Scene 6

Scene 6A space not circumscribed by artificial walls but enclosed by intertwined plants like trees and structures which spread out and send shoots into the interior. Owing to natural occurrences the whole is moving violently and is sometimes filled with storm. The stage is divided into two groves, separated for a short distance by a row of trees. The grove on right of stage is appropriated later by Lucifer and his Spirits, and the left grove by Ahriman and his Spirits. The dance movements are set to music. Maria and Capesius are on the stage as the curtain rises; then Benedictus, Philia, Astrid, Luna, the other Philia, Lucifer, Ahriman, and Creatures which move in a dancing fashion and which represent thoughts, lastly the Soul of Dame Balde.Benedictus(invisible as yet, only audible):Within thy thinking, cosmic thoughts do live.Capesius(in astral garb):There echoes Benedictus’ noble voice;His words are ringing in the spirit here,And are the same as in the book of lifeAre written down to aid his pupils’ work,Which souls on earth find hard to understandAnd which are even harder to fulfil.What part of spirit-land is this, where soundThe words which serve to test the souls on Earth?Maria:Hast thou abode so long in spirit-landIn such a way that thou hast learned so muchAnd yet this region is unknown to thee?Capesius:What lives here in its own realitySouls, versed in spirit-ways, can grasp with ease;Each thing explains itself through something else.The whole may stand revealed in light, when partSeen by itself, may often still seem dark.But when a spirit-essence doth uniteWith earthly nature to create some work,The soul begins to lose her grasp of things.And not alone a part, but e’en the wholeIs oft concealed from her by darkness deep.Why words which come in Benedictus’ bookAnd which were written for men’s souls on Earth,Should echo here, within a place like this,That is the problem which doth offer here.Benedictus(still invisible):Within thy feeling, cosmic forces play.Capesius:Again there come the words which on the EarthDid Benedictus to his pupils trust;And here in his own voice they echo forth.They stream through all the limitless expanseOf this great realm arousing darksome powers.Maria:I feel already what I must pass throughWithin the boundless spaces of this realm;And Benedictus’ nearness draws me on.In this place he will let me gaze on thingsIncomprehensible to souls on EarthThe while they dwell in bodies bound by sense,And e’en whilst serving spirit-pupilship.So must the master bring them to this placeWhere words do not depend on human speech,But are imprinted on their souls by signs;Here he transforms to speech world happenings—A world-descriptive language for the soul.I’ll loose my inmost being from the Earth,Condensing all my powers within my soul,And so await whate’er may be revealedTo indicate my way through spirit-space.And then when I return to life on Earth’Twill be a thought which, when recalled will shineAs knowledge in mine inmost depths of soul.Benedictus(appears from the background):Win thou thyself in power of cosmic thought,Lose thou thyself in life of cosmic force;Thou shalt find earthly aims reflect themselvesThrough thine own being in the cosmic light.Capesius:So Benedictus is in spirit here!Perhaps his words re-echo of themselves.Doth then the teacher bring the lore of earthTo vivify and work in spirit-realms?But what can be the meaning here of wordsWhich he doth use on earth in other ways?Benedictus:Capesius, thou hast in thine earth-lifeEntered within my circle, though in truthThou ne’er wast conscious of thy pupilship.Capesius:Capesius is not within this place;And his soul will not hear him spoken of.Benedictus:Thou wilt not feel thou art CapesiusBut him in spirit thou shalt see and know.For thee the powerful work of thought hath nowIn thy soul-body caged the spirit-life.So that thy soul-life can release itselfFrom thought’s dream-play within thine earthly frame.Too weak it felt itself to wander forthFrom out world distances to depths of soul;Too strong to gaze at lofty spirit-lightThrough all the darkness that surrounds the Earth.I must accompany each one who gainsThe spirit-light from me in earthly lifeWhether he knows, or doth not know, that heCame as a spirit-pupil to myself.And I must lead him further on those pathsWhich he in spirit learned to tread through me.Thou hast through thy soul-sight in cosmic spaceLearned to draw nigh the spirit consciouslySince loosed from body thou canst follow it.But, not yet freed from thought, thou canst not seeTrue being in the spirit-realm as yet.First thy sense-body thou must lay asideBut not the fine corporeal web of thought.Thou only canst perceive the world in truthWhen nothing of thy personalityRemains to cloud the clearness of thy sight.He only who hath learned to view his thoughtsAs things outside himself, e’en as the seerBeholds his earthly form released from him,Can penetrate to spirit verities.So look upon this picture that it mayTurn into knowledge through clairvoyant powersThoughts, whose true being is built up in spaceTo forms, which mirror forth the thoughts of men.(A cheerful subdued light diffuses itself. Philia, Astrid, and Luna appear in glowing clouds.)(Exeunt Capesius and Maria.)Voices(which sound together, spoken by Philia, Astrid, and Luna):Let thoughts hover roundLike weaving of dreamsAnd build themselves inTo souls that are here;Let will that createsAnd feeling that stirsAnd thought that doth workThe dreamer arouse—(While this sounds, Lucifer approaches from one side, and Ahriman from the other. They go to their thrones raised on each side at theback of the stage, facing the audience; Lucifer on the right of the stage, Ahriman on the left.)Lucifer(in a loud voice, emphasizing every word):Within thy will do cosmic beings work.(On Lucifer’s side, beings with golden hair, dressed in crimson and radiantly beautiful representing thoughts, begin to move. These carry out, in a dancing fashion, movements which represent the forms of thought corresponding to Lucifer’s words.)Ahriman(speaking in a loud, hoarse voice):These cosmic beings do but puzzle thee.(After these words Lucifer’s group is still and the thought-beings on Ahriman’s side move and carry out dancing movements which make forms corresponding to his words. They have grey hair and are clad in indigo blue, being square in build, and in appearance distinguished more by force than beauty. After this the movement from both groups is carried on together.)Lucifer:Within thy feeling cosmic forces play.(The thought-beings on Lucifer’s side repeat their movements.)Ahriman:The cosmic forces are but mocking thee.(The thought-beings on Ahriman’s side repeat their movements, then again both together.)Lucifer:Within thy thinking cosmic thought doth live.(Repetition of the movements in Lucifer’s group.)Ahriman:The cosmic thought doth but bewilder thee.(Repetition of the movements in Ahriman’s group.)(The movements of each group are then repeated four times separately and thrice together.)(The thought-beings vanish left and right; Lucifer and Ahriman remain: Philia, Luna, and Astrid advance from the background, and speak together the words they spoke before with the following alteration.)Philia, etc.:Thoughts hovered aroundLike weaving of dreamsAnd built themselves inTo souls that are here—Then will that createsAnd feeling that stirsAnd thought that doth workThe dreamer aroused—(Philia, Astrid, and Luna vanish. Enter Capesius in astral garb, and after he has spoken a fewwords Maria joins him, though at first he cannot see her.)Capesius:The soul lives out her life within herself:Believes she thinks because she does not seeThoughts all spread out in space in front of her—Believes she feels, because the feelings showNo flash like lightning leaping from the clouds;She sees this realm of space, and gazeth onThe clouds above her …; and were this not so,Supposing that the lightning were to flash,And not an eye looked up above to see,She needs must think the lightning was in her.She does not see how Lucifer springs forthFrom out her thoughts, and pours her feelings in,And so believes she is alone with them.Why doth delusion lead her captive thus?O soul, give answer to thyself … yet … whence?From out thyself? Ah, nay … perhaps that, too,Were answered … not by thee … but Lucifer.…Maria:And if it were; why then shouldst thou not seek?Go forth into the deep to find it there.…Capesius:A being here, who hears the speech of souls?Maria:Souls are not here divided each from eachAs when within the body they are pent.Here each soul hears itself in other’s speech.So dost thou only speak unto thyselfWhen I say: ‘Seek thine answer in the deep.’Capesius(hesitatingly):Ah, in the deep there threatens darksome … fear.Maria:Yea truly, fear is there: but ask thyself,As thou hast forced thy way within her realmIf she doth not reveal herself to thee.Ask Lucifer, before whom thou dost standIf on thy weakness he is pouring fear.Lucifer:Who flees from me will love me all the same.Children of Earth have loved me from the firstAnd only think that hatred is my due.So do they ever seek me in my deeds.If I had not as ornament to lifeSent beauty to their souls, they would long sinceHave pined away in truth’s cold empty formsThroughout the long dull progress of the Earth.’Tis I who fill the artist’s soul with powerAnd whatsoe’er of beauty men have seenHath had its prototype within my realm—Now ask thyself, if thou shouldst fear me still.Maria:In these domains which Lucifer commandsFear hath not verily her proper place.From hence he must send forth into men’s soulsNot fear, but wishes, as his gifts to men.Fear comes from quite another realm of power.Ahriman:At birth I was the equal of the gods,Who have curtailed my many ancient rights.I wished in such a way to fashion menFor Lucifer, my brother, and his realm,That each should bear his own world in himself.For Lucifer as peer amongst his peersWould only show himself in spirit-realms.In others he but shows his pictured formAnd so could never be a lord of men.I wished to give unto mankind such strengthThat they might grow to equal Lucifer.And had I stayed within the realm of godsThis too had been in primal days fulfilled.The gods however willed to rule on Earth,And from their kingdom they did one day thrustMy power into the depths of the abyss,So that I might not make mankind too strong.And thus ’tis only from this place I dareSend out my powerful strength upon the Earth.But in this way my power turns intoFEAR.(As Ahriman finishes speaking, Benedictus appears.)Capesius:He who hath heard what both these two powers hereSpake from their places out into the worldsMay know from this where he can look and findBoth fear and hatred in their own domains.Benedictus:In cosmic speech thou shalt perceive thyself;And feel thyself in cosmic power of thought.And as thou now didst see outside thyselfWhat thou didst dream was all thine inmost self,So findthyself, and shudder now no moreAt that one word thou hast a right to useTo prove thine own existence to thyself—Capesius:So once more I belong to mine own selfNow will I seek myself, because I dareTo see myself in cosmic thought and live.Benedictus:And thou must add all this which thou hast wonTo victories of old to give the world.(Dame Balde in her ordinary dress appears in the background beside Benedictus.)Dame Balde(in a meditative voice suitable for fairy tales):Once on a time there lived a child of GodWho had affinity with those who weaveThe thoughtful wisdom of the spirit-realms.This child, brought up by truth’s almighty SireGrew up within his realm to ancient strength.And when his body, radiant with light,Did feel his ripened will creative stirHe often looked with pity on the EarthWhere souls of men were striving after truth.Then to the Sire of truth the child would say:‘The souls of men are thirsting for the drinkWhich thou canst hand to them from out thy springs.’With earnest speech the Sire of truth replied:‘The springs, of which I am appointed guard,Let light stream forth from out the spirit-suns;Only such beings dare to drink the lightAs need not thirst for air that they may breathe.Therefore in light have I brought up a childWho can feel pity for the souls on EarthAnd manifest the light ’midst breathing men.So turn and go unto mankind and bringThe light that’s in their souls to meet my lightEnfilled with confidence and spirit-life.’So then the shining light-child turned, and wentTo souls who keep themselves alive by breath.And many good men found he on the Earth,Who offered him with joy their souls’ abode.These souls he turned to gaze with grateful loveUpon their Sire who dwells in springs of light.And when the child heard from the lips of menAnd joyous mind of men, the magic wordOffantasy, he knew himself aliveDwelling with gladness in the hearts of men.But one sad day there came unto the childA man who cast upon him chilling looks.‘I turn the souls of men on earth towardThe Sire of truth who dwells in springs of light—’Thus to the strange man did the light-child speak—The man replied: ‘Thou dost but weave wild dreamsInto men’s spirits, and deceiv’st their souls.’And since the day which witnessed this eventThe child who can bring light to breathing soulsHath often suffered slander from mankind.(Philia, Astrid, Luna, and the Other Philia appear in a cloud of light.)Philia:Now let every soulThat drinks of the lightAwake to full powerIn cosmic expanse.Astrid:So too let the spiritThat knoweth no fearArise in full powerIn cosmic domains.Luna:Let man who doth striveTo reach to the heightsHold firm with full strengthTo innermost self.The Other Philia:Let man struggle onTo him who bears lightAnd opens out worldsWhich quicken in menThe sense of delight.This beauty so brightAwakened in souls,Inspired to admire,The spirit leads onTo realms of the gods.Achievement consolesThe feelings that dareThe threshold to tread,Which strictly doth guard’Gainst souls that feel fear.And energy findsA will that grows ripeAnd fearless doth stand’Fore powers that createAnd fashion the worlds.Curtain falls whilst Benedictus, Capesius, Maria, Dame Balde, Lucifer, and Ahriman, and the four Soul-forms, are still in their places.Scene 7A landscape composed of fantastic forms. This picture of blazing fire on one side of the stage with rushing water on the other whirled into living forms is intended to suggest the sublime. In the centre a chasm belching forth fire which leaps up into a kind of barrier of fire and water. The Guardian of the Threshold stands in the centre with flaming sword erect. His costume is the conventional angelic garb. The Guardian, Thomasius, Maria, later on Lucifer and then the other Philia.The Guardian:What unchecked wish doth sound within mine ear?So storm men’s souls when first approaching meE’er they have fully gained tranquillity.It is desire that really leads such menAnd not creative power which dares to speakSince it in silence could itself create.The souls which thus comport themselves when hereI needs must relegate again to Earth,For in the Spirit-realm they can but sowConfusion, and do but disturb the deedsWhich cosmic powers have wisely foreordained.Such men can also injure their own selvesWho form destructive passions in their heartsWhich are mistaken for creative powers,Since they must take delusion for the truthWhen earthly darkness no more shelters them.(Thomasius and Maria appear.)Thomasius:Thou dost not see upon thy threshold nowThe soul of him who was the pupil onceOf Benedictus, and came oft to thee,Thomasius, although upon the EarthIt had to call Thomasius’ form its own.He came to thee, his thirst for knowledge quenchedAnd could not bear to have thee near to him.He hid in his own personalityWhen he felt near thee, and thus oft did seeWorlds which, he thought, made clear the originOf all existence and the goal of life.He found the happiness of knowledge thereAnd also powers which to the artist gaveThat which directed both his hand and heartToward creation’s source, so that he feltThere truly lived within him cosmic powers,Which held him steady to his artist’s work.He did not know that nought before him stoodIn all that he created through his thoughtExcept the living content of his soul.Like spiders, spinning webs around themselvesSo did he work, and thought himself the world.Indeed he once thought that Maria stoodOpposed to him in spirit, till he sawThat picture she had graven on his soulWhich then as spirit did reveal itself.And when he was allowed a moment’s glimpseOf his own being, as it really was,He gladly would have fled away from self;He thought himself a spirit but he foundHe was a creature but of flesh and blood.He learned to know the power of this same blood;’Twas there in truth, the rest was but a shade.Blood was his teacher true; and this aloneGave him clear vision, and revealed to himWho was his sire and who his sister dearIn long forgotten ages on the Earth.To blood-relations his blood guided him.Then did he see how strongly souls of menMust be deceived when they in vanityWould rise to spirit from the life of sense.Such effort truly binds the soul more firmTo sense-existence than a daily life,Dull human dream existence following.And when Thomasius could view all thisBefore his soul as being his own stateHe gave himself with vigour to that powerWhich could not lie to him although as yet’Twas but revealed in picture, for he knewThat Lucifer himself is really thereE’en if he can but show his pictured form.The gods desire to draw near to mankindThrough truth alone; but Lucifer—to himIt matters not if men see false or true,He ever will remain the same himself.And therefore I acknowledge that I feelI have attained reality when IBelieve that I must search and find the soulWhich in his own realm he did bind to mine.(To the Guardian.)So armed with all the strength which he bestowsI mean to pass thee and to penetrateTo Theodora whom I know to beWithin the realm that o’er this threshold lies.The Guardian:Thomasius, think well what thou dost know.What o’er this threshold lives is all unknown;Yet dost thou know quite well all I must ask,Before thou canst set foot within this realm.Thou must first part with many of those powersWhich thou hast won when in thine earthly frame.Out of them all thou canst alone retainThat which by efforts, pure and spiritual,Thou didst achieve, and which thou hast kept pure.But this thou hast thyself cast off from theeAnd given as his own to Ahriman.What still is thine hath been by LuciferDestroyed for use within the spirit-world.This too upon the threshold I must takeIf thou wouldst really pass this portal by.So nought remains to thee; a lifeless lifeMust be thy lot within the spirit-realms.Thomasius:Yet I shall be and Theodora find.She’ll be for me the source of fullest light,Which ever hath so richly been revealedUnto her soul, apart from lore of Earth.That is enough. And thou wilt set thyselfIn vain against me, even if the powerWhich I myself have won upon the EarthShould not fulfil the estimate which thouDidst form of my good spirit long ago.Maria(to the Guardian):Thou knowest well, who hast been guardianOf this realm’s threshold since the world beganWhat beings need to cross the threshold o’erWho to thy kind and to thy time belong:So too with men, who meet thee at this gateIf they do come alone, and cannot showThat they have done true spirit-good they mustGo back again from here to life on Earth.But this man here hath been allowed to bringThat other soul unto thy threshold nowWhom fate hath bound so closely with his own.Thou hast been ordered by high spirit powersTo keep back many men from here, who wouldTry to approach the gateway of this realmAnd would but bring destruction on themselvesIf they should dare to pass the threshold o’er.Yet thou may’st throw it open unto thoseWho through their inmost personalityAre in the spirit-realms inclined to love,And to such love can cling as they press through,As hath been foreordained them by the godsBefore to battle Lucifer came forth.Standing before his throne my heart hath vowedWith strictest oath, that in Earth’s future timesIt would so serve this love that Lucifer,When he gives knowledge of it to men’s soulsCan do no harm. And those who listen wellFor the revealing of this love divineWith earnest minds, as once they strove to graspThe knowledge given forth by Lucifer,They must inevitably find themselves.Johannes in his earthly form doth nowNo longer listen to my voice, as once,When in an earthly life long since passed byI was enabled to reveal to himThat which had been entrusted to myselfIn holy temples in HiberniaBy that same God Who dwells within mankindAnd Who once conquered all the powers of deathBecause He lived love’s life so perfectly.My friend will once again in spirit-realmsDiscern the words which come forth from my soulBut which were hindered from his earthly earsBy Lucifer and his delusive power.Thomasius(as one who perceives some spiritual being):Maria, dost thou see, clad in long cloakThat dignified old man, his solemn face,His noble brow, the flashing of his glance?He passeth through the streets, ’mid crowds of menYet each doth step aside in reverenceThat yon old man may go his way in peace,And lest his train of thought be rudely stirred.For one can see that, wrapped within himselfHe meditates with powerful inmost thought.Maria, dost thou see?Maria:Maria, dost thou see?Yea, I can see,When through the eyes of thine own soul I look.But ’tis to thee alone that he would nowReveal himself in scenes significant.Thomasius:I now can see into his very soul,Things full of meaning lie within its depthsAnd memory of something he’s just heard.Before his eyes there stands a teacher wise.He lets the words which he hath heard from himPass through his soul; it is from him he comes.His thinking scans the very source of life;As once mankind in olden times on EarthMight stand quite near and view the spirit-scenes,Although their soul-life was but like a dream;The old man’s soul doth trace that line of thoughtWhich from his honoured teacher he hath learned.And now he disappears from my soul’s sight;Ah, if I could but watch his further steps.I see men speaking with each other nowAmong the crowd; and I can hear their words.They speak of that old man with reverence deep.In his young days he was a soldier brave;Ambition, and desire to be renownedWere burning in his soul; he wished to countAs foremost warrior within his ranks.In battle’s service he did perpetrateUnnumbered gruesome deeds through thirst for fame.And in his life full many a time it chancedHe caused much blood to flow upon the earth.At last there came a day when suddenlyThe luck of battle turned its back on him.He left the battlefield in bitter shameTo enter his own home, a man disgraced;Scorn and derision were his lot in life,And from that time wild hatred filled his soulWhich had not lost its pride and love of fame.He looked upon his boon-companions nowOnly as enemies to be destroyedAs soon as opportunity occurred.But since the man’s proud soul was soon compelledTo recognize that vengeance on his foesWould not be possible for him in life,He learned the victory o’er his own selfAnd vanquished all his pride and love of fame.He even made resolve in his old ageA circle small of pupils to attendWhich had arisen then within his town.The man who was the teacher of this bandWas in his soul possessed of all the loreWhich by the masters in much older daysHad been delivered to initiates—All this I hear from men within the crowd.It fills me with warm love when I beholdWith my soul’s sight, this agèd man, who thusAfter the victories which love of fameHad won for him could even then achieveThe greatest human task—to conquerself—Therefore do I perceive within this placeThe man to whom I wholly give myself,Although I see him but in pictured form.This feeling howsoe’er it comes to meIs not a moment’s work. Through lives long pastI must have been in closest union joinedUnto a soul I love as I love him.I have not in this moment roused in meA love so strong as that which now I feel;It is a recollection from past times;Nor can I grasp it with my thought as yet,—Though memory calls these feelings back to me.Surely I once was pupil of this manAnd full of awe and wonder gazed on him?Oh, how I long once more in this same hourTo meet the earthly soul which formerlyCould speak about this body as its own,No matter if on Earth or otherwhere.Then would I prove the strength with which I love;What noble human ties did once createThis can good powers alone renew in me.Maria:Art thou quite sure, Johannes, that this soulIf it approached thee now would show itselfUpon the same bright height whereon it stoodIn those old days just pictured ’fore thy soul?Perchance it now is chained a prisonerBy feelings all unworthy of its past.Many a man now walks upon the EarthWho would be filled with shame, if he could seeHow little in his present mode of lifeDoth correspond with that which once he was.Perchance this man hath wallowed in the mireOf lust and passion, and thou saw’st him nowOppressed by consternation and remorse.Thomasius:Maria, why dost thou suggest such words?I cannot see what leads thee so to speak.For thoughts have here quite other influence,Than in the places where that man hath lived.The Guardian:Johannes, that which here within this placeReveals itself is proving of thy soul.Gaze on the groundwork of thy self, and seeWhat thou, unknowing, willst and canst perform.All that was hidden in thine inmost depthsWhile thou wert living with thy soul still blind.(Lucifer appears.)Will now appear and rob thee of the darkIn whose protection thou wast living then.So now perceive what human soul it isTo whom thou dost bow down in ardent love,And who indwelt the body thou didst see.Perceive to whom thy strongest love is given.Lucifer:Sink thyself deep in depths of thine own self;Perceive the strongest powers of thine own soul;And learn to know how this strong love of thineCan hold thee upright in the cosmic life.Thomasius:Yea, now I feel the soul that wished to showItself to me—’tis Theodora’s self—’Twas she who wished to be revealed to me.She stood before me since ’tis her I’ll seeWhen I have gained an entrance through this gate.’Tis right to love her, for her soul did standBefore me in that other body-formWhich showed me how ’tis her that I must love.Through thee alone will I now find myselfAnd win the future, fighting in thy strength.The Guardian:I cannot keep thee back from what must be.In pictured form thou hast already seenThe soul thou lovest best; her shalt thou seeWhen thou hast crossed the threshold of this realm.Perceive, and let experience decideIf it shall prove so healing as thou dream’st.The Other Philia:Ah, heed thou not the guardian strictWho leadeth thee to wastes of lifeAnd robs thee of thy warmth of soul;He can but see the spirit-forms,And knoweth naught of human woeWhich souls can only then endureWhen earthly love doth guard them safeFrom chilling cosmic space.Strictness to him belongs,From him doth kindness flee,And power to wishHe hath abhorredSince first the Earth began.CurtainScene 8Ahriman’s Kingdom. No sky is visible. A dark enclosure like a mountain gorge whose black masses of rock tower up in fantastic forms, divided by streams of fire. Skeletons are visible everywhere; they appear to be crystallized out of the mountain, but are white. Their attitude suggests the habitual egoism of their last life. Prominent on one side is a miser and on the other a massive glutton etc., etc. Ahriman is seated on a rock. Hilary, Frederick Trustworthy, then the Twelve who were gathered together in the first scene; then Strader; later on Thomasius and Maria; last of all Thomasius’ Double.Trustworthy:How often have I trod this realm before.—And yet how horrible it seems to meThat e’en from here we must so often fetchThe wise direction for full many a planWhich is important for us and our leagueAnd points significantly to our aims.Hilary:The grain of corn must fall to earth and dieBefore the life within it can return.All that in earthly life hath run to wasteShall here unto new being be transformed.And when our league desires to plant the seedsOf human acts, to ripen in due course,’Tis from the dead that we must fetch the grain.Trustworthy:Uncanny is the lord who here bears rule;And if it were not written in our books,Which are the greatest treasures of our shrine,That he whom here we often meet, is good,One would indeed as evil reckon him.Hilary:Not only books, but e’en my spirit-sightDeclares that what is here revealed is good.Ahriman(in a feigned voice, sardonically):I know why ye are gathered here again.Ye would discover from me how ’twere bestTo guide the soul of him who oft beforeHath stood upon the threshold of your shrine.Because ye think Thomasius is lostYe now believe that Strader is the manTo do you service in the mystic league.What he hath won for progress of mankindBy use of powers which follow nature’s laws,For this he oweth thanks to me, since IHold sway where powers mechanical obtainStrength for themselves from their creative founts.So all that he may do to help mankindIt needs must turn itself unto my realm.But this time I myself will see to itThat what I wish shall happen to this manIn future, since ye lost ThomasiusBy your own work through leaving me aside.If ye desire to serve the spirit-powersYe first must conquer for yourselves those powersWhich in this case ye tried to cast aside.(Ahriman becomes invisible.)Trustworthy(after a pause, during which he has withdrawn into himself):Exalted Master, care oppresseth meThough I have striven long to banish it,For this is laid upon me by strict rulesWhich have been ordered for us by our league.But much that shows the life of this same leagueHath made the struggle in my soul severe;Yet would I ever thankfully submitMy darkness to the spirit-light, which thouArt capable of giving through thy powers.But when I must full often clearly seeThou wert a victim of delusion’s snareAnd how thy words, e’en as events fell out,Did often prove so grievously at fault,Then have I felt as though some wicked elfWere resting painfully upon my soul.And this time also are thy words at fault.Thou couldst have reckoned that we certainlyShould hear good tidings from this spirit here.Hilary:’Tis hard to understand the cosmic ways.My brother, we are well-advised to waitUntil the spirit indicates the wayWhich is ordained for that which we create.(Exeunt Hilary and Trustworthy.)Ahriman(who has re-appeared):They see, but do not recognize me yet;For had they known who rules within this placeThey certainly would not have ventured hereTo seek direction; and they would condemnTo age-long pains of hell that human soulOf whom, they heard, that it did visit me.(All the persons who at the beginning of the play were assembled in the ante-room of the mystic league now appear on the scene; they are blindfolded to show their ignorance of the fact that they are in Ahriman’s kingdom. The words they speak live in their souls, but they know nothing of them. They are experiencing during sleep unconscious dreams which are audible in Ahriman’s kingdom. Strader, who also appears, is however semi-conscious with regard to all that he experiences, so that later on he will be able to recollect it.)Strader:The hint that Benedictus gave to meThat I should cultivate my power of thought,Hath led me to this kingdom of the dead.Although I hoped that raised to spirit-realmsI should find truth on wisdom’s sun-clad heights.Ahriman:What thou canst learn of wisdom in this placeThou wilt find all-sufficient for long time,If here thou dost comport thyself aright.Strader:Before what spirit doth my soul then stand?Ahriman:That shalt thou know when memory presentlyCan call again to thee what here thou see’st.Strader:And all these folk, why do I find them hereWithin thy darksome realm?Ahriman:Within thy darksome realm?’Tis but as soulsThat they are in this place: they do not knowAught of themselves when here, since in their homesSunk now in deepest sleep they would be found.But here quite clearly all will be revealedThat lives within their souls, though they would scarceOn waking think such thoughts could be their own.So too, they cannot hear us when we speak.Louisa Fear-God:The soul should not in blind devotion thinkThat it can raise itself in haughty prideUp to the light, or that it can unfoldUnto its full extent its own true self.I will but recognize what I do know.Ahriman(only audible to Strader):And dost not know how bluntly thou dost leadIn haughty pride thyself into the dark.She too will serve thee, Strader, in the workThat thou hast wrung so boldly from my powers.She doth not need for that the spirit-faithWhich seems so ill-accorded with her pride.Frederick Clear-Mind:Entrancing are indeed these mystic paths;Nor will I henceforth fail in diligence,But give myself completely to the loreThat I can gather from the Temple’s words.Michael Nobleman:The impulse after truth within my soulIs drawing me toward the spirit-light;The noble teaching which now shines so clearIn human life, will surely find that IAm the best pupil that it ever had.George Candid:I ever have been deeply moved by allThat hath revealed itself from many a sourceOf noble mystic spirit-treasuries.With all my heart would I yet further strive.Ahriman(audible only to Strader):Such men mean well: yet doth their striving stayBut in the upper layers of their souls.And so can I make use for many yearsOf all these mighty treasures which lie hidUnconsciously within their spirits’ depths.They too seem useful to my constant aimThat Strader’s work in mankind’s life on earthShall with proud brilliance unfold itself.Mary Steadfast:A healthy view of life will of itselfBring to the soul the fruits of spirit-realmsWhen men join reverence for the universeTo a clear view of sense-reality.Ahriman(audible only to Strader):She speaks in dreams of this reality;She’ll dream so much the better when she wakes.Yet she will be of little service now.Perchance in her next life she’ll help me more,For then she will appear as occultistAnd as need may arise will teach mankindAbout their life since first the Earth began.And yet she scarce will treasure truth aright;In former lives she oft did Strader chideAnd now she praiseth him: so doth she change,And Lucifer will be more glad of her.Francesca Humble:The solemn mystic kingdom will one dayBe pictured by mankind as one great whole,When thought through feeling shall express itselfAnd feeling let itself be led by thought.Katharine Counsel:Mankind, ’tis true, doth strive to see the light;But strange indeed the methods he pursues.For first he quencheth it, and is surprisedThat he can find it nowhere in the dark.Ahriman(audible only to Strader):So too with souls: they find it good to talkAs voicing the well-being of their mind,But underneath they fail in constancy.Such are for me quite unapproachable,And yet they will in future much achieveFrom which I’ll reap a harvest of good fruit.They are by no means what they think themselves.Bernard Straight:If knowledge is not gained through cautious searchThen fantasy brings nought but airy formsTo solve the riddle of the universe,Which only can be mastered by strict thought.Erminia Stay-at-Home:The cosmic substance must for ever changeThat all existence may unfold itself;And he who fain would keep all things the sameWill lack the power to understand life’s aims.Gasper Hotspur:To live in fantasy, doth only meanTo rob men’s souls of every power in lifeThrough which they can grow strong to serve themselvesAnd do true service to their fellow men.Mary Dauntless:The soul that would but burden its own selfShould form itself through outside powers alone;True men will only seek developmentFrom out their hidden personalities.Ahriman(audible only to Strader):It is but human what these souls conceal.One cannot tell what they may yet achieve;For Lucifer may try his power on them,And make them think they are but working outEach his own powers of soul with steadfast aim;And so perchance he hath not lost them yet.Fox:He who would cosmic riddles rightly readMust wait till understanding and right thoughtReveal themselves through powers within his life,And he who fain would find his way arightMust seize all he can use that gives him joy.Above all else the search for wisdom’s loreTo give high aims to weak humanity—This leads to nothing on this Earth of ours.Ahriman(audible only to Strader):He hath been chosen as philosopher,And such he will appear in his next life—With him I do but balance my account.Seven of twelve I ever need myselfAnd five I give to Brother Lucifer.From time to time I take account of menAnd see both what they are and what they do.And when I once have chosen out my twelveI do not need to search for any more.For if I come in number to thirteenThe last is just exactly like the first.When I have got these twelve within my realmAnd can through their soul-nature fashion them,Then others too must ever follow them.(To himself; holding his hands over Strader’s ears so that he shall not hear.)True, none of this have I achieved as yet,Since Earth refused to give herself to me.But I shall strive throughout eternity,1Until—perchance—I gain the victory.One must make use of what is not yet lost.(The following so that it is again audible to Strader):Thou seest I do not flatter with fine words,Indeed I do not wish to please mankind.He who would inspiration seek for lofty aimsIn speech well-regulated and arranged,Needs must betake himself to other worlds.But, who with reason and a sense for truthPerceives the things which here I bring to pass,He can acknowledge that it is with meThe powers are found, without which human soulsMust lose themselves whilst living on the Earth.The very worlds of gods make use of me,And only seek to draw souls from my graspWhen I grow active in their own domain.And then if my opponent doth succeedIn leading men astray with this beliefThat my existence hath been proved to beUnnecessary for the universe,Then souls may dream indeed of higher worlds,But strength and power decay in earthly life.Strader:Thou seest in me one who would follow theeAnd give his powers to thee to use at will.What I have witnessed here doth seem to showThat all that makes mankind thine enemyIs lack of reason’s power and strength of mind.In truth thou didst not flatter with fine words;For thou didst well-nigh mock these poor weak menWhen it did please thee to portray their fate.I must confess that it seems good to meWhat thou wouldst give unto the souls of men,For they will only be enriched with strengthFor what is good through thee, and will but gainThat which is bad, if they were bad before.If only men did better know themselvesThey must for certain feel with all their heartsThe bitter scorn that thou dost cast on them.But what is here wrung forth from out my soul?I speak such words as would destroy my lifeIf on the Earth I found that they were true.Thoumustso think; I cannot otherwiseThan find that what thou hast just said is true;Yet ’tis but truth when in this realm of thine:It would be error for the world of EarthIf it prove there to be what it seems here.I must no further trace my human thoughtsWithin this place—they now must have an end.In thy rough words there soundeth pain for thee,And they are painful too in mine own soul.I can—whilst facing thee—but weep—and cry——(Exit quickly.)(Enter Maria and Thomasius both fully conscious, so that they can hear and understand all that goes on, and speak about it.)Thomasius:Maria, terror reigns on every side,It closeth in and presseth on my soul;Whence shall come inward strength to conquer it?Maria:My holy, earnest vow doth ray out power:And thou canst bear this pressure on thy soulIf thou wilt feel the healing power it gives.Ahriman(to himself):’Tis Benedictus who hath sent them here;He guided them that they might recognizeAnd know me, when they feel me in my realm.(He speaks the rest so that Thomasius and Maria can hear.)Thomasius, the Guardian did directThy footsteps first of all toward my realmSince they will lead thee to the very lightThou seekest in the depths of thine own self.Here I can give thee truth although with pain,As I have suffered many thousand years,For though the truth can penetrate to me,It must first separate itself from joyBefore it dares to venture though my porch.Thomasius:So must I joylessly behold the soulWhom I so ardently desire to see?Ahriman:A wish doth only lead to happinessWhen warmth of soul can cherish it; but hereAll wishes freeze, and needs must live in cold.Maria:E’en in the ever empty fields of iceI may go with my friend, where he will beEncircled by the light which spirits bringWhen darkness wounds and maims the powers of life.Thomasius, feel now thy soul’s full strength.(The Guardian appears upon the Threshold.)Ahriman:The Guardian himself must bring the lightThat thou dost now so ardently desire.Thomasius:’Tis Theodora whom I wish to see.The Guardian:The soul that on my threshold clothed itselfIn that same veil which many years agoIt wore on earth, hath kindled in the depthsOf thine own soul in solemn hours of lifeThe strongest love which was concealed in thee.While thou wert standing yet outside this realmAnd first didst beg from me an entrance here,It stood before thee in a pictured form,And, being thus conceived by inward wish,Can only show delusion’s vain conceits.But now thou shalt in very truth beholdThe soul that in a life of long agoWas dwelling in that old man whom thou saw’st.Thomasius:I see him now again in his long cloak,That worthy ancient with his earnest brow;O soul, who dwelt within this coveringWhy dost thou hide thyself so long from me?It must—it can—but Theodora be.Ah, see—now from the covered picture, comesReality: ’tis Theo … ’tismyself——(As Thomasius begins the name ‘Theodora,’ his Double appears.)His Double(coming close up to Thomasius):Perceive me—and then knowthyselfin me.Maria:And I may followtheeto cosmic depthsWhere souls can win perception e’en as godsBy conquest that destroyeth, yet acquiresBy bold persistence life from seeming death.(Peals of thunder, and increasing darkness.)Curtain

A space not circumscribed by artificial walls but enclosed by intertwined plants like trees and structures which spread out and send shoots into the interior. Owing to natural occurrences the whole is moving violently and is sometimes filled with storm. The stage is divided into two groves, separated for a short distance by a row of trees. The grove on right of stage is appropriated later by Lucifer and his Spirits, and the left grove by Ahriman and his Spirits. The dance movements are set to music. Maria and Capesius are on the stage as the curtain rises; then Benedictus, Philia, Astrid, Luna, the other Philia, Lucifer, Ahriman, and Creatures which move in a dancing fashion and which represent thoughts, lastly the Soul of Dame Balde.

Benedictus(invisible as yet, only audible):Within thy thinking, cosmic thoughts do live.

Benedictus(invisible as yet, only audible):

Within thy thinking, cosmic thoughts do live.

Capesius(in astral garb):There echoes Benedictus’ noble voice;His words are ringing in the spirit here,And are the same as in the book of lifeAre written down to aid his pupils’ work,Which souls on earth find hard to understandAnd which are even harder to fulfil.What part of spirit-land is this, where soundThe words which serve to test the souls on Earth?

Capesius(in astral garb):

There echoes Benedictus’ noble voice;

His words are ringing in the spirit here,

And are the same as in the book of life

Are written down to aid his pupils’ work,

Which souls on earth find hard to understand

And which are even harder to fulfil.

What part of spirit-land is this, where sound

The words which serve to test the souls on Earth?

Maria:Hast thou abode so long in spirit-landIn such a way that thou hast learned so muchAnd yet this region is unknown to thee?

Maria:

Hast thou abode so long in spirit-land

In such a way that thou hast learned so much

And yet this region is unknown to thee?

Capesius:What lives here in its own realitySouls, versed in spirit-ways, can grasp with ease;Each thing explains itself through something else.The whole may stand revealed in light, when partSeen by itself, may often still seem dark.But when a spirit-essence doth uniteWith earthly nature to create some work,The soul begins to lose her grasp of things.And not alone a part, but e’en the wholeIs oft concealed from her by darkness deep.Why words which come in Benedictus’ bookAnd which were written for men’s souls on Earth,Should echo here, within a place like this,That is the problem which doth offer here.

Capesius:

What lives here in its own reality

Souls, versed in spirit-ways, can grasp with ease;

Each thing explains itself through something else.

The whole may stand revealed in light, when part

Seen by itself, may often still seem dark.

But when a spirit-essence doth unite

With earthly nature to create some work,

The soul begins to lose her grasp of things.

And not alone a part, but e’en the whole

Is oft concealed from her by darkness deep.

Why words which come in Benedictus’ book

And which were written for men’s souls on Earth,

Should echo here, within a place like this,

That is the problem which doth offer here.

Benedictus(still invisible):Within thy feeling, cosmic forces play.

Benedictus(still invisible):

Within thy feeling, cosmic forces play.

Capesius:Again there come the words which on the EarthDid Benedictus to his pupils trust;And here in his own voice they echo forth.They stream through all the limitless expanseOf this great realm arousing darksome powers.

Capesius:

Again there come the words which on the Earth

Did Benedictus to his pupils trust;

And here in his own voice they echo forth.

They stream through all the limitless expanse

Of this great realm arousing darksome powers.

Maria:I feel already what I must pass throughWithin the boundless spaces of this realm;And Benedictus’ nearness draws me on.In this place he will let me gaze on thingsIncomprehensible to souls on EarthThe while they dwell in bodies bound by sense,And e’en whilst serving spirit-pupilship.So must the master bring them to this placeWhere words do not depend on human speech,But are imprinted on their souls by signs;Here he transforms to speech world happenings—A world-descriptive language for the soul.I’ll loose my inmost being from the Earth,Condensing all my powers within my soul,And so await whate’er may be revealedTo indicate my way through spirit-space.And then when I return to life on Earth’Twill be a thought which, when recalled will shineAs knowledge in mine inmost depths of soul.

Maria:

I feel already what I must pass through

Within the boundless spaces of this realm;

And Benedictus’ nearness draws me on.

In this place he will let me gaze on things

Incomprehensible to souls on Earth

The while they dwell in bodies bound by sense,

And e’en whilst serving spirit-pupilship.

So must the master bring them to this place

Where words do not depend on human speech,

But are imprinted on their souls by signs;

Here he transforms to speech world happenings—

A world-descriptive language for the soul.

I’ll loose my inmost being from the Earth,

Condensing all my powers within my soul,

And so await whate’er may be revealed

To indicate my way through spirit-space.

And then when I return to life on Earth

’Twill be a thought which, when recalled will shine

As knowledge in mine inmost depths of soul.

Benedictus(appears from the background):Win thou thyself in power of cosmic thought,Lose thou thyself in life of cosmic force;Thou shalt find earthly aims reflect themselvesThrough thine own being in the cosmic light.

Benedictus(appears from the background):

Win thou thyself in power of cosmic thought,

Lose thou thyself in life of cosmic force;

Thou shalt find earthly aims reflect themselves

Through thine own being in the cosmic light.

Capesius:So Benedictus is in spirit here!Perhaps his words re-echo of themselves.Doth then the teacher bring the lore of earthTo vivify and work in spirit-realms?But what can be the meaning here of wordsWhich he doth use on earth in other ways?

Capesius:

So Benedictus is in spirit here!

Perhaps his words re-echo of themselves.

Doth then the teacher bring the lore of earth

To vivify and work in spirit-realms?

But what can be the meaning here of words

Which he doth use on earth in other ways?

Benedictus:Capesius, thou hast in thine earth-lifeEntered within my circle, though in truthThou ne’er wast conscious of thy pupilship.

Benedictus:

Capesius, thou hast in thine earth-life

Entered within my circle, though in truth

Thou ne’er wast conscious of thy pupilship.

Capesius:Capesius is not within this place;And his soul will not hear him spoken of.

Capesius:

Capesius is not within this place;

And his soul will not hear him spoken of.

Benedictus:Thou wilt not feel thou art CapesiusBut him in spirit thou shalt see and know.For thee the powerful work of thought hath nowIn thy soul-body caged the spirit-life.So that thy soul-life can release itselfFrom thought’s dream-play within thine earthly frame.Too weak it felt itself to wander forthFrom out world distances to depths of soul;Too strong to gaze at lofty spirit-lightThrough all the darkness that surrounds the Earth.I must accompany each one who gainsThe spirit-light from me in earthly lifeWhether he knows, or doth not know, that heCame as a spirit-pupil to myself.And I must lead him further on those pathsWhich he in spirit learned to tread through me.Thou hast through thy soul-sight in cosmic spaceLearned to draw nigh the spirit consciouslySince loosed from body thou canst follow it.But, not yet freed from thought, thou canst not seeTrue being in the spirit-realm as yet.First thy sense-body thou must lay asideBut not the fine corporeal web of thought.Thou only canst perceive the world in truthWhen nothing of thy personalityRemains to cloud the clearness of thy sight.He only who hath learned to view his thoughtsAs things outside himself, e’en as the seerBeholds his earthly form released from him,Can penetrate to spirit verities.So look upon this picture that it mayTurn into knowledge through clairvoyant powersThoughts, whose true being is built up in spaceTo forms, which mirror forth the thoughts of men.

Benedictus:

Thou wilt not feel thou art Capesius

But him in spirit thou shalt see and know.

For thee the powerful work of thought hath now

In thy soul-body caged the spirit-life.

So that thy soul-life can release itself

From thought’s dream-play within thine earthly frame.

Too weak it felt itself to wander forth

From out world distances to depths of soul;

Too strong to gaze at lofty spirit-light

Through all the darkness that surrounds the Earth.

I must accompany each one who gains

The spirit-light from me in earthly life

Whether he knows, or doth not know, that he

Came as a spirit-pupil to myself.

And I must lead him further on those paths

Which he in spirit learned to tread through me.

Thou hast through thy soul-sight in cosmic space

Learned to draw nigh the spirit consciously

Since loosed from body thou canst follow it.

But, not yet freed from thought, thou canst not see

True being in the spirit-realm as yet.

First thy sense-body thou must lay aside

But not the fine corporeal web of thought.

Thou only canst perceive the world in truth

When nothing of thy personality

Remains to cloud the clearness of thy sight.

He only who hath learned to view his thoughts

As things outside himself, e’en as the seer

Beholds his earthly form released from him,

Can penetrate to spirit verities.

So look upon this picture that it may

Turn into knowledge through clairvoyant powers

Thoughts, whose true being is built up in space

To forms, which mirror forth the thoughts of men.

(A cheerful subdued light diffuses itself. Philia, Astrid, and Luna appear in glowing clouds.)

(Exeunt Capesius and Maria.)

Voices(which sound together, spoken by Philia, Astrid, and Luna):Let thoughts hover roundLike weaving of dreamsAnd build themselves inTo souls that are here;Let will that createsAnd feeling that stirsAnd thought that doth workThe dreamer arouse—

Voices(which sound together, spoken by Philia, Astrid, and Luna):

Let thoughts hover round

Like weaving of dreams

And build themselves in

To souls that are here;

Let will that creates

And feeling that stirs

And thought that doth work

The dreamer arouse—

(While this sounds, Lucifer approaches from one side, and Ahriman from the other. They go to their thrones raised on each side at theback of the stage, facing the audience; Lucifer on the right of the stage, Ahriman on the left.)

Lucifer(in a loud voice, emphasizing every word):Within thy will do cosmic beings work.

Lucifer(in a loud voice, emphasizing every word):

Within thy will do cosmic beings work.

(On Lucifer’s side, beings with golden hair, dressed in crimson and radiantly beautiful representing thoughts, begin to move. These carry out, in a dancing fashion, movements which represent the forms of thought corresponding to Lucifer’s words.)

Ahriman(speaking in a loud, hoarse voice):These cosmic beings do but puzzle thee.

Ahriman(speaking in a loud, hoarse voice):

These cosmic beings do but puzzle thee.

(After these words Lucifer’s group is still and the thought-beings on Ahriman’s side move and carry out dancing movements which make forms corresponding to his words. They have grey hair and are clad in indigo blue, being square in build, and in appearance distinguished more by force than beauty. After this the movement from both groups is carried on together.)

Lucifer:Within thy feeling cosmic forces play.

Lucifer:

Within thy feeling cosmic forces play.

(The thought-beings on Lucifer’s side repeat their movements.)

Ahriman:The cosmic forces are but mocking thee.

Ahriman:

The cosmic forces are but mocking thee.

(The thought-beings on Ahriman’s side repeat their movements, then again both together.)

Lucifer:Within thy thinking cosmic thought doth live.

Lucifer:

Within thy thinking cosmic thought doth live.

(Repetition of the movements in Lucifer’s group.)

Ahriman:The cosmic thought doth but bewilder thee.

Ahriman:

The cosmic thought doth but bewilder thee.

(Repetition of the movements in Ahriman’s group.)

(The movements of each group are then repeated four times separately and thrice together.)

(The thought-beings vanish left and right; Lucifer and Ahriman remain: Philia, Luna, and Astrid advance from the background, and speak together the words they spoke before with the following alteration.)

Philia, etc.:Thoughts hovered aroundLike weaving of dreamsAnd built themselves inTo souls that are here—Then will that createsAnd feeling that stirsAnd thought that doth workThe dreamer aroused—

Philia, etc.:

Thoughts hovered around

Like weaving of dreams

And built themselves in

To souls that are here—

Then will that creates

And feeling that stirs

And thought that doth work

The dreamer aroused—

(Philia, Astrid, and Luna vanish. Enter Capesius in astral garb, and after he has spoken a fewwords Maria joins him, though at first he cannot see her.)

Capesius:The soul lives out her life within herself:Believes she thinks because she does not seeThoughts all spread out in space in front of her—Believes she feels, because the feelings showNo flash like lightning leaping from the clouds;She sees this realm of space, and gazeth onThe clouds above her …; and were this not so,Supposing that the lightning were to flash,And not an eye looked up above to see,She needs must think the lightning was in her.She does not see how Lucifer springs forthFrom out her thoughts, and pours her feelings in,And so believes she is alone with them.Why doth delusion lead her captive thus?O soul, give answer to thyself … yet … whence?From out thyself? Ah, nay … perhaps that, too,Were answered … not by thee … but Lucifer.…

Capesius:

The soul lives out her life within herself:

Believes she thinks because she does not see

Thoughts all spread out in space in front of her—

Believes she feels, because the feelings show

No flash like lightning leaping from the clouds;

She sees this realm of space, and gazeth on

The clouds above her …; and were this not so,

Supposing that the lightning were to flash,

And not an eye looked up above to see,

She needs must think the lightning was in her.

She does not see how Lucifer springs forth

From out her thoughts, and pours her feelings in,

And so believes she is alone with them.

Why doth delusion lead her captive thus?

O soul, give answer to thyself … yet … whence?

From out thyself? Ah, nay … perhaps that, too,

Were answered … not by thee … but Lucifer.…

Maria:And if it were; why then shouldst thou not seek?Go forth into the deep to find it there.…

Maria:

And if it were; why then shouldst thou not seek?

Go forth into the deep to find it there.…

Capesius:A being here, who hears the speech of souls?

Capesius:

A being here, who hears the speech of souls?

Maria:Souls are not here divided each from eachAs when within the body they are pent.Here each soul hears itself in other’s speech.So dost thou only speak unto thyselfWhen I say: ‘Seek thine answer in the deep.’

Maria:

Souls are not here divided each from each

As when within the body they are pent.

Here each soul hears itself in other’s speech.

So dost thou only speak unto thyself

When I say: ‘Seek thine answer in the deep.’

Capesius(hesitatingly):Ah, in the deep there threatens darksome … fear.

Capesius(hesitatingly):

Ah, in the deep there threatens darksome … fear.

Maria:Yea truly, fear is there: but ask thyself,As thou hast forced thy way within her realmIf she doth not reveal herself to thee.Ask Lucifer, before whom thou dost standIf on thy weakness he is pouring fear.

Maria:

Yea truly, fear is there: but ask thyself,

As thou hast forced thy way within her realm

If she doth not reveal herself to thee.

Ask Lucifer, before whom thou dost stand

If on thy weakness he is pouring fear.

Lucifer:Who flees from me will love me all the same.Children of Earth have loved me from the firstAnd only think that hatred is my due.So do they ever seek me in my deeds.If I had not as ornament to lifeSent beauty to their souls, they would long sinceHave pined away in truth’s cold empty formsThroughout the long dull progress of the Earth.’Tis I who fill the artist’s soul with powerAnd whatsoe’er of beauty men have seenHath had its prototype within my realm—Now ask thyself, if thou shouldst fear me still.

Lucifer:

Who flees from me will love me all the same.

Children of Earth have loved me from the first

And only think that hatred is my due.

So do they ever seek me in my deeds.

If I had not as ornament to life

Sent beauty to their souls, they would long since

Have pined away in truth’s cold empty forms

Throughout the long dull progress of the Earth.

’Tis I who fill the artist’s soul with power

And whatsoe’er of beauty men have seen

Hath had its prototype within my realm—

Now ask thyself, if thou shouldst fear me still.

Maria:In these domains which Lucifer commandsFear hath not verily her proper place.From hence he must send forth into men’s soulsNot fear, but wishes, as his gifts to men.Fear comes from quite another realm of power.

Maria:

In these domains which Lucifer commands

Fear hath not verily her proper place.

From hence he must send forth into men’s souls

Not fear, but wishes, as his gifts to men.

Fear comes from quite another realm of power.

Ahriman:At birth I was the equal of the gods,Who have curtailed my many ancient rights.I wished in such a way to fashion menFor Lucifer, my brother, and his realm,That each should bear his own world in himself.For Lucifer as peer amongst his peersWould only show himself in spirit-realms.In others he but shows his pictured formAnd so could never be a lord of men.I wished to give unto mankind such strengthThat they might grow to equal Lucifer.And had I stayed within the realm of godsThis too had been in primal days fulfilled.The gods however willed to rule on Earth,And from their kingdom they did one day thrustMy power into the depths of the abyss,So that I might not make mankind too strong.And thus ’tis only from this place I dareSend out my powerful strength upon the Earth.But in this way my power turns intoFEAR.

Ahriman:

At birth I was the equal of the gods,

Who have curtailed my many ancient rights.

I wished in such a way to fashion men

For Lucifer, my brother, and his realm,

That each should bear his own world in himself.

For Lucifer as peer amongst his peers

Would only show himself in spirit-realms.

In others he but shows his pictured form

And so could never be a lord of men.

I wished to give unto mankind such strength

That they might grow to equal Lucifer.

And had I stayed within the realm of gods

This too had been in primal days fulfilled.

The gods however willed to rule on Earth,

And from their kingdom they did one day thrust

My power into the depths of the abyss,

So that I might not make mankind too strong.

And thus ’tis only from this place I dare

Send out my powerful strength upon the Earth.

But in this way my power turns intoFEAR.

(As Ahriman finishes speaking, Benedictus appears.)

Capesius:He who hath heard what both these two powers hereSpake from their places out into the worldsMay know from this where he can look and findBoth fear and hatred in their own domains.

Capesius:

He who hath heard what both these two powers here

Spake from their places out into the worlds

May know from this where he can look and find

Both fear and hatred in their own domains.

Benedictus:In cosmic speech thou shalt perceive thyself;And feel thyself in cosmic power of thought.And as thou now didst see outside thyselfWhat thou didst dream was all thine inmost self,So findthyself, and shudder now no moreAt that one word thou hast a right to useTo prove thine own existence to thyself—

Benedictus:

In cosmic speech thou shalt perceive thyself;

And feel thyself in cosmic power of thought.

And as thou now didst see outside thyself

What thou didst dream was all thine inmost self,

So findthyself, and shudder now no more

At that one word thou hast a right to use

To prove thine own existence to thyself—

Capesius:So once more I belong to mine own selfNow will I seek myself, because I dareTo see myself in cosmic thought and live.

Capesius:

So once more I belong to mine own self

Now will I seek myself, because I dare

To see myself in cosmic thought and live.

Benedictus:And thou must add all this which thou hast wonTo victories of old to give the world.

Benedictus:

And thou must add all this which thou hast won

To victories of old to give the world.

(Dame Balde in her ordinary dress appears in the background beside Benedictus.)

Dame Balde(in a meditative voice suitable for fairy tales):Once on a time there lived a child of GodWho had affinity with those who weaveThe thoughtful wisdom of the spirit-realms.This child, brought up by truth’s almighty SireGrew up within his realm to ancient strength.And when his body, radiant with light,Did feel his ripened will creative stirHe often looked with pity on the EarthWhere souls of men were striving after truth.Then to the Sire of truth the child would say:‘The souls of men are thirsting for the drinkWhich thou canst hand to them from out thy springs.’With earnest speech the Sire of truth replied:‘The springs, of which I am appointed guard,Let light stream forth from out the spirit-suns;Only such beings dare to drink the lightAs need not thirst for air that they may breathe.Therefore in light have I brought up a childWho can feel pity for the souls on EarthAnd manifest the light ’midst breathing men.So turn and go unto mankind and bringThe light that’s in their souls to meet my lightEnfilled with confidence and spirit-life.’So then the shining light-child turned, and wentTo souls who keep themselves alive by breath.And many good men found he on the Earth,Who offered him with joy their souls’ abode.These souls he turned to gaze with grateful loveUpon their Sire who dwells in springs of light.And when the child heard from the lips of menAnd joyous mind of men, the magic wordOffantasy, he knew himself aliveDwelling with gladness in the hearts of men.But one sad day there came unto the childA man who cast upon him chilling looks.‘I turn the souls of men on earth towardThe Sire of truth who dwells in springs of light—’Thus to the strange man did the light-child speak—The man replied: ‘Thou dost but weave wild dreamsInto men’s spirits, and deceiv’st their souls.’And since the day which witnessed this eventThe child who can bring light to breathing soulsHath often suffered slander from mankind.

Dame Balde(in a meditative voice suitable for fairy tales):

Once on a time there lived a child of God

Who had affinity with those who weave

The thoughtful wisdom of the spirit-realms.

This child, brought up by truth’s almighty Sire

Grew up within his realm to ancient strength.

And when his body, radiant with light,

Did feel his ripened will creative stir

He often looked with pity on the Earth

Where souls of men were striving after truth.

Then to the Sire of truth the child would say:

‘The souls of men are thirsting for the drink

Which thou canst hand to them from out thy springs.’

With earnest speech the Sire of truth replied:

‘The springs, of which I am appointed guard,

Let light stream forth from out the spirit-suns;

Only such beings dare to drink the light

As need not thirst for air that they may breathe.

Therefore in light have I brought up a child

Who can feel pity for the souls on Earth

And manifest the light ’midst breathing men.

So turn and go unto mankind and bring

The light that’s in their souls to meet my light

Enfilled with confidence and spirit-life.’

So then the shining light-child turned, and went

To souls who keep themselves alive by breath.

And many good men found he on the Earth,

Who offered him with joy their souls’ abode.

These souls he turned to gaze with grateful love

Upon their Sire who dwells in springs of light.

And when the child heard from the lips of men

And joyous mind of men, the magic word

Offantasy, he knew himself alive

Dwelling with gladness in the hearts of men.

But one sad day there came unto the child

A man who cast upon him chilling looks.

‘I turn the souls of men on earth toward

The Sire of truth who dwells in springs of light—’

Thus to the strange man did the light-child speak—

The man replied: ‘Thou dost but weave wild dreams

Into men’s spirits, and deceiv’st their souls.’

And since the day which witnessed this event

The child who can bring light to breathing souls

Hath often suffered slander from mankind.

(Philia, Astrid, Luna, and the Other Philia appear in a cloud of light.)

Philia:Now let every soulThat drinks of the lightAwake to full powerIn cosmic expanse.

Philia:

Now let every soul

That drinks of the light

Awake to full power

In cosmic expanse.

Astrid:So too let the spiritThat knoweth no fearArise in full powerIn cosmic domains.

Astrid:

So too let the spirit

That knoweth no fear

Arise in full power

In cosmic domains.

Luna:Let man who doth striveTo reach to the heightsHold firm with full strengthTo innermost self.

Luna:

Let man who doth strive

To reach to the heights

Hold firm with full strength

To innermost self.

The Other Philia:Let man struggle onTo him who bears lightAnd opens out worldsWhich quicken in menThe sense of delight.This beauty so brightAwakened in souls,Inspired to admire,The spirit leads onTo realms of the gods.Achievement consolesThe feelings that dareThe threshold to tread,Which strictly doth guard’Gainst souls that feel fear.And energy findsA will that grows ripeAnd fearless doth stand’Fore powers that createAnd fashion the worlds.

The Other Philia:

Let man struggle on

To him who bears light

And opens out worlds

Which quicken in men

The sense of delight.

This beauty so bright

Awakened in souls,

Inspired to admire,

The spirit leads on

To realms of the gods.

Achievement consoles

The feelings that dare

The threshold to tread,

Which strictly doth guard

’Gainst souls that feel fear.

And energy finds

A will that grows ripe

And fearless doth stand

’Fore powers that create

And fashion the worlds.

Curtain falls whilst Benedictus, Capesius, Maria, Dame Balde, Lucifer, and Ahriman, and the four Soul-forms, are still in their places.

Scene 7A landscape composed of fantastic forms. This picture of blazing fire on one side of the stage with rushing water on the other whirled into living forms is intended to suggest the sublime. In the centre a chasm belching forth fire which leaps up into a kind of barrier of fire and water. The Guardian of the Threshold stands in the centre with flaming sword erect. His costume is the conventional angelic garb. The Guardian, Thomasius, Maria, later on Lucifer and then the other Philia.The Guardian:What unchecked wish doth sound within mine ear?So storm men’s souls when first approaching meE’er they have fully gained tranquillity.It is desire that really leads such menAnd not creative power which dares to speakSince it in silence could itself create.The souls which thus comport themselves when hereI needs must relegate again to Earth,For in the Spirit-realm they can but sowConfusion, and do but disturb the deedsWhich cosmic powers have wisely foreordained.Such men can also injure their own selvesWho form destructive passions in their heartsWhich are mistaken for creative powers,Since they must take delusion for the truthWhen earthly darkness no more shelters them.(Thomasius and Maria appear.)Thomasius:Thou dost not see upon thy threshold nowThe soul of him who was the pupil onceOf Benedictus, and came oft to thee,Thomasius, although upon the EarthIt had to call Thomasius’ form its own.He came to thee, his thirst for knowledge quenchedAnd could not bear to have thee near to him.He hid in his own personalityWhen he felt near thee, and thus oft did seeWorlds which, he thought, made clear the originOf all existence and the goal of life.He found the happiness of knowledge thereAnd also powers which to the artist gaveThat which directed both his hand and heartToward creation’s source, so that he feltThere truly lived within him cosmic powers,Which held him steady to his artist’s work.He did not know that nought before him stoodIn all that he created through his thoughtExcept the living content of his soul.Like spiders, spinning webs around themselvesSo did he work, and thought himself the world.Indeed he once thought that Maria stoodOpposed to him in spirit, till he sawThat picture she had graven on his soulWhich then as spirit did reveal itself.And when he was allowed a moment’s glimpseOf his own being, as it really was,He gladly would have fled away from self;He thought himself a spirit but he foundHe was a creature but of flesh and blood.He learned to know the power of this same blood;’Twas there in truth, the rest was but a shade.Blood was his teacher true; and this aloneGave him clear vision, and revealed to himWho was his sire and who his sister dearIn long forgotten ages on the Earth.To blood-relations his blood guided him.Then did he see how strongly souls of menMust be deceived when they in vanityWould rise to spirit from the life of sense.Such effort truly binds the soul more firmTo sense-existence than a daily life,Dull human dream existence following.And when Thomasius could view all thisBefore his soul as being his own stateHe gave himself with vigour to that powerWhich could not lie to him although as yet’Twas but revealed in picture, for he knewThat Lucifer himself is really thereE’en if he can but show his pictured form.The gods desire to draw near to mankindThrough truth alone; but Lucifer—to himIt matters not if men see false or true,He ever will remain the same himself.And therefore I acknowledge that I feelI have attained reality when IBelieve that I must search and find the soulWhich in his own realm he did bind to mine.(To the Guardian.)So armed with all the strength which he bestowsI mean to pass thee and to penetrateTo Theodora whom I know to beWithin the realm that o’er this threshold lies.The Guardian:Thomasius, think well what thou dost know.What o’er this threshold lives is all unknown;Yet dost thou know quite well all I must ask,Before thou canst set foot within this realm.Thou must first part with many of those powersWhich thou hast won when in thine earthly frame.Out of them all thou canst alone retainThat which by efforts, pure and spiritual,Thou didst achieve, and which thou hast kept pure.But this thou hast thyself cast off from theeAnd given as his own to Ahriman.What still is thine hath been by LuciferDestroyed for use within the spirit-world.This too upon the threshold I must takeIf thou wouldst really pass this portal by.So nought remains to thee; a lifeless lifeMust be thy lot within the spirit-realms.Thomasius:Yet I shall be and Theodora find.She’ll be for me the source of fullest light,Which ever hath so richly been revealedUnto her soul, apart from lore of Earth.That is enough. And thou wilt set thyselfIn vain against me, even if the powerWhich I myself have won upon the EarthShould not fulfil the estimate which thouDidst form of my good spirit long ago.Maria(to the Guardian):Thou knowest well, who hast been guardianOf this realm’s threshold since the world beganWhat beings need to cross the threshold o’erWho to thy kind and to thy time belong:So too with men, who meet thee at this gateIf they do come alone, and cannot showThat they have done true spirit-good they mustGo back again from here to life on Earth.But this man here hath been allowed to bringThat other soul unto thy threshold nowWhom fate hath bound so closely with his own.Thou hast been ordered by high spirit powersTo keep back many men from here, who wouldTry to approach the gateway of this realmAnd would but bring destruction on themselvesIf they should dare to pass the threshold o’er.Yet thou may’st throw it open unto thoseWho through their inmost personalityAre in the spirit-realms inclined to love,And to such love can cling as they press through,As hath been foreordained them by the godsBefore to battle Lucifer came forth.Standing before his throne my heart hath vowedWith strictest oath, that in Earth’s future timesIt would so serve this love that Lucifer,When he gives knowledge of it to men’s soulsCan do no harm. And those who listen wellFor the revealing of this love divineWith earnest minds, as once they strove to graspThe knowledge given forth by Lucifer,They must inevitably find themselves.Johannes in his earthly form doth nowNo longer listen to my voice, as once,When in an earthly life long since passed byI was enabled to reveal to himThat which had been entrusted to myselfIn holy temples in HiberniaBy that same God Who dwells within mankindAnd Who once conquered all the powers of deathBecause He lived love’s life so perfectly.My friend will once again in spirit-realmsDiscern the words which come forth from my soulBut which were hindered from his earthly earsBy Lucifer and his delusive power.Thomasius(as one who perceives some spiritual being):Maria, dost thou see, clad in long cloakThat dignified old man, his solemn face,His noble brow, the flashing of his glance?He passeth through the streets, ’mid crowds of menYet each doth step aside in reverenceThat yon old man may go his way in peace,And lest his train of thought be rudely stirred.For one can see that, wrapped within himselfHe meditates with powerful inmost thought.Maria, dost thou see?Maria:Maria, dost thou see?Yea, I can see,When through the eyes of thine own soul I look.But ’tis to thee alone that he would nowReveal himself in scenes significant.Thomasius:I now can see into his very soul,Things full of meaning lie within its depthsAnd memory of something he’s just heard.Before his eyes there stands a teacher wise.He lets the words which he hath heard from himPass through his soul; it is from him he comes.His thinking scans the very source of life;As once mankind in olden times on EarthMight stand quite near and view the spirit-scenes,Although their soul-life was but like a dream;The old man’s soul doth trace that line of thoughtWhich from his honoured teacher he hath learned.And now he disappears from my soul’s sight;Ah, if I could but watch his further steps.I see men speaking with each other nowAmong the crowd; and I can hear their words.They speak of that old man with reverence deep.In his young days he was a soldier brave;Ambition, and desire to be renownedWere burning in his soul; he wished to countAs foremost warrior within his ranks.In battle’s service he did perpetrateUnnumbered gruesome deeds through thirst for fame.And in his life full many a time it chancedHe caused much blood to flow upon the earth.At last there came a day when suddenlyThe luck of battle turned its back on him.He left the battlefield in bitter shameTo enter his own home, a man disgraced;Scorn and derision were his lot in life,And from that time wild hatred filled his soulWhich had not lost its pride and love of fame.He looked upon his boon-companions nowOnly as enemies to be destroyedAs soon as opportunity occurred.But since the man’s proud soul was soon compelledTo recognize that vengeance on his foesWould not be possible for him in life,He learned the victory o’er his own selfAnd vanquished all his pride and love of fame.He even made resolve in his old ageA circle small of pupils to attendWhich had arisen then within his town.The man who was the teacher of this bandWas in his soul possessed of all the loreWhich by the masters in much older daysHad been delivered to initiates—All this I hear from men within the crowd.It fills me with warm love when I beholdWith my soul’s sight, this agèd man, who thusAfter the victories which love of fameHad won for him could even then achieveThe greatest human task—to conquerself—Therefore do I perceive within this placeThe man to whom I wholly give myself,Although I see him but in pictured form.This feeling howsoe’er it comes to meIs not a moment’s work. Through lives long pastI must have been in closest union joinedUnto a soul I love as I love him.I have not in this moment roused in meA love so strong as that which now I feel;It is a recollection from past times;Nor can I grasp it with my thought as yet,—Though memory calls these feelings back to me.Surely I once was pupil of this manAnd full of awe and wonder gazed on him?Oh, how I long once more in this same hourTo meet the earthly soul which formerlyCould speak about this body as its own,No matter if on Earth or otherwhere.Then would I prove the strength with which I love;What noble human ties did once createThis can good powers alone renew in me.Maria:Art thou quite sure, Johannes, that this soulIf it approached thee now would show itselfUpon the same bright height whereon it stoodIn those old days just pictured ’fore thy soul?Perchance it now is chained a prisonerBy feelings all unworthy of its past.Many a man now walks upon the EarthWho would be filled with shame, if he could seeHow little in his present mode of lifeDoth correspond with that which once he was.Perchance this man hath wallowed in the mireOf lust and passion, and thou saw’st him nowOppressed by consternation and remorse.Thomasius:Maria, why dost thou suggest such words?I cannot see what leads thee so to speak.For thoughts have here quite other influence,Than in the places where that man hath lived.The Guardian:Johannes, that which here within this placeReveals itself is proving of thy soul.Gaze on the groundwork of thy self, and seeWhat thou, unknowing, willst and canst perform.All that was hidden in thine inmost depthsWhile thou wert living with thy soul still blind.(Lucifer appears.)Will now appear and rob thee of the darkIn whose protection thou wast living then.So now perceive what human soul it isTo whom thou dost bow down in ardent love,And who indwelt the body thou didst see.Perceive to whom thy strongest love is given.Lucifer:Sink thyself deep in depths of thine own self;Perceive the strongest powers of thine own soul;And learn to know how this strong love of thineCan hold thee upright in the cosmic life.Thomasius:Yea, now I feel the soul that wished to showItself to me—’tis Theodora’s self—’Twas she who wished to be revealed to me.She stood before me since ’tis her I’ll seeWhen I have gained an entrance through this gate.’Tis right to love her, for her soul did standBefore me in that other body-formWhich showed me how ’tis her that I must love.Through thee alone will I now find myselfAnd win the future, fighting in thy strength.The Guardian:I cannot keep thee back from what must be.In pictured form thou hast already seenThe soul thou lovest best; her shalt thou seeWhen thou hast crossed the threshold of this realm.Perceive, and let experience decideIf it shall prove so healing as thou dream’st.The Other Philia:Ah, heed thou not the guardian strictWho leadeth thee to wastes of lifeAnd robs thee of thy warmth of soul;He can but see the spirit-forms,And knoweth naught of human woeWhich souls can only then endureWhen earthly love doth guard them safeFrom chilling cosmic space.Strictness to him belongs,From him doth kindness flee,And power to wishHe hath abhorredSince first the Earth began.Curtain

A landscape composed of fantastic forms. This picture of blazing fire on one side of the stage with rushing water on the other whirled into living forms is intended to suggest the sublime. In the centre a chasm belching forth fire which leaps up into a kind of barrier of fire and water. The Guardian of the Threshold stands in the centre with flaming sword erect. His costume is the conventional angelic garb. The Guardian, Thomasius, Maria, later on Lucifer and then the other Philia.

The Guardian:What unchecked wish doth sound within mine ear?So storm men’s souls when first approaching meE’er they have fully gained tranquillity.It is desire that really leads such menAnd not creative power which dares to speakSince it in silence could itself create.The souls which thus comport themselves when hereI needs must relegate again to Earth,For in the Spirit-realm they can but sowConfusion, and do but disturb the deedsWhich cosmic powers have wisely foreordained.Such men can also injure their own selvesWho form destructive passions in their heartsWhich are mistaken for creative powers,Since they must take delusion for the truthWhen earthly darkness no more shelters them.

The Guardian:

What unchecked wish doth sound within mine ear?

So storm men’s souls when first approaching me

E’er they have fully gained tranquillity.

It is desire that really leads such men

And not creative power which dares to speak

Since it in silence could itself create.

The souls which thus comport themselves when here

I needs must relegate again to Earth,

For in the Spirit-realm they can but sow

Confusion, and do but disturb the deeds

Which cosmic powers have wisely foreordained.

Such men can also injure their own selves

Who form destructive passions in their hearts

Which are mistaken for creative powers,

Since they must take delusion for the truth

When earthly darkness no more shelters them.

(Thomasius and Maria appear.)

Thomasius:Thou dost not see upon thy threshold nowThe soul of him who was the pupil onceOf Benedictus, and came oft to thee,Thomasius, although upon the EarthIt had to call Thomasius’ form its own.He came to thee, his thirst for knowledge quenchedAnd could not bear to have thee near to him.He hid in his own personalityWhen he felt near thee, and thus oft did seeWorlds which, he thought, made clear the originOf all existence and the goal of life.He found the happiness of knowledge thereAnd also powers which to the artist gaveThat which directed both his hand and heartToward creation’s source, so that he feltThere truly lived within him cosmic powers,Which held him steady to his artist’s work.He did not know that nought before him stoodIn all that he created through his thoughtExcept the living content of his soul.Like spiders, spinning webs around themselvesSo did he work, and thought himself the world.Indeed he once thought that Maria stoodOpposed to him in spirit, till he sawThat picture she had graven on his soulWhich then as spirit did reveal itself.And when he was allowed a moment’s glimpseOf his own being, as it really was,He gladly would have fled away from self;He thought himself a spirit but he foundHe was a creature but of flesh and blood.He learned to know the power of this same blood;’Twas there in truth, the rest was but a shade.Blood was his teacher true; and this aloneGave him clear vision, and revealed to himWho was his sire and who his sister dearIn long forgotten ages on the Earth.To blood-relations his blood guided him.Then did he see how strongly souls of menMust be deceived when they in vanityWould rise to spirit from the life of sense.Such effort truly binds the soul more firmTo sense-existence than a daily life,Dull human dream existence following.And when Thomasius could view all thisBefore his soul as being his own stateHe gave himself with vigour to that powerWhich could not lie to him although as yet’Twas but revealed in picture, for he knewThat Lucifer himself is really thereE’en if he can but show his pictured form.The gods desire to draw near to mankindThrough truth alone; but Lucifer—to himIt matters not if men see false or true,He ever will remain the same himself.And therefore I acknowledge that I feelI have attained reality when IBelieve that I must search and find the soulWhich in his own realm he did bind to mine.

Thomasius:

Thou dost not see upon thy threshold now

The soul of him who was the pupil once

Of Benedictus, and came oft to thee,

Thomasius, although upon the Earth

It had to call Thomasius’ form its own.

He came to thee, his thirst for knowledge quenched

And could not bear to have thee near to him.

He hid in his own personality

When he felt near thee, and thus oft did see

Worlds which, he thought, made clear the origin

Of all existence and the goal of life.

He found the happiness of knowledge there

And also powers which to the artist gave

That which directed both his hand and heart

Toward creation’s source, so that he felt

There truly lived within him cosmic powers,

Which held him steady to his artist’s work.

He did not know that nought before him stood

In all that he created through his thought

Except the living content of his soul.

Like spiders, spinning webs around themselves

So did he work, and thought himself the world.

Indeed he once thought that Maria stood

Opposed to him in spirit, till he saw

That picture she had graven on his soul

Which then as spirit did reveal itself.

And when he was allowed a moment’s glimpse

Of his own being, as it really was,

He gladly would have fled away from self;

He thought himself a spirit but he found

He was a creature but of flesh and blood.

He learned to know the power of this same blood;

’Twas there in truth, the rest was but a shade.

Blood was his teacher true; and this alone

Gave him clear vision, and revealed to him

Who was his sire and who his sister dear

In long forgotten ages on the Earth.

To blood-relations his blood guided him.

Then did he see how strongly souls of men

Must be deceived when they in vanity

Would rise to spirit from the life of sense.

Such effort truly binds the soul more firm

To sense-existence than a daily life,

Dull human dream existence following.

And when Thomasius could view all this

Before his soul as being his own state

He gave himself with vigour to that power

Which could not lie to him although as yet

’Twas but revealed in picture, for he knew

That Lucifer himself is really there

E’en if he can but show his pictured form.

The gods desire to draw near to mankind

Through truth alone; but Lucifer—to him

It matters not if men see false or true,

He ever will remain the same himself.

And therefore I acknowledge that I feel

I have attained reality when I

Believe that I must search and find the soul

Which in his own realm he did bind to mine.

(To the Guardian.)

So armed with all the strength which he bestowsI mean to pass thee and to penetrateTo Theodora whom I know to beWithin the realm that o’er this threshold lies.

So armed with all the strength which he bestows

I mean to pass thee and to penetrate

To Theodora whom I know to be

Within the realm that o’er this threshold lies.

The Guardian:Thomasius, think well what thou dost know.What o’er this threshold lives is all unknown;Yet dost thou know quite well all I must ask,Before thou canst set foot within this realm.Thou must first part with many of those powersWhich thou hast won when in thine earthly frame.Out of them all thou canst alone retainThat which by efforts, pure and spiritual,Thou didst achieve, and which thou hast kept pure.But this thou hast thyself cast off from theeAnd given as his own to Ahriman.What still is thine hath been by LuciferDestroyed for use within the spirit-world.This too upon the threshold I must takeIf thou wouldst really pass this portal by.So nought remains to thee; a lifeless lifeMust be thy lot within the spirit-realms.

The Guardian:

Thomasius, think well what thou dost know.

What o’er this threshold lives is all unknown;

Yet dost thou know quite well all I must ask,

Before thou canst set foot within this realm.

Thou must first part with many of those powers

Which thou hast won when in thine earthly frame.

Out of them all thou canst alone retain

That which by efforts, pure and spiritual,

Thou didst achieve, and which thou hast kept pure.

But this thou hast thyself cast off from thee

And given as his own to Ahriman.

What still is thine hath been by Lucifer

Destroyed for use within the spirit-world.

This too upon the threshold I must take

If thou wouldst really pass this portal by.

So nought remains to thee; a lifeless life

Must be thy lot within the spirit-realms.

Thomasius:Yet I shall be and Theodora find.She’ll be for me the source of fullest light,Which ever hath so richly been revealedUnto her soul, apart from lore of Earth.That is enough. And thou wilt set thyselfIn vain against me, even if the powerWhich I myself have won upon the EarthShould not fulfil the estimate which thouDidst form of my good spirit long ago.

Thomasius:

Yet I shall be and Theodora find.

She’ll be for me the source of fullest light,

Which ever hath so richly been revealed

Unto her soul, apart from lore of Earth.

That is enough. And thou wilt set thyself

In vain against me, even if the power

Which I myself have won upon the Earth

Should not fulfil the estimate which thou

Didst form of my good spirit long ago.

Maria(to the Guardian):Thou knowest well, who hast been guardianOf this realm’s threshold since the world beganWhat beings need to cross the threshold o’erWho to thy kind and to thy time belong:So too with men, who meet thee at this gateIf they do come alone, and cannot showThat they have done true spirit-good they mustGo back again from here to life on Earth.But this man here hath been allowed to bringThat other soul unto thy threshold nowWhom fate hath bound so closely with his own.Thou hast been ordered by high spirit powersTo keep back many men from here, who wouldTry to approach the gateway of this realmAnd would but bring destruction on themselvesIf they should dare to pass the threshold o’er.Yet thou may’st throw it open unto thoseWho through their inmost personalityAre in the spirit-realms inclined to love,And to such love can cling as they press through,As hath been foreordained them by the godsBefore to battle Lucifer came forth.Standing before his throne my heart hath vowedWith strictest oath, that in Earth’s future timesIt would so serve this love that Lucifer,When he gives knowledge of it to men’s soulsCan do no harm. And those who listen wellFor the revealing of this love divineWith earnest minds, as once they strove to graspThe knowledge given forth by Lucifer,They must inevitably find themselves.Johannes in his earthly form doth nowNo longer listen to my voice, as once,When in an earthly life long since passed byI was enabled to reveal to himThat which had been entrusted to myselfIn holy temples in HiberniaBy that same God Who dwells within mankindAnd Who once conquered all the powers of deathBecause He lived love’s life so perfectly.My friend will once again in spirit-realmsDiscern the words which come forth from my soulBut which were hindered from his earthly earsBy Lucifer and his delusive power.

Maria(to the Guardian):

Thou knowest well, who hast been guardian

Of this realm’s threshold since the world began

What beings need to cross the threshold o’er

Who to thy kind and to thy time belong:

So too with men, who meet thee at this gate

If they do come alone, and cannot show

That they have done true spirit-good they must

Go back again from here to life on Earth.

But this man here hath been allowed to bring

That other soul unto thy threshold now

Whom fate hath bound so closely with his own.

Thou hast been ordered by high spirit powers

To keep back many men from here, who would

Try to approach the gateway of this realm

And would but bring destruction on themselves

If they should dare to pass the threshold o’er.

Yet thou may’st throw it open unto those

Who through their inmost personality

Are in the spirit-realms inclined to love,

And to such love can cling as they press through,

As hath been foreordained them by the gods

Before to battle Lucifer came forth.

Standing before his throne my heart hath vowed

With strictest oath, that in Earth’s future times

It would so serve this love that Lucifer,

When he gives knowledge of it to men’s souls

Can do no harm. And those who listen well

For the revealing of this love divine

With earnest minds, as once they strove to grasp

The knowledge given forth by Lucifer,

They must inevitably find themselves.

Johannes in his earthly form doth now

No longer listen to my voice, as once,

When in an earthly life long since passed by

I was enabled to reveal to him

That which had been entrusted to myself

In holy temples in Hibernia

By that same God Who dwells within mankind

And Who once conquered all the powers of death

Because He lived love’s life so perfectly.

My friend will once again in spirit-realms

Discern the words which come forth from my soul

But which were hindered from his earthly ears

By Lucifer and his delusive power.

Thomasius(as one who perceives some spiritual being):Maria, dost thou see, clad in long cloakThat dignified old man, his solemn face,His noble brow, the flashing of his glance?He passeth through the streets, ’mid crowds of menYet each doth step aside in reverenceThat yon old man may go his way in peace,And lest his train of thought be rudely stirred.For one can see that, wrapped within himselfHe meditates with powerful inmost thought.Maria, dost thou see?

Thomasius(as one who perceives some spiritual being):

Maria, dost thou see, clad in long cloak

That dignified old man, his solemn face,

His noble brow, the flashing of his glance?

He passeth through the streets, ’mid crowds of men

Yet each doth step aside in reverence

That yon old man may go his way in peace,

And lest his train of thought be rudely stirred.

For one can see that, wrapped within himself

He meditates with powerful inmost thought.

Maria, dost thou see?

Maria:Maria, dost thou see?Yea, I can see,When through the eyes of thine own soul I look.But ’tis to thee alone that he would nowReveal himself in scenes significant.

Maria:

Maria, dost thou see?Yea, I can see,

When through the eyes of thine own soul I look.

But ’tis to thee alone that he would now

Reveal himself in scenes significant.

Thomasius:I now can see into his very soul,Things full of meaning lie within its depthsAnd memory of something he’s just heard.Before his eyes there stands a teacher wise.He lets the words which he hath heard from himPass through his soul; it is from him he comes.His thinking scans the very source of life;As once mankind in olden times on EarthMight stand quite near and view the spirit-scenes,Although their soul-life was but like a dream;The old man’s soul doth trace that line of thoughtWhich from his honoured teacher he hath learned.And now he disappears from my soul’s sight;Ah, if I could but watch his further steps.I see men speaking with each other nowAmong the crowd; and I can hear their words.They speak of that old man with reverence deep.In his young days he was a soldier brave;Ambition, and desire to be renownedWere burning in his soul; he wished to countAs foremost warrior within his ranks.In battle’s service he did perpetrateUnnumbered gruesome deeds through thirst for fame.And in his life full many a time it chancedHe caused much blood to flow upon the earth.At last there came a day when suddenlyThe luck of battle turned its back on him.He left the battlefield in bitter shameTo enter his own home, a man disgraced;Scorn and derision were his lot in life,And from that time wild hatred filled his soulWhich had not lost its pride and love of fame.He looked upon his boon-companions nowOnly as enemies to be destroyedAs soon as opportunity occurred.But since the man’s proud soul was soon compelledTo recognize that vengeance on his foesWould not be possible for him in life,He learned the victory o’er his own selfAnd vanquished all his pride and love of fame.He even made resolve in his old ageA circle small of pupils to attendWhich had arisen then within his town.The man who was the teacher of this bandWas in his soul possessed of all the loreWhich by the masters in much older daysHad been delivered to initiates—All this I hear from men within the crowd.It fills me with warm love when I beholdWith my soul’s sight, this agèd man, who thusAfter the victories which love of fameHad won for him could even then achieveThe greatest human task—to conquerself—Therefore do I perceive within this placeThe man to whom I wholly give myself,Although I see him but in pictured form.This feeling howsoe’er it comes to meIs not a moment’s work. Through lives long pastI must have been in closest union joinedUnto a soul I love as I love him.I have not in this moment roused in meA love so strong as that which now I feel;It is a recollection from past times;Nor can I grasp it with my thought as yet,—Though memory calls these feelings back to me.Surely I once was pupil of this manAnd full of awe and wonder gazed on him?Oh, how I long once more in this same hourTo meet the earthly soul which formerlyCould speak about this body as its own,No matter if on Earth or otherwhere.Then would I prove the strength with which I love;What noble human ties did once createThis can good powers alone renew in me.

Thomasius:

I now can see into his very soul,

Things full of meaning lie within its depths

And memory of something he’s just heard.

Before his eyes there stands a teacher wise.

He lets the words which he hath heard from him

Pass through his soul; it is from him he comes.

His thinking scans the very source of life;

As once mankind in olden times on Earth

Might stand quite near and view the spirit-scenes,

Although their soul-life was but like a dream;

The old man’s soul doth trace that line of thought

Which from his honoured teacher he hath learned.

And now he disappears from my soul’s sight;

Ah, if I could but watch his further steps.

I see men speaking with each other now

Among the crowd; and I can hear their words.

They speak of that old man with reverence deep.

In his young days he was a soldier brave;

Ambition, and desire to be renowned

Were burning in his soul; he wished to count

As foremost warrior within his ranks.

In battle’s service he did perpetrate

Unnumbered gruesome deeds through thirst for fame.

And in his life full many a time it chanced

He caused much blood to flow upon the earth.

At last there came a day when suddenly

The luck of battle turned its back on him.

He left the battlefield in bitter shame

To enter his own home, a man disgraced;

Scorn and derision were his lot in life,

And from that time wild hatred filled his soul

Which had not lost its pride and love of fame.

He looked upon his boon-companions now

Only as enemies to be destroyed

As soon as opportunity occurred.

But since the man’s proud soul was soon compelled

To recognize that vengeance on his foes

Would not be possible for him in life,

He learned the victory o’er his own self

And vanquished all his pride and love of fame.

He even made resolve in his old age

A circle small of pupils to attend

Which had arisen then within his town.

The man who was the teacher of this band

Was in his soul possessed of all the lore

Which by the masters in much older days

Had been delivered to initiates—

All this I hear from men within the crowd.

It fills me with warm love when I behold

With my soul’s sight, this agèd man, who thus

After the victories which love of fame

Had won for him could even then achieve

The greatest human task—to conquerself—

Therefore do I perceive within this place

The man to whom I wholly give myself,

Although I see him but in pictured form.

This feeling howsoe’er it comes to me

Is not a moment’s work. Through lives long past

I must have been in closest union joined

Unto a soul I love as I love him.

I have not in this moment roused in me

A love so strong as that which now I feel;

It is a recollection from past times;

Nor can I grasp it with my thought as yet,—

Though memory calls these feelings back to me.

Surely I once was pupil of this man

And full of awe and wonder gazed on him?

Oh, how I long once more in this same hour

To meet the earthly soul which formerly

Could speak about this body as its own,

No matter if on Earth or otherwhere.

Then would I prove the strength with which I love;

What noble human ties did once create

This can good powers alone renew in me.

Maria:Art thou quite sure, Johannes, that this soulIf it approached thee now would show itselfUpon the same bright height whereon it stoodIn those old days just pictured ’fore thy soul?Perchance it now is chained a prisonerBy feelings all unworthy of its past.Many a man now walks upon the EarthWho would be filled with shame, if he could seeHow little in his present mode of lifeDoth correspond with that which once he was.Perchance this man hath wallowed in the mireOf lust and passion, and thou saw’st him nowOppressed by consternation and remorse.

Maria:

Art thou quite sure, Johannes, that this soul

If it approached thee now would show itself

Upon the same bright height whereon it stood

In those old days just pictured ’fore thy soul?

Perchance it now is chained a prisoner

By feelings all unworthy of its past.

Many a man now walks upon the Earth

Who would be filled with shame, if he could see

How little in his present mode of life

Doth correspond with that which once he was.

Perchance this man hath wallowed in the mire

Of lust and passion, and thou saw’st him now

Oppressed by consternation and remorse.

Thomasius:Maria, why dost thou suggest such words?I cannot see what leads thee so to speak.For thoughts have here quite other influence,Than in the places where that man hath lived.

Thomasius:

Maria, why dost thou suggest such words?

I cannot see what leads thee so to speak.

For thoughts have here quite other influence,

Than in the places where that man hath lived.

The Guardian:Johannes, that which here within this placeReveals itself is proving of thy soul.Gaze on the groundwork of thy self, and seeWhat thou, unknowing, willst and canst perform.All that was hidden in thine inmost depthsWhile thou wert living with thy soul still blind.

The Guardian:

Johannes, that which here within this place

Reveals itself is proving of thy soul.

Gaze on the groundwork of thy self, and see

What thou, unknowing, willst and canst perform.

All that was hidden in thine inmost depths

While thou wert living with thy soul still blind.

(Lucifer appears.)

Will now appear and rob thee of the darkIn whose protection thou wast living then.So now perceive what human soul it isTo whom thou dost bow down in ardent love,And who indwelt the body thou didst see.Perceive to whom thy strongest love is given.

Will now appear and rob thee of the dark

In whose protection thou wast living then.

So now perceive what human soul it is

To whom thou dost bow down in ardent love,

And who indwelt the body thou didst see.

Perceive to whom thy strongest love is given.

Lucifer:Sink thyself deep in depths of thine own self;Perceive the strongest powers of thine own soul;And learn to know how this strong love of thineCan hold thee upright in the cosmic life.

Lucifer:

Sink thyself deep in depths of thine own self;

Perceive the strongest powers of thine own soul;

And learn to know how this strong love of thine

Can hold thee upright in the cosmic life.

Thomasius:Yea, now I feel the soul that wished to showItself to me—’tis Theodora’s self—’Twas she who wished to be revealed to me.She stood before me since ’tis her I’ll seeWhen I have gained an entrance through this gate.’Tis right to love her, for her soul did standBefore me in that other body-formWhich showed me how ’tis her that I must love.Through thee alone will I now find myselfAnd win the future, fighting in thy strength.

Thomasius:

Yea, now I feel the soul that wished to show

Itself to me—’tis Theodora’s self—

’Twas she who wished to be revealed to me.

She stood before me since ’tis her I’ll see

When I have gained an entrance through this gate.

’Tis right to love her, for her soul did stand

Before me in that other body-form

Which showed me how ’tis her that I must love.

Through thee alone will I now find myself

And win the future, fighting in thy strength.

The Guardian:I cannot keep thee back from what must be.In pictured form thou hast already seenThe soul thou lovest best; her shalt thou seeWhen thou hast crossed the threshold of this realm.Perceive, and let experience decideIf it shall prove so healing as thou dream’st.

The Guardian:

I cannot keep thee back from what must be.

In pictured form thou hast already seen

The soul thou lovest best; her shalt thou see

When thou hast crossed the threshold of this realm.

Perceive, and let experience decide

If it shall prove so healing as thou dream’st.

The Other Philia:Ah, heed thou not the guardian strictWho leadeth thee to wastes of lifeAnd robs thee of thy warmth of soul;He can but see the spirit-forms,And knoweth naught of human woeWhich souls can only then endureWhen earthly love doth guard them safeFrom chilling cosmic space.Strictness to him belongs,From him doth kindness flee,And power to wishHe hath abhorredSince first the Earth began.

The Other Philia:

Ah, heed thou not the guardian strict

Who leadeth thee to wastes of life

And robs thee of thy warmth of soul;

He can but see the spirit-forms,

And knoweth naught of human woe

Which souls can only then endure

When earthly love doth guard them safe

From chilling cosmic space.

Strictness to him belongs,

From him doth kindness flee,

And power to wish

He hath abhorred

Since first the Earth began.

Curtain

Scene 8Ahriman’s Kingdom. No sky is visible. A dark enclosure like a mountain gorge whose black masses of rock tower up in fantastic forms, divided by streams of fire. Skeletons are visible everywhere; they appear to be crystallized out of the mountain, but are white. Their attitude suggests the habitual egoism of their last life. Prominent on one side is a miser and on the other a massive glutton etc., etc. Ahriman is seated on a rock. Hilary, Frederick Trustworthy, then the Twelve who were gathered together in the first scene; then Strader; later on Thomasius and Maria; last of all Thomasius’ Double.Trustworthy:How often have I trod this realm before.—And yet how horrible it seems to meThat e’en from here we must so often fetchThe wise direction for full many a planWhich is important for us and our leagueAnd points significantly to our aims.Hilary:The grain of corn must fall to earth and dieBefore the life within it can return.All that in earthly life hath run to wasteShall here unto new being be transformed.And when our league desires to plant the seedsOf human acts, to ripen in due course,’Tis from the dead that we must fetch the grain.Trustworthy:Uncanny is the lord who here bears rule;And if it were not written in our books,Which are the greatest treasures of our shrine,That he whom here we often meet, is good,One would indeed as evil reckon him.Hilary:Not only books, but e’en my spirit-sightDeclares that what is here revealed is good.Ahriman(in a feigned voice, sardonically):I know why ye are gathered here again.Ye would discover from me how ’twere bestTo guide the soul of him who oft beforeHath stood upon the threshold of your shrine.Because ye think Thomasius is lostYe now believe that Strader is the manTo do you service in the mystic league.What he hath won for progress of mankindBy use of powers which follow nature’s laws,For this he oweth thanks to me, since IHold sway where powers mechanical obtainStrength for themselves from their creative founts.So all that he may do to help mankindIt needs must turn itself unto my realm.But this time I myself will see to itThat what I wish shall happen to this manIn future, since ye lost ThomasiusBy your own work through leaving me aside.If ye desire to serve the spirit-powersYe first must conquer for yourselves those powersWhich in this case ye tried to cast aside.(Ahriman becomes invisible.)Trustworthy(after a pause, during which he has withdrawn into himself):Exalted Master, care oppresseth meThough I have striven long to banish it,For this is laid upon me by strict rulesWhich have been ordered for us by our league.But much that shows the life of this same leagueHath made the struggle in my soul severe;Yet would I ever thankfully submitMy darkness to the spirit-light, which thouArt capable of giving through thy powers.But when I must full often clearly seeThou wert a victim of delusion’s snareAnd how thy words, e’en as events fell out,Did often prove so grievously at fault,Then have I felt as though some wicked elfWere resting painfully upon my soul.And this time also are thy words at fault.Thou couldst have reckoned that we certainlyShould hear good tidings from this spirit here.Hilary:’Tis hard to understand the cosmic ways.My brother, we are well-advised to waitUntil the spirit indicates the wayWhich is ordained for that which we create.(Exeunt Hilary and Trustworthy.)Ahriman(who has re-appeared):They see, but do not recognize me yet;For had they known who rules within this placeThey certainly would not have ventured hereTo seek direction; and they would condemnTo age-long pains of hell that human soulOf whom, they heard, that it did visit me.(All the persons who at the beginning of the play were assembled in the ante-room of the mystic league now appear on the scene; they are blindfolded to show their ignorance of the fact that they are in Ahriman’s kingdom. The words they speak live in their souls, but they know nothing of them. They are experiencing during sleep unconscious dreams which are audible in Ahriman’s kingdom. Strader, who also appears, is however semi-conscious with regard to all that he experiences, so that later on he will be able to recollect it.)Strader:The hint that Benedictus gave to meThat I should cultivate my power of thought,Hath led me to this kingdom of the dead.Although I hoped that raised to spirit-realmsI should find truth on wisdom’s sun-clad heights.Ahriman:What thou canst learn of wisdom in this placeThou wilt find all-sufficient for long time,If here thou dost comport thyself aright.Strader:Before what spirit doth my soul then stand?Ahriman:That shalt thou know when memory presentlyCan call again to thee what here thou see’st.Strader:And all these folk, why do I find them hereWithin thy darksome realm?Ahriman:Within thy darksome realm?’Tis but as soulsThat they are in this place: they do not knowAught of themselves when here, since in their homesSunk now in deepest sleep they would be found.But here quite clearly all will be revealedThat lives within their souls, though they would scarceOn waking think such thoughts could be their own.So too, they cannot hear us when we speak.Louisa Fear-God:The soul should not in blind devotion thinkThat it can raise itself in haughty prideUp to the light, or that it can unfoldUnto its full extent its own true self.I will but recognize what I do know.Ahriman(only audible to Strader):And dost not know how bluntly thou dost leadIn haughty pride thyself into the dark.She too will serve thee, Strader, in the workThat thou hast wrung so boldly from my powers.She doth not need for that the spirit-faithWhich seems so ill-accorded with her pride.Frederick Clear-Mind:Entrancing are indeed these mystic paths;Nor will I henceforth fail in diligence,But give myself completely to the loreThat I can gather from the Temple’s words.Michael Nobleman:The impulse after truth within my soulIs drawing me toward the spirit-light;The noble teaching which now shines so clearIn human life, will surely find that IAm the best pupil that it ever had.George Candid:I ever have been deeply moved by allThat hath revealed itself from many a sourceOf noble mystic spirit-treasuries.With all my heart would I yet further strive.Ahriman(audible only to Strader):Such men mean well: yet doth their striving stayBut in the upper layers of their souls.And so can I make use for many yearsOf all these mighty treasures which lie hidUnconsciously within their spirits’ depths.They too seem useful to my constant aimThat Strader’s work in mankind’s life on earthShall with proud brilliance unfold itself.Mary Steadfast:A healthy view of life will of itselfBring to the soul the fruits of spirit-realmsWhen men join reverence for the universeTo a clear view of sense-reality.Ahriman(audible only to Strader):She speaks in dreams of this reality;She’ll dream so much the better when she wakes.Yet she will be of little service now.Perchance in her next life she’ll help me more,For then she will appear as occultistAnd as need may arise will teach mankindAbout their life since first the Earth began.And yet she scarce will treasure truth aright;In former lives she oft did Strader chideAnd now she praiseth him: so doth she change,And Lucifer will be more glad of her.Francesca Humble:The solemn mystic kingdom will one dayBe pictured by mankind as one great whole,When thought through feeling shall express itselfAnd feeling let itself be led by thought.Katharine Counsel:Mankind, ’tis true, doth strive to see the light;But strange indeed the methods he pursues.For first he quencheth it, and is surprisedThat he can find it nowhere in the dark.Ahriman(audible only to Strader):So too with souls: they find it good to talkAs voicing the well-being of their mind,But underneath they fail in constancy.Such are for me quite unapproachable,And yet they will in future much achieveFrom which I’ll reap a harvest of good fruit.They are by no means what they think themselves.Bernard Straight:If knowledge is not gained through cautious searchThen fantasy brings nought but airy formsTo solve the riddle of the universe,Which only can be mastered by strict thought.Erminia Stay-at-Home:The cosmic substance must for ever changeThat all existence may unfold itself;And he who fain would keep all things the sameWill lack the power to understand life’s aims.Gasper Hotspur:To live in fantasy, doth only meanTo rob men’s souls of every power in lifeThrough which they can grow strong to serve themselvesAnd do true service to their fellow men.Mary Dauntless:The soul that would but burden its own selfShould form itself through outside powers alone;True men will only seek developmentFrom out their hidden personalities.Ahriman(audible only to Strader):It is but human what these souls conceal.One cannot tell what they may yet achieve;For Lucifer may try his power on them,And make them think they are but working outEach his own powers of soul with steadfast aim;And so perchance he hath not lost them yet.Fox:He who would cosmic riddles rightly readMust wait till understanding and right thoughtReveal themselves through powers within his life,And he who fain would find his way arightMust seize all he can use that gives him joy.Above all else the search for wisdom’s loreTo give high aims to weak humanity—This leads to nothing on this Earth of ours.Ahriman(audible only to Strader):He hath been chosen as philosopher,And such he will appear in his next life—With him I do but balance my account.Seven of twelve I ever need myselfAnd five I give to Brother Lucifer.From time to time I take account of menAnd see both what they are and what they do.And when I once have chosen out my twelveI do not need to search for any more.For if I come in number to thirteenThe last is just exactly like the first.When I have got these twelve within my realmAnd can through their soul-nature fashion them,Then others too must ever follow them.(To himself; holding his hands over Strader’s ears so that he shall not hear.)True, none of this have I achieved as yet,Since Earth refused to give herself to me.But I shall strive throughout eternity,1Until—perchance—I gain the victory.One must make use of what is not yet lost.(The following so that it is again audible to Strader):Thou seest I do not flatter with fine words,Indeed I do not wish to please mankind.He who would inspiration seek for lofty aimsIn speech well-regulated and arranged,Needs must betake himself to other worlds.But, who with reason and a sense for truthPerceives the things which here I bring to pass,He can acknowledge that it is with meThe powers are found, without which human soulsMust lose themselves whilst living on the Earth.The very worlds of gods make use of me,And only seek to draw souls from my graspWhen I grow active in their own domain.And then if my opponent doth succeedIn leading men astray with this beliefThat my existence hath been proved to beUnnecessary for the universe,Then souls may dream indeed of higher worlds,But strength and power decay in earthly life.Strader:Thou seest in me one who would follow theeAnd give his powers to thee to use at will.What I have witnessed here doth seem to showThat all that makes mankind thine enemyIs lack of reason’s power and strength of mind.In truth thou didst not flatter with fine words;For thou didst well-nigh mock these poor weak menWhen it did please thee to portray their fate.I must confess that it seems good to meWhat thou wouldst give unto the souls of men,For they will only be enriched with strengthFor what is good through thee, and will but gainThat which is bad, if they were bad before.If only men did better know themselvesThey must for certain feel with all their heartsThe bitter scorn that thou dost cast on them.But what is here wrung forth from out my soul?I speak such words as would destroy my lifeIf on the Earth I found that they were true.Thoumustso think; I cannot otherwiseThan find that what thou hast just said is true;Yet ’tis but truth when in this realm of thine:It would be error for the world of EarthIf it prove there to be what it seems here.I must no further trace my human thoughtsWithin this place—they now must have an end.In thy rough words there soundeth pain for thee,And they are painful too in mine own soul.I can—whilst facing thee—but weep—and cry——(Exit quickly.)(Enter Maria and Thomasius both fully conscious, so that they can hear and understand all that goes on, and speak about it.)Thomasius:Maria, terror reigns on every side,It closeth in and presseth on my soul;Whence shall come inward strength to conquer it?Maria:My holy, earnest vow doth ray out power:And thou canst bear this pressure on thy soulIf thou wilt feel the healing power it gives.Ahriman(to himself):’Tis Benedictus who hath sent them here;He guided them that they might recognizeAnd know me, when they feel me in my realm.(He speaks the rest so that Thomasius and Maria can hear.)Thomasius, the Guardian did directThy footsteps first of all toward my realmSince they will lead thee to the very lightThou seekest in the depths of thine own self.Here I can give thee truth although with pain,As I have suffered many thousand years,For though the truth can penetrate to me,It must first separate itself from joyBefore it dares to venture though my porch.Thomasius:So must I joylessly behold the soulWhom I so ardently desire to see?Ahriman:A wish doth only lead to happinessWhen warmth of soul can cherish it; but hereAll wishes freeze, and needs must live in cold.Maria:E’en in the ever empty fields of iceI may go with my friend, where he will beEncircled by the light which spirits bringWhen darkness wounds and maims the powers of life.Thomasius, feel now thy soul’s full strength.(The Guardian appears upon the Threshold.)Ahriman:The Guardian himself must bring the lightThat thou dost now so ardently desire.Thomasius:’Tis Theodora whom I wish to see.The Guardian:The soul that on my threshold clothed itselfIn that same veil which many years agoIt wore on earth, hath kindled in the depthsOf thine own soul in solemn hours of lifeThe strongest love which was concealed in thee.While thou wert standing yet outside this realmAnd first didst beg from me an entrance here,It stood before thee in a pictured form,And, being thus conceived by inward wish,Can only show delusion’s vain conceits.But now thou shalt in very truth beholdThe soul that in a life of long agoWas dwelling in that old man whom thou saw’st.Thomasius:I see him now again in his long cloak,That worthy ancient with his earnest brow;O soul, who dwelt within this coveringWhy dost thou hide thyself so long from me?It must—it can—but Theodora be.Ah, see—now from the covered picture, comesReality: ’tis Theo … ’tismyself——(As Thomasius begins the name ‘Theodora,’ his Double appears.)His Double(coming close up to Thomasius):Perceive me—and then knowthyselfin me.Maria:And I may followtheeto cosmic depthsWhere souls can win perception e’en as godsBy conquest that destroyeth, yet acquiresBy bold persistence life from seeming death.(Peals of thunder, and increasing darkness.)Curtain

Ahriman’s Kingdom. No sky is visible. A dark enclosure like a mountain gorge whose black masses of rock tower up in fantastic forms, divided by streams of fire. Skeletons are visible everywhere; they appear to be crystallized out of the mountain, but are white. Their attitude suggests the habitual egoism of their last life. Prominent on one side is a miser and on the other a massive glutton etc., etc. Ahriman is seated on a rock. Hilary, Frederick Trustworthy, then the Twelve who were gathered together in the first scene; then Strader; later on Thomasius and Maria; last of all Thomasius’ Double.

Trustworthy:How often have I trod this realm before.—And yet how horrible it seems to meThat e’en from here we must so often fetchThe wise direction for full many a planWhich is important for us and our leagueAnd points significantly to our aims.

Trustworthy:

How often have I trod this realm before.—

And yet how horrible it seems to me

That e’en from here we must so often fetch

The wise direction for full many a plan

Which is important for us and our league

And points significantly to our aims.

Hilary:The grain of corn must fall to earth and dieBefore the life within it can return.All that in earthly life hath run to wasteShall here unto new being be transformed.And when our league desires to plant the seedsOf human acts, to ripen in due course,’Tis from the dead that we must fetch the grain.

Hilary:

The grain of corn must fall to earth and die

Before the life within it can return.

All that in earthly life hath run to waste

Shall here unto new being be transformed.

And when our league desires to plant the seeds

Of human acts, to ripen in due course,

’Tis from the dead that we must fetch the grain.

Trustworthy:Uncanny is the lord who here bears rule;And if it were not written in our books,Which are the greatest treasures of our shrine,That he whom here we often meet, is good,One would indeed as evil reckon him.

Trustworthy:

Uncanny is the lord who here bears rule;

And if it were not written in our books,

Which are the greatest treasures of our shrine,

That he whom here we often meet, is good,

One would indeed as evil reckon him.

Hilary:Not only books, but e’en my spirit-sightDeclares that what is here revealed is good.

Hilary:

Not only books, but e’en my spirit-sight

Declares that what is here revealed is good.

Ahriman(in a feigned voice, sardonically):I know why ye are gathered here again.Ye would discover from me how ’twere bestTo guide the soul of him who oft beforeHath stood upon the threshold of your shrine.Because ye think Thomasius is lostYe now believe that Strader is the manTo do you service in the mystic league.What he hath won for progress of mankindBy use of powers which follow nature’s laws,For this he oweth thanks to me, since IHold sway where powers mechanical obtainStrength for themselves from their creative founts.So all that he may do to help mankindIt needs must turn itself unto my realm.But this time I myself will see to itThat what I wish shall happen to this manIn future, since ye lost ThomasiusBy your own work through leaving me aside.If ye desire to serve the spirit-powersYe first must conquer for yourselves those powersWhich in this case ye tried to cast aside.

Ahriman(in a feigned voice, sardonically):

I know why ye are gathered here again.

Ye would discover from me how ’twere best

To guide the soul of him who oft before

Hath stood upon the threshold of your shrine.

Because ye think Thomasius is lost

Ye now believe that Strader is the man

To do you service in the mystic league.

What he hath won for progress of mankind

By use of powers which follow nature’s laws,

For this he oweth thanks to me, since I

Hold sway where powers mechanical obtain

Strength for themselves from their creative founts.

So all that he may do to help mankind

It needs must turn itself unto my realm.

But this time I myself will see to it

That what I wish shall happen to this man

In future, since ye lost Thomasius

By your own work through leaving me aside.

If ye desire to serve the spirit-powers

Ye first must conquer for yourselves those powers

Which in this case ye tried to cast aside.

(Ahriman becomes invisible.)

Trustworthy(after a pause, during which he has withdrawn into himself):Exalted Master, care oppresseth meThough I have striven long to banish it,For this is laid upon me by strict rulesWhich have been ordered for us by our league.But much that shows the life of this same leagueHath made the struggle in my soul severe;Yet would I ever thankfully submitMy darkness to the spirit-light, which thouArt capable of giving through thy powers.But when I must full often clearly seeThou wert a victim of delusion’s snareAnd how thy words, e’en as events fell out,Did often prove so grievously at fault,Then have I felt as though some wicked elfWere resting painfully upon my soul.And this time also are thy words at fault.Thou couldst have reckoned that we certainlyShould hear good tidings from this spirit here.

Trustworthy(after a pause, during which he has withdrawn into himself):

Exalted Master, care oppresseth me

Though I have striven long to banish it,

For this is laid upon me by strict rules

Which have been ordered for us by our league.

But much that shows the life of this same league

Hath made the struggle in my soul severe;

Yet would I ever thankfully submit

My darkness to the spirit-light, which thou

Art capable of giving through thy powers.

But when I must full often clearly see

Thou wert a victim of delusion’s snare

And how thy words, e’en as events fell out,

Did often prove so grievously at fault,

Then have I felt as though some wicked elf

Were resting painfully upon my soul.

And this time also are thy words at fault.

Thou couldst have reckoned that we certainly

Should hear good tidings from this spirit here.

Hilary:’Tis hard to understand the cosmic ways.My brother, we are well-advised to waitUntil the spirit indicates the wayWhich is ordained for that which we create.

Hilary:

’Tis hard to understand the cosmic ways.

My brother, we are well-advised to wait

Until the spirit indicates the way

Which is ordained for that which we create.

(Exeunt Hilary and Trustworthy.)

Ahriman(who has re-appeared):They see, but do not recognize me yet;For had they known who rules within this placeThey certainly would not have ventured hereTo seek direction; and they would condemnTo age-long pains of hell that human soulOf whom, they heard, that it did visit me.

Ahriman(who has re-appeared):

They see, but do not recognize me yet;

For had they known who rules within this place

They certainly would not have ventured here

To seek direction; and they would condemn

To age-long pains of hell that human soul

Of whom, they heard, that it did visit me.

(All the persons who at the beginning of the play were assembled in the ante-room of the mystic league now appear on the scene; they are blindfolded to show their ignorance of the fact that they are in Ahriman’s kingdom. The words they speak live in their souls, but they know nothing of them. They are experiencing during sleep unconscious dreams which are audible in Ahriman’s kingdom. Strader, who also appears, is however semi-conscious with regard to all that he experiences, so that later on he will be able to recollect it.)

Strader:The hint that Benedictus gave to meThat I should cultivate my power of thought,Hath led me to this kingdom of the dead.Although I hoped that raised to spirit-realmsI should find truth on wisdom’s sun-clad heights.

Strader:

The hint that Benedictus gave to me

That I should cultivate my power of thought,

Hath led me to this kingdom of the dead.

Although I hoped that raised to spirit-realms

I should find truth on wisdom’s sun-clad heights.

Ahriman:What thou canst learn of wisdom in this placeThou wilt find all-sufficient for long time,If here thou dost comport thyself aright.

Ahriman:

What thou canst learn of wisdom in this place

Thou wilt find all-sufficient for long time,

If here thou dost comport thyself aright.

Strader:Before what spirit doth my soul then stand?

Strader:

Before what spirit doth my soul then stand?

Ahriman:That shalt thou know when memory presentlyCan call again to thee what here thou see’st.

Ahriman:

That shalt thou know when memory presently

Can call again to thee what here thou see’st.

Strader:And all these folk, why do I find them hereWithin thy darksome realm?

Strader:

And all these folk, why do I find them here

Within thy darksome realm?

Ahriman:Within thy darksome realm?’Tis but as soulsThat they are in this place: they do not knowAught of themselves when here, since in their homesSunk now in deepest sleep they would be found.But here quite clearly all will be revealedThat lives within their souls, though they would scarceOn waking think such thoughts could be their own.So too, they cannot hear us when we speak.

Ahriman:

Within thy darksome realm?’Tis but as souls

That they are in this place: they do not know

Aught of themselves when here, since in their homes

Sunk now in deepest sleep they would be found.

But here quite clearly all will be revealed

That lives within their souls, though they would scarce

On waking think such thoughts could be their own.

So too, they cannot hear us when we speak.

Louisa Fear-God:The soul should not in blind devotion thinkThat it can raise itself in haughty prideUp to the light, or that it can unfoldUnto its full extent its own true self.I will but recognize what I do know.

Louisa Fear-God:

The soul should not in blind devotion think

That it can raise itself in haughty pride

Up to the light, or that it can unfold

Unto its full extent its own true self.

I will but recognize what I do know.

Ahriman(only audible to Strader):And dost not know how bluntly thou dost leadIn haughty pride thyself into the dark.She too will serve thee, Strader, in the workThat thou hast wrung so boldly from my powers.She doth not need for that the spirit-faithWhich seems so ill-accorded with her pride.

Ahriman(only audible to Strader):

And dost not know how bluntly thou dost lead

In haughty pride thyself into the dark.

She too will serve thee, Strader, in the work

That thou hast wrung so boldly from my powers.

She doth not need for that the spirit-faith

Which seems so ill-accorded with her pride.

Frederick Clear-Mind:Entrancing are indeed these mystic paths;Nor will I henceforth fail in diligence,But give myself completely to the loreThat I can gather from the Temple’s words.

Frederick Clear-Mind:

Entrancing are indeed these mystic paths;

Nor will I henceforth fail in diligence,

But give myself completely to the lore

That I can gather from the Temple’s words.

Michael Nobleman:The impulse after truth within my soulIs drawing me toward the spirit-light;The noble teaching which now shines so clearIn human life, will surely find that IAm the best pupil that it ever had.

Michael Nobleman:

The impulse after truth within my soul

Is drawing me toward the spirit-light;

The noble teaching which now shines so clear

In human life, will surely find that I

Am the best pupil that it ever had.

George Candid:I ever have been deeply moved by allThat hath revealed itself from many a sourceOf noble mystic spirit-treasuries.With all my heart would I yet further strive.

George Candid:

I ever have been deeply moved by all

That hath revealed itself from many a source

Of noble mystic spirit-treasuries.

With all my heart would I yet further strive.

Ahriman(audible only to Strader):Such men mean well: yet doth their striving stayBut in the upper layers of their souls.And so can I make use for many yearsOf all these mighty treasures which lie hidUnconsciously within their spirits’ depths.They too seem useful to my constant aimThat Strader’s work in mankind’s life on earthShall with proud brilliance unfold itself.

Ahriman(audible only to Strader):

Such men mean well: yet doth their striving stay

But in the upper layers of their souls.

And so can I make use for many years

Of all these mighty treasures which lie hid

Unconsciously within their spirits’ depths.

They too seem useful to my constant aim

That Strader’s work in mankind’s life on earth

Shall with proud brilliance unfold itself.

Mary Steadfast:A healthy view of life will of itselfBring to the soul the fruits of spirit-realmsWhen men join reverence for the universeTo a clear view of sense-reality.

Mary Steadfast:

A healthy view of life will of itself

Bring to the soul the fruits of spirit-realms

When men join reverence for the universe

To a clear view of sense-reality.

Ahriman(audible only to Strader):She speaks in dreams of this reality;She’ll dream so much the better when she wakes.Yet she will be of little service now.Perchance in her next life she’ll help me more,For then she will appear as occultistAnd as need may arise will teach mankindAbout their life since first the Earth began.And yet she scarce will treasure truth aright;In former lives she oft did Strader chideAnd now she praiseth him: so doth she change,And Lucifer will be more glad of her.

Ahriman(audible only to Strader):

She speaks in dreams of this reality;

She’ll dream so much the better when she wakes.

Yet she will be of little service now.

Perchance in her next life she’ll help me more,

For then she will appear as occultist

And as need may arise will teach mankind

About their life since first the Earth began.

And yet she scarce will treasure truth aright;

In former lives she oft did Strader chide

And now she praiseth him: so doth she change,

And Lucifer will be more glad of her.

Francesca Humble:The solemn mystic kingdom will one dayBe pictured by mankind as one great whole,When thought through feeling shall express itselfAnd feeling let itself be led by thought.

Francesca Humble:

The solemn mystic kingdom will one day

Be pictured by mankind as one great whole,

When thought through feeling shall express itself

And feeling let itself be led by thought.

Katharine Counsel:Mankind, ’tis true, doth strive to see the light;But strange indeed the methods he pursues.For first he quencheth it, and is surprisedThat he can find it nowhere in the dark.

Katharine Counsel:

Mankind, ’tis true, doth strive to see the light;

But strange indeed the methods he pursues.

For first he quencheth it, and is surprised

That he can find it nowhere in the dark.

Ahriman(audible only to Strader):So too with souls: they find it good to talkAs voicing the well-being of their mind,But underneath they fail in constancy.Such are for me quite unapproachable,And yet they will in future much achieveFrom which I’ll reap a harvest of good fruit.They are by no means what they think themselves.

Ahriman(audible only to Strader):

So too with souls: they find it good to talk

As voicing the well-being of their mind,

But underneath they fail in constancy.

Such are for me quite unapproachable,

And yet they will in future much achieve

From which I’ll reap a harvest of good fruit.

They are by no means what they think themselves.

Bernard Straight:If knowledge is not gained through cautious searchThen fantasy brings nought but airy formsTo solve the riddle of the universe,Which only can be mastered by strict thought.

Bernard Straight:

If knowledge is not gained through cautious search

Then fantasy brings nought but airy forms

To solve the riddle of the universe,

Which only can be mastered by strict thought.

Erminia Stay-at-Home:The cosmic substance must for ever changeThat all existence may unfold itself;And he who fain would keep all things the sameWill lack the power to understand life’s aims.

Erminia Stay-at-Home:

The cosmic substance must for ever change

That all existence may unfold itself;

And he who fain would keep all things the same

Will lack the power to understand life’s aims.

Gasper Hotspur:To live in fantasy, doth only meanTo rob men’s souls of every power in lifeThrough which they can grow strong to serve themselvesAnd do true service to their fellow men.

Gasper Hotspur:

To live in fantasy, doth only mean

To rob men’s souls of every power in life

Through which they can grow strong to serve themselves

And do true service to their fellow men.

Mary Dauntless:The soul that would but burden its own selfShould form itself through outside powers alone;True men will only seek developmentFrom out their hidden personalities.

Mary Dauntless:

The soul that would but burden its own self

Should form itself through outside powers alone;

True men will only seek development

From out their hidden personalities.

Ahriman(audible only to Strader):It is but human what these souls conceal.One cannot tell what they may yet achieve;For Lucifer may try his power on them,And make them think they are but working outEach his own powers of soul with steadfast aim;And so perchance he hath not lost them yet.

Ahriman(audible only to Strader):

It is but human what these souls conceal.

One cannot tell what they may yet achieve;

For Lucifer may try his power on them,

And make them think they are but working out

Each his own powers of soul with steadfast aim;

And so perchance he hath not lost them yet.

Fox:He who would cosmic riddles rightly readMust wait till understanding and right thoughtReveal themselves through powers within his life,And he who fain would find his way arightMust seize all he can use that gives him joy.Above all else the search for wisdom’s loreTo give high aims to weak humanity—This leads to nothing on this Earth of ours.

Fox:

He who would cosmic riddles rightly read

Must wait till understanding and right thought

Reveal themselves through powers within his life,

And he who fain would find his way aright

Must seize all he can use that gives him joy.

Above all else the search for wisdom’s lore

To give high aims to weak humanity—

This leads to nothing on this Earth of ours.

Ahriman(audible only to Strader):He hath been chosen as philosopher,And such he will appear in his next life—With him I do but balance my account.Seven of twelve I ever need myselfAnd five I give to Brother Lucifer.From time to time I take account of menAnd see both what they are and what they do.And when I once have chosen out my twelveI do not need to search for any more.For if I come in number to thirteenThe last is just exactly like the first.When I have got these twelve within my realmAnd can through their soul-nature fashion them,Then others too must ever follow them.

Ahriman(audible only to Strader):

He hath been chosen as philosopher,

And such he will appear in his next life—

With him I do but balance my account.

Seven of twelve I ever need myself

And five I give to Brother Lucifer.

From time to time I take account of men

And see both what they are and what they do.

And when I once have chosen out my twelve

I do not need to search for any more.

For if I come in number to thirteen

The last is just exactly like the first.

When I have got these twelve within my realm

And can through their soul-nature fashion them,

Then others too must ever follow them.

(To himself; holding his hands over Strader’s ears so that he shall not hear.)

True, none of this have I achieved as yet,Since Earth refused to give herself to me.But I shall strive throughout eternity,1Until—perchance—I gain the victory.One must make use of what is not yet lost.

True, none of this have I achieved as yet,

Since Earth refused to give herself to me.

But I shall strive throughout eternity,

1Until—perchance—I gain the victory.

One must make use of what is not yet lost.

(The following so that it is again audible to Strader):

Thou seest I do not flatter with fine words,Indeed I do not wish to please mankind.He who would inspiration seek for lofty aimsIn speech well-regulated and arranged,Needs must betake himself to other worlds.But, who with reason and a sense for truthPerceives the things which here I bring to pass,He can acknowledge that it is with meThe powers are found, without which human soulsMust lose themselves whilst living on the Earth.The very worlds of gods make use of me,And only seek to draw souls from my graspWhen I grow active in their own domain.And then if my opponent doth succeedIn leading men astray with this beliefThat my existence hath been proved to beUnnecessary for the universe,Then souls may dream indeed of higher worlds,But strength and power decay in earthly life.

Thou seest I do not flatter with fine words,

Indeed I do not wish to please mankind.

He who would inspiration seek for lofty aims

In speech well-regulated and arranged,

Needs must betake himself to other worlds.

But, who with reason and a sense for truth

Perceives the things which here I bring to pass,

He can acknowledge that it is with me

The powers are found, without which human souls

Must lose themselves whilst living on the Earth.

The very worlds of gods make use of me,

And only seek to draw souls from my grasp

When I grow active in their own domain.

And then if my opponent doth succeed

In leading men astray with this belief

That my existence hath been proved to be

Unnecessary for the universe,

Then souls may dream indeed of higher worlds,

But strength and power decay in earthly life.

Strader:Thou seest in me one who would follow theeAnd give his powers to thee to use at will.What I have witnessed here doth seem to showThat all that makes mankind thine enemyIs lack of reason’s power and strength of mind.In truth thou didst not flatter with fine words;For thou didst well-nigh mock these poor weak menWhen it did please thee to portray their fate.

Strader:

Thou seest in me one who would follow thee

And give his powers to thee to use at will.

What I have witnessed here doth seem to show

That all that makes mankind thine enemy

Is lack of reason’s power and strength of mind.

In truth thou didst not flatter with fine words;

For thou didst well-nigh mock these poor weak men

When it did please thee to portray their fate.

I must confess that it seems good to meWhat thou wouldst give unto the souls of men,For they will only be enriched with strengthFor what is good through thee, and will but gainThat which is bad, if they were bad before.If only men did better know themselvesThey must for certain feel with all their heartsThe bitter scorn that thou dost cast on them.

I must confess that it seems good to me

What thou wouldst give unto the souls of men,

For they will only be enriched with strength

For what is good through thee, and will but gain

That which is bad, if they were bad before.

If only men did better know themselves

They must for certain feel with all their hearts

The bitter scorn that thou dost cast on them.

But what is here wrung forth from out my soul?I speak such words as would destroy my lifeIf on the Earth I found that they were true.

But what is here wrung forth from out my soul?

I speak such words as would destroy my life

If on the Earth I found that they were true.

Thoumustso think; I cannot otherwiseThan find that what thou hast just said is true;Yet ’tis but truth when in this realm of thine:It would be error for the world of EarthIf it prove there to be what it seems here.I must no further trace my human thoughtsWithin this place—they now must have an end.In thy rough words there soundeth pain for thee,And they are painful too in mine own soul.

Thoumustso think; I cannot otherwise

Than find that what thou hast just said is true;

Yet ’tis but truth when in this realm of thine:

It would be error for the world of Earth

If it prove there to be what it seems here.

I must no further trace my human thoughts

Within this place—they now must have an end.

In thy rough words there soundeth pain for thee,

And they are painful too in mine own soul.

I can—whilst facing thee—but weep—and cry——

(Exit quickly.)

(Enter Maria and Thomasius both fully conscious, so that they can hear and understand all that goes on, and speak about it.)

Thomasius:Maria, terror reigns on every side,It closeth in and presseth on my soul;Whence shall come inward strength to conquer it?

Thomasius:

Maria, terror reigns on every side,

It closeth in and presseth on my soul;

Whence shall come inward strength to conquer it?

Maria:My holy, earnest vow doth ray out power:And thou canst bear this pressure on thy soulIf thou wilt feel the healing power it gives.

Maria:

My holy, earnest vow doth ray out power:

And thou canst bear this pressure on thy soul

If thou wilt feel the healing power it gives.

Ahriman(to himself):’Tis Benedictus who hath sent them here;He guided them that they might recognizeAnd know me, when they feel me in my realm.

Ahriman(to himself):

’Tis Benedictus who hath sent them here;

He guided them that they might recognize

And know me, when they feel me in my realm.

(He speaks the rest so that Thomasius and Maria can hear.)

Thomasius, the Guardian did directThy footsteps first of all toward my realmSince they will lead thee to the very lightThou seekest in the depths of thine own self.Here I can give thee truth although with pain,As I have suffered many thousand years,For though the truth can penetrate to me,It must first separate itself from joyBefore it dares to venture though my porch.

Thomasius, the Guardian did direct

Thy footsteps first of all toward my realm

Since they will lead thee to the very light

Thou seekest in the depths of thine own self.

Here I can give thee truth although with pain,

As I have suffered many thousand years,

For though the truth can penetrate to me,

It must first separate itself from joy

Before it dares to venture though my porch.

Thomasius:So must I joylessly behold the soulWhom I so ardently desire to see?

Thomasius:

So must I joylessly behold the soul

Whom I so ardently desire to see?

Ahriman:A wish doth only lead to happinessWhen warmth of soul can cherish it; but hereAll wishes freeze, and needs must live in cold.

Ahriman:

A wish doth only lead to happiness

When warmth of soul can cherish it; but here

All wishes freeze, and needs must live in cold.

Maria:E’en in the ever empty fields of iceI may go with my friend, where he will beEncircled by the light which spirits bringWhen darkness wounds and maims the powers of life.Thomasius, feel now thy soul’s full strength.

Maria:

E’en in the ever empty fields of ice

I may go with my friend, where he will be

Encircled by the light which spirits bring

When darkness wounds and maims the powers of life.

Thomasius, feel now thy soul’s full strength.

(The Guardian appears upon the Threshold.)

Ahriman:The Guardian himself must bring the lightThat thou dost now so ardently desire.

Ahriman:

The Guardian himself must bring the light

That thou dost now so ardently desire.

Thomasius:’Tis Theodora whom I wish to see.

Thomasius:

’Tis Theodora whom I wish to see.

The Guardian:The soul that on my threshold clothed itselfIn that same veil which many years agoIt wore on earth, hath kindled in the depthsOf thine own soul in solemn hours of lifeThe strongest love which was concealed in thee.While thou wert standing yet outside this realmAnd first didst beg from me an entrance here,It stood before thee in a pictured form,And, being thus conceived by inward wish,Can only show delusion’s vain conceits.But now thou shalt in very truth beholdThe soul that in a life of long agoWas dwelling in that old man whom thou saw’st.

The Guardian:

The soul that on my threshold clothed itself

In that same veil which many years ago

It wore on earth, hath kindled in the depths

Of thine own soul in solemn hours of life

The strongest love which was concealed in thee.

While thou wert standing yet outside this realm

And first didst beg from me an entrance here,

It stood before thee in a pictured form,

And, being thus conceived by inward wish,

Can only show delusion’s vain conceits.

But now thou shalt in very truth behold

The soul that in a life of long ago

Was dwelling in that old man whom thou saw’st.

Thomasius:I see him now again in his long cloak,That worthy ancient with his earnest brow;O soul, who dwelt within this coveringWhy dost thou hide thyself so long from me?It must—it can—but Theodora be.Ah, see—now from the covered picture, comesReality: ’tis Theo … ’tismyself——

Thomasius:

I see him now again in his long cloak,

That worthy ancient with his earnest brow;

O soul, who dwelt within this covering

Why dost thou hide thyself so long from me?

It must—it can—but Theodora be.

Ah, see—now from the covered picture, comes

Reality: ’tis Theo … ’tismyself——

(As Thomasius begins the name ‘Theodora,’ his Double appears.)

His Double(coming close up to Thomasius):Perceive me—and then knowthyselfin me.

His Double(coming close up to Thomasius):

Perceive me—and then knowthyselfin me.

Maria:And I may followtheeto cosmic depthsWhere souls can win perception e’en as godsBy conquest that destroyeth, yet acquiresBy bold persistence life from seeming death.

Maria:

And I may followtheeto cosmic depths

Where souls can win perception e’en as gods

By conquest that destroyeth, yet acquires

By bold persistence life from seeming death.

(Peals of thunder, and increasing darkness.)

Curtain

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