SCENE VII
 
 
Giunia with guards; the aforementioned.
 
 
Recitative
 
 
Giunia
 
 
Cowardly spirit. What dost thou require of Giunia?
 
 
What wilt thou? A wretched traitor
 
 
do Rome and the Senate suffer
 
 
with such dullness and apathy?
 
 
Patricians and senators,
 
 
of you do I request vengeance and pity. Pity doth
 
 
the unhappy bride entreat, and revenge will she have
 
 
for the departed shade of a Roman and for her husband
 
 
who still lies in his own blood.
 
 
Silla
 
 
Calm thy rage. Dry thy lovely lashes.
 
 
Useless are the tears
 
 
and futile the rage. Before the face of Rome
 
 
will I have thee as witness of my crimes and cruelty.
 
 
In this place wilt thou soon acquaint
 
 
thyself with Silla's heart.
 
 
FINAL SCENE
 
 
Cecilio, Aufidio, guards and the aforementioned.
 
 
Recitative
 
 
Giunia
 
 
(My betrothed?)
 
 
Cinna
 
 
(What do I see?)
 
 
Celia
 
 
(What is the secret?)
 
 
Cecilio
 
 
(What is that?)
 
 
Silla
 
 
Let all Rome, the Senate
 
 
and the people hear me. I bring before you
 
 
an banished citizen
 
 
who dared secretly to break the Law.
 
 
He it is, who, armed with a sword,
 
 
before my guards did try at the Capitol
 
 
to murder his ruler.
 
 
He seeks no pardon, indeed fears me not,
 
 
he maligns and hates me. This now is the moment
 
 
that decides his fate. Silla here asserts
 
 
the power that Rome
 
 
invests in him. Giunia shall hear me
 
 
and insult me if she can. This vile Silla,
 
 
proud tyrant, hated by all,
 
 
decrees that Cecilio shall live and be thy husband.
 
 
(He presents him to Giunia.)
 
 
Giunia
 
 
It were true?… My life…
 
 
Cecilio
 
 
Faithful bride… what joy…
 
 
what a transformation is this?
 
 
Aufidio
 
 
(What did occur?)
 
 
Celia
 
 
(The gods be praised!)
 
 
Cinna
 
 
(I stand here full of wonder.)
 
 
Silla
 
 
Patricians and senators. I desire of you now
 
 
that all whose names here stand written –
 
 
(He presents the scheet to a senator.)
 
 
here are contained the names
 
 
of banished citizens –
 
 
may now return to native hearth.
 
 
Cecilio
 
 
Oh, how worthy, now, thou art
 
 
of this high splendour that doth surround thee.
 
 
Giunia
 
 
At last dost thou see me compelled thee to admire.
 
 
Aufidio
 
 
(Alas, certain ruin
 
 
do I see before me.)
 
 
Silla
 
 
Amid
 
 
the general jubilation and so much praise
 
 
sincerely given to Silla from every lip,
 
 
why is Cinna only from me parted,
 
 
sighs and is silent,
 
 
lost in gloomy thought?
 
 
(He wants to embrace him.)
 
 
Faithful friend…
 
 
Cinna
 
 
Oh, cease
 
 
to call me so. You shall know that all the time
 
 
I have concealed the fiercest hatred toward you
 
 
in my breast. Through my labours
 
 
did Cecilio return to Rome. I ran to the Capitol
 
 
to pierce thee through, and armed, not far away,
 
 
a hundred valiant men,
 
 
I alone incited discord,
 
 
was the danger for thee…
 
 
Silla
 
 
Thou hast spoken enough, and all have I comprehended.
 
 
Celia
 
 
(Sweet hope farewell.)
 
 
Silla
 
 
Now dost thou perceive the punishment
 
 
of secret conspiracy:
 
 
Celia, my sister, shall be thy wife.
 
 
Giunia
 
 
(What virtue!)
 
 
Cecilio
 
 
(What a magnanimous heart!)
 
 
Cinna
 
 
Oh righteous heaven, how shameful
 
 
blushes burn my face.
 
 
How can I…
 
 
Silla
 
 
Thy tortures of conscience do suffice me. I forget all.
 
 
Celia
 
 
(How happy am I!)
 
 
(To Cinna.)
 
 
Reward at last
 
 
my constant love! Prove yourself
 
 
worthy of the grace and of the virtue
 
 
and compassion of his manly heart…
 
 
Cinna
 
 
Here is my hand.
 
 
Silla
 
 
Which of my victories
 
 
can compare to this, o eternal gods?
 
 
Aufidio
 
 
Let me at thy feet
 
 
entreat pardon of thee. My counsel,
 
 
the flattering praise
 
 
now do I rue…
 
 
Silla
 
 
Rise, Aufidio! I forgive thee.
 
 
Thus do I crown
 
 
my laudable work. Romans, friends!
 
 
From my head I now remove
 
 
the victorious and honourable laurel wreath:
 
 
No longer am I your ruler, I am become as you.
 
 
(He removes the laurel wreath.)
 
 
Herewith be freedom given
 
 
to our native land. May the people's tears
 
 
be dried. No. Greatness
 
 
is not the highest treasure. It is the mother
 
 
of care, fear,
 
 
deception, betrayal. It often leads
 
 
the blind mortal away from the path
 
 
of mercy and justice.
 
 
I know now
 
 
that innocence and a virtuous heart
 
 
are to the soul more welcome
 
 
than false glory.
 
 
No. 23 Finale with Chorus [Ciaccona]
 
 
Chorus
 
     
 
    Great Silla, before the face of Rome,
 
 
which owes him life and breath,
 
 
stands today as victor
 
 
beyond all praise and fame.
 
 
Giunia and Cecilio
 
     
 
    The fate, bitter for him,
 
 
is bliss for me.
 
 
Cinna and Silla
 
     
 
    And Latium's liberty
 
 
snaps its chains.
 
 
Chorus
 
     
 
    Great Silla stands today
 
 
high above all praise.
 
 
Giunia, Cecilio, [Celia], Cinna, Silla, [Aufidio]
 
     
 
    Virtue and mercy
 
 
have triumphed over a base love.
 
 
Silla [and Aufidio]
 
     
 
    There is no triumph to equal
 
 
the victory over one's own heart.
 
 
Chorus
 
     
 
    Upon the Capitol
 
 
all Rome merrily exults and is jubilant for Silla,
 
 
high above all fame and praise
 
 
he stands today as conqueror.
 
 
End of the opera.