Semele.
William Congreve (1710).
Originally
set by John Eccles. Adapted as an oratorio by Handel, 1743.
Note: this Renascence
Editions text was transcribed by Risa S.
Bear, May 2001, from the 1923 Nonesuch Press type facsimile of the
libretto. Any errors that have crept into the transcription are the
fault
of the present publisher. The text is in the public domain. Content
unique
to this presentation is copyright © 2001 the editor and The
University
of Oregon. For nonprofit and educational uses only. Send comments and
corrections
to the Publisher.
SEM ELE
A N
OPER A
_____________________________________________________
A Natura
discedimus:
populo nos damus, nullius rei bono
auctori,
&
in hac re, sicut in omnibus, inconstantissimo.
Seneca. Ep. 99.
_____________________________________________________
AR GU M ENT
Introductory
to the
O P E
R A
of S E M E L E
FTER Jupiter's
Amour with Europa,
the Daughter of Agenor, King of Phaenicia, he again
incenses Juno
by a new Affair in the same Family; viz. with Semele, Niece to Europa,
and Daughter to Cadmus King of Thebes. Semele is on the
Point
of Marriage with Athamas; which Marriage is about to be
solemniz'd
in the Temple of Juno, Goddess of Marriages, when Jupiter
by ill Omens interrupts the Cermony; and afterwards transports Semele
to a private Abode prepar'd for her. Juno, after many Contrivances, at
length assumes the Shape and Voice of Ino, Sister to Semele; by
the help of which Disguise and Artful Insinuations, she prevails with
her
to make a Request to Jupiter, which being granted must end in
her
utter Ruin.
This
Fable
is related in Ovid. Metam. L. 3 but
there Juno
is said to impose on Semele in the Shape of an old Woman, her
Nurse.
'Tis hoped, the Liberty taken in substituting Ino instead of
the
old Woman will be excus'd: It was done, because Ino is
interwoven
in the Design by her love of Athamas; to whom she was married,
according
to Ovid; and because her Character bears a Proportion with the
Dignity
of the other Persons represented. This Reason, it is presumed, may be
allowed
in a Thing intirely fictitious; and more especially being represented
under
the Title of an Opera, where greater Absurdities are every day
excused.
It was
not
thought requisite to haue any Regard either in Rhyme or Equality of
Measure,
in the Lines of that Part of the Dialogue which was design'd for the Recitative
Stile in Musick. For as that stile in Musick is not confin'd to the
strict Observation of Time and Measure, which is
requir'd
in the Composition of Airs and Sonata's, so neither is
it
necessary that the same Exactness in Numbers, Rhymes, or Measure,
should
be observed in the Formation of Odes and Sonnets. For what they
call Recitative in Musick, is only a more tuneable speaking, it is a
kind
of Prose in Musick; its Beauty consists in coming near Nature, and in
improving
the natural Accents of Words by more Pathetick or Emphatical
Tones.
Persons
Represented.
Jupiter.
Cadmus, King of Thebes.
Athamas, A Prince of
Bœotia,
in love with and design'd to marry Semele.
Somnus.
Apollo.
Cupid.
Zephyrs.
Loves.
Shepherds.
Satyrs.
Juno.
Iris.
Semele, Daughter to
Cadmus, beloved
by and in Love with Jupiter.
Ino, Sister to
Semele, in
Love with Athamas.
Shepherdesses.
Chief Priests of Juno,
other
Priests and Augurs.
SCENE
BŒOTIA
S
E M E L E
ACT
I.
SCENE I.
The Scene is the
Temple of Juno,
near the Altar is a Golden Image of the Goddess. Priests are in their
Solemnities,
as after a Sacrifice newly offer'd: Flames arise from the Altar, and
the
Statue of Juno is seen to bow.
Cadmus, Athamas, Semele, and
Ino.
1st Priest.
|
|
EHOLD! auspicious
Flashes rise;
Juno accepts our
Sacrifice;
The grateful Odour swift
ascends,
And see, the Golden
Image bends. |
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx |
1st and 2d Priest.
Lucky Omens bless our Rites,
And sure success shall crown your Loves;
Peaceful Days and fruitfull Nights
Attend the Pair that she approves.
Cad.
Daughter, obey,
Hear, and obey.
With kind Consenting
Ease a Parent's Care;
Invent no new Delay.
Atha. O hear a
faithful Lover's
pray'r;
On this auspicious Day
Invent no new Delay.
Cad. and Atha.
Hear, and obey;
Invent no new Delay
On this auspicious
Day.
Seme. [apart.]
Ah
me!
What Refuge now is
left me?
How various, how
tormenting,
Are my Miseries!
O Jove assist
me,
Can Semele
forgo thy
Love,
And to a Mortal's
Passion
yield?
Thy Vengeance will
o'ertake
Such Perfidy.
If I deny, my Father's Wrath
I fear.
O Jove, in Pity
teach me
which to chuse,
Incline me to comply, or
help me
to refuse.
Atha. See, she
blushing
turns her Eyes:
See, with Sighs
her Bosom
panting:
If
from Love
those Sighs arise,
Nothing to my
Bliss is
wanting.
Hymen
haste, thy Torch prepare,
Love already his
has lighted,
One
soft Sigh
has cur'd Despair,
And more than my
past
Pains requited.
Ino. Alas! she
yields,
And has undone me:
I can no longer hide
my Passion;
It must have Vent—
Or inward burning
ill consume me.
O Athamas—
I cannot utter it—
Atha. On me
fair Ino
calls
With mournful Accent,
Her Colour fading,
And her Eyes
o'erflowing!
Ino. O Semele!
Seme. On me
she calls,
Yet seems to shun me!
What would my Sister?
Speak—
Ino.
Thou hast
undone me.
Cad.
Why
dost thou thus untimely grieve,
And
all our
solemn Rites prophane?
Can he, or she,
thy Woes
relieve?
Or
I?
Of whom dost thou complain?
Ino. Of
all;
but all, I fear, in vain.
Atha.
Can I
thy woes relieve?
Seme.
Can I
asswage thy Pain?
Cad. Atha. and
Seme. Of whom dost thou complain?
Ino. Of
all;
but all, I fear, in vain.
[It
lightens, and
Thunder is heard at a distance; then, a Noise of Rain; the Fire is
suddenly
extigush'd on the Altar: the Chief-Priest comes forward.
1st Priest.
Avert these
Omens, all ye pow'rs!
Some God averse our
holy
Rites controlls,
O'erwhelming with sudden
Night,
the Day expires!
Ill-boding Thunder on
the
Right Hand rolls,
And Jove himself
descends
in Show'rs,
To quench our late
propitious
Fires.
Chorus of Priests.
Avert these omens, all ye pow'rs!
2d Priest.
Again auspicious
Flashes rise,
Juno accepts our Sacrifice.
[Flames
are again
kindled on the Altar, and the Statue nods.
3d Priest.
Again the sickly
Flame decaying dies:
Juno assents, but
angry Jove
denies.
[The
Fire is again
extinguish'd.
Atha. [apart.]
Thy aid, Pronubial Juno, Athamas implores.
Seme. [apart.]
Thee Jove, and thee alone, Semele adores.
[A
loud Clap of
Thunder; the Altar sinks.
1st Priest. Cease,
cease
your vows, 'tis impious to proceed;
Be gone, and fly this holy Place with Speed:
This dreadful Conflict is of dire Presage;
Be gone, and fly from Jove's impending Rage.
[All
but the Priests
come forward. The Scene closes on the Priests, and shews to View
the Front and Outside of the Temple. Cadmus leads off Semele,
Attendants follow. Athamas and Ino remain.
SCENE
II.
Atha.
O Athamas,
what Torture hast thou born!
And O, what hast thou
yet
to bear!
From Love, from Hope, from
near
Possession torn,
And plung'd at once
in deep
Despair.
Ino. Turn,
hopeless
Lover, turn thy eyes,
And
see a
Maid bemoan,
In flowing Tears
and aking
Sighs,
Thy
Woes,
too like her own.
Atha. She
weeps!
The gentle Maid, in tender pity,
Weeps to behold my Misery!
So Semele wou'd melt
To see another mourn.
Such unavailing Mercy is
in Beauty
found,
Each
Nymph
bemoans the Smart
Of
every bleeding
Heart,
But where she herself
inflicts
the Wound.
Ino.
Ah me, too much afflicted!
Atha.
Can pity
for another's Pain
Cause such Anxiety!
Ino.
Cou'dst thou but guess
What I endure!
Or cou'd I tell thee—
Thou, Athamas,
Wou'dst for a while
Thy Sorrows cease, a little cease,
And listen for a while
To my Lamenting.
Atha.
Of Grief
too sensible
I know your tender Nature.
Well I remember,
When I oft haue su'd
To cold, disdainful Semele;
When I with
Scorn
have been rejected;
Your
tuneful
Voice my Tale would tell,
In
Pity of my sad Despair;
And, with
sweet
Melody, compel
Attention
from the flying Fair.
Ino.
Too well
I see
Thou wilt not understand me.
Whence cou'd proceed such Tenderness?
Whence such compassion?
Insensible! Ingrate!
Ah no, I cannot blame thee:
For by effects
unknown before
Who cou'd the hidden
cause
explore?
Or think that Love cou'd act
so
strange a Part,
To plead for Pity in a
Rival's Heart.
Atha.
Ah me,
what have I heard!
She does her Passion own.
Ino.
What, had I not despair'd,
You never shou'd have known.
You've undone me;
Look not on me;
Guilt upbraiding,
Shame invading;
Look not on me;
You've undone me.
Atha. With my
Life
I wou'd attone
Pains you've born, to me unknown.
Cease, cease to shun me.
Ino. Look
not on me;
You've undone me.
Atha. Cease,
cease
to shun me:
Love, love alone
Has both undone.
Ino, Atha. Love,
love alone
Has both undone.
SCENE
III.
[To them] Enter
Cadmus attended.
Cad.
Ah, wretched
Prince, doom'd to disastrous Love!
Ah me, of Parents most forlorn!
Prepare, O Athamas, to prove
The sharpest Pangs that e'er were born:
Prepare with me our common Loss to mourn.
Atha. Can
fate,
or Semele invent
Another, yet another Punishment?
Cad. Wing'd
with our Fears, and pious Haste,
From Juno's fane we fled;
Scarce we the brazen Gates had pass'd,
When Semele around her Head
With azure Flames was grac'd,
Whose Lambent Glories in her
Tresses
play'd.
While this we saw with
dread
Surprize,
Swifter than Lightning
downwards
tending
An Eagle stoopt, of
mighty
Size,
On Purple Wings descending;
Like Gold his Beak, like Stars
shone
forth his Eyes,
His Silver plumy Breast with
snow
contending:
Sudden he snatch'd the trembling Maid,
And soaring from our Sight convey'd;
Diffusing ever as he lessening
flew
Celestiall Odour, and
Ambrosial
Dew.
Atha. O
Prodigy,
to me of dire Portent!
Ino. To
me, I hope, of fortunate Event.
SCENE
IV.
Enter to them the
Chief-Priest,
with Augurs and other Priests.
Cad.
See,
see Jove's Priests and holy Augurs come:
Speak, Speak, of Semele and me declare the Doom.
1st Aug.
Hail
Cadmus, hail! Jove salutes the Theban King.
Cease your Mourning,
Joys returning,
Songs of Mirth and Triumph sing.
2d. Aug. Endless
Pleasure, endless Love
Semele enjoys above;
On her
Bosom
Jove reclining,
Useless now his Thunder lies,
To her
Arms
his Bolts resigning,
And his Lightning to her eyes.
Endless
Pleasure,
endless Love
Semele enjoys above.
1st Priest. Haste,
haste, haste, to Sacrifice prepare,
Once to the Thunderer, once to the Fair:
Jove and Semele implore:
Jove and Semele like Honours share;
Whom Gods admire, let Men adore.
Haste, haste, haste, to Sacrifice prepare.
Chorus of Priests and Augurs.
Hail, Cadmus, hail!
Jove salutes the Theban King.
Cease your Mourning,
Joys returning,
Songs of Mirth and
Triumph
sing.
[Exeunt Omnes.
End of the First
Act.
A C T
II.
S C E N E I.
The Scene is a pleasant
Country,
the Prospect is terminated by a Beautiful Mountain adorn'd with Woods
and
Water-falls. Juno and Iris descend in different
Machines. Juno
in a chariot drawn by Peacocks; Iris on a Rainbow; they alight
and
meet.
Juno. IRIS,
impatient
of thy Stay,
From Samos have I wing'd my Way,
To meet thy slow Return;
Thou know'st what Cares infest
My anxious Breast,
And how with Rage and
Jealousie
I burn:
Then why this long Delay?
Iris. With all
his
Speed not yet the Sun
Thro' half his Race has run,
Since I to execute thy
dread
Command
Have thrice encompass'd Seas and Land.
Juno. Say, where
is Semele's Abode?
'Till that I know,
Tho'
thou hadst on Lightning rode,
Still
thou tedious art and slow.
Iris.
Look where Citheron proudly stands,
Bœotia parting from Cecropian lands.
High on the Summit of that
Hill,
Beyond the Reach of Mortal
Eyes,
By Jove's Command, and
Vulcan's
Skill,
Behold a new-erected Palace
rise.
There from mortal Cares
retiring,
She resides in sweet Retreat;
On her Pleasure, Jove requiring,
All the Loves and Graces wait.
Thither Flora the Fair
With her Train must repair,
Her amorous Zephyr
attending,
All her sweets she must bring
To continue the Spring,
Which never
must
there know and Ending.
Bright Aurora, 'tis said,
From her old Lover's bed
No more the
grey
Orient adorning,
For the future must rise
From the fair Semele's eyes,
And wait 'till she wakes
for
the Morning.
Juno. No
more—I'll
hear no more.
How long must I endure?—
How long with Indignations burning,
From impious Mortals
Bear this insolence!
Awake Saturnia from thy Lethargy;
Seize, destroy the curst Adulteress.
Scale proud Citheron's Top:
Snatch her, tear her in thy Fury,
And down, down to the Flood of Acheron
Let her fall, let her fall, fall, fall:
Rolling down to the Depths of Night,
Never more to behold the Light.
If I am own'd above,
Sister and Wife of Jove;
(Sister at least I sure may claim,
Tho' Wife be a neglected name.)
If I th'Imperial Scepter
sway—I
sware
By Hell—
Tremble thou Universe this
Oath
to hear,
Not one of curst Agenor's
Race to spare.
Iris. Hear,
mighty
Queen, while I recount
What Obstacles you must surmount;
With Adamant the Gates are barr'd,
Whose Entrance tow fierce Dragons guard:
At each approach they lash
their
forky Stings,
And clap their brazen Wings:
And
as
their scaly Horrours rise,
They all at once disclose
A thousand fiery Eyes,
Which never know Repose.
J uno. Hence Iris,
hence away,
Far from the realms of Day;
O'er Scythian Hills to
the Meotian
Lake
A speedy Flight we'll take:
There Somnus I'll compell
His downy bed to leave and
silent
Cell:
With Noise and Light I willhis
Peace
molest,
Nor shall he sink again to
pleasing
Rest,
'Till to my vow'd Revenge he
grants
Supplies,
And seals with Sleep the
wakeful
Dragon's
Eyes.
[They ascend.
SCENE II.
The Scene chages to an
Apartment
in the Palace of Semele; she is sleeping; Loves and
Zephyrs waiting.
Cup. See, after
the Toils
of an amorous fight
Where weary and pleas'd,
still
panting she lies;
While yet in her Mind she
repeats
the Delight,
How sweet is
the
Slumber that steals on her eyes!
Come Zephyrs, come, while Cupid sings,
Fan her with your silky wings;
New Desire
I'll inspire
And revive the dying Flames;
Dance around her,
While I wound her,
And with Pleasure fill her Dreams.
[A dance of
Zephyrs, after which Semele awakes, and rises.
Seme. O Sleep,
why
dost thou leave me?
Why they visionary
Joys remove?
O Sleep again
deceive me,
To my Arms restore
my wand'ring
Love.
SCENE III.
Two Loves lead
in Jupiter. While
he meets and embraces
Semele, Cupid sings.
Cup. Sleep
forsaking,
Seize him waking;
Love has sought him,
Back has brought him;
Mighty Jove tho' he
be,
And tho' Love cannot see,
Yet by feeling about
He has found him out,
And has caught him.
Seme. Let me not
another
Moment
Bear the Pangs of Absence.
Since you have form'd my Soul
for
Loving,
No more afflict me
With Doubts and Fears, and
cruel
Jealousie.
Jupi. Lay your
Doubts
and Fears aside,
And for Joys alone provide;
Tho' this Human Form I wear,
Think not I Man's falshood bear.
You are Mortal, and require
Time to rest and to
respire.
Nor was I absent,
Tho' a while withdrawn,
To take Petitions
From the needy World.
While Love was with thee I was
present;
Love and I are one.
Seme. If
chearful
Hopes
And chilling Fears,
Alternate Smiles,
Alternate Tears,
Eager Panting,
Fond Desiring,
With Grief now fainting,
Now with Bliss expiring;
If this be Love, not you alone,
But Love and I are one.
Both. If this be
Love,
not you alone,
But Love and I are one.
Seme. Ah me!
Jupi. Why
Sighs
my Semele?
What gentle Sorrow
Swells thy soft Bosom?
Why tremble those fair Eyes
With interrupted Light?
Where hov'ring for a Vent,
Amidst their humid Fires,
Some new-form'd Wish appears.
Speak, and obtain.
Seme. At my own
Happiness
I sigh and tremble;
Mortals whom Gods affect
Have narrow Limits set to Life,
And cannot long be bless'd.
Or if they could—
A God may prove inconstant.
Jupi.
Beware of Jealousie:
Had Juno not been jealous,
I ne'er had left Olympus,
Nor wander'd in my Love.
Seme. With my
Frailty
don't upbraid me,
I am Woman as you made me,
Causeless doubting or despairing,
Rashly trusting, idly fearing.
If obtaining
Still complaining;
If consenting
Still repenting;
Most complying
When denying.
And to be follow'd, only flying.
With my Frailty don't upbraid me,
I am Woman as you made me.
Jupi. Thy Sex of
Jove's
the Master-piece,
Thou, of thy Sex, art most excelling.
Frailty in thee is ornament,
In thee Perfection.
Giv'n to agitate the Mind,
And keep awake Mens Passions;
To banish Indolence,
And dull Repose,
The Foes of Transport
And of Pleasure.
Seme. Still I am
mortal,
Still a Woman;
And ever when you leave me,
Tho' compass'd round with Deities
Of Loves and Graces,
A Fear invades me,
And conscious of a Nature
Far inferior,
I seek for Solitude,
And shun Society.
Jupi. [apart.]
Too well I read her Meaning,
But must not understand her.
Aiming at Immortality
With dangerous Ambition,
She wou'd dethrone Saturnia;
And reigning in my Heart
Would reign in Heav'n.
Lest she too much explain,
I must with Speed amuse her:
It gives the Lover double pain,
Who hears his Nymph complain,
And hearing must refuse her.
Seme. Why do you
cease
to gaze upon me?
Why musing turn away?
Some other Object
Seems more pleasing.
Jupi. Thy needless
Fears
remove.
My fairest, latest, only Love.
By my command,
Now at this instant,
Two winged Zephyrs
From her downy Bed
Thy much-lov'd Ino bear;
And both together
Waft her hither
Thro' the balmy Air.
Seme. Shall I my
Sister
see!
The dear Companion
Of my tender Years.
Jupi.
See, she appears,
But sees not me;
For I am visible
Alone to thee.
While I retire, rise
and
meet her,
And with Welcomes greet
her.
Now all this Scene shall to Arcadia
turn,
The Seat of happy
Nymphs
and Swains;
There without the Rage of
Jealousie
they burn,
And taste the Sweets of Love
without
its Pains.
SCENE IV.
Jupiter retires. Semele
and Ino meet and embrace. The Scene is totally changed, and
shews
an open Country. Several Shepherds and Shepherdesses enter. Semele
and Ino having entertain'd each other in dumb Shew, sit and
observe
the Rural Sports, which end the second Act.
ACT III.
SCENE I.
The Scene is the Cave of
Sleep.
The God of Sleep lying on his Bed. A soft Symphony is heard. Then the
Musick
changes to a diiferent Movement.
Juno and Iris.
Juno.
SOMNUS, awake,
Raise thy reclining Head;
Iris.
Thyself forsake,
And
lift
up thy heavy Lids of Lead.
Som. [waking.] Leave
me, loathsome Light;
Receive me, silent Night.
Lethe, why does thy
lingering
Current cease?
O murmur, murmur me again
to
Peace. [sinks down again.
Iris. Dull God,
can'st
thou attend the Waters fall,
And not hear Saturnia call!
Juno. Peace,
Iris, Peace, I know how to charm him:
Pasithea's Name alone can
warm him.
Juno, Iris. Only
love
on sleep has pow'r;
O'er gods and men
Tho' Somnus reign,
Love alternate has his hour.
Juno.
Somnus,
arise,
Disclose thy tender eyes;
For Pasithea's Sight
Endure the Light:
Somnus, arise.
Som. [rising.] More
sweet is that Name
Than a soft purling Stream;
With Pleasure Repose I'll forsake,
If you'll grant me but her to sooth me awake.
Juno. My
Will
obey,
She shall be thine.
Thou with thy softer Pow'rs
First Jove shalt captivate,
To Morpheus then give Order,
Thy various Minister,
That with a Dream in Shape of Semele,
But far more beautiful,
And more alluring,
He may invade the sleeping Deity;
And more to agitate
His kindling Fire,
Still let the Phantom seem
To fly before him,
That he may wake impetuous,
Furious in Desire;
Unable to refuse whatever Boon
Her Coyness shall require.
Som.
I
tremble to comply.
Juno. To
me
thy leaden Rod resign,
To charm the Centinels
On Mount Citheron;
Then cast a Sleep on mortal Ino,
That I may seem her Form to wear
When I to Semele appear.
Obey my Will, thy Rod resign,
And Pasithea shall be thine.
Som. All I
must
grant, for all is due
To Pasithea, Love, and you.
Juno. Away
let us
haste,
Let neither have rest,
'Till the sweetest of Pleasures we prove;
'Till of Vengeance possess'd
I doubly am bless'd,
And thou art made happy in Love. [Ex.
Juno and Iris.
[Somnus retires
within
his Cave, the Scene changes to Semele's Apartment.
SCENE II.
Semele [alone.]
Seme. I love and
am lov'd,
yet more I desire;
Ah, how foolish a Thing is Fruition!
As one Passion cools. some other takes Fire,
And I'm still in a longing Condition.
Whate'er I possess
Soon seems an Excess.
For something untry'd I petition;
Tho' daily I prove
The Pleasures of love,
I die for the Joys of Ambition.
SCENE III.
Enter Juno as
Ino, with a Mirrour in her hand.
Juno [apart.]
Thus shaped like Ino.
With Ease I shall deceive her,
And in this Mirrour she shall see
Herself as much transform'd as me.
Do I some Goddess see!
Or is it Semele?
Seme. Dear
Sister,
speak,
Whence this Astonishment?
Juno. Your
Charms
improving
To Divine Perfection,
Shew you were late admitted
Amongst Celestial Beauties.
Has Jove consented?
And are you made Immortal?
Seme. Ah no, I
still
am Mortal;
Nor am I sensible
Of any Change or new Perfection.
Juno [giving her the
Glass.] Behold in this Mirrour
Whence comes my Surprize;
Such Lustre and Terror
Unite in your Eyes,
That mine cannot fix on a
Radiance
so bright;
'Tis unsafe for the Sense,
and
too slipp'ry for sight.
Seme. [looking
in the Glass.]
O Ecstacy
of
Happiness!
Celestial
Graces
I discover
in
each Feature!
Myself I shall adore,
If I persist in gazing;
No Object sure before
Was ever half so pleasing.
How did
that
Glance become me!
But take
this
flatt'ring Mirror from me.
Yet once again let me view me.
Ah charming all o'er!
[Offering
the Glass,
withdraws her hand again.
Here—hold, I'll
have one Look more.
Tho'
that
Look I were sure would undo me.
Juno [taking
the
Glass from her.]
Be wise as
you
are beautiful,
Nor lose
this
Opportunity.
When Jove
appears,
All ardent
with
desire,
Refuse his
proffer'd
Flame
' Till you
obtain
a Boon without a Name.
Seme. Can that
avail
me?
Juno. Unknowing
your Intent,
And eager for possessing,
He unawares will grant
The nameless Blessing.
But bind him by the
Stygian Lake,
Lest Lover-like his word he break.
Seme. But how
shall
I attain
To Immortality?
Juno. Conjure
him
by his Oath
Not to approach your Bed
In likeness of a Mortal,
But like himself, the mighty Thunderer
In Pomp of Majesty,
And heav'nly Attire;
As when he proud Saturnia charms,
And with ineffable Delights
Fills her encircling Arms,
And pays the Nuptial Rites.
By this Conjunction
With entire Divinity
You shall partake of heav'nly Essence,
And thenceforth leave this Mortal State
To reign above,
Ador'd by Jove,
In spite of jealous Juno's Hate.
Seme. Thus let my
Thanks
be paid,
Thus let my Arms embrace thee;
And when I'm a Goddess made,
With Charms like mine I'll grace thee.
Juno. Rich
Odours
fill the fragrant Air,
And Jove's Approach declare.
I must retire—
Seme. Adieu—Your
Counsel
I'll pursue.
Juno. [apart]
And
sure Destruction will ensue.
Vain wretched Fool—[To her.] Adieu.
SCENE IV.
Jupiter enters, offers
to embrace
Semele; she looks kindly on
him, but retires a little
from
him.
Jupi. Come to my
Arms,
my lovely fair,
Soothe my uneasie Care:
In my Dream late I woo'd thee,
And in vain I pursu'd thee,
For you fled from my Pray'r,
And bid me despair.
Come to my Arms, my lovely Fair.
Seme. Tho' 'tis
easie
to please ye,
And hard to deny;
Tho' Possessing's a Blessing
For which I could die,
I dare not, I cannot comply.
Jupi. When I
languish
with Anguish,
And tenderly sigh,
Can you leave me, deceive me,
And scornfully fly?
Ah fear not, you must not deny.
Seme. Jupi. I dare
not,
I must not comply.
Ah fear
not;
you must not deny.
Jupi. O Semele,
Why art thou thus insensible?
Were I a Mortal,
Thy barbarous disdaining
Would surely end me,
And Death at my Complaining
In Pity would befriend me.
Seme. I ever am
granting,
You always complain;
I always am wanting,
Yet never obtain.
Jupi. Speak,
speak,
your Desire,
I'm all over Fire.
Say what you require,
I'll grant it—now let us retire.
Seme. Swear by
the
Stygian Lake.
Jupi. By that
tremendous
Flood I swear,
Ye Stygian waters hear,
And thou Olympus shake,
In witness to the oath I take.
[Thunder
at a distance,
and underneath,
Seme. You'll
grant what
I require?
Jupi.
I'll grant what you require.
Seme. Then cast off
this
human Shape which you wear,
And Jove since you
are,
like Jove too appear;
When next you desire I should charm ye.
As when Juno you
bless,
So you me must caress,
And with all your Omnipotence arm ye.
Jupi. Ah! take heed
what
you press,
For beyond all Redress,
Should I grant what you
wish,
I shall harm ye.
Seme. I'll be
pleas'd
with no less,
Than my Wish in excess:
Let the Oath you have taken
alarm
ye:
Haste, haste, and prepare,
For I'll know what you are;
So with all your
Omnipotence
arm ye.
SCENE V.
She withdraws, Jupiter
remains pensive and dejected.
Jupi. Ah!
whither is
she gone! unhappy Fair!
Why did she wish?—Why did I
rashly
swear?
'Tis past, 'tis
past Recall.
She must a Victim fall.
Anon, when I appear
The mighty Thunderer,
Arm'd with inevitable Fire,
She must needs instantly expire.
'Tis past, 'tis
past Recall.
She must a Victim fall.
My softest Lightning yet I'll try,
And mildest melting Bolt apply:
In vain—for she was fram'd to prove
None but the lambent Flames of Love.
'Tis past, 'tis past Recall.
She must a Victim fall.
SCENE VI.
Juno appears in her
Chariot ascending.
Juno. Above
measure
Is the Pleasure
Which my Revenge
supplies.
Love's a Bubble
Gain'd with Trouble:
And in possessing dies.
With what joy shall I mount
to
my Heav'n again,
At once from my
Rival
and Jealousie freed!
The Sweets of Revenge make
it
worth while to reign,
And Heav'n will
hereafter
be Heav'n
indeed.
[She ascends.
SCENE VII.
The Scene opening
discovers Semele
lying under a Canopy, leaning pensively. While a mournful Symphony is
playing
she looks up and sees
Jupiter descending in a black Cloud; the motion of the Cloud is
slow.
Flashes
of lightning issue from either side, and thunder is heard grumbling in
the air.
Seme. Ah me!
too late
I now repent
My Pride and impious Vanity.
He comes! far off his
Lightnings
scorch me.
—I feel my Life consuming:
I burn, I burn—I faint—for
Pity
I implore—
O help, O help—I can
no more.
[Dies.
[As the Cloud which
contains Jupiter is arrived just over the Canopy of Semele,
a sudden
and great Flash of Lightning breaks forth, and a Clap of loud Thunder
is
heard; when at one instant Semele with the Palace and the whole
present Scene disappear, and Jupiter re-ascends swiftly. The
Scene
totally changed represents a pleasant Country, Mount Citheron
closing
the Prospect.
SCENE VIII.
Enter Cadmus,
Athamas and
Ino.
Ino. Of my ill boding
Dream
Behold the dire Event.
Cad., Atha. O
Terror
and Astonishment!
Ino. How I
was
hence remov'd,
Or hither how return'd, I know not:
So long a Trance whith-held me.
But Hermes in a vision told me
(As I have now related)
The Fate of Semele;
And added, as from me he fled,
That Jove ordain'd I Athamas should wed.
Cad. Be Jove
in every thing obey'd.
Atha. Unworthy
of
your Charms, myself I yield;
Be Jove's Commands and yours fulfill'd.
Cad. See from
above
the bellying Clouds descend,
And big with some new Wonder this way tend.
SCENE IX.
A bright Cloud descends
and rests
on Mount Citheron, which opening, discovers
Apollo seated in it as the
God
of Prophecy.
Apollo. Apollo
comes to
relieve your Care,
And future Happiness declare.
From Tyrannous Love all
your Sorrows
proceed,
From Tyrannous Love you
shall
quickly be freed.
From Semele's Ashes
a Phænix shall rise,
The Joy of this earth, and
Delight
of the skies:
A God he shall prove
More mighty than Love,
And a Sovereign Juice shall invent,
Which Antidote pure
The sick Lover shall cure,
And Sighing and Sorrow for ever prevent.
Then Mortals be merry, and
scorn
the Blind Boy;
Your Hearts from his Arrows
strong
Wine shall defend:
Each Day and each Night you
shall
revel in Joy,
For when Bacchus is
born,
Love's Reign's at an end.
Chorus.
Then Mortals be merry, etc.
Dance of Satyrs.
[exeunt
omnes.
T H
E E
N D.
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