University of Virginia Library

Scene Fifth.

—Rocky shore and crags of Caucasus— working waters down to back of 1st grooves—set rock— piece, L., with Prometheus discovered chained to it— vulture hanging over him—working sun in flats, R.— sunset.
Music.—“On Yonder Rock Reclining.”
Prometh.
On this hard rock reclining,
A sad and suffering form behold,
Doomed to perpetual pining,
Thro' rain and heat and cold.
Fixed firm and fast,
I hardly can say for good you know;
Seeing as how I must suffer here,
When stormy winds do blow.—oh!
(change to “One Horse Shay”)
I feel so like Mazeppa,
When he's tied upon his stepper,
The “fiery untamed steed,” as the playbills say;
But the creature as we know,
Tho' they make him caper so,
Is less fitted for a hero than a
One horse shay.

Prometheus
It's getting rather painful, this position
Not being an acrobatic exhibition.
Fancy being fixed here for infinity,
Thus cragged so picturesquely by the sea.
Ha! horrid bird! with fear my limbs all shiver.
See! how he comes and lights upon my liver.
I say get out! (Vulture flies off)
Thank you, obliging vulture!
It's too much to be eaten e'er sepulture.
(sun sinks)
There goes the sun; in spite of what he said
His promise must have slipped out of his head.
(sings)
“Shades of evening close not o'er us,”

Sun.
(re-appearing)
Tol de riddle ol de loll loll lay.

Prometh.
What, old friend, back again; that's very queer,
How do you manage thus to re-appear?

Sun.
It's a stage trick.

(eyes work)
Prometh.
Why are your eyes thus rolling?

Sun.
I grieve to see you lying like Tom Bowling,
Quite a sheer hulk.

Prometh.
You know I'm fixed for ever.

Sun.
What a conclusion for a chap so clever!
Wait till your wife comes, she will set you free.

Prometh.
The only time she'll give me liberty.

Sun.
Remember, mind, don't ope that box.

Prometh.
All right.
How good to have a friend at court.

Sun.
Good night!

Prometh.
What! must you go? Your shades pray don't close o'er us;
Or if you must, at least assist as chorus.

Air, “Midas.”
Prometheus
Since you mean to sink for good, sir,
Pray don't send your dews too soon;
I should thank you if you would, sir,
Send your substitute, the moon.

Prometh., Sun.
Fol de riddle lol, &c., &c.

(Sun sinks)
Enter Mercury, Pandora, and Outis, R. 1 E.
Outis.
Step softly, dear Pandora! Should he sleep,
At his perfections you can take a peep.
Here is a precious state of things for he,
Once brought up in the lux of lapsury!

Pando.
I feel so bashful.

Outis.
Well, perhaps you do;
I used to feel so, dear, when young as you.

Merc.
Well, as I've seen you now so far, I'll go.
Here is your box.

Outis.
(takes box)
Ha! let me see.

Prometh.
Hallo!
That is the box I'm warned against, no doubt,
And that's my spouse to be when I get out.

Merc.
Ha! see he wakes! allow me, dear—Pandora!
(introducing)
Prometheus Know each other.

Prometh.
I'm before her;
Thanks to a friendly hint received, I know
Precisely all the circumstances.

Outis.
Oh!
If I could only find out what's in here.
Something remarkable, I've an idea.
Pandora, love! (Pandora goes to her)


Merc.
(to Prometheus)
So here you're fast, my friend.
I guessed how your absurdities would end.

Prometh.
They've ended, have they?

Merc.
Rather; I suppose
Your punishment won't have so short a close,
For thirty thousand years you're fixed up here.

Prometh.
(L.)
And is that all they'll do to me, my dear?

(as in “Arrah na Pogue”)
Merc.
(L.)
All—all? it's quite enough, I think, to try,
Even a Titan's courage.

Outis.
(R.)
Hallo! Why,
It's not locked after all—here goes—oh my!

(hurried music—thunder, &c.—stage dark—Outis faints—Pandora runs off—Enter all the Characters, R. 1 E.)
Outis.
Murder! help! murder!

Jove.
(R. C.)
So my scheme's succeeded.

Prometh.
Yet all your ingenuity was needed.

All.
(R.)
We are avenged!

Prometh.
Yes, I must own you've won.

Apollo
(R.)
You'll pay back what you borrowed from the Sun—
And for this trick, which ruins all mythology,
I think you owe Apollo an apolo-gy.

Prometh.
Impossible! you see mankind has gained
A principle, from you, my friend, obtained,
Which makes them free for ever.

Jove.
But you know
They've got a thousand evils now en dôt.

Prometh.
Too true! all's lost! I'm beaten and give in.

Outis.
Which throwing up the sponge, dear, is a sin!

All.
Yield, Titan bold!

Prometh.
Yes, yes, I yield!

Hope.
(rising, C.—short hurry)
Not so,
There's still a hope left.

Jove.
(R. C.)
Who are you?

All.
(R.)
Hallo!

Hope.
(C.)
Why I am Hope! You thought your scheme you'd worked,
But at the bottom of that box I lurked.

Apollo.
What 'mongst the ills of man?

Jove.
A horrid sell!

Outis.
Why then you've left the bottom of your well.

Hope.
Though you've infested all mankind with pains,
Woes, sorrows, evils, yet still hope remains.
To hope he'll look when troubled clouds may lower,
And hope will always soothe his latest hour.
Prometheus, throw your chains away. There, see,
While hope is by him—man is ever free.

(Prometheus throws off chains and comes forward C., Hope goes on rock)
Jove.
(L. C.)
Well, then it seems I'm beaten after all,
So here I will your punishment recall.
I give you freedom now with cordiality,
And greet your liberty—

Outis.
With Jovi-ality. (cheers)


Prometh.
(to Audience)
And say now what can poor Prometheus do,
But trust to hope and still appeal to you?
You are the only arbiters of fate,
You weigh the merits of our little state.
We still must hope your favours to obtain,
We, who have never sued to you in vain.
Prometheus claims from you a kind excuse
For all this folly—sure you'll not refuse?
Deal gently with his case—accept his cause,
And let your verdict kindly be applause.

Finale.—Air, “Isn't it a Pullback.”
Prometh.
And now our piece is ended
For fun alone intended,
If 'tis by you commended,
Reward we get in full back
Of joys besides a full whack,
And nothing like a pull back.
Ho, hi, ho, joys at its prime oh!
Oh, hi, ho, &c.
At Christmas time oh!
Oh, hi, ho, &c.

Air, “The Harp that once through Tara's Halls.”
Chorus.
Cheer us now and on our play
With lenient eyes look down,
Prometheus lives if you but smile,
He dies if you should frown.
Oh! bid him live and wreath around
His brow success's crown.

(walk round—dance)
                 

									Hope on rock.
					Prometheus.
				Outis.		Juno.
			Minerva.				Jove.
		Vulcan.						Neptune.
	Venus.								Apollo.
Mars.										Mercury.
R.										L.
					(Tableau.)

Curtain.