SEMELE.
My Beroe! What art thou murmuring there?
JUNO. (In confusion.) Nothing, my Semele! Black gall torments Me also--Yes! a sharp, reproachful look With lovers often pa.s.ses as black gall-- Yet ox-eyes, after all, are not so ugly.
SEMELE.
Oh, Beroe, for shame! they"re quite the worst That any head can possibly contain!
And then her cheeks of green and yellow hues, The obvious penalty of poisonous envy-- Zeus oft complains to me that that same shrew Each night torments him with her nauseous love, And with her jealous whims,--enough, I"m sure, Into Ixion"s wheel to turn all heaven.
JUNO. (Raving up and down in extreme confusion.) No more of this!
SEMELE. What, Beroe! So angry?
Have I said more than what is true? Said more Than what is wise?
JUNO. Thou hast said more, young woman, Than what is true--said more than what is wise!
Deem thyself truly blest, if thy blue eyes Smile thee not into Charon"s bark too soon!
Saturnia has her altars and her temples, And wanders amongst mortals--that great G.o.ddess Avenges naught so bitterly as scorn
SEMELE.
Here let her wander, and give birth to scorn!
What is"t to me?--My Jupiter protects My every hair,--what harm can Juno do?
But now, enough of this, my Beroe!
Zeus must appear to-day in all his glory; And if Saturnia should on that account Find out the path to Orcus--
JUNO. (Aside.) That same path Another probably will find before her, If but Kronion"s lightning hits the mark!-- (To Semele.) Yes, Semele, she well may burst with envy When Cadmus" daughter, in the sight of Greece, Ascends in triumph to Olympus" heights!--
SEMELE. (Smiling gently.) Thinkest thou they"ll hear in Greece of Cadmus" daughter?
JUNO. From Sidon to Athens the trumpet of fame Shall ring with no other but Semele"s name!
The G.o.ds from the heavens shall even descend, And before thee their knees in deep homage shall bend, While mortals in silent submission abide The will of the giant-destroyer"s loved bride; And when distant years shall see Thy last hour--
SEMELE. (Springing up, and falling on her neck.) Oh, Beroe!
JUNO. Then a tablet white shall bear This inscription graven there: Here is worshipped Semele!
Who on earth so fair as she?
She who from Olympus" throne Lured the thunder-hurler down!
She who, with her kisses sweet, Laid him prostrate at her feet!
And when fame on her thousand wings bears it around, The echo from valley and hill shall resound.
SEMELE. (Beside herself.) Pythia! Apollo! Hear!
When, oh when will he appear?
JUNO. And on smoking altars they Rites divine to thee shall pay--
SEMELE. (Inspired.) I will harken to their prayer, And will drive away their care,-- Quench with my tears the lightning of great Jove, His breast to pity with entreaty move!
JUNO. (Aside.) Poor thing! that wilt thou ne"er have power to do. (Meditating.) Ere long will melt . . . yet--yet--she called me ugly!-- No pity only when in Tartarus!
(To Semele.) Fly now, my love! Make haste to leave this spot, That Zeus may not observe thee--Let him wait Long for thy coming, that he with more fire May languish for thee--
SEMELE. Beroe! The heavens Have chosen thee their mouthpiece! Happy I!
The G.o.ds from Olympus shall even descend, And before me their knees in deep homage shall bend, While mortals in silent submission abide-- But hold!--"tis time for me to haste away!
[Exit hurriedly.
JUNO. (Looking after her with exultation.) Weak, proud, and easily-deluded woman!
His tender looks shall be consuming fire-- His kiss, annihilation--his embrace, A raging tempest to thee! Human frames Are powerless to endure the dreaded presence Of him who wields the thunderbolt on high!
(With raving ecstasy.) Ha! when her waxen mortal body melts Within the arms of him, the fire-distilling, As melts the fleecy snow before the heat Of the bright sun--and when the perjured one In place of his soft tender bride, embraces A form of terror--with what ecstasy Shall I gaze downwards from Cithaeron"s height, Exclaiming, so that in his hand the bolt Shall quake: "For shame, Saturnius! Fie, for shame!
What need is there for thee to clasp so roughly?"
[Exit hastily.
(A, Symphony.)
SCENE II.
The Hall as before.--Sudden brightness.
ZEUS in the shape of a youth.--MERCURY in the distance.
ZEUS.
Thou son of Maia!
MERCURY. (Kneeling, with his head bowed reverentially.) Zeus!
ZEUS. Up! Hasten! Turn Thy pinions" flight toward far Scamander"s bank!
A shepherd there is weeping o"er the grave Of his loved shepherdess. No one shall weep When Zeus is loving: Call the dead to life!
MERCURY. (Rising.) Let but thy head a nod almighty give, And in an instant I am there,--am back In the same instant--
ZEUS. Stay! As I o"er Argos Was flying, from my temples curling rose The sacrificial smoke: it gave me joy That thus the people worship me--so fly To Ceres, to my sister,--thus speaks Zeus: "Ten-thousandfold for fifty years to come Let her reward the Argive husbandmen!"--
MERCURY.
With trembling haste I execute thy wrath,-- With joyous speed thy messages of grace, Father of all! For to the deities "Tis bliss to make man happy; to destroy him Is anguish to the G.o.ds. Thy will be done!
Where shall I pour into thine ears their thanks,-- Below in dust, or at thy throne on high?
ZEUS.
Here at my throne on earth--within the palace, Of Semele! Away! [Exit Mercury.
Does she not come, As is her wont, Olympus" mighty king To clasp against her rapture-swelling breast?
Why hastens not my Semele to meet me?
A vacant, deathlike, fearful silence reigns On every side around the lonely palace, So wont to ring with wild bacchantic shouts-- No breath is stirring--on Cithaeron"s height Exulting Juno stands. Will Semele Never again make haste to meet her Zeus?
(A pause, after which he continues.) Ha! Can yon impious one perchance have dared To set her foot in my love"s sanctuary?-- Saturnia--Mount Cithaeron--her rejoicings Fearful foreboding!--Semele--yet peace!-- Take courage!--I"m thy Zeus! the scattered heavens Shall learn, my Semele, that I"m thy Zeus!
Where is the breath of air that dares presume Roughly to blow on her whom Zeus calls His?
I scoff at all her malice.--Where art thou, O Semele? I long have pined to rest My world-tormented head upon thy breast,-- To lull my wearied senses to repose From the wild storm of earthly joys and woes,-- To dream away the emblems of my might, My reins, my tiller, and my chariot bright, And live for naught beyond the joys of love!
Oh heavenly inspiration, that can move Even the G.o.ds divine! What is the blood Of mighty Ura.n.u.s--what all the flood Of nectar and ambrosia--what the throne Of high Olympus--what the power I own, The golden sceptre of the starry skies-- What the omnipotence that never dies, What might eternal, immortality-- What e"en a G.o.d, oh love, if reft of thee?
The shepherd who, beside the murmuring brooks, Leans on his true love"s breast, nor cares to look After his straying lambs, in that sweet hour Envies me not my thunderbolt of power!
She comes--she hastens nigh! Pearl of my works, Woman! the artist who created thee Should be adored. "Twas I--myself I worship Zeus worships Zeus, for Zeus created thee.
Ha! Who will now, in all the being-realm, Condemn me? How unseen, yes, how despised Dwindle away my worlds, my constellations So ray-diffusing, all my dancing systems, What wise men call the music of my spheres!-- How dead are all when weighed against a soul!
(Semele approaches, without looking up.) My pride! my throne on earth! Oh Semele!
(He rushes towards her; she seeks to fly.) Thou flyest?--art mute?--Ha! Semele! thou flyest?
SEMELE. (Repulsing him.) Away!