 | The Deep Deep Sea ; or, Perseus and Andromeda |  |
Scene Third.
—Fig-tree Court, Temple—of Jupiter Ammon.Enter Neptune.
Nep.
Steady she goes! Hold on! It's pretty calmish
And yet, somehow, I always feel so qualmish
Ashore. My head can't stand the rolling motion
Of this old bluff-built earth—give me the ocean!
That is, without its queen; in all my life
I ne'er was sea-sick till I got a wife.
And yet, somehow, I always feel so qualmish
Ashore. My head can't stand the rolling motion
Of this old bluff-built earth—give me the ocean!
That is, without its queen; in all my life
I ne'er was sea-sick till I got a wife.
162
'Tis she! 'tis she! who spoils the sea;
The precious shrew! a tongue hath she!
Without a check, without a bound,
It runneth like mad the whole year round.
Complain it's too loud, and out she flies,
And like a sea-gull screams and cries!
I rule the sea! I rule the sea!
But happy there I can never be.
I've the blues above, and the blues below,
And I can't get silence where'er I go,
If I try to snatch a wink of sleep,
A clatter still her tongue will keep.
The precious shrew! a tongue hath she!
Without a check, without a bound,
It runneth like mad the whole year round.
Complain it's too loud, and out she flies,
And like a sea-gull screams and cries!
I rule the sea! I rule the sea!
But happy there I can never be.
I've the blues above, and the blues below,
And I can't get silence where'er I go,
If I try to snatch a wink of sleep,
A clatter still her tongue will keep.
Well! to her vengeance I will be no party,
And so I've cut and run. What cheer, my hearty!
And so I've cut and run. What cheer, my hearty!
Enter Perseus.
Per.
What cheer ho! (aside)
By his hailing, this should be
Some rude and boisterous captain of the sea,
Neptune! as large as life.
Nep.
What, nephew! zounds!
You here?
Per.
And you! The ocean out of bounds!
Nep.
And you of spirits, too; they're daily sinking,
That wife of mine will drive me, sir, to drinking.
Per.
The ocean—dry?
Nep.
Don't joke—her conduct's scurvy,
Last night she turned the sea all topsy turvy,—
Capsized the world, sir, nearly, with a squall,
For little—nay, in fact, for nought at all;
And now she's sent a hungry snake ashore
With such a tail as ne'er was seen before,
Nor yet behind—to eat all he can see,
Because a woman was as vain as she!
Per.
But I have vowed that very snake to slay,
All for the sake of fair Andromeda!
Nep.
“Of fair Andromeda!” Oh, that's the way
The cat jumps, is it?
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Look ye! here's my note.
Will you go stuff the challenge down his throat?
Nep.
With all my heart— (reading the superscription)
“To the sea serpent”—Oh,
He gets it, never fear—What's this?—Hollo!
“Please not to eat the bearer.” Mighty pleasant!
Per.
Ha, ha! That doesn't signify at present—
I thought to send it by some mortal stranger.
But as you take it, Neptune, there's no danger.
Nep.
I wish that I could say as much for you.
Per.
I'll mince this Yankee Doodle!
Nep.
“Doodle doo!”
Duo—Perseus and Neptune—“Mighly Jove”—“Barber of Seville.”
Per.
Mighty Jove! whose golden showers
Once my mother, Danäe, blest!
Shall this wretch, who all devours,
Eat the fair whom I love best?
Nep.
Soon this monster I'll be hailing;
But, I say, my jolly dog!
Ere I signal make for sailing,
Shan't we take a glass of grog?
Both.
To our cause, then, bumpers filling!
Soon this monster I'll/you'll be killing.
Bravo! Bravo! &c.
(Exit Neptune)
Enter King Cepheus.
King.
O horror! misery! woe! woe!
Per.
'Tis plain
You call out “whoa”—to stop some load of pain.
What is it, may I ask?
King.
Oh, such a shock
To my paternal heart! Chain'd to a rock,
Andromeda my daughter dear must be
The prey of this vile monster of the sea.
Per.
The prey! why, pray?
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'Cause Phineus' petition
To Jove is granted on that sole condition.
Per.
Phineus! the traitor! he shall perish, rather
Than father such an act upon my father;
Depend upon't, he's bribed the priests of Ammon,
And hopes to save his bacon by their gammon.
Ah! would you let your lovely daughter go a
Victim to this unfashionable boa!
Run—fly—the dreadful sacrifice delay
Till my arrival. I will only stay
To sing a song—As opera heroes choose
Always to do, when they've no time to lose!
(Exit Cepheus)
Than father such an act upon my father;
Depend upon't, he's bribed the priests of Ammon,
And hopes to save his bacon by their gammon.
Ah! would you let your lovely daughter go a
Victim to this unfashionable boa!
Run—fly—the dreadful sacrifice delay
Till my arrival. I will only stay
To sing a song—As opera heroes choose
Always to do, when they've no time to lose!
Recitative and Air—Perseus—“O Patria”—“Tancredi.” Recitative.
Oh, pa! try her. Won't you, my great papa, try her
Again, ere out you turn her
To tea with Pluto! Oh, cara sposa!
They yearn from me to part you!
In quest of thy foe, I turn now my rein O!
To mince you this snake ere anyone can say, “No.”
Aria—“De Tanti Palpite.”
Again, ere out you turn her
To tea with Pluto! Oh, cara sposa!
They yearn from me to part you!
In quest of thy foe, I turn now my rein O!
To mince you this snake ere anyone can say, “No.”
Oh! shan't I palpitate!
Oh! won't it pain me!
If I should be too late
My deary to see.
Oh! won't it pain me!
If I should be too late
My deary to see.
Quick let me fly!
Ah, let me go!
Soon, my Andro-
Meda, will I
Thy heart cheer, O!
Oh! moment, momentous!
Tremendous! portentous!
Oh! shan't I palpitate, &c.
Ah, let me go!
Soon, my Andro-
Meda, will I
Thy heart cheer, O!
Oh! moment, momentous!
Tremendous! portentous!
Oh! shan't I palpitate, &c.
| The Deep Deep Sea ; or, Perseus and Andromeda | |