“Tosca” by Giacomo Puccini libretto (English)

Contents: Roles; Act One; Act Two; Act Three

ACT TWO

Scarpia's apartment on an upper floor of the
Farnese Palace
(A table set for supper. A wide window opening on
the palace courtyard. It is night. Scarpia is at the
table taking his supper; every now and again he
pauses to reflect. He looks at his watch; he is
angry and preoccupied.)

SCARPIA
Tosca is a good falcon!
Surely by this time
my hounds have fallen on their double prey!
And tomorrow's dawn will see
Angelotti on the scaffold
and the fine Mario hanging from a noose.
(He rings a bell. Enter Sciarrone.)
Is Tosca in the palace?

SCIARRONE
A chamberlain has just gone
to look for her.

SCARPIA (points towards the window)
Open the window. It is late.
(The sound of an orchestra is heard from the lower
floor, where Maria Carolina, the Queen of Naples,
is giving a party in honour of Melas.)
The Diva's still missing from the concert.
And they strum gavottes.
(to Sciarrone)
Wait for Tosca at the entrance:

tell her I shall expect her
after the concert.
Or better...
(rises and goes to write a note)
Give her this note.
(Exit Sciarrone. Scarpia resumes his seat at the
table.)
She will come for love of her Mario!
And for love of her Mario she will yield
to my pleasure. Such is the profound misery
of profound love...
For myself the violent conquest
has stronger relish than the soft surrender.
I take no delight in sighs or vows
exchanged at misty lunar dawn.
I know not how to draw
harmony from guitars, or horoscopes
from flowers, nor am I apt at dalliance,
or cooing like the turtle dove. I crave,
I pursue the craved thing, sate myself and cast it by,
and seek new bait. God made diverse beauties
as he made diverse wines, and of these
God-like works I mean to taste my full.
(He drinks. Enter Sciarrone.)

SCIARRONE
Spoletta's here.

SCARPIA
Show him in. In good time, too.
(Enter Spoletta. Scarpia questions him without
looking up from his supper.)
Well, my fine man, how did the hunt go?

SPOLETTA (aside)
Saint Ignatius help me!
(to Scarpia)
We kept on the lady's trail,
following her to a lonely villa
lost in the woods.
She entered there and soon came out alone.
At once with my dogs I vaulted over
the garden wall and
burst into the house.

SCARPIA
Well done, Spoletta!

SPOLETTA
I sniff... I scratch... I rummage

SCARPIA
(sensing Spoletta's hesitation, rises scowling and
pale with anger)
And Angelotti?

SPOLETTA
Nowhere to be found.

SCARPIA (in a rage)
Ah, dog! Traitor!
Snout of a snake.
To the gallows!

SPOLETTA
Jesus!
(trying to appease Scarpia's wrath)

The painter was there...

SCARPIA
Cavaradossi?

SPOLETTA
(nods and quickly adds)
And he knows where the other is.
He showed such taunting irony
in every word and gesture
that I arrested him.

SCARPIA (with a sigh of satisfaction)
Not bad, not bad.

SPOLETTA (waving towards the antechamber)
He is there.
(Scarpia paces up and down, pondering. He stops
abruptly as he hears, through the open window, the
choral cantata being sung in the Queen s
apartment.)

SCARPIA (to Spoletta)
Bring in the Cavalier.
(Exit Spoletta. To Sciarrone)
Fetch Roberti and the judge.
(Exit Sciarrone. Scarpia sits down again. Spoletta
and four bailiffs bring in Mario Cavaradossi; then
enter Roberti the executioner, the judge with a
scribe, and Sciarrone.)

CAVARADOSSI (with disdain)
Such violence.

SCARPIA (with studied courtesy)
Cavalier, please be seated.

CAVARADOSSI
I want to know...

SCARPIA
(indicating a chair at the other side of the table)
Be seated.

CAVARADOSSI (declining)
I'll stand.

SCARPIA
As you wish. Are you aware that a prisoner...
(Tosca's voice is heard in the cantata.)

CAVARADOSSI
Her voice!

SCARPIA
(who has paused on hearing Tosca's voice)
You are aware that a prisoner
fled today from Sant'Angelo Castle?

CAVARADOSSI
I did not know it.

SCARPIA
And yet it's reported
that you sheltered him in Sant'Andrea,
gave him food and clothing...

CAVARADOSSI (unflinching)
Lies.

SCARPIA (still quite calm)
...and took him
to a suburban place of yours.

CAVARADOSSI
I deny that. What proof have you?

SCARPIA (sweetly)
A faithful servant...

CAVARADOSSI
The facts! Who's my accuser? In vain
your spies ransacked my villa.

SCARPIA
Proof that he is hidden well.

CAVARADOSSI
Suspicions of a spy!

SPOLETTA (offended)
He laughed at our questions...

CAVARADOSSI
And I laugh still!

SCARPIA (harshly)
Beware! This is a place for tears!
Enough now. Answer me!
(He rises and angrily shuts the window to be
undisturbed by the singing from the floor below,
then turns imperiously to Cavaradossi.)

Where is Angelotti?

CAVARADOSSI
I don't know.

SCARPIA
You deny you gave him food?

CAVARADOSSI
I deny it.

SCARPIA
And clothes?

CAVARADOSSI
I deny it.

SCARPIA
And refuge in your villa?
And that he's hidden there?

CAVARADOSSI (vehemently)
I deny it! I deny it!

SCARPIA (craftily, becoming calm)
Come, Cavalier, you must reflect.
This stubbornness of yours is not prudent.
A prompt confession saves enormous pain.
Take my advice and tell me:
where is Angelotti?

CAVARADOSSI
I don't know.

SCARPIA
Be careful. For the last time, where is he?

CAVARADOSSI
I don't know.

SPOLETTA (to himself)
Oh, for a good whipping!
(Enter Tosca breathless.)

SCARPIA (to himself)
Here she is!

TOSCA
(sees Cavaradossi and runs to embrace him)
Mario, you here?

CAVARADOSSI (speaking low)
Of what you saw there, say nothing.
Or you will kill me!
(Tosca indicates she understands.)

SCARPIA (solemnly)
Mario Cavaradossi,
the judge awaits your testimony.
(to Roberti)
First, the usual formalities.
And then... as I shall order.
(Sciarrone opens the door to the torture chamber.
The judge goes in and the others follow. Spoletta
stations himself at the door at the back of the
room. Tosca and Scarpia are now alone together.)

SCARPIA
And now let's talk together like good friends.

Come now, don't look so frightened.

TOSCA (with studied calm)
I am not afraid.

SCARPIA
What about the fan?
(passes behind the sofa where Tosca is sitting and
leans upon it. He still adopts a gallant air.)

TOSCA (with feigned indifference)
That was foolish jealousy.

SCARPIA
So, the Attavanti was not at the villa?

TOSCA
No, he was alone.

SCARPIA
Alone? Are you quite sure?

TOSCA
Nothing escapes a jealous eye. Alone. Alone.

SCARPIA
(Taking a chair he places it in front of Tosca, sits
down, and studies her face.)
Indeed!

TOSCA (annoyed)
Yes. Alone!

SCARPIA
You protest too much! Perhaps you fear
you may betray yourself.
(to Sciarrone)
Sciarrone, what does the Cavalier have to say?

SCIARRONE (appearing)
He denies everything.

SCARPIA
(raising his voice, towards the open door)
Keep pressing him!
(Sciarrone goes out and shuts the door.)

TOSCA (laughing)
You know it's quite useless.

SCARPIA (serious, pacing back and forth)
We shall see, Madam.

TOSCA
It seems that one must lie to please you?

SCARPIA
No, but the truth might shorten
an extremely painful hour for him...

TOSCA (surprised)
A painful hour? What do you mean?
What are you doing in that room?

SCARPIA
The law must be enforced.

TOSCA
Oh, God! What's happening? What is happening?

SCARPIA
Your lover's bound hand and foot.
A ring of hooked iron at his temples,
so that they spurt blood at each denial.

TOSCA (bounds to her feet)
It isn't true! It isn't true!
Oh, leering devil!
(a prolonged groan from Cavaradossi)
He groans! Oh, pity! Pity!

SCARPIA
It is up to you to save him.

TOSCA
Good, good! But stop it! Stop it!

SCARPIA (shouting)
Stop, Sciarrone!

SCIARRONE (appearing)
Stop everything?

SCARPIA
Everything.
(Sciarrone returns to the torture chamber, shutting
the door.)
And now the truth!

TOSCA
Let me see him.

SCARPIA
No!

TOSCA (managing to get near the door)
Mario!

CAVARADOSSI'S VOICE
Tosca!

TOSCA
Are they still torturing you?

CAVARADOSSI'S VOICE
No. Courage... and be silent. I despise pain!

SCARPIA
Come on, Tosca, speak!

TOSCA (strengthened by Mario's words)
I know nothing.

SCARPIA
Wasn't that enough for you?
Roberti, start again...

TOSCA
(throwing herself in front of the door, to keep him
from giving the order)
No! Stop!

SCARPIA
Will you speak?

TOSCA
No, no! Ah, monster!
Murderer... you're killing him!

SCARPIA
It's your silence
that's killing him.

TOSCA
Monster, do you laugh
at this ghastly torment?

SCARPIA (with fierce irony)
Tosca on the stage
was never more tragic!
(to Spoletta)
Open the door so she
can hear his groans better.
(Spoletta opens the door and stands stiffly on the
threshold.)

CAVARADOSSI'S VOICE
I defy you.

SCARPIA
Harder! Harder!

CAVARADOSSI'S VOICE
I defy you all!

SCARPIA (to Tosca)
Speak now...

TOSCA
What can I say?

SCARPIA
Come, speak...

TOSCA
Oh, I know nothing!
Must I lie to you?

SCARPIA
Where's Angelotti?

TOSCA
No, no!

SCARPIA
Speak up, come, quickly.
Where's he hiding?

TOSCA
I can stand no more. Oh, horror!
Stop this torture... It's more than I can bear...
I can stand no more... no more...

CAVARADOSSI'S VOICE
Ah!

TOSCA
(turns imploringly to Scarpia, who signals to
Spoletta to let her come near; she goes to the
open door and is overwhelmed by the horrible
scene within. She cries out in anguish to
Cavaradossi.)

Mario, will you let me speak?

CAVARADOSSI'S VOICE
No.

TOSCA (pleading)
Listen, I can bear no more...

CAVARADOSSI'S VOICE
Fool! What do you know and what can you say?

SCARPIA
(enraged at this, shouts furiously at Spoletta)
Shut him up!
(Spoletta goes into the torture chamber, returning
after a moment. Tosca, overcome with emotion,
has fallen prostrate on the sofa. Sobbing, she
appeals to Scarpia. He stands silent and
impassive. Spoletta, meanwhile, mumbles a prayer
under his breath: Judex ergo cum sedebit quidquid
latet apparebit nil inultum remanebit.)

TOSCA
What have I done to you in my life?
It is I you tor ture so.
It is my spirit...
(bursts into convulsive sobs)
Yes, my spirit you are torturing.

SPOLETTA (continues to pray)
Nil inultum remanebit!
(Scarpia, profiting from Tosca's breakdown goes
towards the torture chamber and orders the
resumption of the torment. There is a piercing cry,
Tosca leaps up, and in a choking voice says rapidly
to Scarpia:)

TOSCA
In the well, in the garden...

SCARPIA
Angelotti is there?

TOSCA
Yes.

SCARPIA
(loudly, towards the torture chamber)
Enough, Roberti!

SCIARRONE (re-opening the door)
He has fainted!

TOSCA (to Scarpia)
Murderer!
I want to see him.

SCARPIA
Bring him in here.
(Sciarrone re-enters and then Cavaradossi, in a
faint, carried by the policemen, who lay him on the
sofa. Tosca runs up, but on seeing her lover
spattered with blood, covers her face in fright and

horror. Then, ashamed of her show of weakness,
she kneels beside Cavaradossi, kissing him and
weeping. Sciarrone, Roberti, the judge and the
scribe go out at the rear. At a sign from Scarpia,
Spoletta and the policemen stay behind.)

CAVARADOSSI (as he comes to)
Floria!

TOSCA (covering him with kisses)
Beloved...

CAVARADOSSI
It is you?

TOSCA
How you have suffered.
Oh, my soul! But this just
God will punish him!

CAVARADOSSI
Did you speak?

TOSCA
No, beloved...

CAVARADOSSI
Truly not?

TOSCA
No!

SCARPIA (loudly to Spoletta)
In the well...
in the garden.
Get him, Spoletta.
(Exit Spoletta. Cavaradossi has heard; he rises
threateningly towards Tosca, but his strength fails
him and he falls back on the sofa, bitterly
reproachful as he exclaims:)

CAVARADOSSI
Ah, you have betrayed me!

TOSCA (beseeching)
Mario!

CAVARADOSSI
(rejecting her embrace and thrusting her from him)
Accursed woman!

TOSCA (beseeching)
Mario!

SCIARRONE (bursting in, very perturbed)
Excellency! Bad news!

SCARPIA (taken aback)
What are you looking so worried about?

SCIARRONE
It is news of defeat!

SCARPIA
How? Where? What defeat?

SCIARRONE
At Marengo.

SCARPIA (impatient)
Blockhead!

SCIARRONE
Bonaparte has won!

SCARPIA
And Melas?

SCIARRONE
No. Melas has fled!
(Cavaradossi, having listened to Sciarrone with
anxious expectation, now, in sheer enthusiasm,
finds the strength to rise threateningly towards
Scarpia.)

CAVARADOSSI
Victory! Victory!
The avenging dawn now rises
to make the wicked tremble!
And liberty returns,
the scourge of tyrants!

TOSCA (trying desperately to calm him)
Mario, be still! Have pity on me!

CAVARADOSSI
You see me now rejoice
in my own suffering...
And now your blood runs cold,

hangman, Scarpia!
(Tosca clutches Cavaradossi and with a rush of
broken words tries to calm him, while Scarpia
answers with a sardonic smile.)

SCARPIA
Go, shout your boasts! Pour out
the last dregs of your vile soul!
Go, for you die,
the hangman's noose awaits you.
(shouts to the policemen)
Take him away!
(Sciarrone and the policemen seize Cavaradossi
and drag him towards the door. Tosca makes a
supreme effort to hold on to him, but they thrust
her brutally aside.)

TOSCA
Mario, with you...

SCARPIA
Not you!
(The door closes and Scarpia and Tosca remain
alone.)

TOSCA (moaning)
Save him!

SCARPIA
I?...You rather!
(He goes to the table, notes his supper interrupted
midway, and again is calm and smiling.)

My poor supper was interrupted.
(sees Tosca, dejected and motionless, still at the
door)
So downhearted? Come, my fair lady.
Sit down here. Shall we try to find
together a way to save him?
(Tosca bestirs herself and looks at him. Scarpia,
still smiling, sits down and motions to her to do
the same.)
Well then, sit down, and we shall talk.
And first, a sip of wine. It comes from Spain.
(He refills the glass and offers it to Tosca.)
A sip to hearten you.

TOSCA
(still staring at Scarpia, she advances towards the
table. She sits resolutely facing him, then asks in
a tone of the deepest contempt:)
How much?

SCARPIA (imperturbable, as she pours his drink)
How much?
(He laughs.)

TOSCA
What is your price?

SCARPIA
Yes, they say that I am venal, but it is not
for money that I will sell myself to beautiful
women.
I want other recompense
if I am to betray my oath of office.

I have waited for this hour!
Already in the past I burned
with passion for the Diva.
But tonight I have beheld you
in a new role I had not seen before.
Those tears of yours were lava
to my senses and that fierce hatred
which your eyes shot at me only fanned
the fire in my blood.
Supple as a leopard
you enwrapped your lover.
In that instant
I vowed you would be mine!
Mine! Yes. I will have you...
(He rises and stretches out his arms towards
Tosca. She has listened motionless to his wanton
tirade. Now she leaps up and takes refuge behind
the sofa.)

TOSCA (running towards the window)
"Ah!
I'll jump out first!

SCARPIA (coldly)
I hold your Mario in pawn!

TOSCA
Oh, wretch...
Oh, ghastly bargain...
(It suddenly occurs to her to appeal to the Queen,
and she runs to the door.)

SCARPIA (ironically)
I do you no violence. Go. You are free.
But your hope is vain: the Queen would merely

grant pardon to a corpse!
(Tosca draws back in fright, her eyes fixed on
Scarpia. She drops on the sofa. She then looks
away from him with a gesture of supreme
contempt.)
How you detest me!

TOSCA
Ah! God!

SCARPIA (approaching)
Even so, even so I want you!

TOSCA (with loathing)
Don't touch me, devil! I hate you, hate you!
Fiend, base villain!
(She flees from him in horror.)

SCARPIA
What does it matter?
Spasms of wrath or spasms of passion...

TOSCA
Foul villain!

SCARPIA
You are mine!
(trying to seize her)

TOSCA
Wretch!
(retreats behind the table)

SCARPIA (pursuing her)
Mine!

TOSCA
Help! Help!
(A distant roll of drums draws slowly near, then
fades again into the distance.)

SCARPIA
Do you hear?
It is the drum that leads the way for the last march
of the condemned. Time passes!
(Tosca listens in terrible dread, and then comes
back from the window to lean exhausted on the
sofa.)
Are you aware of what dark work is done down
there?
They raise a gallows. By your wish,
your Mario has but one more hour to live.
(He coldly leans on a corner of the sofa and stares
at Tosca.)

TOSCA
I lived for ar t, I lived for love:
never did I harm a living creature!
Whatever misfortunes I encountered
I sought with secret hand to succour.
Ever in pure faith,
my prayers rose
in the holy chapels.
Ever in pure faith,
I brought flowers to the altars.
In this hour of pain, why,
why, oh Lord, why
dost Thou repay me thus?
Jewels I brought
for the Madonna's mantle,

and songs for the stars in heaven
that they shone forth with greater radiance.
In this hour of distress, why,
why, oh Lord,
why dost Thou repay me thus?
(kneeling before Scarpia)

TOSCA
Look at me, oh, behold!
With clasped hands I beseech you!
And, vanquished, I implore
the help of your word...

SCARPIA
Tosca, you are too beautiful and too loving.
I yield to you. And at a paltry price;
you ask me for a life. I ask of you an instant.

TOSCA (rising, with great contempt)
Go, go, you fill me with loathing!
(a knock at the door)

SCARPIA
Who's there?

SPOLETTA (entering breathless)
Excellency, Angelotti
killed himself when we arrived.

SCARPIA
Well, then, have him hanged
dead from the gibbet. The other prisoner?

SPOLETTA
The Cavalier Cavaradossi?
Everything is ready, Excellency.

TOSCA (to herself)
God help me!

SCARPIA (to Spoletta)
Wait.
(to Tosca)
Well?
(Tosca nods assent She weeps with shame and
hides her face. To Spoletta)
Listen...

TOSCA (suddenly interrupting)
But I demand that he be freed this instant...

SCARPIA (to Tosca)
We must dissemble. I cannot openly
grant pardon to him. All must believe
the Cavalier is dead.
(points to Spoletta)
This trusted man of mine will see to it.

TOSCA
How can I be sure?

SCARPIA
By the orders I give him in your presence.
(to Spoletta)

Spoletta, shut the door.
(Spoletta shuts the door and comes back to
Scarpia.)
I have changed my mind.
The prisoner shall be shot...
(Tosca starts with terror.)
Wait a moment...
(He fixes on Spoletta a hard, significant glance and
Spoletta nods in reply that he has guessed his
meaning.)
As we did with Count Palmieri.

SPOLETTA
An execution...

SCARPIA (significantly stressing his words)
...A sham one! As we did
with Palmieri! You understand?

SPOLETTA
I understand.

SCARPIA
Go.

TOSCA
I want to explain to him myself.

SCARPIA
As you wish.
(to Spoletta)
You will let her pass...
And remember, at four o'clock.

SPOLETTA
Yes. Like Palmieri.
(Exit Spoletta. Scarpia, near the door, listens to his
retreating footsteps, and then his whole behaviour
changing, advances towards Tosca flushed with
passion.)

SCARPIA
I have kept my promise.

TOSCA (stopping him)
Not yet.
I want a safe conduct, so that he and I
can flee the State together.

SCARPIA (gallantly)
You want to leave?

TOSCA
Yes, for ever.

SCARPIA
Your wish shall be granted.
(He goes to the desk and begins writing. He stops
to ask:)
And which road do you prefer?

TOSCA
The shortest!

SCARPIA
Civitavecchia?

TOSCA

Yes.
(As he writes, Tosca goes up to the table to take,
with shaking hand, the glass of wine that Scarpia
has poured, but as she lifts it to her lips, her eye
falls on a sharply pointed knife that is lying on the
table. She sees that Scarpia at this moment is
absorbed in writing, and so, with infinite caution,
still answering his questions, and never taking her
eye from him, she reaches out for the knife.
Finally, she is able to grasp the knife. Still
watching Scarpia, she hides it behind her as she
leans against the table. He has now finished
making out the pass. He puts his seal upon it and
folds the paper, and then, opening his arms,
advances towards Tosca to embrace her.)

SCARPIA
Tosca, now you are mine at last!
(But his shout of lust ends in a cry of anguish:
Tosca has struck him full in the breast.)
Accursed one!

TOSCA
This is the kiss of Tosca!
(Scarpia stretches out an arm towards her, swaying
and lurching as he advances, seeking her aid. She
eludes him, but is suddenly caught between him
and the table, and seeing that he is about to touch
her, she thrusts him back in horror. Scarpia
crashes to the floor, shrieking in a voice nearly
stifled with blood.)

SCARPIA
Help! I am dying! Help! I die!

TOSCA
(watches him as he struggles helplessly on the
floor and clutches at the sofa, trying to pull himself
up)
Is your blood choking you?
And killed by a woman!
Did you torment me enough?
Can you still hear me? Speak!
Look at me! I am Tosca! Oh, Scarpia!

SCARPIA (after a last effort he falls back)
Help! Help!

TOSCA (bending over him)
Is your blood choking you?
Die accursed! Die! Die! Die!
(seeing him motionless)
He is dead!
And now I pardon him!
All Rome trembled before him!
(Her eyes still fixed on the body, Tosca goes to the
table, puts down the knife, takes a bottle of water,
wets a napkin and washes her fingers. She then
goes to the mirror to arrange her hair. Then she
hunts for the safe-conduct pass on the desk, and
not finding it there she turns and sees the paper in
the clenched hand of the dead man. She takes it
with a shudder and hides it in her bosom. She
puts out the candle on the table and is about to
leave when a scruple detains her. She returns to
the desk and takes the candle there, using it to
relight the other, and then places one to the right
and the other to the left of Scarpia's head. She
rises and looks about her and notices a crucifix on

the wall. She removes it with reverent care, and
returning to the dead man, kneels at his side and
places it on his breast. She rises, approaches the
door cautiously, goes out and closes it.)

Contents: Roles; Act One; Act Two; Act Three