We sing to thee,--we praise thee,
To highest honour raise thee.
Stranger, we here greet thee delighted.
Wrong thou hast righted;
We gladly greet thee here.
Thee, thee we sing alone. Thy name shall live in story.
Oh, never will be one to rival thee in glory!'

It is night when the curtain rises upon the second act; the
knights are still revelling in the part of the palace they
occupy, while the women's apartments are dark and still. The
street is deserted, and on the steps of the cathedral sit
Frederick and Ortrud, who have been despoiled of their rich
garments, and are now clad like beggars.

Frederick, who feels his disgrace, bitterly reproaches his wife
for having blasted his career, and seeks to induce her to depart
with him ere day breaks; but Ortrud refuses to go. She is not yet
conquered, and passionately bids him rouse himself, and listen to
her plan, if he would recover his honour, retrieve his fortunes,
and avenge himself for his public defeat. She first persuades
him that the Swan Knight won the victory by magic arts only,
which was an unpardonable offence, and then declares that, if
Elsa could only be prevailed upon to disobey her champion's
injunctions and ask his name, the spell which protects him
would soon be broken, and he would soon become their prey.

Telramund, overjoyed at the prospect of wiping out his disgrace,
acquiesces eagerly, and as Elsa just then appears at her window