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| A Natura discedimus: populo nos damus, nullius rei bono auctori, et in hac re, sicut in omnibus, inconstantissimo. | |
| Seneca. Ep. 99. | |
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| [Ouverture - Gavotte] |  N 
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Scene 1 |
The scene is the temple of Juno, near the altar is a golden image of the 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, Ino and Chorus of priests. |
Q
Cadmus, Athamas, Semele, Ino, Priests
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| [N. 1 - Accompagnato] | N
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1ST PRIEST |
Behold! auspicious flashes rise;
Juno accepts our sacrifice;
the grateful odour swift ascends,
and see, the golden image bends.
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| [N. 2 - Chorus of Priests] | N
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1ST PRIEST AND 2ND PRIEST
Lucky omens bless our rites,
and sure success shall crown your loves;
peaceful days and fruitfull nights
attend the pair that she approves.
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| [N. 3 - Recitative, arioso and duet] | N
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CADMUS |
Daughter, obey,
hear, and obey.
With kind consenting
ease a parent's care;
invent no new delay.
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ATHAMAS |
O hear a faithful lover's pray'r;
on this auspicious day
invent no new delay.
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CADMUS AND ATHAMAS
Hear, and obey;
invent no new delay
on this auspicious day.
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| [N. 4 - Accompagnato] | N
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SEMELE |
(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 such perfidy.
If I deny, my father's wrath I fear.
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| [N. 5 - Air] | N
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O Jove, in pity teach me which to chuse,
incline me to comply, or help me to refuse.
Teach me which to chuse,
or help me to refuse!
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| [N. 6 - Air] | N
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The morning lark to mine accords his note,
and tunes to my distress his warbling throat.
Each setting and each rising sun I mourn,
wailing alike his absence and return.
(da capo)
| S
 (♦)
(♦)
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| [N. 7 - Recitative] | N
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ATHAMAS |
See, she blushing turns her eyes:
see, with sighs her bosom panting:
if from love those sighs arise,
nothing to my bliss is wanting.
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| [N. 8 - Air] | N
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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)
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| [N. 9 - Recitative] | N
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INO |
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. ~
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ATHAMAS |
On me fair Ino calls
with mournful accent,
her colour fading,
and her eyes o'erflowing!
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INO |
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SEMELE |
On me she calls,
yet seems to shun me!
What would my sister?
Speak. ~
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INO |
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| [N. 10 - Quartet] | N
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CADMUS |
Why dost thou thus untimely grieve,
and all our solemn rites prophane?
Can he, or she, thy woes relieve?
Or I? Of whom dost thou complain?
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INO |
Of all; but all, I fear, in vain.
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ATHAMAS |
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SEMELE |
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CADMUS, ATHAMAS, SEMELE |
Of whom dost thou complain?
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INO |
Of all; but all, I fear, in vain.
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| It lightens, and thunder is heard at a distance; then, a noise of rain; the fire is suddenly extigush'd on the altar: the Chief Priest comes forward. | |
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| [N. 11 - Chorus of Priests] | N
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CHORUS OF PRIESTS
Avert these omens, all ye pow'rs!
Some god averse our holy rites controlls,
o'erwhelming with sudden night, the day expires!
Ill-boding thunder on the right hand rolls,
and Jove himself descends in show'rs,
to quench our late propitious fires.
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| Flames are again kindled on the altar, and the statue nods. | |
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| [N. 12 - Accompagnato] | N
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2ND PRIEST |
Again auspicious flashes rise,
Juno accepts our sacrifice.
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| Flames are again kindled on the altar, and the statue nods. | |
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3RD PRIEST |
Again the sickly flame decaying dies:
Juno assents, but angry Jove denies.
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| The fire is again extinguish'd. | |
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| [N. 13 - Recitative] | N
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ATHAMAS |
(apart)
Thy aid, pronubial Juno, Athamas implores.
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SEMELE |
(apart)
Thee Jove, and thee alone, Semele adores.
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| A loud clap of thunder; the altar sinks. | |
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| [N. 14 - Chorus of Priests] | N
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CHORUS OF PRIESTS
Cease, cease your vows, 'tis impious to proceed;
be gone, and fly this holy place with speed:
this dreadful conflict is of dire presage;
be gone, and fly from Jove's impending rage.
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| All but the priests come forward. The scene closes on the priests, and shews to view the front and outside of the temple. Cadmus leads off Semele, attendants follow. Athamas and Ino remain. | Cadmus, Semele, Priests ->
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Scene 2 |
Athamas and Ino. |
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| [N. 15 - Recitative] | N
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ATHAMAS |
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.
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| [N. 16 - Air] | N
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INO
Turn, hopeless lover, turn thy eyes,
and see a maid bemoan,
in flowing tears and aking sighs,
thy woes, too like her own.
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| [N. 17 - Recitative] | N
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ATHAMAS |
She weeps!
The gentle maid, in tender pity,
weeps to behold my misery!
So Semele wou'd melt
to see another mourn.
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| [N. 18 - Air] | N
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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)
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| [N. 19 - Recitative] | N
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INO |
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.
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ATHAMAS |
Ah me, what have I heard!
She does her passion own.
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INO |
What, had I not despair'd,
you never shou'd have known.
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| [N. 20 - Duet] | N
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You've undone me;
look not on me;
guilt upbraiding,
shame invading;
look not on me;
you've undone me.
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ATHAMAS |
With my life I wou'd atone
pains you've borne,
to me unknown.
Cease, cease to shun me.
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INO |
You've undone me,
look not on me.
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ATHAMAS |
Cease, cease to shun me:
love, love alone
has both undone.
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INO, ATHAMAS |
Love, love alone
has both undone.
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Scene 3 |
To them enter Cadmus attended. |
<- Cadmus, Attendants
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| [N. 21 - Recitative] | N
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CADMUS |
Ah, wretched prince, doom'd to disastrous love!
Ah me, of parents most forlorn!
Prepare, o Athamas, to prove
the sharpest pangs that e'er were born:
prepare with me our common loss to mourn.
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ATHAMAS |
Can fate, or Semele invent
another, yet another punishment?
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| [N. 22 - Accompagnato] | N
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CADMUS |
Wing'd with our fears, and pious haste,
from Juno's fane we fled;
scarce we the brazen gates had pass'd,
when Semele around her head
with azure flames was grac'd,
whose lambent glories in her tresses play'd.
While this we saw with dread surprize,
swifter than lightning downwards tending
an eagle stoopt, of mighty size,
on purple wings descending;
like gold his beak, like stars shone forth his eyes,
his silver plumy breast with snow contending:
sudden he snatch'd the trembling maid,
and soaring from our sight convey'd;
diffusing ever as he lessening flew
celestial odour, and ambrosial dew.
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| [N. 23 - Recitative] | N
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ATHAMAS |
O prodigy, to me of dire portent!
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INO |
To me, I hope, of fortunate event.
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Scene 4 |
Enter to them the Chief Priest, with Augurs and other Priests. |
<- Chief priest, Augurs, Priests
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| [N. 24 - Recitative] | N
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CADMUS |
See, see Jove's priests and holy augurs come:
speak, speak, of Semele and me declare the doom.
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| [N. 25 - Chorus of Priests and Augurs] | N
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CHORUS OF PRIESTS AND AUGURS
Hail Cadmus, hail!
Jove salutes the Theban king.
Cease your mourning,
joys returning,
songs of mirth and triumph sing.
Hail Cadmus, hail!
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| | <- Semele
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| [N. 26 - Air and Chorus] | N
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SEMELE
Endless pleasure, endless love
Semele enjoys above;
on her bosom Jove reclining,
useless now his thunder lies,
to her arms his bolts resigning,
and his lightning to her eyes.
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CHORUS OF PRIESTS AND AUGURS
Endless pleasure, endless love
Semele enjoys above.
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| (Exeunt Omnes.) | Chief priest, Augurs, Priests, Ino, Athamas, Cadmus, Attendants ->
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