#18 - 'EMPTY WORDS'
<-PREVIOUS BACK TO LIST NEXT->
ACT 2 - Scene 3A
Performed by
Aragona & Bastiano
Bastiano
can contain himself no longer and confronts Aragona with his
threat to tell her husband about her affair with Salai and ruin
her life.
At first Aragona is scornful, but becomes concerned when
Bastiano reveals the name of his witness...
Lyric
ARAGONA
YOUR WORDS ARE EMPTY VESSELS,
LIKE YOUR HEAD.
WHEN HE HEARS THIS INSULT
LUDOVICO WILL SEE YOU DEAD!
BASTIANO
I DON’T THINK SO
ARAGONA
HA.YOU DON’T THINK SO...?
BASTIANO, YOU DON’T THINK!
WOULD HE BELIEVE YOUR JEALOUS
SPITE - BEFORE HIS WIFE?
HE’LL HAVE YOUR LIFE.
BASTIANO
YOU THINK OF ME SO STUPID THAT I
DON’T HAVE ANY PROOF?
I HAVE A WITNESS TO YOUR
PERFIDIOUS PLOYS. I WILL BE DEAD?
THE ONLY BLOOD THAT WILL BE SHED
WILL BE THAT BOY’S.
ARAGONA
A WITNESS, OH INDEED? ANOTHER LOW-LIFE
JUST LIKE YOU, I DON’T DOUBT.
ANOTHER FOOL TO BE IGNORED.
A MERE AMUSEMENT -
FOR MY HUSBANDS SWORD!
BASTIANO
STAY YOUR THREATS. THIS IS NO
WRETCH OF WHICH I TELL,
HE IS NO LOW BORN COUNTRY FOOL,
BUT A NAME YOU’LL KNOW SO WELL
ARAGONA
MORE EMPTY WORDS!
BASTIANO
GO ON THEN TRY ME!
ARAGONA
GIVE ME HIS NAME
YOU’RE SUCH A FOOL
I KNOW YOU’RE LYING
BASTIANO
YOU WANT A NAME?
WELL HERE’S A NAME
MACHIAVELLI!
ARAGONA
NICCOLO MACHIAVELLI WOULDN’T
HELP A MAN LIKE YOU
BASTIANO
BUT HIS BROTHER TOTTO WOULD
ARAGONA
TOTTO? WHAT CAN HE KNOW,
WHAT CAN HE POSSIBLY PROVE,
WE HAVEN’T...
BASTIANO
YOU HAVEN’T BEEN TOO CAREFUL
NOW IT’S ALL A LITTLE LATE
OH HE KNOWS MORE THAN ENOUGH
TO SEAL YOUR WRETCHED FATE,
HIS WORD WILL PAY YOUR DEBT
AND MAKE QUITE CERTAIN YOU BOTH
GET WHAT YOU DESERVE!
(LAUGHS CRUELLY)