A Greek Slave
We are noble Roman ladies
Song No. 6
Oracle Scene and Quartette—Licinia, Tullia, Flavia, Cornelia, Circe, Maia and Chorus of Slaves
MIDI File 27K, 4 min. 27 seconds.
(Slow and solem introductory music while Oracle is brought into position)
Chorus:
- When blanched is every cheek,
- And bent is every head,
- The Oracle will speak
- In acents deep and dread!
- The Oracle will speak
- In acents deep and dread!
- We are noble Roman ladies,
- As one glance discovers,
- And not one of us afraid is
- Of lacking for lovers.
- We're as charming and insidious,
- The poets all say so,
- As the beauties of Ovidius,
- Ovidius Naso.
- Each of us have slaves in plenty,
- For our hair is done by twenty;
- Ten to put the pins in places,
- Four apiece to rouge our faces;
- Half a dozen each for swathing
- Us in towels after bathing;
- Eight to strum or sing a ballad
- Six to mix a Roman salad.
- Seven to anoint our shoulders,
- And a dozen tunic folders;
- Note and invitation writers,
- And professional reciters.
- Lyricists, dancing girls and pipers,
- Manicures and sandal wipers,
- And a thousand ordinary
- Slaves apiece to fetch and carry.
- We have birth and wealth and fashion
- Disputed by no man,
- But we cherish each a passion
- For some noble Roman.
- So reply in style punctilious,
- O! Image of Pharaoh!
- Like the Sibyl of Vergilius,
- Vergilius Maro.
- Oh, mighty Oracle, to whom the age beyond
- Is but a span,
- Behold from ladies, each extremely fond
- Of one young man!
- You know the secret future fate in store
- For every dame;
- You know their lovers two or three or more,
- Or all the same!
- Speak, Oracle, the fortune of the four
- In song proclaim.
- Daughters of Rome this is your future lot;
- You shall be loved of him that loves you not,
- And you shall love in love's despite perforce,
- And you shall marry him, and you divorce;
- You shall be wretched, you be duly blest;
- The Oracle has spoken— Actum est!
- That's a rather doubtful answer
- For a famous necromancer,
- Like a puzzle or a riddle
- Inside out and down the middle.
- Thought our noble opulence is
- Far to great to reck expenses,
|
Roman Ladies: We account it hardly funny Getting nothing for our money |
Chorus: This is nice, and this is proper! Not a single bit of copper! |
(Exit Roman Ladies)
Chorus:
- Well, for stinginess that's shady,
- Nothing beats a noble lady!
- Nothing beats a noble lady!
(Exit Roman Chorus)
Page created 14 October 2001