 | Sappho |  |
SCENE I.
A gloomy valley with caves and trees on one side; a fountain issuing from a rock and forming a stream on the other: the sea seen at the termination of the vale, and the moon setting in the horizon. Sappho in her female habit comes out of one of the caves unattended.SAPPHO.
The radiant Queen of night retires,
And quits her silver car;
The Pleiads veil their lambent fires,
And ev'ry glittering star,
That flam'd on midnight's sable brow,
Have ceas'd to tremble, and to glow;
While, lost to Phaon, love, and joy,
I heave the solitary sigh:
Still pants my wakeful heart, still weeps my wearied eye.
[She reclines on a bank.
And quits her silver car;
The Pleiads veil their lambent fires,
And ev'ry glittering star,
That flam'd on midnight's sable brow,
Have ceas'd to tremble, and to glow;
While, lost to Phaon, love, and joy,
I heave the solitary sigh:
Still pants my wakeful heart, still weeps my wearied eye.
Ah! come ye balmy powers of sleep,
Nor from my arms, like Phaon, rove.
O! bid my eyes forget to weep!
Bid my fond heart forget to love.
Nor from my arms, like Phaon, rove.
O! bid my eyes forget to weep!
Bid my fond heart forget to love.
| Sappho | |