Complete Works of William Congreve
Page 68
And tho’ I know he hates beyond the Grave
Anselmo’s Race; yet if- That If concludes me.
To doubt, when I may be assur’d, is Folly.
But how prevent the Captive Queen, who means
To set him free? Ay, now ’tis plain; O well
Invented Tale! He was Alphonso’s Friend.
This subtle Woman will amuze the King,
If I delay- ‘twill do- or better so.
One to my Wish. Alonzo, thou art welcome. -
Enter ALONZO. -
ALON. The King expects your Lordship.
GONS. ’Tis no matter.
I’m not i’th’ Way at present, good Alonzo.
ALON. If’t please your Lordship, I’ll return, and say
I have not seen you.
GONS. Do, my best Alonzo.
Yet stay, I would- but go; anon will serve-
Yet I have that requires thy speedy help.
I think thou would’st not stop to do me Service.
ALON. I am your Creature.
GONS. Say thou art my Friend.
I’ve seen thy Sword do Noble Execution.
ALON. All that it can, you Lordship shall command.
GONS. Thanks; and I take thee at thy Word. Thou’st seen,
Among the Followers of the Captive Queen,
Dumb Men, that make their Meaning known by Signs.
ALON. I have, my Lord.
GONS. Could’st thou procure with Speed
And Privacy, the wearing Garb of one
Of those, tho’ purchas’d by his Death, I’d give
Thee such Reward, as should exceed thy Wish.
ALON. Conclude it done. Where shall I wait your Lordship?
GONS. At my Appartment. Use thy utmost diligence;
Away, I’ve not been seen- haste, good Alonzo. [Ex. ALON.]
So, this can hardly fail. Alphonso slain,
The greatest Obstacle is then remov’d.
Almeria widow’d, yet again may wed;
And I yet fix the Crown on Garcia’s Head. [Exit.]
The Masque
Covent Garden in the seventeenth century — Congreve became a disciple of John Dryden, whom he met through gatherings of literary circles held at Will’s Coffeehouse in the Covent Garden District of London.
The Judgement of Paris
Vincis utramque Venus.
OV. ART. AM. L. 1.
Set severally to Musick, by Mr. John Eccles, Mr. Finger, Mr. Purcel, and Mr. Weldon.
Invitat pretiis animos, & praemia ponit.
VIRG. AEN. 5.
Nemo ex hoc Numero — non donatus abibit.
IBID.
THE JUDGMENT OF PARIS. A MASQUE.
The SCENE is a Landskip of a beautiful Pasture supposed on Mount Ida. The Shepherd Paris is seen seated under a Tree, and playing on his Pipe; his Crook and Scrip, &c. lying by him. While a Symphony is playing, Mercury descends with his Caduceus in one Hand, and an Apple of Gold in the other: After the Symphony he sings.
MERCURY.
FRom high Olympus and the Realms above,
Behold I come the Messenger of Jove;
His dread Commands I bear,
Shepherd arise and hear;
Arise and leave a while thy Rural care.
Forbear thy woolly Flock to feed,
And lay aside thy tuneful Reed;
For thou to greater Honours art decreed.
PARIS.
O Hermes I thy Godhead know,
By thy winged Heels and Head,
By thy Rod that wakes the Dead,
And guides the Shades below.
Say wherefore dost thou seek this humble Plain,
To greet a lowly Swain?
What does the mighty Thunderer Ordain?
MERCURY.
This Radiant Fruit behold,
More bright then burnish’d Gold;
Three Goddesses for this Contend,
See now they descend,
And this way they bend.
Shepherd take the Golden Prize,
Yield it to the brightest Eyes.
(Juno, Pallas, and Venus, are seen at a distance descending in several Machines.)
PARIS.
O Ravishing Delight!
What Mortal can support the Sight?
Alas too weak is Human Brain,
So much Rapture to Sustain.
I faint, I fall, O take me hence,
Ere Ecstacy invades my aking Sense:
Help me Hermes or I dye,
Save me from Excess of Joy.
MERCURY.
Fear not Mortal, none shall harm thee,
With my Sacred Rod I’le Charm thee;
Freely gaze and view all over,
Thou may’st every Grace discover.
Though a thousand Darts fly round thee,
Fear not Mortal, none shall wound thee.
For two Parts. Paris.
Happy thou of Human Race,
Gods with thee would change their place;
With no God I’d change my Place,
Happy I of Human Race.
(Mercury ascends.)
While a Symphony is playing, Juno descends from her Machine, after the Symphony she Sings.
JUNO.
Saturnia, Wife of Thundring Jove am I,
Belov’d by him, and Empress of the Sky;
Shepherd fix on me thy wondring Sight,
Beware, and view me well, and judge aright.
(Symphony for Pallas.)
PALLAS.
This way Mortal bend thy Eyes,
Pallas claims the golden Prize;
A Virgin Goddess free from Stain,
And Queen of Arts, and Arms I Reign.
(Symphony for Venus.)
VENUS.
Hither turn thee gentle Swain,
Let not Venus sue in vain;
Venus rules the Gods above,
Love rules them, and she rules Love,
Hither turn thee gentle Swain.
PALLAS.
Hither turn to me again;
JUNO.
Turn to me for I am she,
ALL 3.
To me, to me, for I am she,
VENUS.
Hither turn thee Gentle Swain
JUNO. PALL.
She will deceive thee,
VENUS.
They will deceive thee, I’le never leave thee,
Chorus of all 3.
Hither turn to me again,
To me, to me, for I am she
Hither turn thee Gentle Swain.
PARIS.
I.
Distracted I turn, but I cannot decide,
So equal a Title sure never was try’d,
United your Beauties, so dazle the Sight,
That lost in amaze,
I giddily gaze,
Confus’d and o’rewhelm’d with a Torrent of Light.
II.
Apart let me View then each Heavenly fair,
For three at a time there’s no Mortal can bear;
And since a gay Robe an ill shape may disguise,
When each is undrest.
I’le judge of the best,
For tis not a face that must carry the Prize.
JUNO Sings.
I.
Let Ambition fire thy Mind,
Thou wert born o’re Men to Reign,
Not to follow Flocks design’d,
Scorn thy Crook, and leave the Plain.
II.
Crowns I’le throw beneath thy Feet,
Thou on Necks of Kings shalt tread,
Joys in Circles Joys shall meet,
Which way ere thy fancy’s Lead.
III.
Let not Toyls of Empire fright,
(Toils of Empire pleasures are)
Thou shalt only know delight,
All the Joy, but not the Care.
IV.
Shepherd if thoul’t yield the Prize,
For the Blessings I bestow,
Joyful I’le a
scend the Skies,
Happy thou shalt Reign below.
CHORUS.
Let Ambition fire thy Mind,
Thou wert born o’re Men to Reign,
Not to follow Flocks design’d,
Scorn thy Crook and leave the Plain.
PALLAS Sings alone.
I.
Awake, awake, thy Spirits raise,
Wast not thus thy youthful days,
Pipeing, Toying,
Nymphs decoying,
Lost in wanton and Inglorious ease.
II.
Hark, Hark! the glorious Voice of War,
Calls aloud for Arms prepare,
Drums are beating,
Rocks repeating,
Martial Musick charms the joyful Air.
Symphony.
PALLAS Sings.
O what Joys does Conquest yield!
When returning from the Field,
Oh how glorious ’tis to see
The Godlike Hero Crown’d with Victory!
Lawrel Wreaths his Head surrounding,
Banners waveing in the Wind,
Fame her golden Trumpet sounding,
Every Voice in Chorus joyn’d;
To me kind Swain the Prize resign,
And Fame and Conquest shall be thine:
CHORUS.
O how glorious ’tis to see,
The God-like Hero Crown’d with Victory!
(Symphony.)
VENUS Sings alone.
Stay lovely Youth, delay thy Choice,
Take heed lest empty Names enthrall thee,
Attend to Cythereas Voice;
Lo! I who am Loves Mother call thee.
Far from thee be anxious Care:
And racking Thoughts that vex the Great,
Empires but a guilded Snare,
And fickle is the Warriours Fate;
One only Joy Mankind can know,
And Love alone can that bestow.
CHORUS.
One only Joy, &c.
VENUS Sings.
I.
Nature fram’d thee sure for Loving,
Thus adorn’d with every Grace;
Venus self thy Form approving,
Looks with Pleasure on thy Face.
II.
Happy Nymph who shall enfold thee,
Circled in her yielding Arms!
Should bright Hellen once behold thee,
She’d surrender all her Charms.
III.
Fairest she, all Nymphs transcending,
That the Sun himself has seen,
Were she for the Crown contending,
Thou wou’dst own her beauties Queen.
IV.
Gentle Shepherd if my Pleading,
Can from thee the Prize obtain,
Love himself thy Conquest aiding,
Thou that Matchless Fair shalt gain.
PARIS.
I yield, I yield, O take the Prize,
And cease, O cease, th’ inchanting Song;
All Loves Darts are in thy Eyes,
And Harmony falls from thy Tongue.
Forbear O Goddess of desire,
Thus my ravish’d Soul to move,
Forbear to fan the raging Fire,
And be propitious to my Love.
Here Paris gives to Venus the golden Apple. Several Cupids descend, the three Graces alight from the Chariot of Venus, they call the Howrs, who assemble; with all the Attendants on Venus. All joyn in a Circle round her, and sing the last grand Chorus; while Juno and Pallas ascend.
GRAND CHORUS.
Hither all ye Graces, all ye Loves;
Hither all ye hours resort,
Billing Sparrows, Cooing Doves;
Come all the train of Venus Court.
Sing all great Cythereas Name;
Over Empire, over Fame,
Her Victory proclaim.
Sing and spread the joyful News around,
The Queen of Love, is Queen of Beauty Cround.
FINIS.
The Opera
London’s Theatre Royal, Drury Lane today — Congreve’s first play was produced at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in 1693.
Semele
CONTENTS
ARGUMENT INTRODUCTORY TO THE OPERA.
PERSONS REPRESENTED.
ACT I. SCENE I.
SCENE II.
SCENE III.
SCENE IV.
ACT II. SCENE I.
SCENE II.
SCENE III.
SCENE IV.
ACT III. SCENE I.
SCENE II.
SCENE III.
SCENE IV.
SCENE V.
SCENE VI.
SCENE VII.
SCENE VIII.
SCENE IX.
A Natura discedimus: populo nos damus, nullius rei bono
auctori, & in hac re, sicut in omnibus, inconstantissimo.
SENECA. E.
ARGUMENT INTRODUCTORY TO THE OPERA.
AFTER 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 o f 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 utte r Ruin.
This Fable is related i n Ovid. Metam. L. 3 but there Juno is said to impose on Semele in the Shape of an old Woman, he r 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 i n 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 an d 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 Emphatica l Tones.
PERSONS REPRESENTED.
Jupiter.
Cadmus, King o f Thebes.
Athamas, A Prince of Bœotia, in love with and design’d to marr y Semele.
Somnus.
Apollo.
Cupid.
Zephyrs.
Loves.
Shepherds.
Satyrs.
Juno.
Iris.
Semele, Daughter to Cadmus, beloved by and in Love wit h Jupiter.
Ino, Sister to Semele, in Love wit h Athamas.
Shepherdesses.
Chief Priests of Juno, other Priests an d Augurs.
Scene: Bœotia
ACT I. SCENE I.
The Scene is the Temple of Juno, near the Altar is a Golden Image of th e 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, an d Ino.
1s t Priest. BEHOLD! auspicious Flashes rise;
Juno accepts our Sacrifice;
The grateful Odour swift ascends,
And see, the Golden Image bends.
1st and 2 d 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 ne w Delay.
Atha. O hear a faithful Lover’s pray’r;
On this auspicious Day
Invent no ne w Delay.
Cad. an d Atha. Hear, and obey;
Invent no new Delay
On this auspiciou s 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
Suc h 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.