Page:Aida Libretto English.djvu/15

O'er my brothers! e'en now I see him stained
With their blood so cherished, 'mid the
Clamorous triumph of Egyptian battalions!
Behind his chariot a king, my father comes,
His fettered captive!
Ye Gods watching o'er me,
Those words deem unspoken;
A father restore me.
His daughter heart-broken;
Oh, scatter their armies,
For ever crush our foe!
What wild words do I utter? of my affection
Have I no recollection?
That sweet love that consoled me, a captive pining,
Like some bright sunny ray on my sad lot shining!
Shall I invoke destruction on the man
For whom with love I languish?
Ah! ne'er yet on this earth lived one
Whose heart was crushed beneath such anguish!
The names so holy of father, of lover,
No more dare I utter or e'en recall,
Abashed and trembling, to Heaven would hover
My prayers for both, for both my tears would fall.
Ah, woe! transformed seemed my prayers to blaspheming,
To suffer is a crime, dark sin to weep.
My senses lost, wrapt in deep night are dreaming.
To my grave would in sorrow I might creep!
Merciful Gods, look from on high!
Pity these tears hopelessly shed,
Love! mystic power, mystic and dread,
Break, break my weak heart, let me now die!

SCENE V.

Interior of the Temple of Vulcan at Memphis.—A mysterious light from above.—A long row of columns, one behind the other, vanishing in distance.—Statues of various Deities.—In the middle of the stage, above a platform covered with carpet, rises the altar, surmounted with sacred emblems.—Golden tripods emitting the fumes of incense. Priests and Priestesses.—Ramphis at the foot of the altar.—Afterwards Radames.—The singing of the Priestesses is heard from within with harp accompaniment.

Priestesses (Within).

Hail, mighty, hail, mighty Phthà! that wakest
In all things breathing life, hail!
Lo! we invoke thee!
Hail, mighty Phtha! that makest
All fruitful things grow rife,
Lo! we invoke thee!
Flame, uncreated, eternal!
Fount of all light above,
Lo! we invoke thee!

Priests.

Hail, thou who madest all things created,
Earth, water, heaven,
Lo! we invoke thee!
Thou, who of thine own nature
Art son as well as sire,
Lo! we invoke thee!
Life-giver universal,
Great gift of boundless love,
Lo! we invoke thee!

(Radames enters unarmed.—While he is proceeding to the altar the Priestesses (dancers) perform a sacred dance.—A silver veil is placed on the head of Radames.)

Ramphis.

To thee, god-favoured mortal, is now confided
All the welfare of Egypt. The weapon tempered
By hand immortal, in thy grasp is destined
To deal on thy foes ruin and carnage.

(Turning to the God.)

Hear us, oh, guardian deity,
Our sacred land protecting,
Thy mighty hand extending,
Danger, danger, to Egypt ward!

Radames.

Lord o'er each mortal destiny,
War's dreadful course directing,
Aid unto Egypt sending,
Keep o'er her children guard!

(During the investiture of Radames with his sacred arms, the Priests and Priestesses reassume the religious hymn and the mystic dance.)

END OF THE FIRST ACT.