Poems upon Several Occasions/81

by George Granville

PELEUS and THETIS.

A Masque, Set to Musick.

The ARGUMENT.

Peleus, in love with Thetis, by the Assistance of Proteus obtains her Favour; but Jupiter interposing, Peleus in Despair consults Prometheus, famous for his Skill in Astrology; upon whose Prophecy, that the Son born of Thetis should prove greater than his Father, Jupiter desists. The Prophecy was afterwards verify’d in the Birth of Achilles, the Son of Thetis by Peleus.

Persons in the Masque.

Jupiter. Prometheus. Peleus. Thetis.

Prometheus appears upon Mount Caucasus chain’d to a Rock, with a Vulture at his Breast. Peleus enters addressing himself to Prometheus.

Pel.

COndemn’d on Caucasus to lye,
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 given
To view the Planetary Way,
To penetrate Eternal Day,
And to revolve the Starry Heav’n,

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

Prom. From Jupiter spring all our Woes,
Thetis is Jove's, who once was thine:
'Tis vain, O Peleus, to oppose
Thy Torturer———and mine.
Contented with Despair,
O wretched Man! resign
Whom you adore, or else prepare
For change of Torments, great as mine.
'Tis vain, O Peleus, to oppose
Thy Torturer and mine.
Pel. In change of Torment would be Ease;
Cou'd you divine what Lovers bear,
Even you, Prometheus, wou'd confess
There is no Vulture like Despair.

Prom. Cease, cruel Vulture, to devour.
Pel. Cease, cruel Thetis, to disdain.
THETIS enters.
The. Peleus, unjustly you complain.
Prom. Cease, cruel Vulture, to devour.
Pel. Cease, cruel Thetis, to disdain.
The. Peleus, unjustly you complain.
The Gods, alas! no Refuge find,
From Ills resistless Fates ordain:
I still am true———And wou'd be kind.

Pel. To love and to languish,
To sigh and complain,
How killing's the Anguish,
How tormenting the Pain!
Suing,
Pursuing
Flying,
Denying,
O the Curse of Disdain,
How tormenting's the Pain!
To love, &c.
The. Accursed Jealousie,
Thou Jaundice in the Lover's Eye,
Thro' which all Objects false we see,⁠
Accursed Jealousy!
Thy Rival, Peleus, rules the Sky,
Yet I so prize thy Love;
With Peleus I wou'd chuse to die,
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.

A full Chorus of all the Voices and Instruments while Jupiter is descending.

CHORUS.

But see, the mighty Thunderer's here;
Tremble, Peleus, tremble, fly;
The Thunderer! the mighty Thunderer!
Tremble, Peleus, tremble, fly.
[JUPITER being descended:]
Jup. Presumptuous Slave, Rival to Jove,
How dar'st thou, Mortal, thus defie
A Goddess with audacious Love,
And irritate a God with Jealousie?
Presumptuous Mortal, hence———
Tremble at Omnipotence.
Pel. Arm'd with Love, and Thetis by,
I fear no Odds
Of Men or Gods,
But Jove himself defie.
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
Of Men or Gods,
But Jove himself defie.

Jup. Bring me Lightning, give me Thunder,
Haste, ye Cyclops, with your forked Rods,
This Rebel Love braves all the Gods,
And every Hour by Love is made
Some Heav'n-defying Encelade.
Bring me Lightning, give me Thunder.
Pel. and Thet. Jove may kill, but ne'er shall sunder.
Jup. Bring me Lightning, give me Thunder.
Pel. and Thet. Jove may kill, but ne'er shall sunder.

Thet. Thy Love still arm'd with Fate
Is dreadful as thy Hate:
O might it prove to me,
So gentle Peleus were but free,
O might it prove to me
As fatal as to lost consuming Semelè⁠!
Thy Love still arm'd with Fate
Is dreadful as thy Hate.

Prom. Son of Saturn, take Advice
From one, whom thy severe Decree
Has furnish'd Leisure to grow wise:
Thou rul'st the Gods, but Fate rules thee.
Whoe'er th' Immortal Maid compressing
Shall 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.

Jup. Shall then the Son of Saturn be undone,
Like Saturn, by an impious Son!
Justly th' impartial Fates conspire,
Dooming that Son to be the Sire
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.
Pel. Heav'n had been lost, had I been Jove:
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.

[The Vulture drops dead at the Feet of Prometheus, his
Chains fall off, and he is born up to Heaven with
Jupiter, to a loud Flourish of all the Musick.]

Pel. Fly, fly to my Arms, to my Arms,
Goddess of Immortal Charms!
To my Arms, to my Arms, fly, fly,
Goddess of transporting joy!
But to gaze
On thy Face,
Thy gentle Hand thus pressing
Is heav'nly heav'nly Blessing.
O my Soul!
Whither, whither art thou flying?
Lost in sweet tumultuous dying,
Whither, whither art thou flying,
O my Soul!

Thet. You tremble, Peleus———so do I:
Ah stay, and we'll together die.
Immortal, and of Race Divine.
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!

Pel. and Thet. O my Soul, &c. repeat together.

CHORUS of all the Instruments and Voices Singing and Dancing.

When the Storm is blown over,
How blest is the Swain,
Who begins to discover
An End of his Pain!

When the Storm, &c.