“Armida” – Act 3

ACT THREE

An enchanted garden, in which simple nature appears in all its beauty. Trees abundant with fruit, hedges and bushes full of every kind of flower; flowing waters, others still, upon which various birds are seen in motion; other brightly colored birds flutter from tree to tree; on one side some caverns covered with moss; the view is bounded by pleasant hills and adjoining shaded valleys.

SCENE ONE

Ubaldo, Carlo. UBALDO How gently the breezes Blow among the grass and flowers! CARLO It seems that of love they speak, The cheerful singing birds Around us. UBALDO And the echo that answers... CARLO And the murmur of the waves... UBALDO and CARLO Everything seems to tell us: Behold the dwelling Sacred to friendly nature. But no: by dreadful art These are deceptions; A gift of impious hell Is what appears as nature. Here the dread, serpent-haired Furies shake their locks, Spreading deadly poison To infect all fears.

UBALDO Oh how much, my friend, to the wise man of Ascalon We are indebted! The long journey seemed To us a short path. This golden wand and this script Were divine aid to us. CARLO We saw flee The guardian serpent and every beast That opposed our path. Now there remains for us to accomplish The desired end of our mission. UBALDO Here (the writing reveals it) We shall see Rinaldo prey to a mad love.

CARLO Ah! may heaven grant that he yield To the call of honor. UBALDO The place is deserted. CARLO You are mistaken. Toward us comes A troop of graceful nymphs. Hear the harmony... (A slow music, gradually approaching and growing stronger). UBALDO This is the moment for firmness and courage.

SCENE TWO

Spirits in the guise of nymphs, singing and dancing. The preceding characters.

CHORUS Here all is calm, Delight, love; Here the soul finds Refuge from sorrow. PART OF THE CHORUS Here the dark spheres Have no power, Adverse fate Has no force. ANOTHER PART OF THE CHORUS This is the blessed Dwelling of love; The golden age Has returned here; Oh fortunate He who possesses a heart! FULL CHORUS Here all is calm, Delight, love; Here the soul finds Refuge from sorrow. UBALDO Flee, infernal monsters; go back whence you came. (Shaking the golden wand, the spirits vanish.)

SCENE THREE

Carlo, Ubaldo. CARLO A new wonder! UBALDO Ah! may it Thus drive from the heart Of the wretched Rinaldo a mad love. CARLO I hope so. Heaven will complete the work. UBALDO Oh how dear To Guelfo will be the longed-for return Of his beloved nephew!

CARLO To the whole camp, To Goffredo himself, Who wished to punish him, and now forgives him, It will be joy to see such a hero again... UBALDO Silence... If I am not mistaken, From that path a slow tread I seem to hear. CARLO Yes... UBALDO Oh fate! Behold him.

CARLO It is he... Oh happy we! UBALDO And with him Comes she who keeps him A humbled prisoner on these shores. CARLO Let us approach... UBALDO No. For now hide yourself with me, There among those plants. CARLO But to reveal ourselves to him... UBALDO This is not the moment. (They hide in a thicket.)

SCENE FOUR

Armida, Rinaldo, holding each other by the hand. ARMIDA and RINALDO Sweet chains, If love has woven you, Forever to my beloved Unite me thus. ARMIDA O my Rinaldo, behold This pleasant dwelling. Now, though burning Sirius Shines in the sky, by my power The flowering season And fruitful autumn Join hands In this fortunate rural refuge.

RINALDO All makes me happy, But above all Armida, Provided I may live secure In her constancy... ARMIDA What! would you doubt... RINALDO Such rare beauty, that could make A monarch happy... Royal maiden... far From your native realm for my sake... ARMIDA Have I no reign over your heart, and you over mine? Is that not enough? Love has conquered me.

RINALDO And with it, Armida, you rivaled him When with your lovely glances you imprisoned me. Indeed, yours is greater Than Love’s triumph; he was a god who could do all: You are mortal... But what do I say? She is not mortal who can make herself Absolute queen of every heart, Who contains within herself such divine beauty. O adored eyes, While you bind a heart, you make it blessed. This heart grows proud of its happy bonds In proving, fair eyes, in you what Love’s power is. And its former freedom It casts into oblivion for you, If it would compare it With such beautiful servitude. ARMIDA Stay, my beloved. Must I for a few moments Be far from you... RINALDO What!... ARMIDA No slight concern Calls me elsewhere. Farewell. Soon I shall return to your side. (She departs).

SCENE FIVE

Rinaldo. RINALDO If for a single instant I lose the splendor of those eyes, I seem to lose my peace... But what other brilliance dazzles my sight!... Those are arms... and Frankish arms!... scarcely Do I trust my own eyes...

SCENE SIX

Ubaldo, Carlo, Rinaldo. UBALDO (to Carlo) Friend, step forward. RINALDO Heaven!... whom do I see!

UBALDO Dishonored warrior, slave of love, In us behold Ubaldo and Carlo. Observe what honorable duty Clothes our limbs. And while steel Girds us, and while the sword Hangs at our side, must we See adorned with roses and in white garments The strongest among Franks and Latins? RINALDO (Oh bitter reproach!)

CARLO The whole camp Eagerly longs To raise upon Zion’s lofty walls Its august banner. The trumpet’s call awakens Every soldier, even the weakest; and only Rinaldo, brave Rinaldo, The indomitable warrior, Lives unknown and as a prisoner? RINALDO Ah! friends... It is true, I am he... I am unhappy!... But how have you come here, Since this lonely path... UBALDO Heavenly power, Not Stygian art, has guided us. CARLO Let the unjust Armida yield To the power of Him who rules all. RINALDO Armida!... she is my beloved... CARLO Do you dream?

UBALDO Do you rave? In this shield displayed See to what extreme your valor has fallen. (He unveils an adamantine shield.) RINALDO In what weak aspect Do I see myself, oh heavens!... What an object of cowardice!... Oh my immense shame! (He remains motionless and almost beside himself.) CARLO (He languishes.) UBALDO (He sighs.)

CARLO (He groans.) UBALDO and CARLO (Already he feels the stirrings of honor. O deity! may our prayers Be aided by your favor.) UBALDO (to Rinaldo) See what guilty dominion An impious passion holds over you. CARLO If you have a heart within your breast, Resist such horror.

RINALDO (continuing to look into the shield) What an object of cowardice!... Oh my immense shame! CARLO Your duty calls you. UBALDO Glory invites you to battle. UBALDO and CARLO The trumpet of fame Awakens your valor.

RINALDO Cease... alas! cease... What barbarous torment! I vile?... No: I remember That I am still Rinaldo. (He tears off and casts away every ornament of softness.) UBALDO and CARLO Now indeed in you I find again The hero you always were. RINALDO (Ah! what conflict I feel Of sorrow, of glory, and of love!)

UBALDO and CARLO Come. RINALDO I follow you... (Oh God! Can I ever leave her!) CARLO Why do you hesitate? RINALDO Armida! For you my heart fails me... UBALDO and CARLO Now sternly rebukes you The voice of honor.

(A brief pause.) RINALDO Unite together Virtue and valor, To conquer the love That gives me torment. (A brief pause. Meanwhile Rinaldo raises his eyes to heaven in supplication.) But a sudden ray Illuminates this soul... Ah! yes, I behold you, Heavenly goodness. UBALDO and CARLO Glory of heroes, Come away with us; Heaven declares Its mercy for you. (They depart.)

SCENE SEVEN

(Armida, hurried and distraught.) ARMIDA Where is he?... where does he hide?... And yet just now I left him here... I am beside myself! There lies Upon the threshold the fierce guardian slain... Oh heavens! shall my power then be defeated? Let me go... But what do I see! Two warriors of Goffredo!... Alas! Rinaldo Follows their steps... Stop... My anguish Chokes my words... Listen... Traitor! he does not hear me... Then let the power Of hell be invoked. Furies, hear me: (shaking the magic wand) By dreadful Dis, let that traitor Be brought to me.

(Pause). But no voice responds From the infernal shores. Alas!... fatal moment!... What shall I do?... Let me follow the traitor... Oh fierce torment! (She exits swiftly). Exterior of Armida’s palace.

SCENE EIGHT

Ubaldo, Carlo, Rinaldo. UBALDO Praise be to heaven, from those wicked walls We have at last escaped.

CARLO A short path remains; Let us go to the boat. RINALDO Friends, ah! you, Have pity, strengthen This weak heart. Alone I cannot Overcome myself. CARLO Quickly to the shore, Come, let us turn our steps. ARMIDA (from afar) Stop, traitor!

RINALDO It is she... Oh God!... did you hear her? CARLO With courage, Friend, you must arm yourself. RINALDO Alas! UBALDO It may serve you to hear her. If you resist her charms, Her tears, You will rightly be the greatest of heroes.

SCENE NINE

(Armida, hurried; the preceding characters.) ARMIDA Is it truly so?... and you would abandon me? Cruel man! RINALDO Fate wills That I turn my steps away from you... Glory calls me To the field of honor... ARMIDA And shall it be glory To betray love, to betray faith?

RINALDO (departing) Sweet memory You shall always be for me... Remain in peace... (Ah! my heart is breaking.) ARMIDA (holding him back) Peace! and can my sorrow find peace? UBALDO (softly to Rinaldo) Resist. CARLO (as above) Hide from her Your anguish, your pain.

ARMIDA Go, if you will; I ask only To follow your steps... (Rinaldo gently pushes her away, turning his face to conceal his turmoil, and is about to depart.) ARMIDA (following him) You may dispose of me As you please; if it pleases you, As a humble servant I shall cut my hair short, Now that I am made base for you. In servile guise I shall follow you wherever the martial ardor Burns most fiercely. I feel within me strength enough To lead your steeds and bear your arms; You shall have in me a faithful follower, not a lover. RINALDO (softly to his two companions) Alas! what words. UBALDO (as above to Rinaldo) Deceptions. CARLO (as above) Snares.

ARMIDA And you are silent?... Yes, whatever you wish, I shall be your squire or shield. Perhaps no warrior so cruel Will be found who, wishing to strike you, Would pierce my breast... But speak. RINALDO Armida, it is time That my errors and yours Be cast into oblivion. Remain... (Departing.) ARMIDA Ah! stop, And do you not groan? RINALDO (What anguish!) ARMIDA And do you still keep Your eyes dry, cruel man? And have you the heart to leave me in this state?

If to my cruel torment You give no sign of sorrow, You never had A spark of pity. A savage Hyrcanian tigress Gave you life, And your soul was nurtured Always in cruelty. RINALDO (sighing and departing) You cannot change your fate: Nor can I change it. ARMIDA (holding him back) Ah! grant me at least death: Put an end to my suffering.

UBALDO and CARLO (to Rinaldo) Resist now with strength. UBALDO Come. CARLO Decide. UBALDO and CARLO To the sea. RINALDO Farewell... ARMIDA Listen, my idol!... I ask but a single instant... UBALDO No more.

CARLO (dragging Rinaldo) We must depart. ARMIDA I falter... my step... I cannot stand... I feel... oh God!... I fail... (She falls unconscious). (Rinaldo, who had moved away, hurries back). RINALDO Armida!... beloved!... Ah! let her be helped— UBALDO and CARLO To the sea. (They lead him away by force).

SCENE TEN

Armida. After Rinaldo has gone, she gradually recovers, then rises, looks around, and says: ARMIDA Where am I!... He has fled! Alas, could the ungrateful one Leave me thus? And do I still live?... does my desolate heart Still beat?... (wandering uncertainly) What shall I do?... Vengeance... Love... Which of you shall I heed?... Can there be A more dreadful state than mine!

(She remains absorbed in her thoughts). (Meanwhile a spirit arises in the form of Vengeance). Vengeance... (rousing herself) Ah! yes, I see you: You alone I invoke: come... (As she tries to approach that spirit, another appears in the form of Love, sighing and weeping). Love... with that sigh Why do you restrain my wrath?... Perhaps you are cruel, Though you weep, O Love.

(Turning toward Vengeance). Perhaps there is pity in her, Though surrounded by horror. (She reflects a moment, then runs to the first spirit). It is true... this soul finds delight In you, fatal Vengeance. Fly from me at once, Faithless Love; be gone. (The spirit of Love disappears). If to my power, you Furies, Are not yet deaf, Lead me to pursue A wicked man, a traitor.

FINAL SCENE

(Chorus of demons, bearing Armida’s chariot drawn by dragons.) CHORUS You shall be avenged. ARMIDA Destroyed— Let everything here remain destroyed. (The demons, armed with torches, carry out the command, and the scene returns to its original horror). ARMIDA and CHORUS If nothing else can, Let hell inspire its fury in you. (Armida ascends the chariot and rises into the air amid globes of flame and smoke. The curtain falls).

libretto by Dmitrii Murashev