In mia mano alfin tu sei

English Libretto or Translation:

SCENE X

NORMA
At last you are in my hands.
No one else can break your bonds.
I can.

POLLIONE
But you must not.

NORMA
I shall.

POLLIONE
How can you?

NORMA
Listen to me:
For the sake of your God, your children,
You must swear that forever
You will avoid Adalgisa -
You will not take her from the altar -
Then I shall grant you life -
And I shall never see you again.
Swear it!

POLLIONE
No: I am not such a coward!

NORMA
Swear it, swear it!

POLLIONE
First I shall die.

NORMA
Do you not know
My fury is greater than yours?

POLLIONE
I am waiting for it to strike.

NORMA
Do you not know that I, with this dagger,
Your children -

POLLIONE
Oh God! What are you saying?

NORMA
Yes: I raised it over them -
See, see what I have become!
I did not strike ? but soon ? now ?
I shall commit the fearful excess,
Forgetting I am a mother.

POLLIONE
Cruel woman, it is into the father's breast
That you must plunge the dagger.
Give it rather to me.

NORMA
To you!

POLLIONE
Then I
Alone shall die.

NORMA
No ? all
The Romans, by the hundreds,
Shall be mown down, destroyed ?
And Adalgisa ?

POLLIONE
Alas!

NORMA
Having violated
Her vows -

POLLIONE
Yes, cruel woman?

NORMA
Adalgisa shall be punished;
She will die in the fire...

POLLIONE
Oh! Kill me, kill me,
But on her have pity...