{"id":8,"date":"2013-05-10T15:50:58","date_gmt":"2013-05-10T15:50:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.neron-kaisar-the-opera.org\/?page_id=8"},"modified":"2014-12-03T22:53:11","modified_gmt":"2014-12-03T22:53:11","slug":"music","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/www.neron-kaisar-the-opera.org\/?page_id=8","title":{"rendered":"Music"},"content":{"rendered":"<h3><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-size: 1.17em; line-height: 1.5em;\">Scene 1: \u201cIncipit\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Nero, aged 17, is carried in a litter with his mother, Agrippina, into a busy,\u00a0opulent scene for his coronation, borne by slaves. The relationship between mother and son, as Suetonius reports, was thought to be incestuous. Agrippina\u00a0had poisoned the outgoing emperor Claudius, her second husband, with\u00a0mushrooms, having connived previously to get him to name Nero, her son by\u00a0a previous marriage, as successor. Both mother and son are \u201cexpectant\u201d for\u00a0Nero\u2019s imminent coronation.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Track 1: Scene 1: Incipit<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<div style=\"padding-top: 0px;\">\n<div style=\"float: left; padding: 0px 20px 0 0;\"><audio width=\"300\" height=\"32\" controls=\"controls\"><source src=\"http:\/\/www.neron-kaisar-the-opera.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/NERON-KAISAR-Opera-Mix.mp3\" type=\"audio\/mpeg\" \/><\/audio><\/div>\n<div style=\"float: left; padding: 0px 0 0 0;\"><a style=\"font-size: 11px;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.neron-kaisar-the-opera.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/5-NERON-KAISAR-Overture.mp3\" target=\"_blank\">Listen \u00bb<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\"><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Agrippina<\/strong>, stroking Nero\u2019s face, fussing with his clothes and crown, sings Vergil,\u00a0Eclogue 4.60, 62-63:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><em>Incipe, parve puer, risu cognoscere matrem.<\/em><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> <em> Incipe, parve puer, qui non risere parenti,<\/em><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> <em> Nec deus hunc mensa, dea nec dignata cubili est.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">My darling boy, with a smile, begin!<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Look at me, your mother! If you won\u2019t spread<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Your lips in joy for me, offer your chin,<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> No god shares his feast, no goddess her bed.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Nero<\/strong> smiles, kissing Agrippina on the cheek, neck, and bosom, boyishly, and a\u00a0bit too over-fondly:\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Mother!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Agrippina<\/strong> lets the bodice of her dress fall loose and sings Aeschylus,<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Choephoroe 896-898:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u03bc\u1f20\u03c0\u03af\u03c3\u03c7\u03b5\u2014\u1f66 \u03c0\u03b1\u1fd6\u2014\u03c4\u03cc\u03bd\u03b4\u03b5 \u03b4\u1fbf\u03b1\u1f34\u03b4\u03b5\u03c3\u03b1\u03b9, \u03c4\u03ad\u03ba\u03bd\u03bf\u03bd,<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> \u03bc\u03b1\u03c3\u03c4\u03cc\u03bd, \u03c0\u03c1\u1f78\u03c2 \u1fa7 \u03c3\u1f7a \u03c0\u03bf\u03bb\u03bb\u1f70 \u03b4\u1f74 \u03b2\u03c1\u03af\u03b6\u03c9\u03bd \u1f05\u03bc\u03b1<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> \u03bf\u1f54\u03bb\u03bf\u03b9\u03c3\u03b9\u03bd \u1f10\u03be\u03ae\u03bc\u03b5\u03bb\u03be\u03b1\u03c2 \u03b5\u1f50\u03c4\u03c1\u03b1\u03c6\u1f72\u03c2 \u03b3\u03ac\u03bb\u03b1.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Honor, my child, my son,<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> This breast at which you nursed.<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Do not go; be not done!<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Slumbering there a spell,<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Squeeze out of me with pursed<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Lips milk to make you well.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Nero<\/strong> buries his face in Agrippina\u2019s bosom:\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Mother, I do; and I will!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Nero steps out of the litter, arm-in-arm with Agrippina, and takes his seat on\u00a0the dais. The Senate hails him as Imperator. Seneca is at his left offering advice;\u00a0Agrippina on the right to assert her place. The Chorus, split between male and\u00a0female voices, represents the interests of the Senate and the Muses.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Chorus<\/strong> (Senate) sings Vergil, Eclogue 4.4-7:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The Divine Claudius is dead!<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> We hail Nero, son of Agrippina, as Emperor!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><em>Ultima Cumaei venit iam carminis aetas;<\/em><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> <em> magnus ab integro saeclorum nascitur ordo.<\/em><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> <em> iam redit et Virgo, redeunt Saturnia regna,<\/em><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> <em> iam nova progenies caelo demittitur alto.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The last age of the Sibyl\u2019s song has come,<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> The great order of ages born anigh,<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Virgin Justice returns to earth; some<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> New race, and Saturn\u2019s reign, falls from on high!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Agrippina<\/strong>, to Nero:\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">You will rule the world! The ages will rejoice in you\u2014my love!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Chorus<\/strong> (Senate):<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><em>Nero Claudius Caesar Drusus Germanicus! Imperator! Divus Augustus! Nobilissimus! Sebastos!<\/em><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> <em> Dominus noster! Pius et felix! Invictissimus!<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Seneca<\/strong>, solemnly, sings to Nero from his De Clementia 1.7:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The risk the Roman people faced was great, while it was unknown what course your noble<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> gifts would take. But as it stands, you can count on prayers from the State: I see no risk that<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> some sudden self-amnesia will seize and hold you in its sway.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Too much prosperity makes men want more; and desires are never so restrained that they<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> disappear once attained. Ascent always grows from great to greater, . . . and men embrace<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> <span style=\"line-height: 1.5em;\">the wildest hopes once they obtain what they never, ever dreamt.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"line-height: 1.5em;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Today all your subjects feel inspired to say they are fortunate, and that nothing further could<br \/>\n<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">be added to these blessings\u2014except they endure . . .<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Chorus<\/strong>:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><em>Laudamus . . . divinitatem tuam, maiestatem<\/em><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> <em>tuam, clementiam tuam, serenitatem tuam,<\/em><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> <em>felicitatem tuam!<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Agrippina<\/strong>, ecstatically:\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Hail, Caesar!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">As the acclamation subsides, <strong>Nero<\/strong>, accompanied by the harp, announces his<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> platform as emperor (Archilochus fragments 1 and 2):<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u03b5\u1f30\u03bc\u1f76 \u03b4\u1fbf\u1f10\u03b3\u1f7c \u03b8\u03b5\u03c1\u03ac\u03c0\u03c9\u03bd \u03bc\u1f72\u03bd \u1f18\u03bd\u03c5\u03b1\u03bb\u03af\u03bf\u03b9\u03bf \u1f04\u03bd\u03b1\u03ba\u03c4\u03bf\u03c2<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u039c\u03bf\u03c5\u03c3\u03ad\u03c9\u03bd \u1f10\u03c1\u03b1\u03c4\u1f78\u03bd \u03b4\u1ff6\u03c1\u03bf\u03bd \u1f10\u03c0\u03b9\u03c3\u03c4\u03ac\u03bc\u03b5\u03bd\u03bf\u03c2.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">I am the servant of the Muse and Mars:<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> We wield the spear, yet the Muses\u2019 gift is\u00a0also ours.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Nero<\/strong>, holding a sceptre\/mace:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u1f10\u03bd \u03b4\u03bf\u03c1\u1f76 \u03bc\u03ad\u03bd \u03bc\u03bf\u03b9 \u03bc\u1fb6\u03b6\u03b1 \u03bc\u03b5\u03bc\u03b1\u03b3\u03bc\u03ad\u03bd\u03b7, \u1f10\u03bd \u03b4\u03bf\u03c1\u1f76 \u03b4\u1fbf\u03bf\u1f36\u03bd\u03bf\u03c2<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> \u1f38\u03c3\u03bc\u03b1\u03c1\u03b9\u03ba\u03cc\u03c2. \u03c0\u03af\u03bd\u03c9 \u03b4\u1fbf\u1f10\u03bd \u03b4\u03bf\u03c1\u1f76 \u03ba\u03b5\u03ba\u03bb\u03b9\u03bc\u03ad\u03bd\u03bf\u03c2.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">From this sceptre comes our bread, from<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> this sceptre wine\u2014\u00a0I drink it down, as on this sceptre I recline.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Nero takes a symbolic sip from a chalice and tosses it away.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Agrippina<\/strong>, beside herself:\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Drink it down to the lees, my son!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Seneca<\/strong>:\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">But not too much: wine is the window of the soul . . .<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Nero<\/strong> continues his platform, picking up Vergil, Eclogue 4.55-59:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><em>non me carminibus vincat nec Thracius Orpheus<\/em><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> <em> nec Linus, huic mater quamvis atque huic pater adsit,<\/em><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> <em> Orphei Calliopea, Lino formosus Apollo.<\/em><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> <em> Pan etiam, Arcadia mecum si iudice certet,<\/em><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> <em> Pan etiam Arcadia dicat se iudice victum.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Linus and Orpheus of Thrace<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Will not out-sing me in an air,<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Though his mother, Calliope,<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Inspire the one with her embrace,<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> And Linus Apollo, the fair.<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Even Pan, if he vied with me,<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> With Arcady to judge the case;<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Yea, Pan, with Arcady to bear<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Judgement, would surrender to me.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Chorus<\/strong>, now representing the Muses (intermingled with, but invisible to, the<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> other characters on stage), alight near Nero and whisper in his ear Hesiod,<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Works and Days 3-4 and Theogony 27-28:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">By will of Zeus, men have fame.<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Or they do not. They are sung<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> And receive in song a name.<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Or are unknown to the tongue.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Nero<\/strong>:\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Non me carminibus vincat nec Thracius Orpheus &#8230;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Chorus<\/strong>:<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> We lead men in song astray.<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> With lies like truth we taunt<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Your kind; yet we also play<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> The truth, if and when we want.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Nero<\/strong>, archly:\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">What is truth?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Chorus<\/strong>, now Senate, oblivious to the Muses\u2019 apparition, continues to sing<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> its\u00a0interests (Heraclitus fragment 53 Diels-Kranz):<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The father and the ruler<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Of our humankind is War,<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Who makes slaves free, free men slaves\u2014<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Some gods!\u2014others men, no more.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Seneca<\/strong> continues with advice from De Clementia (1.26.3; 1.26.5; 1.5.1):<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Good gods! What woe is this\u2014to kill, to rage, to take pleasure in the clink of chains and in<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> severing the heads of countrymen!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">True happiness lies in saving lives, in summoning the many back to life from the brink of<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> death by acts of mercy. No ornament is more fitting for a prince on high\u2014not trophies<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> stripped from a fallen foe, nor chariots stained with savage blood, nor spoils gained in war.<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> To save life on a universal scale shows &#8230; the power of a god; to kill en masse and without<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> distinction is the force of firebrands and ruin.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">You are the soul of the State; the State is your body. You see, I am sure, the need for mercy:<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> When you spare another, you save yourself.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Nero<\/strong>, coyly:\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Caesar, then, to that degree, is merciful indeed.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Agrippina<\/strong> waves Seneca off disdainfully, sings in reply, from Handel\u2019s Agrippina:<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> <em><br \/>\nNerone, amato figlio; \u00e8 questo il tempo,<\/em><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> <em>in cui la tua fortuna<\/em><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> <em>prender potrai pe\u2019l crine, ed arrestarla.<\/em><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> <em>Oggi propizio fato la corona de\u2019 Cesari ti porge.<\/em><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> <em>Svelo a te ci\u00f2 che a tutti \u00e8 ignoto ancor.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Nero, my beloved son! This is the moment<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> For you to seize Fortune<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> By the hair and stop her in her tracks.<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Today, a propitious fate<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Extends to you the crown of Caesars.<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> To you alone I reveal what is, as yet, known<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> by none.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">She offers Nero a large book.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><em>Prendi, leggi! . . .<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Take this up and read!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Chorus<\/strong>:\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The Sibylline Books!\u00a0<\/span><em><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Tolle! lege!\u00a0<\/span><\/em><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Take it up and read!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Agrippina:<br \/>\n<\/strong><em><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><em>. . . e vedrai e ci\u00f2 che la mia mente dispone<\/em><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> <em>a tuo favor poscia saprai!<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">And you shall see<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> And know what my mind<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Contrives for your future good!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>The Sibyl<\/strong>\u2014blind, dishevelled in appearance, wild hair, sumptuous, ecstatic\u2014<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> pushes her way through the crowd, grabs the book from Agrippina (it is open,<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> but the Sibyl is not looking at it) and confronts Nero. She sings a concatenation<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> of Oracula Sibyllina 2.4-5, 3.815-818, an oracle from Dio Cassius (62.18.3-4),<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> OracSib 5.29-31 and 5.377-380:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u03c0\u1fb6\u03bd \u03b4\u03ad\u03bc\u03b1\u03c2 \u1f10\u03ba\u03c0\u03bb\u03b7\u03c7\u03b8\u03b5\u1fd6\u03c3\u03b1 \u03c4\u03ac\u03b4\u1fbf \u1f14\u03c3\u03c0\u03bf\u03bc\u03b1\u03b9\u00b7 \u03bf\u1f50\u03b4\u1f72 \u03b3\u1f70\u03c1 \u03bf\u1f36\u03b4\u03b1<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> \u1f45\u03c4\u03c4\u03b9 \u03bb\u03ad\u03b3\u03c9, \u03ba\u03ad\u03bb\u03b5\u03c4\u03b1\u03b9 \u03b4\u1f72 \u03b8\u03b5\u1f78\u03c2 \u03c4\u1f70 \u1f15\u03ba\u03b1\u03c3\u03c4\u1fbf \u03b3\u03bf\u03c1\u03b5\u03cd\u03b5\u03b9\u03bd.<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> &#8230; \u03bf\u1f33 \u03b4\u03ad \u03bc\u03b5 \u039a\u03af\u03c1\u03ba\u03b7\u03c2<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> \u03bc\u03b7\u03c4\u03c1\u1f78\u03c2 \u03ba\u2002\u03b3\u03bd\u03ce\u03c3\u03c4\u03bf\u03b9\u03bf \u03c0\u03b1\u03c4\u03c1\u1f78\u03c2 \u03c6\u03ae\u03c3\u03bf\u03c5\u03c3\u03b9 \u03a3\u03af\u03b2\u03c5\u03bb\u03bb\u03b1\u03bd<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> \u03bc\u03b1\u03b9\u03bd\u03bf\u03bc\u03ad\u03bd\u03b7\u03bd \u03c8\u03b5\u03cd\u03c3\u03c4\u03b5\u03b9\u03c1\u03b1\u03bd\u00b7 \u1f10\u03c0\u1f74\u03bd \u03b4\u1f72 \u03b3\u03ad\u03bd\u03b7\u03c4\u03b1\u03b9 \u1f05\u03c0\u03b1\u03bd\u03c4\u03b1,<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> \u03c4\u03b7\u03bd\u03af\u03ba\u03b1 \u03bc\u03bf\u03c5 \u03bc\u03bd\u03ae\u03bc\u03b7\u03bd \u03c0\u03bf\u03b9\u03ae\u03c3\u03b5\u03c4\u03b5 \u03ba\u03bf\u1f50\u03ba\u03ad\u03c4\u03b9 \u03bc\u1fbf\u03bf\u1f50\u03b4\u03b5\u03af\u03c2<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> \u03bc\u03b1\u03b9\u03bd\u03bf\u03bc\u03ad\u03bd\u03b7\u03bd \u03c6\u03ae\u03c3\u03b5\u03b9\u03b5, \u03b8\u03b5\u03bf\u1fe6 \u03bc\u03b5\u03b3\u03ac\u03bb\u03bf\u03b9\u03bf \u03c0\u03c1\u03bf\u03c6\u1fc6\u03c4\u03b9\u03bd.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">What I will sing I do not know.<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Yet what I speak doth God require.<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> They say I am a raving liar,<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Myself to ecstasy I throw.<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Circe\u2019s child, I am Sibyl, sire<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Unknown. But all will thus transpire.<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Thought mad no more, God\u2019s truth I show.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u1f14\u03c3\u03c7\u03b1\u03c4\u03bf\u03c2 \u0391\u1f30\u03bd\u03b5\u03b1\u03b4\u1ff6\u03bd \u03bc\u03b7\u03c4\u03c1\u03bf\u03ba\u03c4\u03cc\u03bd\u03bf\u03c2 \u1f21\u03b3\u03b5\u03bc\u03bf\u03bd\u03b5\u03cd\u03c3\u03b5\u03b9.<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> \u03b4\u03b5\u03b9\u03bd\u1f78\u03c2 \u1f44\u03c6\u03b9\u03c2 \u03c6\u03c5\u03c3\u1ff6\u03bd \u03c0\u03cc\u03bb\u03b5\u03bc\u03bf\u03bd \u03b2\u03b1\u03c1\u03cd\u03bd, \u1f45\u03c2 \u03c0\u03bf\u03c4\u03b5 \u03c7\u03b5\u1fd6\u03c1\u03b1\u03c2<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> \u1f27\u03c2 \u03b3\u03b5\u03bd\u03b5\u1fc6\u03c2 \u03c4\u03b1\u03bd\u03cd\u03c3\u03b1\u03c2 \u1f40\u03bb\u03ad\u03c3\u03b5\u03b9 \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u03c0\u03ac\u03bd\u03c4\u03b1 \u03c4\u03b1\u03c1\u03ac\u03be\u03b5\u03b9<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> \u03b8\u03bb\u03b5\u03cd\u03c9\u03bd \u1f10\u03bb\u03ac\u03c9\u03bd \u03ba\u03c4\u03b5\u03af\u03bd\u03c9\u03bd \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u03bc\u03c5\u03c1\u03af\u03b1 \u03c4\u03bf\u03bb\u03bc\u1ff6\u03bd.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Last in Aeneas\u2019 line<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> A matricide shall rule,<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> A hissing, wicked snake<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Spewing war, who, in time,<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Will lay hands upon\u2014who\u2019ll<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Kill\u2014his kin, and then shake<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Everything to decline.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u03c0\u1fe6\u03c1 \u03b3\u1f70\u03c1 \u03c0\u1fbf \u03bf\u1f50\u03c1\u03b1\u03bd\u03af\u03c9\u03bd \u03b4\u03b1\u03c0\u03ad\u03b4\u03c9\u03bd \u03b2\u03c1\u03ad\u03be\u03b5\u03b9 \u03bc\u03b5\u03c1\u03cc\u03c0\u03b5\u03c3\u03c3\u03b9\u03bd.<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> \u03c0\u1fe6\u03c1 \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u03b1\u1f37\u03bc\u03b1 \u1f55\u03b4\u03c9\u03c1 \u03c0\u03c1\u03b7\u03c3\u03c4\u1f74\u03c1 \u03b3\u03bd\u03cc\u03c6\u03bf\u03c2 \u03bf\u1f50\u03c1\u03b1\u03bd\u03af\u03b7 \u03bd\u03cd\u03be<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u03c6\u03b8\u03af\u03c3\u03b9\u03c2 \u1f10\u03bd \u03c0\u03bf\u03bb\u03ad\u03bc\u1ff3 \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u1f10\u03c0\u1f76 \u03c3\u03c6\u03b1\u03b3\u1fc7\u03c3\u03b9\u03bd \u1f40\u03bc\u03af\u03c7\u03bb\u03b7<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> \u03c0\u03ac\u03bd\u03c4\u03b1\u03c2 \u1f41\u03bc\u03bf\u1fe6 \u03c4\u1fbf \u1f40\u03bb\u03ad\u03c3\u03b5\u03b9 \u03b2\u03b1\u03c3\u03b9\u03bb\u03b5\u1fd6\u03c2 \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u03c6\u1ff6\u03c4\u03b1\u03c2 \u03c1\u03af\u03c3\u03c4\u03bf\u03c5\u03c2.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Athlete, charioteer,<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> A murderer who dares<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> All\u2014Fire from heaven\u2019s floor<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Will rain down, blood-smear,<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Stormclouds, fog, gloom\u2014night tears<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> The sky! The press of war<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Will slaughter king and peer.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Exhausted from delivering the prophecy, the Sibyl concludes with an<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> anonymous poetic line transmitted in Suetonius Nero 38:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u201cWhen I am dead,\u201d the Poet says, \u201cmay fire consume the earth.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Nero<\/strong>, smartly, wildly, with wanton disregard of the Sibyl\u2019s warnings:\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Nay, Sibyl, your song is false! Your last line should say: \u201cWhen I am alive!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Selections From work-in-progress<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Selections from this work-in-progress were performed with piano accompaniment at Willamette University, Salem, Oregon, on March 13, 2013. Here below is a recording of that performance, with libretto and accompanying English translation for each track. Some tracks below are followed by images of the score in draft manuscript. You can click on the image to enlarge it.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Track 1: Introduction<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<div style=\"padding-top: 0px;\">\n<div style=\"float: left; padding: 0px 20px 0 0;\"><audio width=\"300\" height=\"32\" controls=\"controls\"><source src=\"http:\/\/www.neron-kaisar-the-opera.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/5-NERON-KAISAR-Overture.mp3\" type=\"audio\/mpeg\" \/><\/audio><\/div>\n<div style=\"float: left; padding: 0px 0 0 0;\"><a style=\"font-size: 11px;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.neron-kaisar-the-opera.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/5-NERON-KAISAR-Overture.mp3\" target=\"_blank\">Listen \u00bb<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\"><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Track 2: Nero&#8217;s Harp Song (Nero), from Scene 1, &#8220;Incipit&#8221;<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<div style=\"padding-top: 0px;\">\n<div style=\"float: left; padding: 0px 20px 0 0;\"><audio width=\"300\" height=\"32\" controls=\"controls\"><source src=\"http:\/\/www.neron-kaisar-the-opera.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/6-NERON-KAISAR-Harp-Song.mp3\" type=\"audio\/mpeg\" \/><\/audio><\/div>\n<div style=\"float: left; padding: 0px 0 0 0;\"><a style=\"font-size: 11px;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.neron-kaisar-the-opera.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/6-NERON-KAISAR-Harp-Song.mp3\" target=\"_blank\">Listen \u00bb<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\"><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Setting: 54 CE. Upon the death of Claudius by poisoning, Nero is acclaimed emperor by a chorus comprised of the Senate and Praetorian Guard, who hail him with a litany of imperial epithets. The newly crowned emperor\u201417 years old\u2014sings, holding a staff, which serves as an emblem of both his sovereignty and his self-understood calling as a singer and performer. These are Nero&#8217;s first words in the opera, which he borrows self-consciously from the Greek poet Archilochus (frags. 1 and 2), and are programmatic for the characterization of Nero throughout and for the work as a whole . . .<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u03b5\u1f30\u03bc\u1f76 \u03b4\u1fbf\u1f10\u03b3\u1f7c \u03b8\u03b5\u03c1\u03ac\u03c0\u03c9\u03bd \u03bc\u1f72\u03bd \u1f18\u03bd\u03c5\u03b1\u03bb\u03af\u03bf\u03b9\u03bf \u1f04\u03bd\u03b1\u03ba\u03c4\u03bf\u03c2<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u039c\u03bf\u03c5\u03c3\u03ad\u03c9\u03bd \u1f10\u03c1\u03b1\u03c4\u1f78\u03bd \u03b4\u1ff6\u03c1\u03bf\u03bd \u1f10\u03c0\u03b9\u03c3\u03c4\u03ac\u03bc\u03b5\u03bd\u03bf\u03c2.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u1f10\u03bd \u03b4\u03bf\u03c1\u1f76 \u03bc\u03ad\u03bd \u03bc\u03bf\u03b9 \u03bc\u1fb6\u03b6\u03b1 \u03bc\u03b5\u03bc\u03b1\u03b3\u03bc\u03ad\u03bd\u03b7, \u1f10\u03bd \u03b4\u03bf\u03c1\u1f76 \u03b4\u1fbf\u03bf\u1f36\u03bd\u03bf\u03c2<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> \u1f38\u03c3\u03bc\u03b1\u03c1\u03b9\u03ba\u03cc\u03c2. \u03c0\u03af\u03bd\u03c9 \u03b4\u1fbf \u1f10\u03bd \u03b4\u03bf\u03c1\u1f76 \u03ba\u03b5\u03ba\u03bb\u03b9\u03bc\u03ad\u03bd\u03bf\u03c2.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">I am the servant of the Muse and Mars:<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\">We wield the spear, yet the Muses&#8217; gift is also ours.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> From this sceptre comes our bread, from this sceptre wine\u2014<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> I drink it down, as on this sceptre I recline.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Track 3: La Notte d&#8217; Octavia (Octavia), from Scene 4, &#8220;Ex Circensibus&#8221;<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<div style=\"padding-top: 0px;\">\n<div style=\"float: left; padding: 0px 20px 0 0;\"><audio width=\"300\" height=\"32\" controls=\"controls\"><source src=\"http:\/\/www.neron-kaisar-the-opera.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/7-NERON-KAISAR-Notte_Lullaby.mp3\" type=\"audio\/mpeg\" \/><\/audio><\/div>\n<div style=\"float: left; padding: 0px 0 0 0;\"><a style=\"font-size: 11px;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.neron-kaisar-the-opera.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/7-NERON-KAISAR-Notte_Lullaby.mp3\" target=\"_blank\">Listen \u00bb<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\"><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Setting: circa 62 CE. Nero returns home late \u2014and drunk\u2014from the chariot races to the palace. Nero taunts his wife Octavia, they argue, he repudiates her, and, in response, Octavia sings the following Latin text (taken from the pseudo-Senecan tragedy Octavia), followed by a &#8220;lullaby&#8221; to her forlorn self from the Greek poet Alcman (frag. 89), as daybreak approaches . . .<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Iam vaga caelo sidera fulgens<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Aurora fugat,<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> surgit Titan radiante coma<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> mundoque diem reddit clarum.<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> atque aequoreas vinco Alcyonas,<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> vinco et volucres Pandionias:<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> gravior namque his fortuna mea est.<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> o nox semper funesta mihi;<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> tempore ab illo luxest tenebris<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> invisa magis &#8230;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Aurora just now filled the sky with light,<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> But is in retreat from the errant stars.<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Now the Titanic Sun begins to rise,<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> His halo all aglow, to make day bright.<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> As for me, I surpass in woe by far<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> The Halcyon birds with their longing cries,<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> When across the waves to nest they sweep.<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> In songs of woe I vanquish, too, Procne<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> And Philomela! For my pain is worse,<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Much worse, than theirs. So I am left to weep<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> The dawning of the day, which torments me.<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Night these days to me is sweet, light a curse.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Octavia collapses on her bed and sings . . .<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u03b5\u1f55\u03b4\u03bf\u03c5\u03c3\u03b9 \u03b4\u1fbf\u1f40\u03c1\u03ad\u03c9\u03bd \u03ba\u03bf\u03c1\u03c5\u03c6\u03b1\u03af \u03c4\u03b5 \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u03c6\u03ac\u03c1\u03b1\u03b3\u03b3\u03b5\u03c2<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> \u03c0\u03c1\u03ce\u03bf\u03bd\u03ad\u03c2 \u03c4\u03b5 \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u03c7\u03b1\u03c1\u03ac\u03b4\u03c1\u03b1\u03b9<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> \u03c6\u1fe6\u03bb\u03ac \u03c4\u1fbf \u1f11\u03c1\u03c0\u03ad\u03c4\u1fbf \u1f45\u03c3\u03b1 \u03c4\u03c1\u03ad\u03c6\u03b5\u03b9 \u03bc\u03ad\u03bb\u03b1\u03b9\u03bd\u03b1 \u03b3\u03b1\u1fd6\u03b1<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> \u03b8\u1fc6\u03c1\u03ad\u03c2 \u03c4\u1fbf \u1f40\u03c1\u03b5\u03c3\u03ba\u1ff4\u03bf\u03b9 \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u03b3\u03ad\u03bd\u03bf\u03c2 \u03bc\u03b5\u03bb\u03b9\u03c3\u03c3\u1fb6\u03bd<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u03ba\u03bd\u03ce\u03b4\u03b1\u03bb\u1fbf \u1f10\u03bd \u03b2\u03ad\u03bd\u03b8\u03b5\u03c3\u03c3\u03b9 \u03c0\u03bf\u03c1\u03c6\u03c5\u03c1\u03ad\u03b1\u03c2 \u1f01\u03bb\u03cc\u03c2.<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> \u03b5\u1f55\u03b4\u03bf\u03c5\u03c3\u03b9 \u03b4\u1fbf\u03bf\u1f30\u03c9\u03bd\u1ff6\u03bd \u03c6\u1fe6\u03bb\u03b1 \u03c4\u03b1\u03bd\u03c5\u03c0\u03c4\u03b5\u03c1\u03cd\u03b3\u03c9\u03bd.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The world is lost in sleep:<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Rivers, peaks, and headlands,<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Caves, creatures\u2014every kind<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> The black Earth breeds that creep<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Upon her: mountain bands<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Of beasts, bees, birds entwined\u2014<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> And monsters in the deep.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.neron-kaisar-the-opera.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/La_Notte_sketch.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"La_Notte_sketch\" src=\"http:\/\/www.neron-kaisar-the-opera.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/La_Notte_sketch-150x150.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.neron-kaisar-the-opera.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Lullaby_sketch.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Lullaby_sketch\" src=\"http:\/\/www.neron-kaisar-the-opera.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Lullaby_sketch-150x150.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Track 4: The Four Best Things (Nero), from Scene 3, &#8220;Sapientia Amoris&#8221;<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<div style=\"padding-top: 0px;\">\n<div style=\"float: left; padding: 0px 20px 0 0;\"><audio width=\"300\" height=\"32\" controls=\"controls\"><source src=\"http:\/\/www.neron-kaisar-the-opera.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/8-NERON-4-Best-Things.mp3\" type=\"audio\/mpeg\" \/><\/audio><\/div>\n<div style=\"float: left; padding: 0px 0 0 0;\"><a style=\"font-size: 11px;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.neron-kaisar-the-opera.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/8-NERON-4-Best-Things.mp3\" target=\"_blank\">Listen \u00bb<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\"><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b><\/b>Setting: circa 58 CE. Nero and Seneca are sitting together in the palace, engaged in philosophical discussion on the traditional theme, &#8220;What is best for man?&#8221; Nero sings here a famous Athenian symposiastic song (<i>skolion<\/i>) attributed to the poet Simonides (Athen. 15.694e).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u1f51\u03b3\u03b9\u03b1\u03af\u03bd\u03b5\u03b9\u03bd \u03bc\u1f72\u03bd \u1f04\u03c1\u03b9\u03c3\u03c4\u03bf\u03bd \u1f00\u03bd\u03b4\u03c1\u1f76 \u03b8\u03bd\u03b1\u03c4\u1ff7,<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> \u03b4\u03b5\u03cd\u03c4\u03b5\u03c1\u03bf\u03bd \u03b4\u1f72 \u03c6\u03c5\u1f70\u03bd \u03ba\u03b1\u03bb\u1f78\u03bd \u03b3\u03b5\u03bd\u03ad\u03c3\u03b8\u03b1\u03b9,<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> \u03c4\u1f78 \u03c4\u03c1\u03af\u03c4\u03bf\u03bd \u03b4\u1f72 \u03c0\u03bb\u03bf\u03c5\u03c4\u03b5\u1fd6\u03bd \u1f00\u03b4\u03cc\u03bb\u03c9\u03c2,<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u03c4\u1f78 \u03c4\u03ad\u03c4\u03c4\u03b1\u03c1\u03c4\u03bf\u03bd \u1f21\u03b2\u1fb6\u03bd \u03bc\u03b5\u03c4\u1f70 \u03c4\u1ff6\u03bd \u03c6\u03af\u03bb\u03c9\u03bd.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">To have health is best for a mortal man;<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Second, to be a handsome man in mien;<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Third, to have riches, honest as one can;<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> And the fourth: with friends to feel young again.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Track 5: What I Say Is Love (Poppaea), from Scene 3, &#8220;Sapientia Amoris&#8221;<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<div style=\"padding-top: 0px;\">\n<div style=\"float: left; padding: 0px 20px 0 0;\"><audio width=\"300\" height=\"32\" controls=\"controls\"><source src=\"http:\/\/www.neron-kaisar-the-opera.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/9-NERON-Sappho-16.mp3\" type=\"audio\/mpeg\" \/><\/audio><\/div>\n<div style=\"float: left; padding: 0px 0 0 0;\"><a style=\"font-size: 11px;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.neron-kaisar-the-opera.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/9-NERON-Sappho-16.mp3\" target=\"_blank\">Listen \u00bb<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\"><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Setting: circa 58 CE. Poppaea Sabina, a sophisticated woman-about-town, and later, Nero&#8217;s second wife, enters the scene seeking an audience with Nero on some matter about her husband, Otho, and joins the discussion. She counters Nero and Seneca&#8217;s propositions on &#8220;What is best for man?&#8221; with Sappho frag. 16\u2014itself a version of the symposiastic &#8220;what is best&#8221; motif\u2014and posits the choice of Helen.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u03bf\u1f30 \u03bc\u1f72\u03bd \u1f30\u03c0\u03c0\u03ae\u03c9\u03bd \u03c3\u03c4\u03c1\u03cc\u03c4\u03bf\u03bd \u03bf\u1f30 \u03b4\u1f72 \u03c0\u03ad\u03c3\u03b4\u03c9\u03bd<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> \u03bf\u1f30 \u03b4\u1f72 \u03bd\u03ac\u03c9\u03bd \u03c6\u03b1\u1fd6\u03c3\u1fbf \u1f10\u03c0\u1f76 \u03b3\u1fb6\u03bd \u03bc\u03ad\u03bb\u03b1\u03b9\u03bd\u03b1\u03bd<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> \u1f14\u03bc\u03bc\u03b5\u03bd\u03b1\u03b9 \u03ba\u03ac\u03bb\u03bb\u03b9\u03c3\u03c4\u03bf\u03bd, \u1f14\u03b3\u03c9 \u03b4\u1f72 \u03ba\u1fc6\u03bd\u1fbf \u1f44\u03c4\u2013<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> \u03c4\u03c9 \u03c4\u03b9\u03c2 \u1f14\u03c1\u03b1\u03c4\u03b1\u03b9.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u03c0\u03ac\u03b3\u03c7\u03c5 \u03b4\u1fbf \u03b5\u1f54\u03bc\u03b1\u03c1\u03b5\u03c2 \u03c3\u03cd\u03bd\u03b5\u03c4\u03bf\u03bd \u03c0\u03cc\u03b7\u03c3\u03b1\u03b9<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> \u03c0\u03ac\u03bd\u03c4\u03b9\u03c4\u03bf\u1fe6\u03c4\u1fbf, \u1f00 \u03b3\u1f70\u03c1 \u03c0\u03cc\u03bb\u03c5 \u03c0\u03b5\u03c1\u03c3\u03ba\u03ad\u03b8\u03bf\u03b9\u03c3\u03b1<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> \u03ba\u03ac\u03bb\u03bb\u03bf\u03c2 \u1f00\u03bd\u03b8\u03c1\u03ce\u03c0\u03c9\u03bd \u1f18\u03bb\u03ad\u03bd\u03b1 \u03c4\u1f78\u03bd \u1f04\u03bd\u03b4\u03c1\u03b1<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> \u03c4\u1f78\u03bd \u03c0\u03b1\u03bd\u03ac\u03c1\u03b9\u03c3\u03c4\u03bf\u03bd<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u03ba\u03b1\u03bb\u03bb\u03af\u03c0\u03bf\u03b9\u03c3\u1fbf \u1f14\u03b2\u03b1 \u1fbf\u03c2 \u03a4\u03c1\u03bf\u03af\u03b1\u03bd\u03c0\u03bb\u03ad\u03bf\u03b9\u03c3\u03b1<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> \u03ba\u03c9\u1f50\u03b4\u1f72 \u03c0\u03b1\u1fd6\u03b4\u03bf\u03c2 \u03bf\u1f50\u03b4\u1f72 \u03c6\u03af\u03bb\u03c9\u03bd \u03c4\u03bf\u03ba\u03ae\u03c9\u03bd<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> \u03c0\u03ac\u03bc\u03c0\u03b1\u03bd \u1f10\u03bc\u03bd\u03ac\u03b8\u03b7 . . .<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Some say the gathered host<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Of men, horse, ships is worth<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> So much, and is (think they)<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> More beautiful than most<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Of what one sees on earth.<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> But what one loves, I say,<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Is best; that is my boast.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">My point is amply clear<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> To all, to anyone:<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> For Helen, who did best<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> All her rivals in sheer<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Beauty\u2014that battle won\u2014<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Her husband, wholly blest,<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> She left behind to steer<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> A course by sea for Troy<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> And did all thought of child,<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Mother, father destroy.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.neron-kaisar-the-opera.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/mea_lesbia_sketch.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"mea_lesbia_sketch\" src=\"http:\/\/www.neron-kaisar-the-opera.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/mea_lesbia_sketch-150x150.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Track 6: Mea Lesbia (Nero, Poppaea, Octavia), from Scene 3, &#8220;Sapientia Amoris&#8221;<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<div style=\"padding-top: 0px;\">\n<div style=\"float: left; padding: 0px 20px 0 0;\"><audio width=\"300\" height=\"32\" controls=\"controls\"><source src=\"http:\/\/www.neron-kaisar-the-opera.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/10-NERON-Mea-Lesbia.mp3\" type=\"audio\/mpeg\" \/><\/audio><\/div>\n<div style=\"float: left; padding: 0px 0 0 0;\"><a style=\"font-size: 11px;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.neron-kaisar-the-opera.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/10-NERON-Mea-Lesbia.mp3\" target=\"_blank\">Listen \u00bb<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\"><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Setting: circa 58 CE. Nero is impressed with Poppaea&#8217;s learning by aptly quoting Sappho; also remarks on her beauty; then Nero engages her in flirtatious dialogue by quoting Catullus poem 5, which is at once a response to Seneca&#8217;s pessimistic observation from the poet Theognis [not included here] that it is better never to have been born, while at the same time affirming Poppaea&#8217;s Sapphic view. Poppaea accepts the emperor&#8217;s flirtatious overture and responds in kind, picking up lines of Catullus&#8217; famous poem where Nero leaves off. Octavia enters the larger scene, observes and overhears the encounter. As she sees Nero flirting with Poppaea, she sings (offstage, but still visible to the audience) as a soliloquy\u2014but interleaved musically with the erotic duet of Nero and Poppaea\u2014Catullus poem 51, which is a transposition in Latin of Sappho&#8217;s poem 31 about jealousy. The scene concludes with Octavia alone onstage singing yet another Sappho poem\u2014fragment 1, a desperate invocation to Aphrodite.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Nero:<br \/>\n<\/b>Vivamus, mea Lesbia, atque amemus,<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Poppaea:<br \/>\n<\/b>rumoresque senum severiorum<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> omnes unius aestimemus assis!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Nero:<br \/>\n<\/b>Soles occidere et redire possunt:<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> nobis cum semel occidit brevis lux,<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> nox est perpetua una dormienda<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Poppaea:<br \/>\n<\/b>da mi basia mille, deinde centum,<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> dein mille altera, dein secunda centum,<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> deinde usque altera mille, deinde centum &#8230;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Octavia:<br \/>\n<\/b>. . . miserae quod omnis<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> eripit sensus mihi: nam simul te,<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Poppaea, aspexi, nihil est super mi<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> vocis in ore \u2026<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Nero:<br \/>\n<\/b>dein, cum milia multa fecerimus,<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> conturbabimus illa, ne sciamus,<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> aut ne quis malus invidere possit, \u2026<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Octavia:<br \/>\n<\/b>lingua sed torpet, tenuis sub artus<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> flamma demanat, sonitu suopte<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> tintinant aures, gemina et teguntur<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> lumina nocte. \u2026<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Nero and Poppaea:<br \/>\n<\/b>cum tantum sciat esse basiorum!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">*<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Nero:<br \/>\n<\/b>Let us live, my Sapphic Muse, and let us love \u2026<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Poppaea:<br \/>\n<\/b>And count the talk of men too old<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> As worth a single penny!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Nero:<br \/>\n<\/b>Suns can set and rise again<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> But for us, once the brief light of day has died,<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> All that&#8217;s left is one never-ending night of sleep.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Poppaea:<br \/>\n<\/b>Give me, then, a thousand kisses, then a hundred,<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Then another thousand, then a hundred again,<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Then as many as a thousand more, then a hundred! \u2026<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Octavia:<br \/>\n<\/b>Oh, this sight steals away all my senses\u2014wretched me!<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> The moment I caught sight of you, Poppaea,<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> No voice was left in my mouth to speak \u2026<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Nero:<br \/>\n<\/b>Then, when we have compiled thousands,<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> We will mix them up, so as not to know the tally,<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> And so no malcontent can harm us with envy \u2026<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Octavia:<br \/>\n<\/b>My tongue is numb, a slender flame<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Is running down my legs,<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> My ears are ringing all on their own,<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> My eyes are covered in night.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Nero and Poppaea:<br \/>\n<\/b>When he learns how many kisses we&#8217;ve had!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Nero and Poppaea make their exit together arm-in-arm, kissing, still flirtatious . . .<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Track 7: Invocation to Aphrodite (Octavia), from &#8220;Mea Lesbia&#8221;<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<div style=\"padding-top: 0px;\">\n<div style=\"float: left; padding: 0px 20px 0 0;\"><audio width=\"300\" height=\"32\" controls=\"controls\"><source src=\"http:\/\/www.neron-kaisar-the-opera.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/11-NERON-Sappho-1.mp3\" type=\"audio\/mpeg\" \/><\/audio><\/div>\n<div style=\"float: left; padding: 0px 0 0 0;\"><a style=\"font-size: 11px;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.neron-kaisar-the-opera.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/11-NERON-Sappho-1.mp3\" target=\"_blank\">Listen \u00bb<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\"><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Octavia:<br \/>\n<\/b>\u03c0\u03bf\u03b9\u03ba\u03b9\u03bb\u03cc\u03b8\u03c1\u03bf\u03bd\u1fbf\u1f00\u03b8\u03b1\u03bd\u03ac\u03c4\u1fbf \u1f08\u03c6\u03c1\u03cc\u03b4\u03b9\u03c4\u03b1,<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> \u03c0\u03b1\u1fd6 \u0394\u03af\u03bf\u03c2 \u03b4\u03bf\u03bb\u03cc\u03c0\u03bb\u03bf\u03ba\u03b5, \u03bb\u03af\u03c3\u03c3\u03bf\u03bc\u03b1\u03af \u03c3\u03b5,<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> \u03bc\u03ae \u03bc\u03b5 \u1f04\u03c3\u03b1\u03b9\u03c3\u03b9 \u03bc\u03b7\u03b4\u1fbf \u1f40\u03bd\u03af\u03b1\u03b9\u03c3\u03b9 \u03b4\u03ac\u03bc\u03bd\u03b1,<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> \u03c0\u03cc\u03c4\u03bd\u03b9\u03b1, \u03b8\u1fe6\u03bc\u03bf\u03bd.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u1f14\u03bb\u03b8\u03b5 \u03bc\u03bf\u03b9 \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u03bd\u1fe6\u03bd, \u03c7\u03b1\u03bb\u03ad\u03c0\u03b1\u03bd \u03b4\u1f72 \u03bb\u1fe6\u03c3\u03bf\u03bd<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> \u1f10\u03ba \u03bc\u03b5\u03c1\u03af\u03bc\u03bd\u03b1\u03bd, \u1f44\u03c3\u03c3\u03b1 \u03b4\u03ad \u03bc\u03bf\u03b9 \u03c4\u03ad\u03bb\u03b5\u03c3\u03c3\u03b1\u03b9<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> \u03b8\u1fe6\u03bc\u03bf\u03c2 \u1f30\u03bc\u03ad\u03c1\u03c1\u03b5\u03b9, \u03c4\u03ad\u03bb\u03b5\u03c3\u03bf\u03bd. \u03c3\u1f7a \u03b4\u1fbf\u03b1\u1f54\u03c4\u03b1<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> \u03c3\u03cd\u03bc\u03bc\u03b1\u03c7\u03bf\u03c2 \u1f14\u03c3\u03c3\u03bf.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Deathless Aphrodite,<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> On your intricate throne,<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Weaver of wiles, child<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Of Zeus, I beg: crush not<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> My heart, my Queen, with pain!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Come once more now and free<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Me from my cares; my own<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Desires give to me while<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> My heart is strung so taut!<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Scene 1: \u201cIncipit\u201d Nero, aged 17, is carried in a litter with his mother, Agrippina, into a busy,\u00a0opulent scene for his coronation, borne by slaves. The relationship between mother and son, as Suetonius reports, was thought to be incestuous. Agrippina\u00a0had poisoned the outgoing emperor Claudius, her second husband, with\u00a0mushrooms, having connived previously to get him [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-8","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.neron-kaisar-the-opera.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/8","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.neron-kaisar-the-opera.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.neron-kaisar-the-opera.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.neron-kaisar-the-opera.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.neron-kaisar-the-opera.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=8"}],"version-history":[{"count":84,"href":"http:\/\/www.neron-kaisar-the-opera.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/8\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":423,"href":"http:\/\/www.neron-kaisar-the-opera.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/8\/revisions\/423"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.neron-kaisar-the-opera.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=8"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}