The scene represents the same country; Pandora inanimate reclining in the alcove; a flaming chariot descends from heaven.
PROMETHEUS, PANDORA, NYMPHS, TITANS, ETC.
A DRYAD.
Ye woodland nymphs, rise from your fair abode,
And sing the praises of the demi-god;
Who returns from above
In the chariot of love?
CHORUS OF NYMPHS.
Ye verdant lawns, and opening flowers,
Ye springs which lavish nature’s powers;
Ye hills that bear the impending sky,
Put on your fairest forms to meet his eye.
PROMETHEUS.
[Descending from the chariot, with a torch in his hand.
Ravished from heaven I bring to happier earth
Love’s sacred flame, more brilliant than the light
Of glittering day, and to Jove’s boasted thunder
Superior.
CHORUS OF NYMPHS.
Go, thou enlivening, animating soul,
Through nature’s every work, pervade the whole;
To earth, to water, and to air impart,
Thy vivid power, and breathe o’er every heart.
PROMETHEUS.
[Coming near to Pandora.
And may this precious flame inspire thy frame
With life and motion! earth, assist my purpose!
Rise, beauteous object, love commands thee; haste,
Obey his voice; arise, and bless Prometheus!
[Pandora rises, and comes forward.
CHORUS.
She breathes, she lives; O love, how great thy power!
PANDORA.
Whence, and what am I? to what gracious powers
Owe I my life and being?
[A symphony is heard at a distance.
Hark! my ears
Are ravished with enchanting sounds; my eyes
With beauteous objects filled on every side:
What wonders hath my kind creator spread
Around me! O where is he? I have thought
And reason to enlighten me: O earth,
Thou art not my mother; some benignant god
Produced me: yes, I feel him in my heart.
[She sits down by the side of a fountain.
What do I see! myself, in this fair fountain,
That doth reflect the face of heaven? the more
I see this image, sure the more I ought
To thank the gods who made me.
NYMPHS AND TITANS.
[Dancing round her.
Fair Pandora,
Daughter of heaven, let thy charms inspire
An equal flame, and fan the mutual fire.
PANDORA.
What lovely object that way draws my eyes?
[To Prometheus.
Of all I see in these delightful mansions,
Nought pleases like thyself; ‘twas thou alone
Who gavest me life, and I will live for thee.
PROMETHEUS.
Before those lovely eyes could see
Their author, they enchanted me;
Before that tongue could speak, Prometheus loved thee.
PANDORA.
Thou lovest me then, dear author of my life,
And my heart owns its master; for to thee
It flies with transport: have I said too much,
Or not enough?
PROMETHEUS.
O thou canst never say
Too much; thou speakest the language of pure love
And nature: thus may lovers always speak!
DUET.
God of my heart, eternal power,
Great love, enliven every hour;
Thy reign begins, and may thy transports prove
The reign of pleasure is the reign of love!
PROMETHEUS.
But hark! the thunder rolls; thick clouds of darkness,
As envious of the earth’s new happiness,
Disturb our joys: what horrors throng around me!
Hark! the earth shakes, and angry lightnings pierce
The vault of heaven: what power thus moves the world
From its foundations?
[A car descends, on which are seated Mercury, Discord, Nemesis, etc.]
MERCURY.
Some rash hand hath stolen
The sacred fire from heaven: to expiate
The dire offence, Pandora, thou must go
Before the high tribunal of the gods.
PROMETHEUS.
O cruel tyrant!
PANDORA.
Dread commands!
MERCURY.
Obey:
Thou must to heaven.
PANDORA.
I was in heaven already,
When I beheld the object of my love.
PROMETHEUS.
Have pity, cruel gods!
PROMETHEUS AND PANDORA.
Barbarians, stay.
MERCURY.
Haste, offenders, haste away,
Jove commands, you must obey:
Bear her, ye winds, to heaven’s eternal mansions.
[The car mounts and disappears.
PROMETHEUS.
The cruel tyrants, jealous of my bliss,
Have torn her from me; she was the lovely work
Of my own hands: I have done more than Jove
Could ever do: Pandora’s charming eyes,
Soon as they opened, told me that she loved:
Thou jealous god! but thou shalt feel my wrath,
And I will brave thy power: for know, usurper,
Less dreadful far will all thy thunders prove,
Than bold Prometheus fired by hopeless love.
End of the Second Act.