Bertarido (rientra) Con rauco ... etc. Eduige Ah, no; che non m'inganna la voce e'l volto. Oh ciel! Vive il fratello sotto spoglie straniere, ed esso è quello.
Bertarido Son scoperto!
Eduige Germano! Oh Dio! Che miro? Tu vivi?
Bertarido E la mia vita già ti costa un sospiro? Ma no, non sospirar, quello non sono: Bertarido ebbe il trono, ebbe amici, e vassalli; ebbe congiunti, ebbe una sposa, oh Dio! Idea di fedeltade e di costanza; e a me di tutto ciò rimasta è sola, per giunta del mio duol la rimembranza.
Eduige Accidentale sdegno rallentar può, ma non disciorre i nodi, che tenaci formò natura in noi; pur s'io ti tolsi il regno, vendicò Rodelinda i danni tuoi.
Bertarido Non è, sorella, il regno l'oggetto di mie brame, e del mio inganno; mi finsi estinto, e fu sol mio disegno d'involare al tiranno i pegni a me più cari, e sposa e figlio, e delle mie sventure condurli a parte in un penoso esiglio.
Unulfo (Pur lo trovai...ma che veggio? Tradito è già l'arcano, egli è scoperto.)
Bertarido E pure ancor questo contento mi niega invida sorte; misero io torno, e sento, che l'infida consorte tradisce la mia fè.
Unulfo Questo è un inganno, Rodelinda è fedel.
Bertarido Che dici? Unulfo, mi narri il ver?
Eduige (Respira anima amante)
Unulfo No, che bramar non puoi di lei più fida sposa e più costante.
Eduige Liberar Rodelinda, e flavio seco, dunque È l'unico tuo giusto desio?
Bertarido Non altro.
Eduige Or io m'impegno di rendere al tuo cor la pace, e al mio (parte)
Unulfo Vieni, Signor, non è più tempo adesso di celar, che tu vivi, alla fedel tua sposa.
English Libretto or Translation:
Bertarido (re-entering) With hoarse, rough murm`ring streams etc.
Eduig Ah no! impossible! – I `m not deceived, his voice, face, air, they cannot, all, deceive me. It’s he – my brother lives – and, tho` disguis`d in foreign garb, I know him well - `tis he.
Bertarido I am discover`d
Eduig Brother! Or don’t or do my eyes behold alright! and art thou living still!
Bertarido What, is my life then worth one sigh of yours, and did it coast that groan? O no! I pry` thee now for bear thy sighing`, I am not he that you mistook me for – Bertarido had a throne – he, he had friends, had vassals, that, depending, watched his nod, had princes, join`d to him in closed alliance, he had a wife too – gracious heavens! - he had a seeming faithful and a constant wife! – but ah! for me – I’m not that happy man – I am weight`d down with woes, and to increase them, nought, but the memory of blessings lost, fills my dark soul and surely haunts reflection.
Eduig Some causal heat – some rage by accident may flacken for a while the ties between us, but nought can quite dissolve those bands of union, which nature tasten`d with her utmost strength, and joined so close together. – If I, your sister, if I have help ́d to wrest a Kingdom from you, there’s Rodelinda has reveng`d your wrongs.
Bertarido ́T was not, believe me sister, not a kingdom, that was so much the object of my wishes, to draw me hither - ́t was not that, which made me, or put on this disguise, or form the project of my pretended death – no, no, it was not that, my whole design center`d in this alone, that I might steal my wife and only son, these dearest pledges, from the tyrant’s hands, and bear, o far away, to share my exile, Those precious remnants of my shipwreck`d fortunes.
Unulfo (So then – at last I’ve found him – but who’s there? The secret is all out, and he discover`d.)
Bertarido And yet this one, this sole content, which fate might sure, methinks, have lent, invidious fate denies; for when I turn my wretched eyes, those wretched eyes, so turned, survey, a wife, that does her vows betray.
Unulfo That is, of all your late mistakes, the greatest, your Rodelinda is most faithful to you.
Bertarido What say`st thou, my Unulfo, is that most certain truth?
Unulfo A wife, more true, more faithful and more constant, no heart, that fed on fondness, e`er could wish for.
Eduig To free your Rodelinda and young Flavio is then, it seems, the sum of all your wishes?
Bertarido I’ve not a wish beyond it.
Eduig Then I’ll be bound to give your heart full ease, and, setting yours, I set my own at peace. (Exit)
Unulfo Come, my good lord, `tis now no longer needful to keep it as a secret from your wife that you are living.