1 Scene 1

Arcenio and Clauso enter at the head of a group of rebels, and Emilio tries to stop them.

ARCENIO

The empire demands a successor. Give us one, it matters.

EMILIO

Gentlemen, tell us, why are you furious?

CLAUSO

Let her marry or lose these kingdoms!

EMILIO

Wait, you have a point.

ARCENIO

Well, if we have a point, let her marry,

or let her abdicate and let another ruler reign.

EMILIO

But Rosaura is your rightful lady!

ARCENIO

No one denies it. Call to arms!

CLAUSO

Call to arms!

They sound the alarm. ROSAURA and ALDORA enter. Seeing them, the rebels are taken aback.

ROSAURA

This uprising is unjust!

Halt! Where are you going?

Portrait of Rosaura

Rosaura must marry to preserve the kingdom.

ARCENIO

I, no…

CLAUSO

Lady…

ROSAURA

You do not speak? Do you not answer me?

What is this? Who angers you?

Who disturbs your peace? Speak.

ARCENIO

How wise!

EMILIO

How beautiful!

ARCENIO

Great lady, you are the cause of their fury.

ROSAURA

Well, if I am the cause, explain it to me,

because I am unaware of it.

EMILIO

Beautiful Rosaura, I will tell you what they have come for;

forgive and listen, Lady.

Your vassals ask you

to prepare to marry

and have proposed as candidates

the prince of Poland, of Cyprus

and of Transylvania, England, and Scotland.

If you do not choose one of them,

they say the kingdom will split

and you will be in danger.

I advise you, empress,

to consider whether it is better to marry or not.

ROSAURA (Aside)

(I do not know how to respond to him, as I am overwhelmed with anger.

Such audacity!

Such senseless madness!

That they should offend my honor!

That they should oppose my courage!

But there is no remedy; for if they take up arms,

and they, ungrateful, refuse to obey the crown,

How can I defend myself, being outnumbered and alone?)

Ah, dear Aldora, if only I had believed you! What shall I do?

ALDORA

Respond lovingly, give them a year’s time

and if during that time you do not marry,

give them permission to dispose of the kingdom as they wish.

ROSAURA

Ah, vassals! If you are traitors,

what does it matter to convince you with benefits

or to oblige you with praises?

EMILIO

Great Lady, what do you respond?

ROSAURA

Grateful for the affection and doubtful of the decision,

I am at a loss for words.

However, I want you to listen, vassals.

Because I want to tell you the cause

that has long hindered my purpose.

You already know that this empire, glory of this hemisphere,

obeyed the illustrious Aureliano, my father, as sovereign king.

An empire that was the inheritance of his royal and ancient lineage.

You also know how my beautiful mother,

spent a long time without heirs

and that both implored the heavens

with vigils…

But their insistent petitions were effective:

heaven, compassionate or compelled,

finally gave them the desired fruit.

But it came with the sorrow, oh, unfortunate fate!

of the death of that beautiful dawn,

Rosimunda, my mother.

Now you know, then, listen to me attentively.

The emperor, my beloved father,

was left with such a heavy blow, without joy

on such a sad day.

But seeing that he was sinking without remedy

into such harsh sorrow,

he gave respite to grief, as a Christian

(for it would be useless to be his own murderer).

Unable to bring life back to his beloved wife,

he finally ceased to think about his painful sorrow.

And he wanted to predict, insecurely, my future happiness.

He consulted the stars,

looked at the influence of their beautiful lights,

curiously examined, benevolent or cruel,

Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Diana,

the guides of heaven, the flames of that blue globe

that all astrologers study.

Their opinions coincided

and they foretold me a thousand fatal events.

And all confirmed as true the announcement

—oh, with what fear, heavens, I pronounce it!—

that a man —terrible harm!—,

breaking his promise,

would correspond to my sincerity with deceit.

And that, if during this time I did not repair this crown with my cunning,

both it and my person would be at risk.

For this deceitful man, with a husband’s word,

would provoke the end of my life.

I later learned —woe is me!—

my fatal destiny from my father’s lips.

Thus, not wanting to lose you nor myself,

I have not wanted, vassals, to decide to choose a husband.

But, since you now put me in this dilemma,

whether just or not, I agree to give you a king.

Let it be known to those of Transylvania, Cyprus, Scotland,

Albania, Poland, and England,

that I may yield, but not through war.

They can only conquer me

with the aid of a steadfast presence,

sweetness, pleasure, love, correspondence.

Let them deserve me, let them woo,

let them write, let them speak, let them serve and stroll;

they will overcome my disdain with their perseverance.

They will conquer my proud fierceness

and meanwhile, I, forewarned and cautious,

will flee from the threat that the stars announced

by examining the most constant and firm candidate.

Since it is necessary to submit to the yoke of Hymen,

which I fear but desire, to satisfy your demands

go, then, together my love and your wishes.

To decide to die or to marry I only need a year.

And if in the end you are displeased with my fearful attempt,

force me by force to marry.

Or choose a king from outside.

All of you are noble and my vassals.

help me overcome the follies of my inhuman fate,

for I am your rightful lady.

Let’s see who will be the ungrateful one

who will deceive me with unfair dealings.

Let’s find a way or fate

to escape the adverse and strong influence

of that harsh, cruel prophecy.

EMILIO

Beautiful Empress,

we feel your painful sorrow, as is just.

And so, your majesty do as you please

and repair this damage within a year.

And in it test the faith, the loyalty, and the obedience

with which you will find rendered

the honorable lives of your vassals.

This opinion I express.

Now your highness tell us yours and tell us your opinion.

ROSAURA

Let it be as I have said.

EMILIO

Well, I am satisfied. With this the kingdom is restored.

Long live the empress, long live Rosaura!

May time inscribe your name in eternal bronze.

Long live the empress! Long live Rosaura!

Drum music and dance sound, and the crowd departs.