and he throws off divinity—    Is flesh and blood, and dies, and is beloved! SEMELE. Would Zeus do that? ZEUS. Speak, Semele! What more? Apollo's self confesses that 'tis bliss To be a man 'mongst men—a sign from thee, And I'm a man! SEMELE. (Falling on his neck.)           Oh Jupiter, the Epidaurus women Thy Semele a foolish maiden call, Because, though by the Thunderer beloved, She can obtain naught from him—     ZEUS. (Eagerly.)  They shall blush, Those Epidaurus women! Ask!—but ask! And by the dreaded Styx—whose boundless might Binds e'en the gods like slaves—if Zeus deny thee, Then shall the gods, e'en in that self-same moment, Hurl me despairing to annihilation! SEMELE. (Springing up joyfully.)    By this I know that thou'rt my Jupiter! Thou swearest—and the Styx has heard thine oath! Let me embrace thee, then, in the same guise In which—     ZEUS. (Shrieking with alarm.)          Unhappy one! Oh stay! oh stay! SEMELE. Saturnia—     ZEUS. (Attempting to stop her mouth.)              Be thou dumb! SEMELE. Embraces thee. ZEUS. (Pale, and turning away.)    Too late! The sound escaped!—The Styx!—'Tis death Thou, Semele, hast gained! SEMELE. Ha! Loves Zeus thus? ZEUS. All heaven I would have given, had I only Loved thee but less! (Gazing at her with cold    horror.)       Thou'rt lost—     SEMELE. Oh, Jupiter! ZEUS. (Speaking furiously to himself,)    Ah! Now I mark thine exultation, Juno! Accursed jealousy! This rose must die! Too fair—alas! too sweet for Acheron! SEMELE. Methinks thou'rt niggard of thy majesty! ZEUS. Accursed be my majesty, that now Has blinded thee! Accursed be my greatness, That must destroy thee! Cursed be I myself For having built my bliss on crumbling dust! SEMELE. These are but empty terrors, Zeus! In truth I do not dread thy threats! ZEUS. Deluded child! Go! take a last farewell forever more Of all thy friends beloved—naught, naught has power    To save thee, Semele! I am thy Zeus! Yet that no more—Go—     SEMELE. Jealous one! the Styx!—    Think not that thou'lt be able to escape me.  [Exit. ZEUS. No! Juno shall not triumph.—She shall tremble—    Aye, and by virtue of the deadly might That makes the earth and makes the heavens my footstool, Upon the sharpest rock in Thracia's land With adamantine chains I'll bind her fast. But, oh, this oath—             [Mercury appears in the distance. What means thy hasty flight? MERCURY. I bring the fiery, winged, and weeping thanks Of those whom thou hast blessed—     ZEUS. Again destroy them! MERCURY. (In amazement.)    

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