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A Greek Slave Io! Saturnalia!
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 MIDI File 35K, 3 min. 51 seconds. |
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Chorus
(During long musical introduction, some slaves rush out from the Villa, line the parapets, look over and throw flowers to the unseen procession of Saturnalia. Melanopis and Archias are decked out in flowers. Slaves come in holiday dress, men with caps, on the terrace, throwing flowers over the parapet, laughing and jesting)
- Hail Saturnian
- Celebrations;
- Pour Falernian
- In libations!
- All sobriety
- Is impiety;
- Quaff potations!
- Io! Saturnalia!
- Io! Saturnalia!
- Quaff potations!
- Mistress merrily
- Now the maid is,
- Slaves are verily
- Lords and ladies!
- Wit and knavery
- Strut in bravery
- Laughing slavery
- Down to Hades!
- Down to Hades!
- Io! Saturnalia!
- Io! Saturnalia!
- Io! Saturnalia!
- To-day the world is festal,
- From Cæsar to the clown.
- The Pontiff and the Vestal
- To folly bow them down!
- Then Io, Saturnalia!
- We raise the sacred shout;
- And drain the skin till wine is in,
- And merry wit is out.
- And merry wit is out.
- To-day's the time of laughter,
- The happy holiday;
- The working days come after,
- But now the world's at play!
- So Io, Saturnalia!
- And join the merry rout —
- The days begin when wine is in,
- And merry wit is out!
Page created 21 November 2001