It was the mortal passion
The flame that lit the fire
The beauty of the starlight
Brought the cruelty of desire
A lover's link was broken
Another's vengeful plan
Was contrived through jealous hatred
For a cross of God and man
"I hope it will turn out so but I can't help
Being afraid
Perception is hindered by lust
To be sure of the choice you have made."
"Grant me this request, please
Just promise me your word
Attest to the mighty river
Let the truth be heard!"
She asked to see the power
His realm of life and love
His godly immortality
The thunder roared above
Her words were so quickly spoken
Lest he stop her from the deed
"I gave you my word, now my love
Your grim request I shall heed!"
Leaving his maiden
He rose to the sky
Returning in splendors
To earth he did fly
Subject to presence
Too brilliant to face
Another had killed passion's grace
The flame that lit the fire
The beauty of the starlight
Brought the cruelty of desire
A lover's link was broken
Another's vengeful plan
Was contrived through jealous hatred
For a cross of God and man
"I hope it will turn out so but I can't help
Being afraid
Perception is hindered by lust
To be sure of the choice you have made."
"Grant me this request, please
Just promise me your word
Attest to the mighty river
Let the truth be heard!"
She asked to see the power
His realm of life and love
His godly immortality
The thunder roared above
Her words were so quickly spoken
Lest he stop her from the deed
"I gave you my word, now my love
Your grim request I shall heed!"
Leaving his maiden
He rose to the sky
Returning in splendors
To earth he did fly
Subject to presence
Too brilliant to face
Another had killed passion's grace
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Semele was a priestess of Zeus who was seduced by him, and they had an affair.
Thus, the first stanza.
The second stanza has to do with Hera's jealousy of this relationship, and her plan to seek revenge.
Now before I continue, it should be made clear that there is a version of the myth which says that Hera disguised herself as a crane, befriended Semele, and suggested that Zeus was not really a god and the only way for him to prove it would be to ask him to reveal himself to see with her own eyes.
Now, for the fourth stanza
('I hope it will turn out so but I can't help
being afraid
Perception is hindered by lust
to be sure of the choice you have made.')
I think this is a quote of Semele's inner thoughts. She hopes that Zeus is indeed who he says he is ("I hope it will turn out so but I can't help being afraid"), but also admits that her perception of him is distorted by her lust, so there is doubt in her mind.
So, when they meet again, Semele asks Zeus to swear by the river styx ("Mighty River") to uphold whatever request she asks of him
('Grant me this request, please
Just promise me your word
Attest to the mighty river
Let the truth be heard!')
So in the next stanza we see what her request was -- To see Zeus in his full glory.
"Her words were so quickly spoken; Lest he stop her from the deed" Describes Zeus' shock then reluctance to comply with the wish, but remember that because he swore, he has no choice.
'I gave you my word, now my love; Your grim request I shall heed!'
Here Zeus fulfills his promise, realizing what the result will be (Semele's death).
Upon revealing himself, the brilliance of his light kills Semele, because mortals cannot look upon Zeus' full form. ("Leaving his maiden
he rose to the sky
Returning in splendors
to earth he did fly
Subject to presence
too brilliant to face")
"Another one killed passion's grace" can be looked upon as just a synopsis of the song, or an indication that this is not the first time that Zeus' mistresses have been struck by his full form.
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semele
It was the mortal passion
The flame that lit the fire
So the mortal passion is 2 people making love that was the flame that lit his fire. Him being an angel or some sort of God like creature obviously NOT moral and wanting to know what it's like to experience that kind of passion. That wantingness lit his fire.
The beauty of the starlight
Brought the cruelty of desire
The beauty of the two mortals doing it under the startlight brought a desire that was cruel because he was not able to have it.
A lover’s link was broken
Another’s vengeful plan
Was contrived through jealous hatred
For a cross of God and man
The 2 mortal's making love were split up by the angel out of jealousy and hatred. The angel had a vengeful plan to get back at the male mortal for having what he could not have, so the angel decides he's going to split them up and make love to the woman.
"I hope it will turn out so but I can’t help
Being afraid
Perception is hindered by lust
To be sure of the choice you have made."
So the angel hopes he can have her, but is afraid of the consequences of his actions. His perception of the consequences is hindered by his lust for the woman, so he can't be sure of his choice here.
"Grant me this request, please
Just promise me your word
Attest to the mighty river
Let the truth be heard!"
So the woman agrees to let the angel have her then, but asks for a request from the angel as a return favor for what she is to do for him. Let the truth be heard is her confirming to the angel not to lie to her.
She asked to see the power
Well, he's a God like angel and she want's to see his power.
His realm of life and love
She wants to see heaven.
His godly immortality
Again confirming what she wants to see.
The thunder roared above
Her request is granted but the heavens are not happy about it.
Her words were so quickly spoken
Lest he stop her from the deed
She said okay to the angel so fast, the mortal man was unable to stop her from doing it.
"I gave you my word, now my love
Your grim request I shall heed!"
The angel having had the woman say's, "I gave you my word and I will fulfill your request."
Leaving his maiden
He rose to the sky
Um... Leaving the woman, he went straight up into the clouds...
Returning in splendors
To earth he did fly
He flew back down to earth full of glorious power and light from heaven, it was a magnificent sight to behold.
Subject to presence
Too brilliant to face
The subject is the heavenly splendor and it's soo beautiful is cannot be looked upon by mere mortals. This is in reference to the believe of God being light. There is a chapter in the bible where ( I think it was ) Moses who asked if he could see God, but God being all powerful said look away and I will pass, after I pass you can look at me from behind. All Moses saw was infinate light without heat and pure beauty. Looking upon the face of God would have killed him as it did this woman.
Another had killed passion’s grace
The Angel's fulfillment of her request started with his lust for her. She was already in love with another but thanks to the Angel's interference she's now dead and the passion is forever gone.
The End. What do you think, am I close with this?
thank god they got labrie lol