" Faust is lying on flowery turf, tired and restless, trying to sleep. A circle of tiny, graceful spirits hovers round him.
ARIEL (Chanting, accompanied by Aeolian Harps.) When the springtime blossoms, falling,
Shower down, and cover all things,
When the fields with greener blessing
Dazzle all the world of earthlings, Little elves, but great in spirit, Haste to help, where help they can, And, be he holy, be he wicked, Pity they the luckless man.
You, hovering in airy circles, round his head Show yourselves in proud elf-form, instead, Calm all the fierce resistance of his heart, Remove the bitter barbs of sharp remorse,
Free him from past terrors, by your art.
Four are the watches night makes in its course, At once, now, mercifully, let the dark depart.
Let his head sink down on pillow s coolness, Next sprinkle him with dew from Lethe s stream: Then let his joints be free of cramps and stiffness, So that he s strong enough to greet day s gleam: Elves exert your sweetest right,
Return him to the holy light!
CHOIR (Singly, and two or more, alternately and together.) When the balmy breezes smother
All the green-encircled land,
Sweetly fragrant and mist-covered, Twilight gathers all around.
Sweet peace then whispers softly, Rocks the heart on childhood s shores, And on the eyelids, tired and weary, Closes daylight s golden doors.
Here the night s already passing, Sacred stars set, star by star,
Great lights, and the lesser glittering, Sparkling near, and gleaming far: Sparkling, where the lake reflects her, Gleaming bright in cloudless height, Protecting the deep bliss of rest, there, Moon, in splendour, rules the night. The hours have vanished now, already Joy and pain have flown away,
You are whole! Recover, wholly: Trust the sight of breaking day. Greening valleys, swelling hills there, Rise from out their shadowy sleep: And, drifting in its waves of silver, On to harvest, flows the wheat.
Wish then, to achieve your wishes, Gaze up, at the brightness there! You are lightly tangled: this is Sleep, a shell, so now emerge! Don t delay, walk bravely, tall, When the crowd waits, hesitating: The noblest man achieves his all, By seeing, and then, swiftly, taking."
