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Act tree  Wotan Where is Brunnhilde, where is the lawbreaker?  Do you dare to hide the wicked girl from me?  The eight valkyres What dreadful angry bawling! Father, how have your daughters provoked you into this mad rage?  Wotan Are you laughing at me? Beware of impudence. I know Brunnhilde is hiding from me among you. Shrink from her; she is cast aside for ever, even as she has cast aside her virtue.  Rossweisse She fled to us from persecution!  All the eight Valkyres She implored us to protect her. With fear and trembling she awaits your anger. For our poor sister’s sake we now beg you to moderate your instinctive fury. Calm yourself for her sake, control your rage!  Wotan Softhearted gaggle of females! Did you inherit such feeble spirits from me?  Have I brought you up boldly to ride into battle, did I make your hearts hard and keen, so that you would weep and wail wildly as soon as my anger punishes disloyalty? Well, you whisperers, you shall know what wrong she did for whom you quake and shed tears.  No one knew my inmost thoughts as she did. No one but she knew whence my intentions sprang. She herself was the fertile womb of my wishes.  Now she has broken the sacred alliance, disloyally she has defied my will, she has openly scorned her master’s orders, and taken up arms against me, though only my wishes brought her to life.  Do you hear, Brunnhilde? Your breastplate, helmet and weapons, your happiness and honor, your name and life were lent to you by me. Do you hear my accusations, and do you hide in terror from your accuser, run away like a coward from punishment?   Brunnhilde Here I am, father: pronounce your punishment.  Wotan I do not punish you myself. You made your own punishment.  Through my will alone you existed, and you have willed against it. My order alone you carried out, but you gave orders against me. I made you agent of my wishes, but you turned your wish against me; I made you bearer of my shield, but you raised that shield against me. I made you disposer of fates, but you disposed fate against me. I made you the inspiration of heroes, but you inspired the heroes against me.  Wotan has told you what you once were. Tell yourself what you now are. You are not my wish’s agent. Your valkyrehood is over. From now on be what is still left for you to be.  Brunnhilde Would you cast me out? Do I understand your meaning?  Wotan I will never again send you from Valhalla, never again instruct you to fetch heroes from the wars. You’ll never again bring victors into my hall. At the god’s solemn banquets you will never hand the drinking horn graciously to me again. Never again will I kiss the mouth of my child.  From the company of gods you are cut off, exiled from the band of immortals. Our alliance is broken. You are banished from my sight.  The eight Valkyres Oh! Oh! Sister, ah, sister! Brunnhilde Do you take from me all that once you gave?  Wotan He who overpowers you will take it.  Here on the mountain I confine you. In defenseless sleep I shall lock you. Any man can capture the maiden who finds her by the wayside and wakes her.  The eight valkyres Stop father! Stop your curse! Must the maiden wither and die for this man?  Hear our entreaty! Terrible god, spare her this lamentable disgrace. We should share with our sister her shame.  Wota Did you not hear what I ordained? From your company your faithless sister is banished.
  Does he fate terrify you? Then fly from this lost soul. Shrink from her and keep your distance.  If anyone disobeys me and clings to her in her sadness--that fool shall share her fate: so much I tell you, holds spirits. Now be off from here. Keep away from the rock. Be quick and ride away or misery will await you here.  The eight Valkyres Terrible, terrible!  |
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