Aida/Act III
ACT III.
SCENE I.
Chorus (Within the temple).
O thou who to Osiris art
Mother and consort immortal,
Goddess that mad'st the human heart
Flutter as does the dove,
Aid us who seek thy portal,
Parent of deathless love.
Ramphis (To Amneris).
Come to the fane of Isis the eve
Before the day of thy bridal, pray that
The Goddess grant thee her favour.
To Isis
Are the hearts of mortals open. All that is hidden
In the heart of man she knoweth.
Amneris.
Yes, and I will pray that Radames may give me
Truly his heart, truly as mine to him
Has ever been sacred.
Ramphis.
Thou shalt pray till the daylight. I shall be near thee.
(All enter the temple, the Chorus repeat the sacred hymn.)
(Aida, veiled, enters cautiously.)
Aida.
He will ere long be here! What would he tell me?
I tremble! Ah, if thou comest
To bid me, harsh man, farewell for ever,
Then, Nilus, thy dark and rushing stream
Hides me for ever; peace shall I find there and oblivion!
O skies cerulean, breezes soft blowing,
Where brightly calmness saw life's blithe morn unfold,
Sweet sloping verdure by streams so softly flowing,
Thee my native land ne'er more shall I behold!
SCENE II.
Amonasro and Aida.
Aida.
Heaven! my father!
Amonasro.
To thee, Aida, I come
For gravest reasons. Naught escapes my attention;
For Radames thou'rt dying of love.
He loves thee, thou awaitest him.
A daughter of the Pharaohs is thy rival—
Race accursed, detested, to us aye fatal!
Aida.
And I am in her grasp, I, Amonasro's daughter!
Amonasro.
In her power, thou? No!! If thou wishest,
Thy all-powerful rival thou shalt vanquish;
Thy country, thy sceptre, thy love—all shall be thine.
Once again shalt thou on our balmy forests,
Our verdant valleys, our golden temples gaze!
Aida.
Once again shall I on our balmy forests,
Our verdant valleys, our golden temples gaze.
Amonasro.
The happy bride of thy heart's dearest treasure,
Delight unbounded there shalt thou enjoy.
Aida.
Ah, but one day of such enchanting pleasure,
Nay, but an hour of bliss so sweet, then let me die!
Amonasro.
Yet recall how Egyptian hordes descended
On our homes; our temples, our altars dared profane!
Cast in bonds sisters, daughters undefended,
Mothers, children, helpless old men slain!
Aida.
Too well remembered are those days of mourning,
All the keen anguish my poor heart that pierced;
Gods! grant in mercy peace once more returning,
Once more the dawn soon of glad days may burst.
Amonasro.
Lose not a moment! our people armed
Are panting for the signal; now to strike the blow,
Success is sure: naught but one thing is wanting,—
That we know by what path will march the foe.
Aida.
Who that path will discover? Canst tell?
Amonasro.
Thyself will!
Aida.
Myself!
Amonasro.
Radames, whom thou expects, will tell thee;
He commands the Egyptians, and loves thee.
Aida.
Thought hateful!
What prompst thou me to do? No! ask it not!
Amonasro (With savage impetus).
Then, Egypt's fierce nation,
Our cities devoting
To flames, and denoting
What ruins your path!
Spread wide devastation,
Your fury unbridle,
Resistance is idle,
Give loose to your wrath!
Aida.
Ah, father!
Amonasro (Repulsing her).
Call'st thyself my daughter!
Aida.
(Frightened and supplicating.)
Nay, hold! have mercy!
Amonasro.
Torrents of blood shall crimson flow,
Grimly the foe stands gloating,
Seest thou from Death dark gulf below
Shades of the dead upfloating,
Crying as thee in scorn they show
Thou hast thy country slain!
Aida.
Have mercy, pray!
Amonasro.
One among those phantoms dark
E'en now it stands before thee.
Tremble! now stretching o'er thee
Its withered hands thy head doth mark!
Thy mother's hands see there again,
Stretched out to curse thee!
Aida.
(With the utmost terror.)
Ah no! my father!
Amonasro (Repulsing her).
Thou'rt not my daughter!
No! of the Pharaohs thou art a bond-maid.
Aida.
Father, no, their slave am I no longer.
Ah, with thy curse do not appal me,
Still thine own daughter thou mayst call me,
Ne'er shall my country her child disdain.
Amonasro.
Think that thy race downtrampled by the conqueror,
Through thee alone can their freedom gain.
Aida.
Oh then, my country than love has proved the stronger.
Amonasro.
Have courage! he comes! there I'll remain.
(Conceals himself among the palms.)
SCENE III.
Radames and Aida.
Radames.
I see thee again, my sweet Aida!
Aida.
Advance not! Hence! What hopes are thine?
Radames.
Love led me hither in hope to meet thee.
Aida.
Thou to another must thy hand resign.
The Princess weds thee!
Radames.
What say'st thou?
Thee only, Aida, e'er can I love.
Be witness, Heaven, thou art not forsaken!
Aida.
Invoke not falsely the Gods above;
Brave thou wert loved, let not untruth degrade thee.
Radames.
Can I not of my love then persuade thee?
Aida.
And how then
Hop'st thou to baffle the love of thy Princess?
The King's high demand, the desire of the people,
The certain wrath of the priesthood?
Radames.
Hear me, sweet Aida!
Once more of deadly strife with hope unfading
The Ethiopians have lighted the brand;
Already they our borders have invaded,
While Egypt's armies I shall command,
When shouts of triumph greet me victorious.
To our kind monarch my love disclosing,
Thee will I claim, thee my guerdon glorious.
With thee live ever in peace reposing.
Aida.
Nay, but dost thou not fear then
Of Amneris the rage? Her dreadful vengeance
Like the lightning of Heaven on me will fall—
Fall on my father, my nation.
Radames.
I will defend thee.
Aida.
In vain would'st thou attempt it.
Yet, if thou lovest me, then still offers
A means for our safety.
Radames.
Name it!
Aida.
To fly!
Radames.
Together!
Aida.
Ah, fly from where these burning skies,
Are all beneath them blighting;
Towards regions new we'll turn our eyes,
Our faithful love inviting.
There where the virgin forests rise,
'Mid fragrance softly stealing,
Our loving bliss concealing,
The world we'll quite forget, 'mid loving bliss.
Radames.
To distant countries ranging
With thee thou bidst me fly,
For other lands exchanging
All 'neath my native sky.
The land these arms have guarded,
That first fame's crown awarded,
When I first thee regarded,
How can I e'er forget?
Aida.
Beneath our skies more freely
To our hearts will love be yielded,
The gods thy youth that shielded
Will not our love forget.
Radames (Hesitating).
Aida!
Aida.
Me thou lov'st not! Go!
Radames.
Not love thee?
Ne'er in mortal bosom
Burnt yet love's flame with ardour more devouring.
Aida.
Go, thy Amneris 'waits thee!
Radames.
All in vain!
Aida.
In vain, thou say'st?
Then fall the axe upon me
And on my wretched father!
Radames.
Ah no! we'll fly then!
(With passonate resolution.)
Yes, we'll fly these walls now hated,
In the desert hide our treasure.
Here the land to woe seems fated,
There all seems to smile with love.
Boundless deserts naught can measure
Where our bridal couch soon spreading,
Starry skies shall lustre shedding
Be our canopy above.
Aida.
In my native land where lavish
Fortune smiles, a heaven awaits thee,
Balmy airs the sense that ravish
Stray through verdant mead and grove.
'Mid the valleys where nature greets thee
We our bridal couch soon spreading,
There the stars shall lustre shedding
Be our canopy above.
Both.
Come, from hence together flying
Where all woe seems to abide,
Thou art lov'd with love undying,
Come, and love our steps shall guide!
(They are hastening away when suddenly Aida pauses.)
Aida.
But tell me by what path
Shall we avoid alighting
On the soldiers?
Radames.
By the path that we have chosen
To fall on the Ethiops, 'twill be vacant
Until to-morrow.
Aida.
Say, which is that?
Radames.
The gorges of Napata!
SCENE IV.
Amonasro, Aida, and Radames.
Amonasro (Springing forward).
Of Napata! 'tis well then.
There will I post my troops.
Radames.
Who has overheard us?
Amonasro.
I, Aida's father, Ethiopia's King.
Radames (Overcome with surprise).
Thou! Amonasro! thou the King!
Heaven! what say'st thou?
No! it is false! surely this can be but dreaming.
Aida.
Ah no! be calm and list to me,
Trust love, thy footsteps guiding.
Amonasro.
In Aida's love confiding,
A throne thy prize shall be.
Radames.
For thee I've played the traitor.
My name forever branded!
Amonasro.
No, guilt can never fall on thee,
It was by fate commanded.
Come where beyond the Nile arrayed
Warriors brave are waiting;
There love thy fond wish sating
Thou shalt be happy made.
SCENE V.
Amneris.
Traitor vile!
Aida.
The Princess here!
Amonasro.
(Advancing with a dagger towards Amneris.)
Comest thou here to mar my projects?
Die then!
Radames.
(Rushing between them.)
Nay, strike not, thou madman!
Amonasro.
O fury!
Ramphis.
Guards there, advance!
Radames.
(To Aida and Amonasro.)
Fly! quick! Delay not!
Amonasro (Dragging Aida).
Come then, my daughter!
Ramphis (To the Guards).
Guards! quick, follow!
Radames (To Ramphis).
Holy Priest, to thee I yield.
END OF THE THIRD ACT.