The scene represents the palace of Jupiter.
JUPITER, MERCURY.
JUPITER.
O Mercury, I’ve seen this lovely object,
Earth’s fair production; heaven is in her eye,
The graces dwell around her, and my heart
Is sacrificed a victim to her charms.
MERCURY.
And she shall answer to thy love.
JUPITER.
O no:
Terror is mine, and power; I reign supreme
O’er earth, and hell, and heaven; but love alone
Can govern hearts: malicious, cruel fate,
When it divided this fair universe,
Bestowed the better part on mighty love.
MERCURY.
What fearest thou? fair Pandora scarce hath seen
The light of day; and thinkest thou that she loves?
JUPITER.
Love is a passion learned with ease; and what
Cannot Pandora do? she is a woman,
And handsome: but I will retire a moment,
Enchant her eyes, and captivate her heart:
Ye heavens! in vain, alas! ye shine, for nought
Have you so fair, so beauteous as Pandora.
[He retires.
PANDORA.
Scarce have these eyes beheld the light of day,
Scarce have they looked on him I loved, when lo!
‘Tis all snatched from me; death, they say, will come
And take me soon: O I have felt him sure
Already: is not death the sudden loss
Of those we love? O give me back, ye gods,
To earth, to that delightful grove where first
I saw my kind creator, when at once
I breathed and loved: O envied happiness!
[The gods, with their several attributes, come upon the stage.]
CHORUS OF GODS.
Let heaven rejoice
At the glad voice
Of heaven’s eternal king.
NEPTUNE.
Let the sea’s bosom —
PLUTO.
And the depths of hell —
CHORUS OF GODS.
To distant worlds his endless praises tell.
Let heaven rejoice, etc.
PANDORA.
How all conspires to threaten and alarm me!
O how I hate and fear this dazzling splendor!
Another’s merit how can I approve,
Or bear the praise of aught but him I love?
THE THREE GRACES.
Love’s fair daughter, here remain,
Thou in right of him shalt reign;
Heaven thy chosen seat shall be,
Earth in vain shall wish for thee.
PANDORA.
All affrights me,
Nought delights me,
Alas! a desert had more charms for me.
Hence, ye idle visions; cease,
Discordant sounds,
[A Symphony is heard.
And give me peace.
[Jupiter comes forth out of a cloud.
JUPITER.
Thou art the best and fairest charm of nature,
Well worthy of eternity: from earth
Sprang thy weak body; but thy purer soul
Partakes of heaven’s unalterable fire,
And thou wert born for gods alone: with Jove
Taste then the sweets of immortality.
PANDORA.
I scorn thy gift, and rather would be nothing,
From whence I sprang; thy immortality,
Without the lovely object I adore,
Is but eternal punishment.
JUPITER.
Fair creature,
Thou knowest not I am master of the thunder:
Canst thou in heaven look back to earth?
PANDORA.
That earth
Is my abode; there first I learned to love.
JUPITER.
‘Twas but the shadow of it, in a world
Unworthy of that noble flame, which here
Alone can burn unquenchable.
PANDORA.
Great Jove,
Content with glory and with splendor, leave
To earthly lovers happiness and joy:
Thou art a god; O hear my humble prayer!
A gracious god should make his creatures happy.
JUPITER.
Thou shalt be happy, and in thee I hope
For bliss supreme: ye powerful pleasures, you
Who dwell around me, now exert your charms,
Deceive her lovely eyes, and win her heart.
[The Pleasures dance around her and sing.
CHORUS OF PLEASURES.
Thou with us shalt reign and love,
Thou alone art worthy Jove.
A SINGLE VOICE.
Nought has earth but shadows vain,
Of pleasures followed close by pain;
Soon her winged transports fly,
Soon her roses fade and die.
CHORUS.
Thou with us shalt reign and love,
Thou alone art worthy Jove.
SINGLE VOICE.
Here the brisk and sportive hours
Shall cull thee ever-blooming flowers;
Time has no wings, he cannot fly,
And love is joined to immortality.
CHORUS.
Thou with us shalt reign and love,
Thou alone art worthy Jove.
PANDORA.
Ye tender pleasures, ye increase my flame,
And ye increase my pain: if happiness
Is yours to give, O bear it to my love.
JUPITER.
Is this the sad effect of all my care,
To make a rival happy?
[Enter Mercury.
MERCURY.
Assume thy lightnings, Jove, and blast thy foe;
Prometheus is in arms, the Titans rage,
And threaten heaven; mountain on mountain piled,
They scale the skies; already they approach.
JUPITER.
Jove has the power to punish; let them come.
PANDORA.
And wilt thou punish? thou, who art the cause
Of all his miseries; thou art a jealous tyrant:
Go on, and love me; I shall hate thee more;
Be that thy punishment.
JUPITER.
I must away:
Rive them, ye thunder-bolts.
PANDORA.
Have mercy, Jove!
JUPITER.
[To Mercury.
Conduct Pandora to a place of safety:
The happy world was wrapped in peace profound,
A beauty comes, and nought is seen but ruin.
[He goes out.
PANDORA.
[Alone.
O fatal charms! would I had ne’er been born!
Beauty and love, and every gift divine,
But make me wretched: if, all-powerful Love,
Thou didst create me, now relieve my sorrows;
Dry up my tears, bid war and slaughter cease,
And give to heaven and earth eternal peace.
End of the Third Act.