>Act
I
No. 8: Song (Selene) & Chorus
Selene. | ||
Poor, purblind, untaught youths, We seek to teach ye truths |
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Which now ye wot not of, as we suppose! | ||
Our aid ye sorely need. For ye are frail indeed — Each a poor fragile reed |
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Swayed to and fro by every breeze that blows! | ||
[Taking his hand and stroking it tenderly. | ||
And we are good and pure, Safe from temptations lure. |
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(There are no temptations to disturb our rest!) | ||
Unknown the fierce delights That lure attractive knights Into disastrous plights, Into disastrous plights! |
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(aside to DARINE).1 | ||
They are attractive, it must be confessed! | ||
Chorus. | ||
Though worldly passions animate each
breast, They are attractive, it must be confessed! |
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Selene. | ||
Poor maidens to deceive A potent spell ye weave, |
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To which those all-too-willing victims yield! | ||
[Kissing his hand. | ||
We fairies hope to show The ills that from it flow, And teach you to forgo |
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The marv'lous enchantment, The marv'lous enchantment that ye wield. |
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[Gently stroking his face. | ||
Homeward returning then, Pure, simple, guileless men, |
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Say this to all the maids with whom ye are in touch,2 | ||
"Would ye live free from harm? Then shun, in wild alarm, Our strange mysterious charm! |
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(Aside to ZAYDA, sighing). | ||
The maids may shun it, but I doubt it much. | ||
Chorus. | ||
Would ye escape the plights That spring from love's delights, Shun all attractive knights! |
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(Aside to each other, sighing). | ||
The maids may do so, but I doubt it much! |
Selene. | Chorus. | ||
Ah! I doubt it much, doubt it much! | Ah! | ||
Ah! I doubt | Ah! | ||
it much! | The maids may do so, | ||
But I doubt it much, | But I doubt it much, I doubt | ||
I doubt it much! | it, doubt it much! |
During SELENE's song and the chorus, DARINE, ZAYDA, and others have been dealing tenderly with PHYLLON. All show that they are deeply impressed by the two knights.
ENSEMBLE. — Sir Ethais and Sir Phyllon (nudging each other).
13 August, 2011ake offence —Phyllon. | ||
With keen remorse | ||
We tell you penitentially, | ||
Our lives are course | ||
And villainous essentially — | ||
But bred and born | ||
In Pagan Principality, | ||
We view with scorn | ||
Our former immorality. | ||
Ethais. | ||
Of blameless state | ||
We've hope infinitesimal | ||
(We calculate | ||
Its value to a decimal), | ||
Unless at once | ||
You give, experimentally, | ||
Each wayward dunce | ||
A polish-up, parentally! | ||
Phyllon. (to DARINE). | ||
This humble pie | ||
Is but a tough comestible | ||
Which he and I | ||
Find rather indigestible! | ||
Ethais (to SELENE). | ||
That's just his way — | ||
An ill-bred Oriental man. | ||
Forgive him, pray — | ||
Of course he's not a gentleman! | ||
Phyllon. | ||
My penitence | ||
Perhaps is unconventional. | ||
Ethais (to SELENE). | ||
I'm sure it's unintentional. | ||
Both. | ||
For both are bound | ||
For fairy course probational; | ||
So pray expound | ||
This system educational! | ||
Chorus. | ||
With keen remorse, keen remorse | ||
They tell us penitentially | ||
Their lives are coarse | ||
And villianous essentially. |
Darine, Zayda and Locrine. | |||
Oh, gentle knights, with joy elate, | |||
We'll teach you to abjure | |||
All earthly dross, and cultivate | |||
The blameless and the pure! | |||
Be docile pupils in our school, | |||
While we, with earnest heart, | |||
Of all that's good, of all that's good | |||
And all that's beautiful | |||
The theories3 impart! |
Chorus. | |||
Be docile pupils in our school, | |||
While we, with earnest heart, | |||
Of all that's good, of all that's good | |||
And all that's beautiful | |||
The theories impart! |
Darine, Zayda and Locrine. | Chorus. | ||
Of all that's beautiful | The theories impart! | ||
The theories impart! | The theories impart! |
Selene. (recit.) | ||
If my obedient pupils you would be, You must avow your loyalty to me. |
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No doubt you recognise Some formula, world-wise, |
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That binds your heart in solemn fealty? |
1. Zayda in the libretto, Darine in the vocal score. | ||||||
2. This line and those following read: | ||||||
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3. For "theories" read "principles" in the libretto. |
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Page modified 13 March 2009