No cup from which, through sound and healthy life,
Corroding fiery juice hath not been spread,
No gaud but hath seduced some lovely wife,
No sword that hath not made a truce miscarry,
Or stabbed behind the back its adversary.
Mephistopheles.
Good lady cousin! you come rather late.
Your wares, believe me, are quite out of date;
Deal in the new and newest; that
Our palate smacks; all else is flat.
Faust.
This is a fair that beats the Leipzig hollow!
My head is so confused, I scarce can follow.
Mephistopheles.
To the top the stream is rushing,
And we are pushed, when we think we are pushing.
Faust.
Who, then, is that?
Mephistopheles.
Look at her well.
’Tis Lilith.[n13]
Faust.
Who?
Mephistopheles.
Adam’s first wife. Beware,
Art thou a wise man, of her glossy hair!
’Tis fair to look on, but its look is fell.
Those locks with which she outshines all the train,
When she hath bound a young man with that chain,
She’ll hold him fast; he’ll scarce come back again.
Faust.
There sit an old and young one on the sward;
They seem to have been dancing somewhat hard.
Mephistopheles.
O! once begun, they’ll go on like the devil.
Come, come! they rise again—let’s join the revel.
[Faust and Mephistopheles join the dance; the former with the Young Witch as his partner; the latter with the Old one.
Faust. [dancing with the young Witch]
A lovely dream once came to me,
I saw in my sleep an apple-tree;
Two lovely apples on it did shine;
I clomb the pole to make them mine.
The Young Witch.
For apples your sire in Paradise
And primal dame had longing eyes:
And, if your eyes are wise to see,
You’ll find such apples on my tree.
Mephistopheles. [dancing with the old Witch]
An ugly dream once came to me,
I dreamed I saw a cloven tree;
