AURORA ACT 3

Listen.
I tell you frankly, I loved the Count,
And he loved me too, although
Hes a betrayer worse than Ulysses.
As time passed, our love grew stronger,
And when he was away, fetching Casandra,
I asked the Duke about our marrying,
For this had been our firm arrangement
If a mans firm and solid word
Is ever to be trusted, even
When a woman is his equal.
Federico returned, extremely sad,
And the Duke took up with him
The question of our marriage, then
He claimed that you had made him jealous.
Love is allowed, when things go wrong
To stir up jealousy as a spur;
So I told him I love you, Carlos;
But it had no more effect
Than on a diamond. Without love
Jealousy does not exist.
I was rejected, and at the same time
Federico seemed so free,
So I wondered about the reason.
A jealous person has sharp eyes

And can even see through walls:

I soon found what the reason was.
Casandras dressing room is hung
With portraits and mirrors, not tapestries,
And it has two facing alcoves.
Being suspicious, I walked softly
And from two halls away, I saw
A dreadful thing! Which was reflected
In the surface of a mirror:
For the Count was measuring
Casandras red lips with his own.
With this sight, without my soul,
I stood and wept for my misfortune,
And for theirs; for theyre living
Blindly while the Duke is absent,
And their love and their disdain
Are extreme, as if theyre trying
To outdo the greatest lewdness
That could happen between nobles,
Or between the naked savages
That our mariners have seen.
It seemed to me as if the mirror
That reflected their embrace
Were clouding over, so as not to
See this hideousness, this outrage.
But love made me want to know I couldnt
Tear myself away instead I

Kept on watching, while they did

Every kind of disgusting thing.
I was witness to it all.
Now they say the Dukes returning
From the wars victorious,
Sacred laurels on his forehead,
To proclaim the glorious exploits
Of the Shepherd of the Church
In crushing all his enemies.
Tell me, what am I to do now,
In the face of this great evil?
What has happened makes me fearful,
For although you swore you love me
And although I need you so much,
I keep thinking youll cheat me as
The Count has done, or that youll leave me.

AURORA ACT 3
Listen. I tell you frankly, I loved the Count, and he loved me
too, although hes a betrayer worse than Ulysses.

As time passed, our love grew stronger, and when he was

away, fetching Casandra, I asked the Duke about our marrying,
for this had been our firm arrangement If a mans firm and
solid word is ever to be trusted, even when a woman is his
equal.
Federico returned, extremely sad, and the Duke took up with
him the question of our marriage, then he claimed that you had
made him jealous. Love is allowed, when things go wrong to stir
up jealousy as a spur; so I told him I love you, Carlos; but it had
no more effect than on a diamond. Without love jealousy does
not exist.
I was rejected, and at the same time Federico seemed so free,
so I wondered about the reason. A jealous person has sharp
eyes and can even see through walls: I soon found what the
reason was.
Casandras dressing room is hung with portraits and mirrors,
not tapestries, and it has two facing alcoves. Being suspicious, I
walked softly and from two halls away, I saw a dreadful thing!
Which was reflected in the surface of a mirror: for the Count
was measuring Casandras red lips with his own.
With this sight, without my soul, I stood and wept for my
misfortune, and for theirs; for theyre living blindly while the
Duke is absent, and their love and their disdain are extreme, as
if theyre trying to outdo the greatest lewdness that could
happen between nobles, or between the naked savages that
our mariners have seen.
It seemed to me as if the mirror that reflected their embrace
were clouding over, so as not to see this hideousness, this
outrage. But love made me want to know I couldnt tear
myself away instead I kept on watching, while they did every
kind of disgusting thing. I was witness to it all.
Now they say the Dukes returning from the wars victorious,
sacred laurels on his forehead, to proclaim the glorious exploits
of the Shepherd of the Church in crushing all his enemies. Tell
me, what am I to do now, in the face of this great evil? What
has happened makes me fearful, for although you swore you

love me and although I need you so much, I keep thinking

youll cheat me as the Count has done, or that youll leave me.