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O hear a faithful lover's pray'r;

on this auspicious day

invent no new delay.

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.

(da capo)

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. ~

On me fair Ino calls

with mournful accent,

her colour fading,

and her eyes o'erflowing!

O Semele!

Thou hast undone me.

Of all; but all, I fear, in vain.

Can I thy woes relieve?

Of all; but all, I fear, in vain.

(apart)

Thy aid, pronubial Juno, Athamas implores.

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.

Turn, hopeless lover, turn thy eyes,

and see a maid bemoan,

in flowing tears and aking sighs,

thy woes, too like her own.

She weeps!

The gentle maid, in tender pity,

weeps to behold my misery!

So Semele wou'd melt

to see another mourn.

Your tuneful voice my tale would tell,

in pity of my sad despair;

and with sweet melody compel

attention from the flying fair.

(da capo)

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.

Ah me, what have I heard!

She does her passion own.

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.

With my life I wou'd atone

pains you've borne,

to me unknown.

Cease, cease to shun me.

You've undone me,

look not on me.

Cease, cease to shun me:

love, love alone

has both undone.

Can fate, or Semele invent

another, yet another punishment?

O prodigy, to me of dire portent!

To me, I hope, of fortunate event.

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?

Say, where is Semele's abode?

'Till that I know,

tho' thou hadst on lightning rode,

still thou tedious art and slow.

No more ~ I'll hear no more!

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.

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)

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.

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.

Somnus, awake,

raise thy reclining head.

Peace, Iris, peace, I know how to charm him:

Pasithea's name alone can warm him.

Somnus, arise,

disclose thy tender eyes;

for Pasithea's sight

endure the light:

Somnus, arise.

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.

To me thy leaden rod resign,

to charm the sentinels

on mount Cithaeron.

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.

(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.

(to Semele)

Do I some goddess see!

Or is it Semele?

Your charms improving

to divine perfection,

shew you were late admitted

amongst celestial beauties.

Has Jove consented?

And are you made immortal?

(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.

(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.

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.

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.

Rich odours fill the fragrant air,

and Jove's approach declare.

I must retire. ~

(apart)

And sure destruction will ensue.

Vain wretched Fool ~

to her.

Adieu.

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.

(da capo)

(She ascends.)

Of my ill boding dream

behold the dire event.

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.

Unworthy of your charms, myself I yield;

be Jove's commands and yours fulfill'd.

Despair no more shall wound me,

since you so kind do prove.

All joy and bliss surround me,

my soul is tun'd to love.

(da capo)