From L'elisir d'amore
Just as the handsome Paris gave an apple to his fairest,
my lovely village maid, I bring you these flowers.
But I am more glorious and happier than he is,
since as reward for my gift I will gain your beautiful heart!
- (The young lad is modest!)
- (Yes, indeed!) - (How annoying!)
I see clearly in that little face,
I have breached the walls of your heart.
It's not surprising. I am gallant, and a sergeant.
No beauty can resist a man in uniform.
Even Venus, the mother of love, yields to Mars, the god of war.
- (How painful!)
- Even the mother of love yields to the god of war!
Now, if you love me as I love you,
why delay surrendering your weapons?
My idol, shall we make peace together and get married?
Young sir, I'm not in a hurry. I'll think it over a bit.
(Unhappy me! If she accepts, I'll die of despair!)
- Let's make peace, lower your weapons…
- I'm in no hurry…
- (Unhappy me…)
Time flies by – let's not waste it! In war and love it's a mistake
to delay. Surrender to the victor; you cannot escape me!
Just look at how these men swagger! They sing of victory before
they've even begun to fight. Adina isn't conquered so easily!
(If only Love could give me some of his daring! I'd tell her how I suffer.
She'd take pity on me, but I'm too timid… I cannot speak!)
(It would be funny if Adina fell for it, if this soldier put to shame all the
other men who have failed to woo Adina!)
(Yes, but she's an old fox and won't let herself be taken in.)
Just look at how those men swagger…
Adina isn't conquered so easily!
(At least if Love could give me his daring…but I'm too timid!)
A foreign gentleman has arrived in a gilded coach.
If you could only see his noble features! His dazzling clothes!
Surely he's a great man, a baron, a marquis…
Some important man comes rushing here by coach…
Perhaps he a duke… perhaps even higher!
Look… he's coming towards us!
Take off your caps and hats!
Listen, listen, oh villagers,
pay attention, don't even breathe!
I expect that, like me, you know I am that great physician,
that doctor encyclopedic, Dulcamara by name…
Whose eminent ability and infinite miracles are known
throughout the universe and… in other places.
Benefactor of mankind, fixer of ills, in days I empty out the hospitals,
and I travel throughout the world with good health for sale!
Buy it, for I will give it to you at the lowest prices!
This is the odontalgical, miraculous liquor
that kills mice and bedbugs.
I'll let you all see, read, and even touch!
Thanks to this, my prescription… so pleasant, so prolific,
an unhealthy man of seventy became grandfather of ten children!
Through this “touch and heal” in a short week,
more than one suffering widow stopped weeping!
Oh, you rigid matrons, do you wish to be young again?
You can erase your unpleasant wrinkles with it!
Damsels, do you wish for smoother skin?
Young men, do you wish to have forever loving girls?
Buy my specifics, I'll sell them to you cheap!
Brave young men and women, buy it now!
It moves the paralytics, stirs the apoplectics,
the asthmatics, the afflicted, the hysterics, the diabetics.
It cures tympanitis, scrofola, and rickets,
and even the fashionable hepatitis.
Good for bedbugs, wonderful for the liver, paralytics, apoplectics.
Ladies and gentlemen, buy my specifics, I'll sell them to you cheap!
I've brought it by coach from a thousand miles away.
You ask, how much is it? How much is a bottle worth?
100 scudi?
30?
20?
Now don't be alarmed… To show my thanks for that warm reception,
I'll actually give you a scudo just to try it!
A scudo! Really! A finer man cannot be found!
Here is the stupendous, healing elixir.
All of Europe knows I sell it for no less than nine lire.
But since I see that I was born near this neighborhood,
I'll only charge all of you three lire!
It's as clear as the sun that for each one who buys it,
I will put in his purse one lovely scudo net gain!
It's true! Give it here! Great doctor that you are!
We'll remember your arrival here for a long time to come!
Ah! Sweet love of the homeland makes such miracles work!
- Mister sergeant, your men are asking for you.
- I'm here. What is it? What's so urgent?
A courier came two minutes ago with new orders for you.
- The captain! Right! Up, comrades, we have to go.
- Depart? When?
- Tomorrow morning.
- Heavens! So quickly!
- (Adina looks upset.)
- The order is clear. I don't know what to do.
Cursed complication! To change our billets so quickly!
To have to leave our loved ones!
- Dearest, did you hear? Tomorrow, goodbye!
At least remember my love.
- (Tomorrow you'll hear the news that she doesn't love you, but me!)
- I'll give you proof of my constancy; I will remember my promise.
If you are prepared to keep it, why wait?
Let's get married today!
- (Today!?!?)
- (Look like he's upset.) Very well, today!
- Today! Oh, Adina! Today, you say?
- And why not?
- Wait at least until tomorrow morning.
- Why?
- What is it to you? Let's find out!
- Today, Adina? Not today!
Adina, believe me, I beseech you…
You cannot marry him!
Wait still, one day at least… one short day… I know why.
You'd be sorry tomorrow, and just as grieved as I am now.
Thank your stars, you baboon, that you are either crazy or drunk.
Otherwise, I'd have strangled you and cut you into small pieces!
Go away, buffoon, hide… while I have my hands in check!
Have pity on him, he is just a foolish boy, a half-wit…
He's gotten it into his head that I should love him.
(I want revenge, I want to torment him.
I want him to fall at my feet and beg forgiveness.)
Look at that simpleton! He thinks he can out-do a sergeant!
- Let's go, Belcore. We'll alert the notary.
- Doctor! Help me! Protect me!
- He's truly crazy!
- (You'll pay for this!)
Friends, I invite you all to a happy dinner!
- Giannetta, girls, I'll save a dance for you!
- A dance! A banquet! Who could refuse?
(You'll pay for this!)
- With joyful company we'll spend the happy day with Amore!
- Belcore hates me, Adina mocks me, my heart has no hope!
- (He's losing his head, he makes me laugh!)
- Doctor, help me! Protect me! They're laughing at me!
A secret tear appeared in her eyes…
She seemed to be jealous of those happy girls…
What more could I look for?
She loves me! I see it!
If for just one moment I could feel the beating of her dear heart...
…my sighs to blend for a while with hers!
Heaven! One could die; I could not ask for more.