Peleus and Thetis (1740)

Condemn’d on Caucaſus to lie,Still to be dying, not to die;With certain Pain uncertain of Relief,True Emblem of a wretched Lover’s Grief!To whoſe inſpecting Eye ’tis givenTo view the Planetary Way,To penetrate Eternal Day,And to revolve the Starry Heaven.

To thee, Prometheus, I complain,And bring a Heart as full of Pain.

From Jupiter ſpring all our Woes,Thetis is Jove’s, who once was thine:’Tis vain, O Peleus, to oppoſeThy Torturer—and mine.

Contented with Deſpair,O wretched Man! reſignWhom you adore, or elſe prepareFor change of Torments, great as mine,’Tis vain, O Peleus, to oppoſe:Thy Torturer and mine.

Peleus. In change of Torment would be Ease;Cou’d you divine what Lovers bear,Ev’n you, Prometheus, wou’d confeſsThere is no Vulture like Despair.

Prom. Ceaſe, cruel Vulture to devour.Pel. Ceaſe, cruel Thetis, to diſdain,

[Thetis enters.

The Gods, alas! no Refuge find,From Ills reſiſtleſs Fates ordain:I ſtill am true—And wou’d be kind.

Peleus. To love and to languiſh,Peleus. To ſigh and complain,Peleus. How killing’s the Anguiſh!Peleus. How tormenting the Pain!Peleus. SuingPeleus. PurſuingPeleus. FlyingPeleus. DenyingO the Curſe of Diſdain,How tormenting’s the Pain![Da Capo.

Thetis. Accurſed Jealouſy,Thetis. Thou Jaundice in the Lover’s Eye,Thetis. Thro’ which all Objects falſe we ſee,Thetis. Accurſed Jealouſy!Thetis. Thy Rival, Peleus, rules the Sky,Thetis. Yet I ſo prize thy Love;Thetis. With Peleus I wou’d chuſe to die,Thetis. Rather than live with Jove.[Jupiter appears deſcending.

But ſee, the mighty Thunderer’s here;Tremble, Peleus, tremble, fly;The Thunderer! the mighty Thunderer!Tremble, Peleus, tremble, fly.

See, the mighty Thunderer’s here;Tremble, Peleus, tremble, fly;The Thunderer! the mighty Thunderer!Tremble, Peleus, tremble, fly.

Jupiter. Preſumptuous Slave, Rival to Jove,Jupiter. How dar’ſt thou, Mortal, thus defy;Jupiter. A Goddeſs with audacious Love,Jupiter. And irritate a God with Jealouſy?Jupiter. Preſumptuous Mortal, hence—Jupiter. Tremble at Omnipotence.

Peleus. Arm’d with Love, and Thetis by,Peleus. I fear no OddsPeleus. Of Men or Gods,Peleus. But Jove himſelf defy:

Jove, lay thy Thunder down;Arm’d with Love and Thetis by,There is more Terror in her Frown,And fiercer Light’ning in her Eye:I fear no Odds, &c.[Da Capo.

Jupit. Bring me Light’ning, give me Thunder,Jupit. Haſte ye Cyclops with your forked Rods,Jupit. This Rebel Love braves all the Gods,Jupit. And every Hour by Love is madeJupit. Some Heav’n-defying Encelade.Jupit. Bring me Light’ning, give me Thunder.Pel. and The. Jove may kill, but ne’er ſhall ſunder.Jupiter. Bring me Light’ning, give me Thunder.Pel. and The. Jove may kill, but ne’er ſhall ſunder.

Thy Love ſtill arm’d with FateIs dreadful as thy Hate:

O might it prove to meSo gentle Peleus were but free,O might it prove to meAs fatal as to loſt conſuming Semde!Thy Love ſtill arm’d with FateIs dreadful as thy Hate.[Da Capo.

Prometheus. Son of Saturn, take AdviceFrom one, whom thy ſevere DecreeHas furniſh’d Leiſure to grow wiſe:Thou rul’ſt the Gods, but Fate rules thee.

Whoe’er th’ Immortal Maid compreſſingShall taſte the joy, and reap the Bleſſing,Thus th’ unerring Stars adviſe:From that auſpicious Night an Heir ſhall riſe,Paternal Glories to out-ſhine,And be the greateſt of his Line.

Jupit. Shall then the Son of Saturn be undone;Jupit. Like Saturn by an impious Son!Jupit. Juſtly th’ impartial Fates conſpire,Jupit. Dooming that Son to be the SireJupit. Of ſuch another Son.

Conſcious of Ills that I have done,My Fears to Prudence ſhall adviſe,And Guilt that made me great, ſhall make me wiſe.

The fatal Bleſſing I reſign; [Giving her to Peleus.Peleus, take the Maid Divine,Jove conſenting, ſhe is thine;The fatal Bleſſing I reſign.

Peleus. Heav’n had been loſt, had I been Jove:Peleus. There is no Heav’n like mutual Love.

Jup. to Prom. And thou, the Stars Interpreter,’Tis juſt I set thee free,Who giv’ſt me Liberty:Ariſe, and be thy ſelf a Star.’Tis juſt, I ſet thee free,Who giv’ſt me Liberty.

Peleus. Fly, fly to my Arms, to my Arms,Peleus. Goddeſs of Immortal Charms!Peleus. To my Arms, to my Arms, fly, fly,Peleus. Goddeſs of tranſporting joy!Peleus. But to gazePeleus. On thy Face,Peleus. Thy gentle Hand thus preſſingPeleus. Is heav’nly heav’nly Bleſſing.[Da Capo.Peleus. O my Soul!Peleus. Whither, whither art thou flying?Peleus. Loſt in ſweet tumultuous dying,Peleus. Whither, whither art thou flying,Peleus. O my Soul!

Thetis. You tremble, Peleus—ſo do I:Thetis. Ah ſtay, and we’ll together die,

Thetis. Immortal and of Race Divine,Thetis. My Soul ſhall take her Flight with thine.

Life diſſolving in Delight,Heaving Breaſts, and ſwimming Sight,Falt’ring Speech, and gaſping Breath,Symptoms of delicious Death;Life diſſolving in Delight,My Soul is ready for the Flight.

O my Soul!Whither, whither art, thou flying?Loſt in ſweet tumultuous dying,Whither, whither art, thou flying?O my Soul!

When the Storm is blown overHow bleſt is the Swain,Who begins to DiſcoverAn End of his Pain!