Page:The Spirit of French Music.djvu/75

 the pure regularity of its course, the absolute perfection of the symmetrical sections, seem almost miraculous, when one remembers that its development counts no less than twenty-three bars in triple time moderato. It surpasses, I think, all that I have quoted before. This too is a hymn to Pleasure, but there passes over it the breath of an emotion sacred to Lucrece.

The dramatic subject of Castor and Pollux is the sacrifice of Pollux who renounces life on earth in order to bring back Castor from the realms below by taking his place. It is a cruel sacrifice, not on account of the joys and glory that earth offers in abundance to a demi-God—to these Pollux is not more attached than befits a lofty soul—but because of the beautiful Telaïre whom he loves. Telaïre had been in love with Castor, and while the latter yet lived Pollux was secretly in love with her. After his brother's death he dared to declare his love, and he felt the more emboldened to do so in that he had slain in a duel of vengeance Lincée the murderer of Castor, and brought the spoils of his victim to Telaïre. How could he fail to feel assured that such homage, added to the already decisive argument provided by Castor's decease, would win him the fair one? Alas, the faithful Telaïre is inflexible. Passionately attached to Castor beyond the tomb, she is far from accepting Pollux as his substitute but has quite another plan in view for him. Born of the same mother as Castor, but having Jupiter for his father, Pollux is more than a mortal; he can do what mortals cannot. Following the example of other heroes of antiquity he can penetrate to the realms below, and