The Rhinegold & The Valkyrie. The Ring of the Niblung, part 1. Рихард Вагнер

waves have gradually changed into clouds which, becoming lighter and lighter by degrees, finally disperse in a fine mist. As the mist vanishes upwards in light little clouds an open space on a mountain height becomes visible in the dim light which precedes dawn. At one side Wotan with Fricka beside him both asleep, lie on a flowery bank. The dawning day illumines with increasing brightness a castle with glittering pinnacles which stands on the summit of a cliff in the background. Between this and the foreground a deep valley is visible through which the Rhine flows.

      FRICKA

      [Awakes; her gaze falls on the castle, which has become plainly visible; alarmed.

      Wotan! My lord! Awaken!

      WOTAN [Continuing to dream.

      The happy hall of delight

      Is guarded by gate and door:

      Manhood's honour,

      Power for aye,

      Rise to my lasting renown!

      FRICKA [Shakes him.

      Up from deceitful

      Bliss of a dream!

      My husband, wake and consider!

      WOTAN

      [Awakes and raises himself slightly. His glance is immediately arrested by the view of the castle.

      The walls everlasting are built!

      On yonder summit

      The Gods' abode

      Proudly rears

      Its radiant strength!

      As I nursed it in dream

      And desired it to be,

      Strong it stands,

      Fair to behold,

      Brave and beautiful pile!

      FRICKA

      While thou rejoicest,

      Joyless am I.

      Thou hast thy hall;

      My heart fears for Freia.

      Heedless one, hast thou forgotten

      The price that was to be paid?

      The work is finished,

      And forfeit the pledge:

      Hast thou then no care for the cost?

      WOTAN

      My bargain well I remember

      With them who built the abode.

      'Twas a pact tamed them,

      The obstinate race,

      So that this hallowed

      Hall they have built me.

      It stands—the strong ones' doing:—

      Fret not thou, counting the cost.

      FRICKA

      O laughing, insolent lightness!

      Mirth how cruel and callous!

      Had I but known of thy pact,

      The trick had never been played;

      But far from your counsels

      Ye men kept the women,

      That, deaf to us and in peace,

      Alone ye might deal with the giants.

      So without shame

      Ye promised them Freia,

      Freia, my beautiful sister,

      Proud of playing the thief.

      What remains holy

      Or precious to men

      Once grown greedy of might?

      WOTAN [Calmly.

      From such greed

      Was Fricka then free

      Herself when the castle she craved?

      FRICKA

      I was forced to ponder some means

      To keep my husband faithful,

      True to me when his fancy

      Tempted him far from his home.

      Halls high and stately,

      Decked to delight thee,

      Were to constrain thee

      To peaceful repose.

      But thou hadst the work designed

      Intent on war alone;

      It was to add

      More to thy might still,

      To stir up to tumult still fiercer

      That built were the towering walls

      WOTAN

      Wouldst thou, O Wife!

      In the castle confine me,

      To me, the god, must be granted,

      Faithful at home,

      The right to wage war

      And conquer the world from without.

      Ranging and changing

      All men love:

      That sport at least thou must leave me.

      FRICKA

      Cold, hard-hearted,

      Merciless man!

      For the idle baubles,

      Empire and sway,

      Thou stakest in insolent scorn

      Love and a woman's worth!

      WOTAN

      When I went wooing, to win thee

      I staked ungrudging,

      Gladly one of my eyes:

      What folly now then to scold!

      Women I honour

      Beyond thy desire!

      I will not abandon

      Frei, the fair:

      Such never was my intent.

      FRICKA

      [ Anxiously looking towards a point not on the stage.

      Then succour her now:

      Defenceless, in fear,

      Hither she hastens for help!

      FREIA

      [Enters as if flying from someone.

      Help me, sister!

      Shield me, o brother!

      From yonder mountain

      Menaces Fasolt:

      He comes to bear me off captive.

      WOTAN

      Let him come!

      Sawest thou Loge?

      FRICKA

      To this tricky deceiver

      O why wilt thou trust?

      He always snares thee anew,

      Though from his snares thou hast suffered.

      WOTAN

      I ask for no aid

      Where simple truth suffices;

      But