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
