O! Words of Horror! dreadful Sound!
A thousand Deaths beset us round!
Our Hope is vain, and vain our Pray'r,
'Tis Anguish all! 'tis all Despair.
Enter Moses.
RECITATIVE.
Moses.
So soon, ye Faithless! can ye fear so soon!
Turn not your Eye to yonder idle Pomp
Of mortal Foes, the Children of the Dust;
But look before ye, where the cloudy Pillar,
That marks your destin'd Way to Peace and Safety,
Veils the dread Pow'r who from himself began,
And fills Eternity! before whose Eye
All Nature stands rebuk'd.
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Forgive th'involuntary Fears that rise
From Dangers such as these, so great, so sudden;
Behind us drives the Foe, whose Iron Hand
Our suffering Tribes have felt, and mourn'd so long;
Before us, with inexorable Wave,
The Sea, far sounding, beats the sullen Shore.
Moses.
Let me, while thus I lift my Hand to Heav'n,
Teach ye, once more, to trust eternal Truth.
[As he lifts up his Rod, the Sea is supposed to be suddenly divided.
A Symphony expressing the Commotion of the Waters.
CHORUS.
It parts! it parts! the liquid Walls behold,
Of Wave on Wave in foaming volumes roll'd!
In Terror fix'd, the Sea forgets to flow,
And leaves unveil'd the hoary Gulph below;
In Safety pass, ye chosen Tribes, along,
And let the parted Deep resound your Song.
| The Fall of Egypt | |