hich, breathing peace unto Prometheus' soul,
Wakens within his breast long-buried hope,
When once again the sound of lamentation
Bursts on his ear and fills the air with sighs.
Seated within a lion-drawn chariot comes
The founder of his race--Gaea herself--
With her a train of wood-nymphs, loudly weeping."

It introduces a chorus of Dryads ("Woe to thee, Prometheus") of the same
general character as the opening chorus of sea-nymphs, and containing a
very dramatic and declamatory alto solo ("Deserted stand God's sacred
Altars in the old Forest"). A dialogue follows between Gaea and
Prometheus, in which the latter bravely defends his course. As the Dryads
disappear, Prometheus soliloquizes:--

"'This is, in truth, the noblest deed
Mortal has ever dared. Beat high, my heart!
On this foundation built I up my race,--
On deathless friendship and fraternity.
Courage, Alcides! Bravely fight thy fight.
Conquer, and thou shalt free me.' From his dreams,
Roused is the Titan by a song of joy.
Before him, crowned with the rich harvest, stands
Ceres with her train of reapers."

A mixed chorus of gleaners follows ("With the Lark sweetly singing"),
which can hardly be excelled for grace and loveliness of melody. In the
next prologue Ceres consoles Prometheus, and while she is speaking a
shout of gladness rises and Bacchus appears. He smites the rock, and at
his touch a bower of grape-vines and ivy boughs interlaces over the head
of the Titan and shadows him. This serves to introduce the chorus of
Vine-dressers ("Hail to the Pleasure-giver"), a lively strain for male
voices with an effective solo quartet. As Prometheus resumes his
soliloquy, Hermes approaches, leading Pandora, and seeks to allure him
from his purpose by her enchantments, but in vain:--

"The Titan conquers, and he feels the hour--
The fated hour--draw near. Above his head
The vulture hovers, fearing to approach;
While the earth trembles, and the rocks are shaken.
Voices are heard from out the gloomy depths."

The voices are those of the spirits in the lower regions singing a very
melodramatic chorus ("Woe! woe! the sacred Sleep of the Dead has been
disturbed"). An _allegro moderato_ for orchestra follows, preluding the
approach of Hercules, who bends his giant bow and kills the vulture,
strikes the fetters off and bids him "Go hence unto thy Mother's Throne."
The scene introduces the seventh number ("All huma