The Bride of Messina (play) Read online

  The Bride of Messina (play)

  Friedrich Schiller

  Schiller. The Bride of Messina (play)

  This eBook was produced by Tapio Riikonen and David Widger, [email protected]

  THE BRIDE OF MESSINA

  AND

  ON THE USE OF THE CHORUS IN TRAGEDY.

  By Frederich Schiller

  THE BRIDE OF MESSINA

  DRAMATIS PERSONAE.

  ISABELLA, Princess of Messina.

  DON MANUEL | her Sons.

  DON CAESAR |

  BEATRICE.

  DIEGO, an ancient Servant.

  MESSENGERS.

  THE ELDERS OF MESSINA, mute.

  THE CHORUS, consisting of the Followers of the two Princes.

  SCENE I.

  A spacious hall, supported on columns, with entrances on both sides;

  at the back of the stage a large folding-door leading to a chapel.

  DONNA ISABELLA in mourning; the ELDERS OF MESSINA.

  ISABELLA.

  Forth from my silent chamber's deep recesses,

  Gray Fathers of the State, unwillingly

  I come; and, shrinking from your gaze, uplift

  The veil that shades my widowed brows: the light

  And glory of my days is fled forever!

  And best in solitude and kindred gloom

  To hide these sable weeds, this grief-worn frame,

  Beseems the mourner's heart. A mighty voice

  Inexorable-duty's stern command,

  Calls me to light again.

  Not twice the moon

  Has filled her orb since to the tomb ye bore

  My princely spouse, your city's lord, whose arm

  Against a world of envious foes around

  Hurled fierce defiance! Still his spirit lives

  In his heroic sons, their country's pride:

  Ye marked how sweetly from their childhood's bloom

  They grew in joyous promise to the years

  Of manhood's strength; yet in their secret hearts,

  From some mysterious root accursed, upsprung

  Unmitigable, deadly hate, that spurned

  All kindred ties, all youthful, fond affections,

  Still ripening with their thoughtful age; not mine

  The sweet accord of family bliss; though each

  Awoke a mother's rapture; each alike

  Smiled at my nourishing breast! for me alone

  Yet lives one mutual thought, of children's love;

  In these tempestuous souls discovered else

  By mortal strife and thirst of fierce revenge.

  While yet their father reigned, his stern control

  Tamed their hot spirits, and with iron yoke

  To awful justice bowed their stubborn will:

  Obedient to his voice, to outward seeming

  They calmed their wrathful mood, nor in array

  Ere met, of hostile arms; yet unappeased

  Sat brooding malice in their bosoms' depths;

  They little reek of hidden springs whose power

  Can quell the torrent's fury: scarce their sire

  In death had closed his eyes, when, as the spark

  That long in smouldering embers sullen lay,

  Shoots forth a towering flame; so unconfined

  Burst the wild storm of brothers' hate triumphant

  O'er nature's holiest bands. Ye saw, my friends,

  Your country's bleeding wounds, when princely strife

  Woke discord's maddening fires, and ranged her sons

  In mutual deadly conflict; all around

  Was heard the clash of arms, the din of carnage,

  And e'en these halls were stained with kindred gore.

  Torn was the state with civil rage, this heart

  With pangs that mothers feel; alas, unmindful

  Of aught but public woes, and pitiless

  You sought my widow's chamber-there with taunts

  And fierce reproaches for your country's ills

  From that polluted spring of brother's hate

  Derived, invoked a parent's warning voice,

  And threatening told of people's discontent

  And princes' crimes! "Ill-fated land! now wasted

  By thy unnatural sons, ere long the prey

  Of foeman's sword! Oh, haste," you cried, "and end

  This strife! bring peace again, or soon Messina

  Shall bow to other lords." Your stern decree

  Prevailed; this heart, with all a mother's anguish

  O'erlabored, owned the weight of public cares.

  I flew, and at my children's feet, distracted,

  A suppliant lay; till to my prayers and tears

  The voice of nature answered in their breasts!

  Here in the palace of their sires, unarmed,

  In peaceful guise Messina shall behold

  The long inveterate foes; this is the day!

  E'en now I wait the messenger that brings

  The tidings of my sons' approach: be ready

  To give your princes joyful welcome home

  With reverence such as vassals may beseem.

  Bethink ye to fulfil your subject duties,

  And leave to better wisdom weightier cares.

  Dire was their strife to them, and to the State

  Fruitful of ills; yet, in this happy bond

  Of peace united, know that they are mighty

  To stand against a world in arms, nor less

  Enforce their sovereign will against yourselves.

  [The ELDERS retire in silence; she beckons to

  an old attendant, who remains.

  Diego!

  DIEGO.

  Honored mistress!

  ISABELLA.

  Old faithful servant, then true heart, cone near me;

  Sharer of all a mother's woes, be thine

  The sweet communion of her joys: my treasure

  Shrined in thy heart, my dear and holy secret

  Shall pierce the envious veil, and shine triumphant

  To cheerful day; too long by harsh decrees,

  Silent and overpowered, affection yet

  Shall utterance find in Nature's tones of rapture!

  And this imprisoned heart leap to the embrace

  Of all it holds most dear, returned to glad

  My desolate halls;

  So bend thy aged steps

  To the old cloistered sanctuary that guards

  The darling of my soul, whose innocence

  To thy true love (sweet pledge of happier days)!

  Trusting I gave, and asked from fortune's storm

  A resting place and shrine. Oh, in this hour

  Of bliss; the dear reward of all thy cares.

  Give to my longing arms my child again!

  [Trumpets are heard in the distance.

  Haste! be thy footsteps winged with joy-I hear

  The trumpet's blast, that tells in warlike accents

  My sons are near:

  [Exit DIEGO. Music is heard in an opposite direction,

  and becomes gradually louder.

  Messina is awake!

  Hark! how the stream of tongues hoarse murmuring

  Rolls on the breeze,-'tis they! my mother's heart

  Feels their approach, and beats with mighty throes

  Responsive to the loud, resounding march!

  They come! they come! my children! oh, my children!

  [Exit.

  The CHORUS enters.

  (It consists of two semi-choruses which enter at the same time

  from opposite sides, and after marching round the stage range

  themselves in rows, each on the side by which it entered. One

&nbs
p; semi-chorus consists of young knights, the other of older ones,

  each has its peculiar costume and ensigns. When the two choruses

  stand opposite to each other, the march ceases, and the two leaders

  speak.) [The first chorus consists of Cajetan, Berengar, Manfred,

  Tristan, and eight followers of Don Manuel. The second of Bohemund,

  Roger, Hippolyte, and nine others of the party of Don Caesar.

  First Chorus (CAJETAN).

  I greet ye, glittering halls

  Of olden time

  Cradle of kings! Hail! lordly roof,

  In pillared majesty sublime!

  Sheathed be the sword!

  In chains before the portal lies

  The fiend with tresses snake-entwined,

  Fell Discord! Gently treat the inviolate floor!

  Peace to this royal dome!

  Thus by the Furies' brood we swore,

  And all the dark, avenging Deities!

  Second Chorus (BOHEMUND).

  I rage! I burn! and scarce refrain

  To lift the glittering steel on high,

  For, lo! the Gorgon-visaged train

  Of the detested foeman nigh:

  Shall I my swelling heart control?

  To parley deign-or still in mortal strife

  The tumult of my soul?

  Dire sister, guardian of the spot, to thee

  Awe-struck I bend the knee,

  Nor dare with arms profane thy deep tranquillity!

  First Chorus (CAJETAN).

  Welcome the peaceful strain!

  Together we adore the guardian power

  Of these august abodes!

  Sacred the hour

  To kindred brotherly ties

  And reverend, holy sympathies;-

  Our hearts the genial charm shall own,

  And melt awhile at friendship's soothing tone:-

  But when in yonder plain

  We meet-then peace away!

  Come gleaming arms, and battle's deadly fray!

  The whole Chorus.

  But when in yonder plain

  We meet-then peace away!

  Come gleaming arms, and battle's deadly fray!

  First Chorus (BERENGAR).

  I hate thee not-nor call thee foe,

  My brother! this our native earth,

  The land that gave our fathers birth:-

  Of chief's behest the slave decreed,

  The vassal draws the sword at need,

  For chieftain's rage we strike the blow,

  For stranger lords our kindred blood must flow.

  Second Chorus (BOHEMUND).

  Hate fires their souls-we ask not why;-

  At honor's call to fight and die,

  Boast of the true and brave!

  Unworthy of a soldier's name

  Who burns not for his chieftain's fame!

  The whole Chorus.

  Unworthy of a soldier's name

  Who burns not for his chieftain's fame!

  One of the Chorus (BERENGAR).

  Thus spoke within my bosom's core

  The thought-as hitherward I strayed;

  And pensive 'mid the waving store,

  I mused, of autumn's yellow glade:-

  These gifts of nature's bounteous reign,-

  The teeming earth, and golden grain,

  Yon elms, among whose leaves entwine

  The tendrils of the clustering vine;-

  Gay children of our sunny clime,-

  Region of spring's eternal prime!

  Each charm should woo to love and joy,

  No cares the dream of bliss annoy,

  And pleasure through life's summer day

  Speed every laughing hour away.

  We rage in blood,-oh, dire disgrace!

  For this usurping, alien race;

  From some far distant land they came,

  Beyond the sun's departing flame.

  And owned upon our friendly shore

  The welcome of our sires of yore.

  Alas! their sons in thraldom pine,

  The vassals of this stranger line.

  A second (MANFRED).

  Yes! pleased, on our land, from his azure way,

  The sun ever smiles with unclouded ray.

  But never, fair isle, shall thy sons repose

  'Mid the sweets which the faithless waves enclose.

  On their bosom they wafted the corsair bold,

  With his dreaded barks to our coast of old.

  For thee was thy dower of beauty vain,

  'Twas the treasure that lured the spoiler's train.

  Oh, ne'er from these smiling vales shall rise

  A sword for our vanquished liberties;

  'Tis not where the laughing Ceres reigns,

  And the jocund lord of the flowery plains:-

  Where the iron lies hid in the mountain cave,

  Is the cradle of empire-the home of the brave!

  [The folding-doors at the back of the stage are thrown open.

  DONNA ISABELLA appears between her sons, DON MANUEL and DON CAESAR.

  Both Choruses (CAJETAN).

  Lift high the notes of praise!

  Behold! where lies the awakening sun,

  She comes, and from her queenly brow

  Shoots glad, inspiring rays.

  Mistress, we bend to thee!

  First Chorus.

  Fair is the moon amid the starry choir

  That twinkle o'er the sky,

  Shining in silvery, mild tranquillity;-

  The mother with her sons more fair!

  See! blooming at her side,

  She leads the royal, youthful pair;

  With gentle grace, and soft, maternal pride,

  Attempering sweet their manly fire.

  Second Chorus (BERENGAR).

  From this fair stem a beauteous tree

  With ever-springing boughs shall smile,

  And with immortal verdure shade our isle;

  Mother of heroes, joy to thee!

  Triumphant as the sun thy kingly race

  Shall spread from clime to clime,

  And give a deathless name to rolling time!

  ISABELLA (comes forward with her SONS).

  Look down! benignant Queen of Heaven, and still,

  This proud tumultuous heart, that in my breast

  Swells with a mother's tide of ecstasy,

  As blazoned in these noble youths, my image

  More perfect shows;-Oh, blissful hour! the first

  That comprehends the fulness of my joy,

  When long-constrained affection dares to pour

  In unison of transport from my heart,

  Unchecked, a parent's undivided love:

  Oh! it was ever one-my sons were twain.

  Say-shall I revel in the dreams of bliss,

  And give my soul to Nature's dear emotions?

  Is this warm pressure of thy brother's hand

  A dagger in thy breast?

  [To DON MANUEL.

  Or when my eyes

  Feed on that brow with love's enraptured gaze,

  Is it a wrong to thee?

  [To DON CAESAR.

  Trembling, I pause,

  Lest e'en affection's breath should wake the fires

  Of slumbering hate.

  [After regarding both with inquiring looks

  Speak! In your secret hearts

  What purpose dwells? Is it the ancient feud

  Unreconciled, that in your father's halls

  A moment stilled; beyond the castle gates,

  Where sits infuriate war, and champs the bit-

  Shall rage anew in mortal, bloody conflict?

  Chorus (BOHEMUND).

  Concord or strife-the fate's decree

  Is bosomed yet in dark futurity!

  What comes, we little heed to know,

  Prepared for aught the hour may show!

  ISABELLA (looking round).

  What mean these arms? this warlike, dread
array,

  That in the palace of your sires portends

  Some fearful issue? needs a mother's heart

  Outpoured, this rugged witness of her joys?

  Say, in these folding arms shall treason hide

  The deadly snare? Oh, these rude, pitiless men,

  The ministers of your wrath!-trust not the show