This song is written so that it may be performed during a theatrical intermission. The priestesses at the temple of Astarte perform a ritual dance before an image of the goddess. The high priestess begins to speak of a distant life, yet she speaks as if she were possessed by a spirit, for another voice speaks along with her. A great feast in the temple follows. As much as her passions drive her to entice Adonis, so does a feeling of familiarity.
Adonis spend an evening under the starry skies of the temple gardens, sharing feelings and memories.
Slowly, they begin to remember identical places, sights and sounds. He is attacked by a wild boar, gored and killed. The women of the temple gather around his crumpled body and begin to wail. She sings a bitter song of humanity, yet at the same time she begs for mankind's love. Tired and disgusted by the new ways of man, she asks for her own death to come, rather than live off of the whims of her worshippers.