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 Front Page arrow Titles (by Subject) arrow ACT II. - The Works of Voltaire, Vol. IX The Dramatic Works Part 1 (Alzire, Orestes, Sémiramis, Catiline, Pandora) and Part II (The Scotch Woman, Nanine, The Prude, The Tatler).

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ACT II. - Voltaire, The Works of Voltaire, Vol. IX The Dramatic Works Part 1 (Alzire, Orestes, Sémiramis, Catiline, Pandora) and Part II (The Scotch Woman, Nanine, The Prude, The Tatler). [1901]

Edition used:

From The Works of Voltaire, A Contemporary Version, (New York: E.R. DuMont, 1901), A Critique and Biography by John Morley, notes by Tobias Smollett, trans. William F. Fleming. Vol. IX The Dramatic Works Part 1 (Alzire, Orestes, Sémiramis, Catiline, Pandora) and Part II (The Scotch Woman, Nanine, The Prude, The Tatler).

Part of: The Works of Voltaire. A Contemporary Version, in 21 vols.

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ACT II.

The scene represents the same country; Pandora inanimate reclining in the alcove; a flaming chariot descends from heaven.

prometheus, pandora, nymphs, titans, etc.

a dryad.

  • Ye woodland nymphs, rise from your fair abode,
  • And sing the praises of the demi-god;
  • Who returns from above
  • In the chariot of love?

chorus of nymphs.

  • Ye verdant lawns, and opening flowers,
  • Ye springs which lavish nature’s powers;
  • Ye hills that bear the impending sky,
  • Put on your fairest forms to meet his eye.

prometheus.

  • [Descending from the chariot, with a torch in his hand.
  • Ravished from heaven I bring to happier earth
  • Love’s sacred flame, more brilliant than the light
  • Of glittering day, and to Jove’s boasted thunder
  • Superior.

chorus of nymphs.

  • Go, thou enlivening, animating soul,
  • Through nature’s every work, pervade the whole;
  • To earth, to water, and to air impart,
  • Thy vivid power, and breathe o’er every heart.

prometheus.

  • [Coming near to Pandora.
  • And may this precious flame inspire thy frame
  • With life and motion! earth, assist my purpose!
  • Rise, beauteous object, love commands thee; haste,
  • Obey his voice; arise, and bless Prometheus!
  • [Pandora rises, and comes forward.

chorus.

  • She breathes, she lives; O love, how great thy power!

pandora.

  • Whence, and what am I? to what gracious powers
  • Owe I my life and being?
  • [A symphony is heard at a distance.
  • Hark! my ears
  • Are ravished with enchanting sounds; my eyes
  • With beauteous objects filled on every side:
  • What wonders hath my kind creator spread
  • Around me! O where is he? I have thought
  • And reason to enlighten me: O earth,
  • Thou art not my mother; some benignant god
  • Produced me: yes, I feel him in my heart.
  • [She sits down by the side of a fountain.
  • What do I see! myself, in this fair fountain,
  • That doth reflect the face of heaven? the more
  • I see this image, sure the more I ought
  • To thank the gods who made me.

nymphs and titans.

  • [Dancing round her.
  • Fair Pandora,
  • Daughter of heaven, let thy charms inspire
  • An equal flame, and fan the mutual fire.

pandora.

  • What lovely object that way draws my eyes?
  • [To Prometheus.
  • Of all I see in these delightful mansions,
  • Nought pleases like thyself; ’twas thou alone
  • Who gavest me life, and I will live for thee.

prometheus.

  • Before those lovely eyes could see
  • Their author, they enchanted me;
  • Before that tongue could speak, Prometheus loved thee.

pandora.

  • Thou lovest me then, dear author of my life,
  • And my heart owns its master; for to thee
  • It flies with transport: have I said too much,
  • Or not enough?

prometheus.

  • O thou canst never say
  • Too much; thou speakest the language of pure love
  • And nature: thus may lovers always speak!

duet.

  • God of my heart, eternal power,
  • Great love, enliven every hour;
  • Thy reign begins, and may thy transports prove
  • The reign of pleasure is the reign of love!

prometheus.

  • But hark! the thunder rolls; thick clouds of darkness,
  • As envious of the earth’s new happiness,
  • Disturb our joys: what horrors throng around me!
  • Hark! the earth shakes, and angry lightnings pierce
  • The vault of heaven: what power thus moves the world
  • From its foundations?
  • [A car descends, on which are seated Mercury, Discord, Nemesis, etc.]

mercury.

  • Some rash hand hath stolen
  • The sacred fire from heaven: to expiate
  • The dire offence, Pandora, thou must go
  • Before the high tribunal of the gods.

prometheus.

  • O cruel tyrant!

pandora.

  • Dread commands!

mercury.

  • Obey:
  • Thou must to heaven.

pandora.

  • I was in heaven already,
  • When I beheld the object of my love.

prometheus.

  • Have pity, cruel gods!

prometheus and pandora.

  • Barbarians, stay.

mercury.

  • Haste, offenders, haste away,
  • Jove commands, you must obey:
  • Bear her, ye winds, to heaven’s eternal mansions.
  • [The car mounts and disappears.

prometheus.

  • The cruel tyrants, jealous of my bliss,
  • Have torn her from me; she was the lovely work
  • Of my own hands: I have done more than Jove
  • Could ever do: Pandora’s charming eyes,
  • Soon as they opened, told me that she loved:
  • Thou jealous god! but thou shalt feel my wrath,
  • And I will brave thy power: for know, usurper,
  • Less dreadful far will all thy thunders prove,
  • Than bold Prometheus fired by hopeless love.

End of the Second Act.