The perfidious Renaud flees me;

While it is treacherous, cowardly my heart follows.

It leaves me dying, he wants me to perish.

Regretfully I see the light that shines to me;

The horror of eternal night

Yields to the horror of my punishment!

The perfidious Renaud flees me!

While it is treacherous, cowardly my heart follows.

When the barbarian was in my power,

What have I thought of Hatred and Revenge?

What have I followed their transport!

It escapes me, he walks away, he will leave these shores;

He brave hell and my rage;

It is already close to shore,

I drag myself to useless efforts.

Traitor! Wait! I wish ...

I want his treacherous heart.

Ah! I sacrificed to my fury!

What am I saying? Where am I?

Alas! Unfortunate Armida!

Take you where a blind error?

The hope of vengeance is the only one I have left.

Flee, Pleasures, flee, lose all your charms!

Demons, destroy this palace!

Let's go! And, if possible, my fatal love

Remains buried in this place forever.

During the .First Crusade Armide the princess of Damascus, ensnares her enemy the Christian knight Renaud with her magic spells. At the moment she raises her dagger to kill him, she finds herself falling in love with him. She casts a spell to make him love her in return. Upon returning to her castle, she cannot bear that Renaud's love is only the work of enchantment. She removes her spell, but all Renaud can think of is his freedom. She calls on the Allah to restore her hatred for Renaud, but fails to escape from her feelings of love for him. Allah has condemned Armide to eternal love. Before Armide can return to Renaud, two of his fellow soldiers rescue Renaud.

Armide is left enraged, despairing, and hopeless.

For inspiration listen to Gluck's

Le perfide Renaud quand le barbare

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1cbkyEU5-4

Le perfide Renaud me fuit;

Tout perfide qu'il est, mon lâche coeur le suit.

Il me laisse mourante, il veut que je périsse.

A regret je revois la clarté qui me luit;

L'horreur de l'éternelle nuit

Cède à l'horreur de mon supplice!

Le perfide Renaud me fuit!

Tout perfide qu'il est, mon lâche coeur le suit.

Quand le barbare était en ma puissance,

Que n'ai-je cru la Haine et la Vengeance?

Que n'ai-je suivi leurs transports!

Il m'échappe, il s'éloigne, il va quitter ces bords;

Il brave l'enfer et ma rage;

II est déjà près du rivage,

je fais pour m'y traîner d'inutiles efforts.

Traître! Attends! je le tiens...

je tiens son coeur perfide.

Ah! je l'immole à ma fureur!

Que dis-je? Où suis-je?

Hélas! Infortunée Armide!

Où t'emporte une aveugle erreur?

L'espoir de la vengeance est le seul qui me reste.

Fuyez, Plaisirs, fuyez, perdez tous vos attraits!

Démons, détruisez ce palais!

Partons! Et, s'il se peut, que mon amour funeste

Demeure enseveli dans ces lieux pour jamais.