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Scene: the sea |
Phoebus rises in the chariot, over the sea. The Nereids out of the sea. |
 Q 
<- Phoebus, First nereid, Second nereid, Nereids
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PHOEBUS |
From Aurora's spicy bed,
Phoebus rears his sacred head.
His coursers advancing,
curvetting and prancing.
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FIRST NEREID |
Phoebus strives in vain to tame 'em,
with ambrosia fed too high.
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SECOND NEREID |
Phebus ought not now to blame 'em,
wild and eager to survey
the fairest pageant of the sea.
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PHOEBUS, CHORUS |
Tritons and Nereids come pay your devotion
to the new rising star of ocean.
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| Venus descends in her chariot, the Tritons out of the sea. | <- Venus, Tritons
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| The Tritons dance. | |
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| [Exit.] | Tritons ->
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FIRST NEREID |
Look down ye orbs and see
a new divinity.
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PHOEBUS |
Whose lustre does out-shine
your fainter beams, and half eclipses mine,
give Phoebus leave to prophecy.
Phoebus all events can see.
Ten thousand thousand harmes,
from such prevailing charmes,
to gods and men must instantly ensue.
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CHORUS |
And if the deitys above,
are victims of the powers of Love,
what must wretched mortals do.
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VENUS |
Fear not, Phoebus, fear not me,
a harmless deity.
These are all my guards ye view,
what can these blind archers do.
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PHOEBUS |
Blind they are, but strike the heart.
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VENUS |
What Phoebus says is always true,
they wound indeed, but it is a pleasing smart.
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PHOEBUS |
Earth and skies address their duty,
to the sovereign queen of beauty.
All resigning,
none repining
at her undisputed sway.
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CHORUS |
To Phoebus and Venus our homage wee'l pay,
her charmes blest the night, as his beams blest the day.
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| The Nereids dance. | |
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| [Exit.] | Nereids, First nereid, Second nereid ->
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Scene: the grove |
The Spring enters with her Nymphs |
Q
<- Spring, Nymphs
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VENUS |
See the Spring in all her glory,
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CHORUS |
Welcomes Venus to the shore.
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VENUS |
Smiling hours are now before you,
hours that may return no more.
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| [Exit Phoebus, Venus.] Soft musick. | Phoebus, Venus ->
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SPRING
Our youth and form declare,
for what we were designed.
'Twas nature made us fair,
and you must make us kind.
He that fails of addressing,
'tis but just he shou'd fail of possessing.
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| The Spring and Nymphs dance. | |
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| Enter the country Shepherds and Shepherdesses. | <- Shepherds, Shepherdesses
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SHEPHERDESS
Jolly shepherds come away,
to celebrate this genial day,
and take the friendly hours you vow to pay.
Now make trial,
and take no denial.
Now carry your Game, or for ever give o're.
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| The Shepherds and Shepherdesses dance. | |
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CHORUS
Let us love and happy live,
possess those smiling hours,
the more auspicious powers,
prepare those soft returns to Meet,
that makes loves torments sweet.
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| The Nymphs dance. | |
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HE |
Tell, tell me, prithee dolly,
and leave thy melancholy.
Why on the plaines,
the Nymphs and Swaines,
this morning are so jolly.
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SHE |
By zephires gentle blowing.
And Venus graces flowing.
The Sun has bin
to court our queen,
and tired the Spring with wooing.
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HE |
The Sun does guild our bowers,
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SHE |
the Spring does yield us flowers.
She sends the vine,
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HE |
he makes the wine,
to charm our happy hours.
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SHE |
She gives our flocks their feeding,
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HE |
he makes'em fit for breeding.
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SHE |
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HE |
he fills the grain,
and makes it worth the weeding.
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CHORUS
But the jolly nymph Thitis that long his love sought,
has flustred him now with a large mornings draught,
let's go and divert him, whilst he is mellow,
you know in his cups he's a hot-headed fellow.
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| The country's maids dance. | |
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