SCENE VI
 
 
Silla and guards.
 
 
Recitative
 
 
Silla
 
 
Can I bear
 
 
such insolent scorn? Does not my soul grow turbulent
 
 
with too much slighting? Who then has made her
 
 
so insensitive? Does a dictator
 
 
suffer himself thus to be insulted
 
 
by a thoughtlessly bold woman?…
 
 
And yet, shame on me, and yet she enchants me!
 
 
Accompanied Recitative
 
 
Enchants me?
 
 
Does not Silla's heart yet blush
 
 
for its own weakness?
 
 
Then let love be silent, let the proud woman die.
 
 
Who so despises my love,
 
 
let her fear my rage.
 
 
Let her long call me cruel, let her spurn
 
 
my hand, my heart, my tenderness,
 
 
from this day forward
 
 
I am her tyrant!
 
 
No. 5 Aria
 
 
Silla
 
     
 
    The desire for vengeance and for death
 
 
inflames me and so agitates my breast,
 
 
that each tender feeling of the soul
 
 
that has been scorned, is turned to wrath.
 
     
 
    Perhaps thou wilt at the end
 
 
of the fateful duel
 
 
beg that thy life be spared;
 
 
yet tears will then be fruitless,
 
 
and fruitless the anguish.
 
 
(Exit with the guards.)
 
 

Imposing, rather dark vestibule at the entrance to the subterranean chambers in which stand sumptious monuments to the Roman heroes.
 
 
SCENE VII
 
 
Cecilio alone.
 
 
Accompanied Recitative
 
 
Cecilio
 
 
Death, thou that shapest man's destiny,
 
 
here in these cold graves lie
 
 
the witnesses of your hand. Heroes, warriors, potentates
 
 
who laid waste the earth
 
 
are now covered and enclosed here beneath narrow marble walls.
 
 
On countless lips
 
 
the world re-echoed marvelling at their deeds,
 
 
and now deep, gloomy silence clothes them round.
 
 
Ye gods!… Who is approaching?
 
 
Giunia?… My dear betrothed?… Alas, she is not alone;
 
 
I shall conceal myself… but where? Oh stars!
 
 
How my heart beats!… What rapture I…
 
 
What shall I do?
 
 
Remain?… Depart?… Oh heaven!
 
 
I will hide myself behind this urn.
 
 
(Hides behind Marius' urn.)
 
 
SCENE VIII
 
 
Giunia enters with her train of young women and nobles. Sadly they sing the following chorus.
 
 
No. 6 Chorus
 
 
Chorus
 
     
 
    From these sorrowing urns
 
 
step forth, ye venerated souls,
 
 
and wrathfully avenge
 
 
the freedom of Rome.
 
 
Giunia
 
     
 
    O beloved shade of my father,
 
 
that thou dost waft about me,
 
 
may my tears, my sighs
 
 
move thee to pity!
 
 
Chorus
 
     
 
    Let the proud one who upon the Capitol
 
 
holds the reins of Rome in his hand,
 
 
this day be buried from his throne,
 
 
as fitting example to all the ages.
 
 
Accompanied Recitative
 
 
Giunia
 
 
O father, since the godless Silla
 
 
aroused thy hatred while thou wast alive,
 
 
Giunia now stands, because she is thy daughter
 
 
and because Roman blood throbs in her veins,
 
 
with supplication before thy urn.
 
 
Thou too, adored shade
 
 
of my departed love, wend hither and aid
 
 
thy faithful bride. Far from thee
 
 
she loathes the doom-fraught air
 
 
of this bitter existence…
 
 
SCENE IX
 
 
Cecilio and the aforementioned.
 
 
Cecilio
 
 
Here am I, dearest one!
 
 
Giunia
 
 
Oh stars!… I quake!… What do I see?
 
 
Is it thou?… Is this perchance some fever?…
 
 
A ghost maybe, or truly thou?… Ye gods!
 
 
Dost thou deceive me, light of my eyes?…
 
 
Alas, could I but know
 
 
whether I am victim of some sweet illusion!…
 
 
So… is it thou?…
 
 
Cecilio
 
 
Thy faithful bridegroom. It is I.
 
 
No. 7 Duet
 
 
Giunia
 
     
 
    In Elysium await me,
 
 
shade of my dear love,
 
 
so that heaven soon, oh God, soon
 
 
may unite me to thee.
 
 
Cecilio
 
     
 
    Adored, dear bride,
 
 
in thy sweet countenance alone
 
 
my faithful soul finds
 
 
sweet Elysium again.
 
 
Giunia
 
     
 
    My bridegroom… Ye gods! Thou art yet alive?
 
 
Cecilio
 
 
Entire in faith and love.
 
 
Giunia and Cecilio
 
 
Joyous my sighs,
 
 
joyous my grief.
 
 
(Joining hands.)
 
 
Giunia
 
     
 
    Dear hope!
 
 
Cecilio
 
 
Beloved treasure!
 
 
Giunia and Cecilio
 
     
 
    Now that upon my breast,
 
 
o Love, thou art,
 
 
the weeping of my eyes
 
 
teaches me rather
 
 
that joy too
 
 
has her tears.
 
 
(Exit.)
 
 
End of the first act.