Z 626 Dido and Aeneas Act the second, scene 2. [Neapolitan translation]

SCENE II

The grove.

(Enter Æneas, Dido and Belinda, and their train)

BELINDA, CHORUS

Thanks to these lovesome vales,

these desert hills and dales,

so fair the game, so rich the sport,

Diana’s self might to these woods resort.

(Gitter ground. A dance)

SECOND WOMAN

Oft she visits this lovedXVII mountain,

oft she bathes her in this fountain;

here Acteon met his fate

pursued by his own hounds,

and after mortal wounds

discovered, discovered too late.

(A dance to entertain Æneas by Dido women)

ÆNEAS

Behold, upon my bending spear1

a monsters head stands bleeding,

with tushes far exceeding

these did Venus huntsman tear.

DIDO

The skies are clouded, heark how thunder

rends the mountain oaks asunder.

BELINDA, CHORUS

Hast, hast to town, this open field

no shelter from the storm can yield.

(Exit. The Spirit of the sorceress descends to Æneas

in the likness of Mercury)

SPIRIT

Stay, prince, and hear great Joves command:

he summons thee this night away.

ÆNEAS

To night?

SPIRIT

To night?To night thou must forsake this land,

the angry God will brook no longer stay.

Joves commands thee, wast no more

in loves delights those precious hours,

allowed by the almighty powers

to gain th’ Hesperian shore

and ruined Troy restore.

ÆNEAS

Joves commands shall be obey’d,

to night our anchors shall be weighed.

But ah! what language can I try

my injured queen to pacify?

No sooner she resignes her heart,

but from her armes I’m forc’t to part.

How can so hard a fate be took?

One night enjoy’d, the next forsook.

Your be the blame, ye Gods, for I

obey your will, but with more ease cou’d dye.

([Enter] the sorceress and her inchanteress)

CHORUS

Then since our charmes have sped,

a merry dance be led

by the nymphs of Carthage to please us.

They shall all dance to ease us,

a dance that shall make the Spheres to wonder,

rending those fair groves asunder.

(The groves dance.)

• Artist:Henry Purcell
• Album:Live: 22 maggio 2015 - Teatro dei Leggieri - San Gimignano.