[The Spirit of the Sorceress descends to Aeneas in the
likeness of Mercury]
SPIRIT
Stay, Prince and hear great Jove's command;
He summons thee this Night away.
AENEAS
Tonight?
SPIRIT
Tonight thou must forsake this land,
The Angry God will brook no longer stay.
Jove commands thee, waste no more
In Love's delights, those precious hours,
Allow'd by th'Almighty Powers
To gain th' Hesperian shore
And ruined Troy restore.
AENEAS
Jove's commands shall be obey'd,
Tonight our anchors shall be weighed.
[Exit Spirit.]
But ah! what language can I try
My injur'd Queen to Pacify:
No sooner she resigns her heart,
But from her arms I'm forc'd to part.
How can so hard a fate be took?
One night enjoy'd, the next forsook.
Yours be the blame, ye gods! For I
Obey your will, but with more ease could die.
