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| [N. 27 - Symphony] |  N 
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Scene 1 |
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. |
Q
<- Juno, Iris
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| [N. 28 - Recitative] | N
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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?
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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.
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JUNO |
Say, where is Semele's abode?
'Till that I know,
tho' thou hadst on lightning rode,
still thou tedious art and slow.
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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.
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| [N. 29 - Air] | N
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There from mortal cares retiring,
she resides in sweet retreat;
on her pleasure, Jove requiring,
all the Loves and Graces wait.
(da capo)
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| [N. 30 - Recitative] | N
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JUNO |
No more ~ I'll hear no more!
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IRIS |
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.
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| [N. 31 - Accompagnato] | N
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JUNO |
Awake, Saturnia, from thy lethargy!
Seize, destroy the cursed Semele!
Scale proud Cithaeron's top,
snatch her, tear her in thy fury,
and down to the flood of Acheron
let her fall, let her fall, fall, fall,
rolling down the depths of night,
never more to behold the light.
If I th'imperial scepter sway, I swear by hell!
(Tremble, thou universe, this oath to hear!)
Not one of curst Agenor's race to spare.
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| [N. 32 - Recitative] | N
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IRIS |
Hear, mighty queen, while I recount
what obstacles you must surmount.
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| [N. 33 - Accompagnato] | N
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With adamant the gates are barr'd,
whose entrance two fierce dragons guard.
At each approach they lash their forky stings
and clap their brazen wings;
and as their scaly horrors rise,
rhey all at once disclose
a thousand fiery eyes
which never know repose.
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| [N. 34 - Air] | N
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JUNO
Hence, Iris, hence away,
far from the realms of day!
O'er Scythian hills to the Maeotian lake
a speedy flight we'll take!
There Somnus I'll compel
his downy bed to leave, and silent cell;
with noise and light I will his peace molest,
nor shall he sink again to pleasing rest,
rill to my vow'd revenge he grants supplies,
and seals with sleep the wakeful dragons' eyes.
(da capo)
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| (Exeunt.) | Juno, Iris ->
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Scene 2 |
The scene changes to an apartment in the palace of Semele; she is sleeping; Loves and Zephyrs waiting. |
Q
Cupid, Semele, Loves, Zephyrs
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| [N. 35 - Air] | N
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CUPID
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.
(da capo)
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| A dance of Zephyrs, after which Semele awakes, and rises. | |
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| [N. 36 - Air] | N
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SEMELE
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.
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Scene 3 |
Two Loves lead in Jupiter. While he meets and embraces Semele, Cupid sings. |
<- Two Loves, Jupiter
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| [N. 37 - Recitative] | N
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CUPID |
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.
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| [N. 38 - Recitative] | N
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SEMELE |
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.
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| [N. 39 - Air] | N
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JUPITER
Lay your doubts and fears aside,
and for joys alone provide;
tho' this human form I wear,
think not i man's falshood bear.
(da capo)
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| [N. 40 - Recitative] | N
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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.
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| [N. 41 - Air] | N
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SEMELE
With fond desiring,
with bliss expiring,
panting,
fainting,
if this be love, not you alone,
but love and I are one.
Causeless doubting,
or despairing,
rashly trusting,
idly fearing,
if this be love, not you alone,
but love and I are one
(da capo)
| S
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| [N. 42 - Air] | N
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CHORUS OF LOVES AND ZEPHYRS
How engaging, how endearing,
is a lover's pain and care!
And what joy the nymph's appearing
after absence or despair!
(da capo)
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| [N. 43 - Recitative] | N
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SEMELE |
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JUPITER |
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.
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SEMELE |
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.
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JUPITER |
(apart)
Too well I read her meaning,
but must not understand her:
aiming at immortality
with dangerous ambition.
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| [N. 44 - Air] | N
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I must with speed amuse her
lest she too much explain.
It gives the lover double pain
who hears his nymph complain,
and hearing, must refuse her.
(da capo)
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| [N. 45 - Chorus of Loves and Zephyrs] | N
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CHORUS OF LOVES AND ZEPHYRS |
Now love that everlasting boy invites
to revel while you may in soft delights.
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| [N. 46 - Recitative ] | N
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JUPITER |
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,
through the balmy air.
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SEMELE |
Shall I my sister see!
The dear companion
of my tender years.
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JUPITER |
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 jealousy they burn,
and taste the sweets of love without its pains.
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| [N. 47 - Air] | N
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Where'er you walk, cool gales shall fan the glade;
trees, where you sit, shall crowd into a shade.
Where'er you tread, the blushing flow'rs shall rise,
and all things flourish where'er you turn your eyes.
(da capo)
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 (♦)
(♦)
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| | Jupiter ->
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Scene 4 |
Jupiter retires. Semele and Ino meet and embrace. The scene is totally changed, and shews an open country. Chorus of Nymphs and Swains. Semele and Ino having entertain'd each other in dumb shew, sit and observe the rural sports, which end the second act. |
Q
(nobody)
<- Semele, Ino, Nymphs, Swains
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| [N. 48 - Recitative] | N
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SEMELE |
Dear sister, how was your passage hither?
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INO |
O'er many states and peopled towns we pass'd,
o'er hills and valleys, and o'er deserts waste;
o'er barren moors, and o'er unwholesome fens,
and woods where beasts inhabit dreadful dens.
Through all which pathless way our speed was such,
we stopp'd not once the face of earth to touch.
Meantime they told me, while through air we fled,
that Jove did thus ordain.
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| [N. 49 - Air] | N
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But hark, the heav'nly sphere turns round,
and silence now is drown'd
in ecstasy of sound.
How on a sudden the still air is charm'd
as if all harmony were just alarm'd!
and ev'ry soul with transport fill'd,
aternately is thaw'd and chill'd.
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| [N. 50 - Duet] | N
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SEMELE, INO
Prepare then, ye immortal choir,
each sacred minstrel tune his lyre,
and all in chorus join!
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| [N. 51 - Chorus of Nymphs and Swains] | N
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CHORUS OF NYMPHS AND SWAINS
Bless the glad earth with heav'nly lays,
and to that pitch th'eternal accents raise,
that all appear divine!
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