Libretto
| Description/Analysis | French Lyrics | English Lyrics |
|
TROISIÈME ACTE SCÈNE 2 |
ACT THREE SCENE 2 |
|
| (Le théâtre représente une galerie du palais de Teucer.) | (The scene takes place in a gallery in Teucer’s palace) | |
| ANTÉNOR | ANTÉNOR | |
| Anténor, Iphise [recitative dialogue] (The opposing feelings towards their pending wedding and also towards the plight of the imprisoned Dardanus are highlighted by the contrasting harmonies assigned respectively to each of them: the neutral opening for Anténor in C major-A minor, versus the more chromatic and expressive harmonies for Iphise; he even turns to song, an air in A minor, to convey his happy anticipation, which only arouses even harsher feelings on her part. However, as he realizes that the real cause of her opposition is her love for Dardanus, the conflict heats up, portrayed by chromatic harmonies for both of them. Then, in a highly dramatic stroke, they are interrupted by a joyous chorus heard off-stage, prematurely celebrating their coming union; it is sung in Anténor’s key, but now in a bright A major, with the scene closing in that key even as Iphise expresses repulsion at what she hears. Note that the recording continues into the divertissement, scene 3, and presents the whole chorus that was heard in fragment off-stage in scene 2.) | Princesse, enfin la paix va combler mon attente : | Princess, finally peace will reward my patience: |
| Elle engage Teucer à répondre à mas vœux ; | It commits Teucer to respond to my wishes; | |
| Il consent qu’un hymen heureux | He consents that a happy marriage | |
| Couronne, dès ce jour, ma flamme impatiente. | Crowns, from this day forward, my impatient ardor. | |
| IPHISE | IPHISE | |
| (Quel hymen!) Dans quel temps affreux | (What marriage!) In such a frightful time | |
| Songez-vous à former ces nœuds? | Are you dreaming of forming these ties? | |
| Du sang de l’ennemi qu’il tient en sa puissance, | With the blood of the enemy whom he holds in his power, | |
| Le roi vent inonder ce malheureux séjour. | The king wishes to drown this unhappy abode. | |
| C’est aujourd’hui le jour de la vengeance. | Today is the day of vengeance. | |
| Ce jour triste et terrible est-il fait pour l’amour? | Is this sad and terrible day made for love? | |
| ANTÉNOR | ANTÉNOR | |
| Vos peuples vont chanter la fin de leurs alarmes: | Your people will sing for the end of their fears: | |
| Ils triomphent de leur vainqueur. | They triumph over their conqueror. | |
| Air | Air | |
| Quel jour conviendrait mieux, pour chanter mon bonheur, | What day could be more suitable, for singing of my happiness, | |
| Et le triomphe de vos charmes ? | And the triumph of your charms? | |
| IPHISE | IPHISE | |
| Quoi! vous, que j’ai cru généreux, | What! You, who I believed to be generous, | |
| Vous semblez insulter à son destin funeste? | You seem to insult his fatal destiny? | |
| ANTÉNOR | ANTÉNOR | |
| Non; de ce triste objet je détourne les yeux. | No; from this sad object I avert my eyes. | |
| Je le plaindrais en vain. Nul espoir ne lui reste. | I would pity him in vain. No hope is left for him. | |
| Le roi vient de jurer de l’immoler aux dieux. | The king has just vowed to sacrifice him to the gods. | |
| IPHISE | IPHISE | |
| Et j’irais vous promettre une ardeur éternelle | And would I promise you an eternal ardor | |
| Aux pieds de ces autels arrosés de son sang ? | At the feet of these altars sprinkled with his blood? | |
| Non ; que plutôt cent fois la mort la plus cruelle… | No, I would prefer a hundred times more the cruellest death… | |
| ANTÉNOR | ANTÉNOR | |
| D’où nait en sa faveur ce tendre mouvement? | What is the source favoring this tender move? | |
| Le croirais-je? grands dieux! Quelle horreur m’environne! | Should I believe it? Great gods! What horror surrounds me! | |
| Vous tremblez pour ses jours! Notre hymen vous étonne! | You fear for his life! Our marriage astounds you! | |
| Je vois couler des pleurs que vous voulez cacher! | I see tears flow that you wish to hide! | |
| IPHISE | IPHISE | |
| Juste ciel! | Just heaven! | |
| ANTÉNOR | ANTÉNOR | |
| L’Amour seul peut vous les arracher; | Only love could draw them [these tears]; | |
| Ingrate, to my sighs you were unbending, | ||
| Ingrate, à mes soupirs vous étiez inflexible. | Ah! Could simple pity touch | |
| Eh ! la simple pitié pourrait-elle toucher | A heart that a tender love was not able to move? | |
| Un cœur qu’un tendre amant n’a put rendre sensible? | ||
| IPHISE | IPHISE | |
| Ah ! cruel, arrêtez. Quels soupçons odieux! | Ah! Cruel one, stop. What odious suspicions! | |
| ( in A major) | CHŒUR DES PHRYGIENS | CHŒUR DES PHRYGIENS |
| (derrière le théâtre) | (behind the scene) | |
| Que l’on chante, que l’on s’empresse; | Let us sing, let us hasten; | |
| Quel triomphe! quel jour heureux! | What a triumph! What a happy day! | |
| ANTÉNOR | ANTÉNOR | |
| Entendez ces chants d’allégresse. | Listen to these happy songs. | |
| Ils condamnent vos feux. | They are a condemnation of your passion. | |
| IPHISE | IPHISE | |
| Non, je ne verrai point de si funestes jeux. | No, I shall never view these deplorable celebrations. | |
| (Fuyons; cachons à tous les yeux | I shall flee; I shall hide from all eyes | |
| Le trouble qui me presse.) | The trouble that weighs upon me.) | |
| (scene closes A major) | (Elle s’enfuit.) | (She flees.) |
Scores
Audio
 | 2-02_rameau_dardanus_-_act_3_enfin_la_vaix_va_combler_mon_attente.mp3 | 4.52 MB |