Aida/Act I
AIDA
ACT I.
SCENE I.
Hall in the Palace of the King at Memphis.—To the right and left a Colonnade with statues and flowering shrubs.—At the back a grand gate, from which may be seen the temples and palaces of Memphis, and the Pyramids.
Radames and Ramphis.
Ramphis.
Yes, it is rumored that the Ethiop dares once
Again our power in the valley of Nilus,
Threaten as well as Thebes. The truth from
Messengers I soon shall know.
Radames.
Hast thou consulted
The will of Isis?
Ramphis.
She has declared
Who of Egypt's renowned
Armies shall be leader.
Radames.
Oh, happy mortal!
Ramphis.
(Looking significantly at Radames.)
Young in years is he and dauntless.
The dread commandment I to the king shall take.
Radames.
What if 'tis I am chosen,
Ah my dream be now accomplished!
Of a glorious army
I the chosen leader—mine glorious victory—
By Memphis received in triumph
To thee returned, Aida, my brow entwined with laurel—
Tell thee, for thee I battled, for thee I conquered!
Heav'nly Aida, beauty resplendent,
Radiant flower blooming and bright;
Queenly thou reignest o'er me transcendent,
Bathing my spirit in beauty's light.
Would that thy bright skies once more beholding,
Breathing the soft airs of thy native land;
Round thy fair brow a diadem folding,
Thine were a throne next the sun to stand.
SCENE II.
Amneris and the same.
Amneris.
In thy visage I trace a joy unwonted!
What martial ardour is beaming in thy noble glances!
Ah me! how worthy were of all envy the woman whose dearly wish'd-for presence
Could have power to kindle in thee such rapture!
Radames.
A dream of proud ambition
In my heart I was nursing—Isis this day
Has declared my name the warrior chief appointed
To lead to battle Egypt's hosts,—ah, for this honour
Say what if I were chosen!
Amneris.
Has not another vision,
One more sweet, more enchanting,
Found favour in your heart? Is there in
Memphis no attraction more charming!
Radames.
I!—(fatal question!)
(Has she the secret yearning
Divined within me burning!
Have then these eyes betrayed me
And told Aida's name!)
Amneris.
(Ah woe, my love if spurning
His heart to another were turning,
Woe if hope should false have played me,
And bootless prove my flame!)
SCENE III.
Aida and the same.
Radames.
Aida!
Amneris.
(He is troubled—ne'er lover
Gazed with more raptured eyes!
Aida! should I discover
One who with me now vies?)
Come hither, thou I dearly prize—
Slave art thou none, nor menial,
Here have I made by fondest ties
Sister, a name more genial,
Weep'st thou? the secret let me know
Wherefore thy tears, yes,
Wherefore thy tears now flow!
Aida.
Alas! the cry of war I hear,
Vast hosts I see assemble.
Therefore the country's fate I fear,
For me, for all I tremble.
Amneris.
And art thou sure no deeper woe
Now bids thy tears to flow?
(Aida casts down her eyes and hides her emotion.)
(Tremble, O thou base vassal!
Lest thy secret stain is detected!
All in vain thou wouldst dissemble,
By tear and blush betrayed!)
Aida.
(No! fate o'er Egypt looming
Weighs down on my heart dejected,
I wept that love thus was dooming
To woe a hapless maid.)
Radames.
(Her glance with anger flashing
Proclaims our love suspected.
Woe if my hopes all dashing,
She mar the plans I've laid.)
SCENE IV.
King.
Mighty the cause that summons
Round the king the faithful sons of Egypt.
From the Ethiop's land a messenger
This moment has reached us, news of grave import
Brings he—be pleased to hear him!
Bring the news-bearer forward.
Messenger.
The sacred regions of Egyptian soil
Is by Ethiops invaded, our fertile fields
Lie all devastated, destroyed our harvest!
Emboldened by so easy a victory the plundering hordes
To the Capital are marching.
All.
Presumptuous daring!
Messenger.
They are led by a warrior as fierce
As he is dauntless—Amonasro.
All.
The king!
Aida.
(My father!)
Messenger.
All Thebes has risen, and from her hundred portals
Has poured on the invader a torrent fierce
Fraught with relentless carnage.
King.
Yes, death and battle be our rallying cry!
All.
Battle! battle!
King.
And carnage, war unrelenting!
Isis, revered goddess,
Already has appointed the warrior chief,
With power supreme invested—
Radames!
All.
Radames!
Radames.
Ye Gods, I thank you!
My dearest wish is crowned!
Amneris.
(Our leader!)
Aida.
(I tremble.)
King.
Now unto Vulcan's temple,
Warrior brave, there to gird thee to victory,
Donning sacred armour.
Up! of Nilus' sacred river
Guard the shores Egyptians brave
Unto death the foe deliver,
Egypt they never shall enslave.
Ramphis and Priests.
Glory render, glory abiding,
To our gods all mortals guiding;
Peace or war alone deciding,
Their protection let us crave.
Chorus.
Up of Nilus' sacred river
Guard the shores, Egyptians brave,
Unto death the foe deliver:
Egypt they never shall enslave.
Radames.
Glory's sacred thirst now claims me,
Only war alone inflames me,
On to vict'ry, naught we stay for!
Death and battle we'll wreak on the foe!
Amneris.
From my hand, thou warrior glorious,
Take thy standard aye victorious,
Let it ever lead the way
For thy opponent's overthrow.
Aida.
(Whom to weep for? whom to pray for?
Ah! what power to him now binds me!
Doom'd to love him though all reminds
That I love my country's foe.)
All.
Battle, battle, we'll hunt the invader down!
On! Radames, thy brow may laurels crown!
Aida.
Thy brow may laurels crown! what! can my lips
Pronounce language so impious! wish him
Victor o'er my father! o'er him who wages war
But that I may be restored to my country,
To my kingdom, to the high station
I now perforce dissemble! wish him conqueror
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.
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!
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.
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!
END OF THE FIRST ACT.