Hilar.: Old as you are, I'd wring your shrivelled neck If you were not the Princess Ida's father.
Gama:If I were not the Princess Ida's father, And so had not her brothers for my sons, No doubt you'd wring my neck -- in safety too!
Come, come, Hilarion, begin, begin!
Give them no quarter -- they will give you none.
You've this advantage over warriors Who kill their country's enemies for pay,--You know what you are fighting for -- look there!
(Pointing to Ladies on the battlements)
(Exit Gamma.Hilarion, Florian, and Cyril are led off.)SONG (Arac, Guron, Scynthius and Chorus)"This Helmet, I Suppose"
Arac: This helmet, I suppose, Was meant to ward off blows, It's very hot And weighs a lot, As many a guardsman knows, As many a guardsman knows, As many a guardsman knows, As many a guardsman knows, So off, so off that helmet goes.
Others: Yes, yes, yes, So off that helmet goes!
(Giving their helmets to attendants)
Arac: This tight-fitting cuirass Is but a useless mass, It's made of steel, And weighs a deal, This tight-fitting cuirass Is but a useless mass, A man is but an ass Who fights in a cuirass, So off, so off goes that cuirass.
Others: Yes, yes, yes, So off goes that cuirass!
(Removing cuirasses)
Arac: These brassets, truth to tell, May look uncommon well, But in a fight They're much too tight, They're like a lobster shell, They're like a lobster shell!
Others: Yes, yes, yes, They're like a lobster shell.
(Removing their brassets)
Arac: These things I treat the same (indicating leg pieces)(I quite forget their name.)They turn one's legs To cribbage pegs--
Their aid I thus disclaim, Their aid I thus disclaim, Though I forget their name, Though I forget their name, Their aid, their aid I thus disclaim!
Others: Yes, yes, yes, All: Their aid (we/they) thus disclaim!
(They remove their leg pieces and wear close-fitting shape suits.)Enter Hilarion, Florian, and Cyril(Desperate fight between the three Princes and the three Knights, during which the Ladies on the battlements and the Soldiers on the stage sing the following chorus):
CHORUS DURING THE FIGHT
"This is our Duty"
Chorus: This is our duty plain towards Our Princess all immaculate, We ought to bless her brothers' swords, And piously ejaculate:
Oh, Hungary!
Oh, Hungary!
Oh, doughty sons of Hungary!
May all success Attend and bless Your warlike ironmongery!
Hilarion! Hilarion! Hilarion!
(By this time, Arac, Guron, and Scynthius are on the ground, wounded --Hilarion, Cyril and Florian stand over them.)Princess:(Entering through gate and followed by Ladies, Hildebrand, and Gama.)Hold! stay your hands! -- we yield ourselves to you!
Ladies, my brothers all lie bleeding there!
Bind up their wounds -- but look the other way.
(Coming down) Is this the end? (Bitterly to Lady Blanche)How say you, Lady Blanche--Can I with dignity my post resign?
And if I do, will you then take my place?
Blanche: To answer this, it's meet that we consult The great Potential Mysteries; I mean The five Subjunctive Possibilities--The May, the Might, the Would, the Could, the Should.
Can you resign? The Prince May claim you; if He Might, you Could -- and if you Should, I Would!
Princess:I thought as much! Then to my fate I yield--So ends my cherished scheme! Oh, I had hoped To band all women with my maiden throng, And make them all abjure tyrannic Man!
Hildebd: A noble aim!
Princess: You ridicule it now;But if I carried out this glorious scheme, At my exalted name Posterity Would bow in gratitude!
Hildebd: But pray reflect --If you enlist all women in your cause, And make them all abjure tyrannic Man, The obvious question then arises, "How Is this Posterity to be provided?"Princess:I never thought of that! My Lady Blanche, How do you solve the riddle?
Blanche: Don't ask me --Abstract Philosophy won't answer it.
Take him -- he is your Shall.Give in to Fate!
Princess:And you desert me.I alone am staunch!
Hilarion:Madam, you placed your trust in Woman -- well, Woman has failed you utterly -- try Man, Give him one chance, it's only fair -- besides, Women are far too precious, too divine, To try unproven theories upon.
Experiments, the proverb says, are made On humble subjects -- try our grosser clay, And mould it as you will!
Cyril:Remember, too Dear Madam, if at any time you feel A-weary of the Prince, you can return To Castle Adamant, and rule your girls As heretofore, you know.
Princess: And shall I find The Lady Psyche here?
Psyche: If Cyril, ma'am, Does not behave himself, I think you will.
Princess:And you Melissa, shall I find you here?
Melissa: Madam, however Florian turns out, Unhesitatingly I answer, No!
Gama:Consider this, my love, if your mama Had looked on matters from your point of view (I wish she had), why where would you have been?
Blanche: There's an unbounded field of speculation, On which I could discourse for hours!
Princess: No doubt!
We will not trouble you.Hilarion, I have been wrong -- I see my error now.
Take me, Hilarion -- "We will walk this world Yoked in all exercise of noble end!
And so through those dark gates across the wild That no one knows!" Indeed, I love thee -- Come!
Finale "With joy abiding"
Princess: With joy abiding, Together gliding Through life's variety, In sweet society, And thus enthroning The love I'm owning, On this atoning I will rely!
Chorus: It were profanity For poor humanity To treat as vanity The sway of Love.
In no locality Or principality Is our mortality It's sway above!
Hilarion: When day is fading, With serenading And such frivolity Of tender quality--With scented showers Of fairest flowers, The happy hours Will gaily fly!
The happy hours will gaily fly!
Chorus: It were profanity For poor humanity To treat as vanity The sway of Love.
In no locality Or principality Is our mortality It's sway above!
1st Sops:In no lo-Others:
cality Or princi-Its pality Is our mor- sway tality It's sway a-a-bove! bove!
Princess & With scented Others:
Hilarion:showers Of fairest Its flowers, The happy sway hours will gaily a-fly! bove!