Scene 8

Scene 8Part IOutside the Egyptian temple. An Egyptian woman is seen crouching by the wall. She is a previous incarnation of Johannes Thomasius.Egyptian woman:This is the hour in which he dedicatesHimself to serve the ancient holy lawsOf sacred wisdom,—and in doing thisHe must forever tear himself from me.From out those heights of light to which his soulProgresses there must flash into mine ownThe ray of death. When I am torn from him—Naught doth remain for me in life on earthBut mourning—resignation—sorrow—death.(Clinging to the wall.)Yet though in this hour he abandons meI, none the less, will stay close to the spotWhere he unto the spirit gives himself.And if mine eyes are not allowed to seeHow he doth tear himself away from earth,Perchance ’twill be now granted in a dreamTo linger disembodied by his side.Part IIInside the temple. The hall of initiation. The ceremony is performed on a broad flight of steps descending from the back to the front of the stage. The characters stand in groups below one another and on different steps. The drop-curtain goes up, disclosing everything in readiness for the initiation of the Neophyte, who is to be thought of as an earlier incarnation of Maria; behind the altar and to the left of it stands the Chief Hierophant who is to be thought of as an earlier incarnation of Benedictus; on the other side the Recorder, an earlier incarnation of Hilary True-to-God; a little in front of the altar the Keeper of the Seals, an earlier incarnation of Theodora; in front, on the right side of the altar, the Impersonator of the Earth Element, an earlier incarnation of Romanus, and with him the Impersonator of the Air Element, an earlier incarnation of Magnus Bellicosus; quite close to the Chief Hierophant, stands the Hierophant, an earlier incarnation of Capesius; on the left side of the altar the Impersonator of the Fire Element, an earlier incarnation of Doctor Strader, with the Impersonator of the Water Element, an earlier incarnation of Torquatus. In front of them Philia, Astrid, Luna and the ‘other Philia.’ Four other priests stand in front of them. In front of all Lucifer to the left of altar and Ahriman to the right in the guise of sphinxes, with the cherub emphasized in the case of Lucifer and the bull in the case of Ahriman. Dead silence for a while after the interior of the temple with itsgrouped mystics has become visible. The Keeper of the Temple an earlier incarnation of Felix Balde, and a Mystic, an earlier incarnation of Dame Balde, lead the Neophyte in through a doorway on the right of stage. They place him in the inner circle near the altar, and remain standing near him.The Keeper of the Temple:From out that web of unrealityWhich thou, in error’s darkness named’st world,The mystic hath conducted thee to us.From being and from naught the world was madeWhich to a semblance wove itself for thee.Semblance is good, by being understood;Thou didst but dream it in thy sembled life;And semblance known by semblance disappears.Learn, semblance of a semblance, what thou art.The Mystic:Thus speaks the guardian of this temple’s door.Feel in thyself the sore weight of his words.The Impersonator of the Earth Element:Beneath the weight of earth-life seize uponThe semblance of your being without fear.That thou mayst sink into the cosmic depthsIn darksome cosmic depths thy being seek.Bind to thy semblance that which thou dost find;Its weight will give thy being unto thee.The Recorder:Thou wilt not understand, as thou dost sink,Whereto we lead till thou hast heard his call.We forge for thee the form of thy real self;Perceive our work; else must thou lose thyselfAs semblance in the cosmic nothingness.The Mystic:So speaks the guardian of this temple’s words.Feel in thyself the sore weight of his words.The Impersonator of the Air Element:Fly from the weight of earth-life which would killThe being of thyself, as thou dost sink.Fly from it on the lightness of the air.In light of cosmic space thy being seek.Bind to thy semblance that which thou dost find;Its flight will give thy being unto thee.The Recorder:Thou wilt not understand, as thou dost fly,Whereto we lead, till thou hast heard his call.We light for thee the life of thy real self;Perceive our work; else must thou lose thyselfAs semblance in the cosmic weightiness.The Mystic:So speaks the guardian of this temple’s words.Feel in thyself the uplift of his words.The Chief Hierophant:My son, thou wilt on wisdom’s noble roadThe mystic’s counsel carefully obey.Thou canst not see the answer in thyself;For error’s darkness still doth weigh thee downAnd folly strives in thee for distant things.Gaze therefore—on this flame which is more close(The bright, quivering sacred flame flares up on the altar in the middle of the stage.)To thee than is the life of thine own self,And read thine answer hidden in its fire.The Mystic:So speaks the leader of this temple’s rites.Feel in thyself the ritual’s holy power.The Impersonator of the Fire Element:Let all the errors of thine own ideasBe burned in fire that this rite lights for thee.Let, with thine errors, thyself also burn.As flame of cosmic fire thy being seek;Bind to thy semblance that which thou dost find;Its fire will give thy being unto thee.The Keeper of the Seals:Thou wilt not understand why to a flameWe fashion thee till thou hast heard his call.We cleanse for thee the form of thine own self;Perceive our work; else must thou lose thyselfAs formless being in the cosmic sea.The Mystic:So speaks the guardian of this temple’s seals.Feel in thyself the power of wisdom’s light.The Impersonator of the Water Element:Resist the flame-powers of the world of fireThat they may not devour thy being’s might.From semblance, being will not rise in theeUnless the wave-beat of the cosmic seaCan fill thee with the music of the spheres.As wave in cosmic sea thy being seek;Bind to thy semblance that which thou dost find;Its waves will give thy being unto thee.The Keeper of the Seals:Thou wilt not understand why to a waveWe fashion thee till thou hast heard his call.We build for thee the form of thine own self;Perceive our work; else must thou lose thyselfA formless being in the cosmic fire.The Chief Hierophant:My son, by powerful exercise of willThese mystic counsels too thou must obey.Thou canst not see the answer in thyself;By cowardly fear thy power is still congealed;Thou canst not fashion weakness to a waveThat lets thy note ring out amongst the spheres.So listen to thy soul-powers when they speak;And thine own voice within their words perceive.Philia:In fire cleanse thou thyself;—and lose thyselfAs cosmic wave in music of the spheres.Astrid:Build thou thyself in music of the spheres;In cosmic distances fly light as air.Luna:Sink with thy weight of earth to cosmic depths;Take courage as a self in thy sore weight.The Other Philia:From thine own being draw thyself away;Unite thyself with elemental might.The Mystic:Thine own soul speaks thus in these temple halls;Feel thou therein the guidance of the powers.The Chief Hierophant(addressing the Hierophant):My brother hierophant, explore this soul,Which we are to direct to wisdom’s path,Down to its depths; tell us what thou dost findIts present state of consciousness to be.The Hierophant:All hath been done that our rite doth demand.The soul no more remembers what it was.The web of semblance, spun on error’s loom,Opposing elements have swept away;In elemental strife it doth live on;Naught save its being hath the soul retained.Now of this being it shall read the lifeIn cosmic words, that speak from out the flame.The Chief Hierophant:O human soul, read now what through the flameThe cosmic word declares within thyself.(A pause of considerable length ensues, during which the stage is darkened till only theflame and indistinct outlines of the characters are visible; at the conclusion of the pause the Chief Hierophant continues.)And now from out the cosmic vision wake!Declare what can be read from cosmic words!(The Neophyte is silent. The Chief Hierophant, much alarmed, continues):He speaks not. Doth the vision leave thee? Speak!The Neophyte:Obedient to thy strict and sacred riteI sank into the being of this flameTo wait the sound of lofty cosmic words.(The assembled mystics, the Hierophant excepted, show an ever-increasing alarm during the speech of the Neophyte.)I felt that I could shake off from myselfThe weight of earth and be as light as air.I felt the loving tide of cosmic fireDid bear me up on streaming spirit-waves.I saw the body that I wear on earthAs other being stand outside myself.Though wrapt in bliss, and conscious of the lightOf spirit round me, yet I could regardMine earthly sheath with longing and desire.(Consternation all around.)Spirits rayed light thereon from lofty worlds;Like shining butterflies there hovered nearThe beings who attend its active life;The body by these beings bathed in lightReflected sparkling colours manifold;They shone close by, grew fainter further off,And then were scattered and dispersed in space.Within the being of my spirit soulThere lurked the wish that weight of earth should sinkMe down into my sheath, that I might feelAnd learn the sense of joy within life’s warmth.So, diving gladly down into my sheath,I heeded thy stern summons to awake.The Chief Hierophant(himself alarmed, to the alarmed mystics):This is no spirit-vision; earth’s desiresEscaped the mystic and as offering roseTo radiant spirit-heights;—O sacrilege!The Recorder(angrily to the Hierophant):This could not have occurred, hadst thou performedThe office granted thee as hierophantAs ancient holy duty did demand.The Hierophant:I did the duty in this solemn hourWhich those from higher realms did lay on me.I did not think that which it is my placeTo think, according to the ritual,And which, proceeding from me, should appearIn spirit-working in the neophyte.The young man therefore hath declared to usNone other’s thoughts but his own being’s self.The truth hath conquered. Ye may punish me;I had to do what ye perceived with fear.I feel the times approach which will set freeThe ego from the group-soul and let looseIts own true individual powers of thought.What if the youth escapes your mystic pathAt present?—Later lives on earth will showWith clearest signs the kind of mystic wayWhich destiny hath foreordained for him.The Mystics:O sacrilege;—thou must atone—and pay—(The sphinxes begin to speak one after the other as Ahriman and Lucifer; hitherto they have been as motionless as statues; what they say is heard only by the hierophant, the chief hierophant, and the neophyte;—the others are full of excitement over the preceding events.)Ahriman as Sphinx:For my realm I must lay my hands uponWhat here doth wrongly seek the way to light,And in the darkness further foster it;That it may bring forth spirit-qualitiesWhich later on will let it weave itselfWith rightful meaning into human life.But till it gains these spirit-qualities,What in this holy service did appearAs earthly burden, this will serve my work.Lucifer as Sphinx:For my realm I shall bear away the thingsThat joy as spirit-wish in semblance here;They’ll gladly shine as semblance in the lightAnd thus in spirit dedicate themselvesTo beauty from which they are kept apartAt present by the burden of earth’s weight.In beauty, semblance into being turns,Which later shall illuminate the earth,Descending as the light which flies from here.The Chief Hierophant:The sphinxes speak—who were but imagesE’er since this rite by sages was performed.Upon dead form the spirit now hath seized.O Fate, thou dost sound forth as cosmic word!(The other mystics, with the exception of the Hierophant and the Neophyte, are amazed at the words of the Chief Hierophant.)The Hierophant(to the Chief Hierophant):This holy mystic rite which we performHath not importance for ourselves alone.Fate’s stream of cosmic evolution poursThrough word and deed of sacred priestly rites.The curtain falls on the mental atmosphere set up by the preceding occurrencesScene 9A study in Hilary’s house. A general atmosphere of seriousness pervades the room. Maria alone in meditation.Maria:A starry soul, on yonder spirit-shore,Draws near,—draws near me clad in spirit-light,Draws near with mine own self, and as it nears—Its radiance gains in power,—and gains in calm.O star within my spirit-circle, whatDoth thine approach shed on my gazing soul?(Astrid appears to right.)Astrid:Perceive that which I now can bring to thee;From cosmic strife ’twixt darkness and the lightI stole thy power of thought; I bring it nowFrom out its cosmic midnight’s wakeningWith service true back to thine earthly form.Maria:My Astrid, thou hast ever till todayAppeared to me as shining shadow-soul;What turns thee now to this bright spirit-star?Astrid:I kept the lightning’s and the thunder’s powerFor thee, that they might stay within thy soul,And now thou canst behold them consciously—When of the cosmic midnight thou dost think.Maria:The cosmic midnight!—ere for this earth-lifeMy self enclosed me in my body’s sheath;When Saturn’s coloured light kept endless watch!Mine earthly thoughts concealed from me beforeThis spirit scene in soul-obscurity;—Now in soul-clarity it doth emerge.Astrid:Thyself in cosmic light didst speak these words:‘Of thee, Duration, would I crave a boon:Pour out thyself into this blessednessAnd let my guide, and let that other soulNow dwell with me therein in peacefulness.’Maria:Dwell with me also. O thou moment blest,In which this spirit happening createsNew powers of self. Equip my soul with strengthThat thou mayst not pass from me like a dream.In light which on the cosmic midnight shines,Which Astrid brings from soul-obscurity,Mine ego joins that self which fashioned meTo serve its purpose in the cosmic life.But how, O moment, can I hold thee fast,So that I do not lose thee when once moreMy senses feel earth clearness once again?Their power is great; and often, if they slayThe spirit-vision, it stays dead e’en whenThe self in spirit finds itself again.(Immediately after the last words, as if summoned by them, Luna appears.)Luna:Preserve, before the sense-life once againMakes thee to dream, the power of thine own willWith which this moment hath presented thee.Think of the words that I myself did speakWhen at the cosmic midnight seen by thee.Maria:My Luna, from the cosmic midnight thouHast brought me hither mine own power of willTo be my prop throughout my life on earth.Luna:The Guardian’s warning followed thus thy words:‘Then shalt thou see thyself in other guise,E’en in a picture of an olden time,And know how strength for lofty spirit-flightE’en from disaster may the soul’s wings gain.A soul may never wish itself to fall;Yet, when it falls it must a lesson learn.’Maria:Whereto doth thy word’s power now carry me?A spirit-star on yonder shore of souls!It gleams, it draweth nigh—in spirit-form;Draws nigh with mine own self; and, as it nears,The light grows denser and within the lightForms darken, taking on their being’s shape!A youthful mystic, and a sacred flame,The stern call of the highest hierophantTo tell the vision seen within the flame!The group of mystics overcome with fearAt that young mystic’s self-acknowledgment.(The Guardian of the Threshold appears while the latter sentences are being uttered.)The Guardian:Hear once again within thy spirit-earThe stern call of the highest hierophant.Maria:‘O human soul, read now what through the flame(Benedictus appears.)The cosmic word declares within thyself.’Who spoke the words my thought brings back to me,Recalling them from waters of the soul?Benedictus:With mine own words thou callest me to thee.When in times past I uttered this command,It did not find thee ready to respond.And so it stayed in evolution’s womb;The course of time hath lent new force theretoWhich flowed therein from out thine own soul’s life;And so it wrought in later lives on earthIn thy soul’s depths although thou knewest it not.It let thee find me as thy guide again;By conscious thought it now transforms itselfInto a powerful motive in thy life.‘This holy mystic rite, which we perform,Hath not importance for ourselves alone;Fate’s stream of cosmic evolution poursThrough word and deed of sacred priestly rites.’Maria:Thou didst not speak this word within that place.The hierophant did speak, who used to beThy colleague in that ancient mystic band.He knew e’en then that powers of destinyForesaw the ending of this mystic band.Unconsciously thehierophantbeheldThe beauteous rising of the rosy dawnWhich to the spirit-stream of earth foretoldA new sun over Hellas should arise.So he forbore to send the powerful thoughtWhich he should have directed to my soul.The cosmic spirit’s instrument was heAt that initiation, during whichHe heard the whispering stream of cosmic life.He spoke a word from out his inmost soul‘One thing especially I deeply feel:The solitude of this stern spirit-shrine.Why do I feel so lonely in this place?’Benedictus:In his soul there was planted even thenThe germ of solitude, which later onMatured to soul-fruit in the womb of time.This fruit Capesius as mystic nowMust taste, and so must follow Felix’ steps.Maria:That woman, too, who near the temple stayed,I see her as she was in olden time,But not yet can my vision penetrateTo where she is; how can I find her thenWhen sense-life causeth me to dream again?The Guardian:Thou wilt discover her when thou dost seeThat being in the realm of souls whom sheDoth count a shade amongst the other shades.She seeks to reach it with strong power of soul.She will not free it from the world of shadesTill in her present body, through thine aid,She hath beheld her long past life on earth.Maria:Like some soul-star my highest guardian glides,In glowing light toward my shore of souls;—His light spreads peace, far round the wide flung space;—His light hath grandeur;—and his dignityMakes strong my being in its inmost depths;In this peace will I now submerge myself;—I feel before that through it I shall findMy way to fullest spirit-wakefulness.And ye, too, messengers into my soul—I’ll keep within myself as beacon-lights.Upon thee, Astrid, will I call when thoughtWould from soul-clearness fain withdraw itself.And thee, O Luna, may my prayer then findWhen will-power slumbers deep in my soul depths.The curtain falls while Maria, Astrid, and Luna are still in the roomScene 10The same. Johannes alone in meditation.Johannes:‘This is the hour in which he dedicatesHimself to serve the ancient holy lawsOf sacred wisdom;—in a dream perchanceI may in spirit linger at his side.’Thus near the temple spake in ancient timesThe woman whom my spirit-vision sees;By thoughts of her I feel my strength increased.What is this picture’s purpose? Why doth itHold my attention spellbound? CertainlyNo sympathy from out the picture’s selfAccounts for this, for, should I see the sceneIn earthly life, I should consider itOf no importance. What saith it to me?(As if from afar the voice of ‘the other Philia.’)The Other Philia:The magical webThat forms their own self.Johannes:And clairvoyant dreamsMake clear unto soulsThe magical webThat forms their own self.(While Johannes is speaking these lines ‘the other Philia’ approaches him.)Johannes:Who art thou, magic spirit-counsellor?True counsel didst thou bring unto my soulBut didst deceive me over thine own self.The Other Philia:Johannes, thine own being’s double formFrom thyself didst thou fashion. As a shadeMustIroam round thee for so long a timeAs thou thyself shalt not set free the shadeWhom thine offence doth lend a magic life.Johannes:This is the third time that thou speakest thus;I will obey thee. Point me out the way!The Other Philia:Johannes, whilst thou liv’st in spirit-light,Seek what is treasured up within thy Self.From its own light it will shed light on thee.Thus canst thou learn by looking in thyselfHow to wipe out thy fault in later lives.Johannes:How shall I, while I live in spirit-light,Seek what is treasured up within my Self?The Other Philia:Give me that which thou thinkest that thou art;Lose thou thyself in me a little while,Yet so that thou dost not another seem.Johannes:How can I give myself to thee beforeI have beheld thee as thou really art?The Other Philia:I am within thee, member of thy soul;The force of love within thee is myself;The heart’s hope, as it stirs within thy breast,The fruits of long-past lives upon this earthLaid up for thee and hid within thyself,Behold them now through me;—feel what I am,And through my power in thee behold thyself.Search out the pictured being, which thy sight,Without thy sympathy, did form for thee.(Exit.)Johannes:O spirit-counsellor, I can indeedFeel thee in me, yet I see thee no more.Where livest thou for me?(As if from afar the call of ‘the other Philia.’)The Other Philia:The magical webThat forms their own self.Johannes:‘The magical webThat forms their own self.’O magical web, that forms mine own self,Show me the pictured being which my sightWithout my sympathy did form for me.Whereto doth this word’s power conduct me now?A spirit-star on yonder shore of souls—It shines,—it draweth nigh—as spirit-form,Grows brighter as it nears;—now forms appear;—They act as beings act who are alive;—A youthful mystic—and a sacred flame,The stern call of the highest hierophantTo tell the vision seen within the flame.That woman doth the youthful mystic seek,Whom my sight saw without my sympathy.(Maria appears as a thought-form of Johannes.)Maria:Who thought of thee before the sacred flame?Who felt thee near initiation’s shrine?Johannes, wouldst thou tear thy spirit-shadeFrom out the magic kingdoms of the soul;Live then the aims that it will show to thee;The path on which thou seek’st will guide thy steps,But thou must first discover it aright.The woman near the temple shows it theeIf she lives powerfully within thy thought.Spellbound amongst shade-spirits doth she striveTo draw nigh to that other shade who nowThrough thee doth evil service to grim shades.(The Spirit of Johannes’ Youth appears.)The Spirit of Johannes’ Youth:I will be grateful to thee evermoreIf thou in love dost cultivate the powersLaid up for me within the womb of timeBy that young mystic in that bygone ageWhom once thy soul sought at the temple gate.But thou must first this spirit truly seeAt whose side I have now appeared to thee.Maria:Maria, as thou wouldst behold her, livesIn other worlds than those where truth abides.My holy earnest vow doth ray out strengthWhich shall keep for thee that which thou hast gained.In these clear fields of light me shalt thou findWhere radiant beauty life-power doth create;Seek me in cosmic fundaments, where soulsFight to recover their divine estateThrough love, which in the whole beholds the self.(While Maria is speaking the last lines, Lucifer appears.)Lucifer:So work, compelling powers;Act therefore, powers of might,Ye elemental sprites,Feel now your master’s power,And smooth for me the wayThat leads from realms of EarthThat so there may draw nearTo Lucifer’s domainWhate’er my wish desires,Whate’er obeys my will.(Enter Benedictus.)Benedictus:Maria’s holy earnest vow doth pourNow through his soul salvation’s healing ray.He will admire thee, but he will not fall.Lucifer:I mean to fight.Benedictus:And, fighting serve the gods.CurtainScene 11The same. Enter Benedictus and Strader.Strader:Thou didst speak gravely, and Maria spokeRight harshly to me also, when ye twoShowed yourselves to me at my life’s abyss.Benedictus:Thou know’st those pictures have no proper life;Their content only, strives to make its wayInto the soul, and takes pictorial form.Strader:Yet it was hard to hear these pictures say:‘Where is thy light? Thou rayest darkness out,Midst light thou dost create the baffling gloom.’So spake the spirit through Maria’s form.Benedictus:Because in thine ascent thou hadst attainedTo higher levels on the spirit-path.The spirit, which had led thee to itself,Used darkness as a symbol to depictThe state of knowledge which was thine before.This spirit chose to use Maria’s formBecause thy soul itself so fashioned it.The spirit, my dear Strader, at this hourWorks mightily within thee and will leadThee with swift flight to lofty grades of soul.Strader:And yet these words still terrify my soul:‘Because thou art afraid to ray out light.’The spirit spake this also in that scene.Benedictus:The spirit had to call thy soul afraidBecause in thee those things were fearfulnessWhich would, in lesser souls, be bravery.As we advance, our former braveryTurns into fear which must be overcome.Strader:Oh! how these words do pierce me to the heart!Romanus lately told me of his plan:I was to carry out the work myselfNot as thy partner but without thine aid.In this event, he was prepared to useAll that he had to succour Hilary.When I declared that I could ne’er consentTo separate the work from out thy group,He answered that in that case it would beIn vain to make more effort. He it isWho backs the opposition to my work,Which Hilary’s companion offereth.Without these plans my life must worthless seem.Since these two men have torn away from meMy field of action, all that I can seeAhead is life reft of the breath of life.In order that my spirit may not showDiscouragement I need that braveryOf which thou spak’st just now. But whether IShall find my strength sufficient for the taskIs more than I can say, for I can feelHow that same force which I must needs set freeWill likewise work on me distinctively.Benedictus:Maria and Johannes have just madeAdvances in clairvoyance; and the thingsWhich hindered them from bridging o’er the gapBetween the mystic life and world of senseAre no more there, and in the course of timeAims will appear in which both thou and theyCan take part jointly. ’Tis not guidance, butCreative strength that flows from mystic words:‘For that which must will surely come to pass.’And so in wakefulness we must awaitThe way in which the spirit sends the signs.Strader:A vision came to me not long agoWhich I must hold to be a sign from fate.I was aboard a ship, thou at the helm,The labouring oars were under my command;And we were bearing to their place of workMaria and Johannes; there appearedAnother ship quite close to us; on boardRomanus and the friend of Hilary—They lay across our course as enemies.I battled with them;—as the fight went onLo! Ahriman stood by their side to help.While I was bitterly engaged with himCame Theodora to my side, in aid,And then the vision vanished from my sight.I dared to say once to CapesiusAnd Felix that I could with ease endureThe opposition which now menacethMy work from outward sources e’en if allMy plans were ruined—I should stand upright.Suppose that picture now should show to meThat outward opposition doth implyAn inward fight—a fight with Ahriman;Am I well armoured also for this fight?Benedictus:My friend, I can behold in thine own soulThis picture is not fully ripe as yet.I feel thou canst make stronger still the powerWhich showed this picture to thy spirit’s eye.I can feel too that for thy friends and theeThis picture can create new powers of soulIf only thou wilt rightly strive for strength.This can I feel;—how it shall be fulfilledRemains a secret hidden from my sight.Curtain

Scene 8

Part IOutside the Egyptian temple. An Egyptian woman is seen crouching by the wall. She is a previous incarnation of Johannes Thomasius.Egyptian woman:This is the hour in which he dedicatesHimself to serve the ancient holy lawsOf sacred wisdom,—and in doing thisHe must forever tear himself from me.From out those heights of light to which his soulProgresses there must flash into mine ownThe ray of death. When I am torn from him—Naught doth remain for me in life on earthBut mourning—resignation—sorrow—death.(Clinging to the wall.)Yet though in this hour he abandons meI, none the less, will stay close to the spotWhere he unto the spirit gives himself.And if mine eyes are not allowed to seeHow he doth tear himself away from earth,Perchance ’twill be now granted in a dreamTo linger disembodied by his side.Part IIInside the temple. The hall of initiation. The ceremony is performed on a broad flight of steps descending from the back to the front of the stage. The characters stand in groups below one another and on different steps. The drop-curtain goes up, disclosing everything in readiness for the initiation of the Neophyte, who is to be thought of as an earlier incarnation of Maria; behind the altar and to the left of it stands the Chief Hierophant who is to be thought of as an earlier incarnation of Benedictus; on the other side the Recorder, an earlier incarnation of Hilary True-to-God; a little in front of the altar the Keeper of the Seals, an earlier incarnation of Theodora; in front, on the right side of the altar, the Impersonator of the Earth Element, an earlier incarnation of Romanus, and with him the Impersonator of the Air Element, an earlier incarnation of Magnus Bellicosus; quite close to the Chief Hierophant, stands the Hierophant, an earlier incarnation of Capesius; on the left side of the altar the Impersonator of the Fire Element, an earlier incarnation of Doctor Strader, with the Impersonator of the Water Element, an earlier incarnation of Torquatus. In front of them Philia, Astrid, Luna and the ‘other Philia.’ Four other priests stand in front of them. In front of all Lucifer to the left of altar and Ahriman to the right in the guise of sphinxes, with the cherub emphasized in the case of Lucifer and the bull in the case of Ahriman. Dead silence for a while after the interior of the temple with itsgrouped mystics has become visible. The Keeper of the Temple an earlier incarnation of Felix Balde, and a Mystic, an earlier incarnation of Dame Balde, lead the Neophyte in through a doorway on the right of stage. They place him in the inner circle near the altar, and remain standing near him.The Keeper of the Temple:From out that web of unrealityWhich thou, in error’s darkness named’st world,The mystic hath conducted thee to us.From being and from naught the world was madeWhich to a semblance wove itself for thee.Semblance is good, by being understood;Thou didst but dream it in thy sembled life;And semblance known by semblance disappears.Learn, semblance of a semblance, what thou art.The Mystic:Thus speaks the guardian of this temple’s door.Feel in thyself the sore weight of his words.The Impersonator of the Earth Element:Beneath the weight of earth-life seize uponThe semblance of your being without fear.That thou mayst sink into the cosmic depthsIn darksome cosmic depths thy being seek.Bind to thy semblance that which thou dost find;Its weight will give thy being unto thee.The Recorder:Thou wilt not understand, as thou dost sink,Whereto we lead till thou hast heard his call.We forge for thee the form of thy real self;Perceive our work; else must thou lose thyselfAs semblance in the cosmic nothingness.The Mystic:So speaks the guardian of this temple’s words.Feel in thyself the sore weight of his words.The Impersonator of the Air Element:Fly from the weight of earth-life which would killThe being of thyself, as thou dost sink.Fly from it on the lightness of the air.In light of cosmic space thy being seek.Bind to thy semblance that which thou dost find;Its flight will give thy being unto thee.The Recorder:Thou wilt not understand, as thou dost fly,Whereto we lead, till thou hast heard his call.We light for thee the life of thy real self;Perceive our work; else must thou lose thyselfAs semblance in the cosmic weightiness.The Mystic:So speaks the guardian of this temple’s words.Feel in thyself the uplift of his words.The Chief Hierophant:My son, thou wilt on wisdom’s noble roadThe mystic’s counsel carefully obey.Thou canst not see the answer in thyself;For error’s darkness still doth weigh thee downAnd folly strives in thee for distant things.Gaze therefore—on this flame which is more close(The bright, quivering sacred flame flares up on the altar in the middle of the stage.)To thee than is the life of thine own self,And read thine answer hidden in its fire.The Mystic:So speaks the leader of this temple’s rites.Feel in thyself the ritual’s holy power.The Impersonator of the Fire Element:Let all the errors of thine own ideasBe burned in fire that this rite lights for thee.Let, with thine errors, thyself also burn.As flame of cosmic fire thy being seek;Bind to thy semblance that which thou dost find;Its fire will give thy being unto thee.The Keeper of the Seals:Thou wilt not understand why to a flameWe fashion thee till thou hast heard his call.We cleanse for thee the form of thine own self;Perceive our work; else must thou lose thyselfAs formless being in the cosmic sea.The Mystic:So speaks the guardian of this temple’s seals.Feel in thyself the power of wisdom’s light.The Impersonator of the Water Element:Resist the flame-powers of the world of fireThat they may not devour thy being’s might.From semblance, being will not rise in theeUnless the wave-beat of the cosmic seaCan fill thee with the music of the spheres.As wave in cosmic sea thy being seek;Bind to thy semblance that which thou dost find;Its waves will give thy being unto thee.The Keeper of the Seals:Thou wilt not understand why to a waveWe fashion thee till thou hast heard his call.We build for thee the form of thine own self;Perceive our work; else must thou lose thyselfA formless being in the cosmic fire.The Chief Hierophant:My son, by powerful exercise of willThese mystic counsels too thou must obey.Thou canst not see the answer in thyself;By cowardly fear thy power is still congealed;Thou canst not fashion weakness to a waveThat lets thy note ring out amongst the spheres.So listen to thy soul-powers when they speak;And thine own voice within their words perceive.Philia:In fire cleanse thou thyself;—and lose thyselfAs cosmic wave in music of the spheres.Astrid:Build thou thyself in music of the spheres;In cosmic distances fly light as air.Luna:Sink with thy weight of earth to cosmic depths;Take courage as a self in thy sore weight.The Other Philia:From thine own being draw thyself away;Unite thyself with elemental might.The Mystic:Thine own soul speaks thus in these temple halls;Feel thou therein the guidance of the powers.The Chief Hierophant(addressing the Hierophant):My brother hierophant, explore this soul,Which we are to direct to wisdom’s path,Down to its depths; tell us what thou dost findIts present state of consciousness to be.The Hierophant:All hath been done that our rite doth demand.The soul no more remembers what it was.The web of semblance, spun on error’s loom,Opposing elements have swept away;In elemental strife it doth live on;Naught save its being hath the soul retained.Now of this being it shall read the lifeIn cosmic words, that speak from out the flame.The Chief Hierophant:O human soul, read now what through the flameThe cosmic word declares within thyself.(A pause of considerable length ensues, during which the stage is darkened till only theflame and indistinct outlines of the characters are visible; at the conclusion of the pause the Chief Hierophant continues.)And now from out the cosmic vision wake!Declare what can be read from cosmic words!(The Neophyte is silent. The Chief Hierophant, much alarmed, continues):He speaks not. Doth the vision leave thee? Speak!The Neophyte:Obedient to thy strict and sacred riteI sank into the being of this flameTo wait the sound of lofty cosmic words.(The assembled mystics, the Hierophant excepted, show an ever-increasing alarm during the speech of the Neophyte.)I felt that I could shake off from myselfThe weight of earth and be as light as air.I felt the loving tide of cosmic fireDid bear me up on streaming spirit-waves.I saw the body that I wear on earthAs other being stand outside myself.Though wrapt in bliss, and conscious of the lightOf spirit round me, yet I could regardMine earthly sheath with longing and desire.(Consternation all around.)Spirits rayed light thereon from lofty worlds;Like shining butterflies there hovered nearThe beings who attend its active life;The body by these beings bathed in lightReflected sparkling colours manifold;They shone close by, grew fainter further off,And then were scattered and dispersed in space.Within the being of my spirit soulThere lurked the wish that weight of earth should sinkMe down into my sheath, that I might feelAnd learn the sense of joy within life’s warmth.So, diving gladly down into my sheath,I heeded thy stern summons to awake.The Chief Hierophant(himself alarmed, to the alarmed mystics):This is no spirit-vision; earth’s desiresEscaped the mystic and as offering roseTo radiant spirit-heights;—O sacrilege!The Recorder(angrily to the Hierophant):This could not have occurred, hadst thou performedThe office granted thee as hierophantAs ancient holy duty did demand.The Hierophant:I did the duty in this solemn hourWhich those from higher realms did lay on me.I did not think that which it is my placeTo think, according to the ritual,And which, proceeding from me, should appearIn spirit-working in the neophyte.The young man therefore hath declared to usNone other’s thoughts but his own being’s self.The truth hath conquered. Ye may punish me;I had to do what ye perceived with fear.I feel the times approach which will set freeThe ego from the group-soul and let looseIts own true individual powers of thought.What if the youth escapes your mystic pathAt present?—Later lives on earth will showWith clearest signs the kind of mystic wayWhich destiny hath foreordained for him.The Mystics:O sacrilege;—thou must atone—and pay—(The sphinxes begin to speak one after the other as Ahriman and Lucifer; hitherto they have been as motionless as statues; what they say is heard only by the hierophant, the chief hierophant, and the neophyte;—the others are full of excitement over the preceding events.)Ahriman as Sphinx:For my realm I must lay my hands uponWhat here doth wrongly seek the way to light,And in the darkness further foster it;That it may bring forth spirit-qualitiesWhich later on will let it weave itselfWith rightful meaning into human life.But till it gains these spirit-qualities,What in this holy service did appearAs earthly burden, this will serve my work.Lucifer as Sphinx:For my realm I shall bear away the thingsThat joy as spirit-wish in semblance here;They’ll gladly shine as semblance in the lightAnd thus in spirit dedicate themselvesTo beauty from which they are kept apartAt present by the burden of earth’s weight.In beauty, semblance into being turns,Which later shall illuminate the earth,Descending as the light which flies from here.The Chief Hierophant:The sphinxes speak—who were but imagesE’er since this rite by sages was performed.Upon dead form the spirit now hath seized.O Fate, thou dost sound forth as cosmic word!(The other mystics, with the exception of the Hierophant and the Neophyte, are amazed at the words of the Chief Hierophant.)The Hierophant(to the Chief Hierophant):This holy mystic rite which we performHath not importance for ourselves alone.Fate’s stream of cosmic evolution poursThrough word and deed of sacred priestly rites.The curtain falls on the mental atmosphere set up by the preceding occurrences

Part I

Outside the Egyptian temple. An Egyptian woman is seen crouching by the wall. She is a previous incarnation of Johannes Thomasius.

Egyptian woman:This is the hour in which he dedicatesHimself to serve the ancient holy lawsOf sacred wisdom,—and in doing thisHe must forever tear himself from me.From out those heights of light to which his soulProgresses there must flash into mine ownThe ray of death. When I am torn from him—Naught doth remain for me in life on earthBut mourning—resignation—sorrow—death.

Egyptian woman:

This is the hour in which he dedicates

Himself to serve the ancient holy laws

Of sacred wisdom,—and in doing this

He must forever tear himself from me.

From out those heights of light to which his soul

Progresses there must flash into mine own

The ray of death. When I am torn from him—

Naught doth remain for me in life on earth

But mourning—resignation—sorrow—death.

(Clinging to the wall.)

Yet though in this hour he abandons meI, none the less, will stay close to the spotWhere he unto the spirit gives himself.And if mine eyes are not allowed to seeHow he doth tear himself away from earth,Perchance ’twill be now granted in a dreamTo linger disembodied by his side.

Yet though in this hour he abandons me

I, none the less, will stay close to the spot

Where he unto the spirit gives himself.

And if mine eyes are not allowed to see

How he doth tear himself away from earth,

Perchance ’twill be now granted in a dream

To linger disembodied by his side.

Part II

Inside the temple. The hall of initiation. The ceremony is performed on a broad flight of steps descending from the back to the front of the stage. The characters stand in groups below one another and on different steps. The drop-curtain goes up, disclosing everything in readiness for the initiation of the Neophyte, who is to be thought of as an earlier incarnation of Maria; behind the altar and to the left of it stands the Chief Hierophant who is to be thought of as an earlier incarnation of Benedictus; on the other side the Recorder, an earlier incarnation of Hilary True-to-God; a little in front of the altar the Keeper of the Seals, an earlier incarnation of Theodora; in front, on the right side of the altar, the Impersonator of the Earth Element, an earlier incarnation of Romanus, and with him the Impersonator of the Air Element, an earlier incarnation of Magnus Bellicosus; quite close to the Chief Hierophant, stands the Hierophant, an earlier incarnation of Capesius; on the left side of the altar the Impersonator of the Fire Element, an earlier incarnation of Doctor Strader, with the Impersonator of the Water Element, an earlier incarnation of Torquatus. In front of them Philia, Astrid, Luna and the ‘other Philia.’ Four other priests stand in front of them. In front of all Lucifer to the left of altar and Ahriman to the right in the guise of sphinxes, with the cherub emphasized in the case of Lucifer and the bull in the case of Ahriman. Dead silence for a while after the interior of the temple with itsgrouped mystics has become visible. The Keeper of the Temple an earlier incarnation of Felix Balde, and a Mystic, an earlier incarnation of Dame Balde, lead the Neophyte in through a doorway on the right of stage. They place him in the inner circle near the altar, and remain standing near him.

The Keeper of the Temple:From out that web of unrealityWhich thou, in error’s darkness named’st world,The mystic hath conducted thee to us.From being and from naught the world was madeWhich to a semblance wove itself for thee.Semblance is good, by being understood;Thou didst but dream it in thy sembled life;And semblance known by semblance disappears.Learn, semblance of a semblance, what thou art.

The Keeper of the Temple:

From out that web of unreality

Which thou, in error’s darkness named’st world,

The mystic hath conducted thee to us.

From being and from naught the world was made

Which to a semblance wove itself for thee.

Semblance is good, by being understood;

Thou didst but dream it in thy sembled life;

And semblance known by semblance disappears.

Learn, semblance of a semblance, what thou art.

The Mystic:Thus speaks the guardian of this temple’s door.Feel in thyself the sore weight of his words.

The Mystic:

Thus speaks the guardian of this temple’s door.

Feel in thyself the sore weight of his words.

The Impersonator of the Earth Element:Beneath the weight of earth-life seize uponThe semblance of your being without fear.That thou mayst sink into the cosmic depthsIn darksome cosmic depths thy being seek.Bind to thy semblance that which thou dost find;Its weight will give thy being unto thee.

The Impersonator of the Earth Element:

Beneath the weight of earth-life seize upon

The semblance of your being without fear.

That thou mayst sink into the cosmic depths

In darksome cosmic depths thy being seek.

Bind to thy semblance that which thou dost find;

Its weight will give thy being unto thee.

The Recorder:Thou wilt not understand, as thou dost sink,Whereto we lead till thou hast heard his call.We forge for thee the form of thy real self;Perceive our work; else must thou lose thyselfAs semblance in the cosmic nothingness.

The Recorder:

Thou wilt not understand, as thou dost sink,

Whereto we lead till thou hast heard his call.

We forge for thee the form of thy real self;

Perceive our work; else must thou lose thyself

As semblance in the cosmic nothingness.

The Mystic:So speaks the guardian of this temple’s words.Feel in thyself the sore weight of his words.

The Mystic:

So speaks the guardian of this temple’s words.

Feel in thyself the sore weight of his words.

The Impersonator of the Air Element:Fly from the weight of earth-life which would killThe being of thyself, as thou dost sink.Fly from it on the lightness of the air.In light of cosmic space thy being seek.Bind to thy semblance that which thou dost find;Its flight will give thy being unto thee.

The Impersonator of the Air Element:

Fly from the weight of earth-life which would kill

The being of thyself, as thou dost sink.

Fly from it on the lightness of the air.

In light of cosmic space thy being seek.

Bind to thy semblance that which thou dost find;

Its flight will give thy being unto thee.

The Recorder:Thou wilt not understand, as thou dost fly,Whereto we lead, till thou hast heard his call.We light for thee the life of thy real self;Perceive our work; else must thou lose thyselfAs semblance in the cosmic weightiness.

The Recorder:

Thou wilt not understand, as thou dost fly,

Whereto we lead, till thou hast heard his call.

We light for thee the life of thy real self;

Perceive our work; else must thou lose thyself

As semblance in the cosmic weightiness.

The Mystic:So speaks the guardian of this temple’s words.Feel in thyself the uplift of his words.

The Mystic:

So speaks the guardian of this temple’s words.

Feel in thyself the uplift of his words.

The Chief Hierophant:My son, thou wilt on wisdom’s noble roadThe mystic’s counsel carefully obey.Thou canst not see the answer in thyself;For error’s darkness still doth weigh thee downAnd folly strives in thee for distant things.Gaze therefore—on this flame which is more close

The Chief Hierophant:

My son, thou wilt on wisdom’s noble road

The mystic’s counsel carefully obey.

Thou canst not see the answer in thyself;

For error’s darkness still doth weigh thee down

And folly strives in thee for distant things.

Gaze therefore—on this flame which is more close

(The bright, quivering sacred flame flares up on the altar in the middle of the stage.)

To thee than is the life of thine own self,And read thine answer hidden in its fire.

To thee than is the life of thine own self,

And read thine answer hidden in its fire.

The Mystic:So speaks the leader of this temple’s rites.Feel in thyself the ritual’s holy power.

The Mystic:

So speaks the leader of this temple’s rites.

Feel in thyself the ritual’s holy power.

The Impersonator of the Fire Element:Let all the errors of thine own ideasBe burned in fire that this rite lights for thee.Let, with thine errors, thyself also burn.As flame of cosmic fire thy being seek;Bind to thy semblance that which thou dost find;Its fire will give thy being unto thee.

The Impersonator of the Fire Element:

Let all the errors of thine own ideas

Be burned in fire that this rite lights for thee.

Let, with thine errors, thyself also burn.

As flame of cosmic fire thy being seek;

Bind to thy semblance that which thou dost find;

Its fire will give thy being unto thee.

The Keeper of the Seals:Thou wilt not understand why to a flameWe fashion thee till thou hast heard his call.We cleanse for thee the form of thine own self;Perceive our work; else must thou lose thyselfAs formless being in the cosmic sea.

The Keeper of the Seals:

Thou wilt not understand why to a flame

We fashion thee till thou hast heard his call.

We cleanse for thee the form of thine own self;

Perceive our work; else must thou lose thyself

As formless being in the cosmic sea.

The Mystic:So speaks the guardian of this temple’s seals.Feel in thyself the power of wisdom’s light.

The Mystic:

So speaks the guardian of this temple’s seals.

Feel in thyself the power of wisdom’s light.

The Impersonator of the Water Element:Resist the flame-powers of the world of fireThat they may not devour thy being’s might.From semblance, being will not rise in theeUnless the wave-beat of the cosmic seaCan fill thee with the music of the spheres.As wave in cosmic sea thy being seek;Bind to thy semblance that which thou dost find;Its waves will give thy being unto thee.

The Impersonator of the Water Element:

Resist the flame-powers of the world of fire

That they may not devour thy being’s might.

From semblance, being will not rise in thee

Unless the wave-beat of the cosmic sea

Can fill thee with the music of the spheres.

As wave in cosmic sea thy being seek;

Bind to thy semblance that which thou dost find;

Its waves will give thy being unto thee.

The Keeper of the Seals:Thou wilt not understand why to a waveWe fashion thee till thou hast heard his call.We build for thee the form of thine own self;Perceive our work; else must thou lose thyselfA formless being in the cosmic fire.

The Keeper of the Seals:

Thou wilt not understand why to a wave

We fashion thee till thou hast heard his call.

We build for thee the form of thine own self;

Perceive our work; else must thou lose thyself

A formless being in the cosmic fire.

The Chief Hierophant:My son, by powerful exercise of willThese mystic counsels too thou must obey.Thou canst not see the answer in thyself;By cowardly fear thy power is still congealed;Thou canst not fashion weakness to a waveThat lets thy note ring out amongst the spheres.So listen to thy soul-powers when they speak;And thine own voice within their words perceive.

The Chief Hierophant:

My son, by powerful exercise of will

These mystic counsels too thou must obey.

Thou canst not see the answer in thyself;

By cowardly fear thy power is still congealed;

Thou canst not fashion weakness to a wave

That lets thy note ring out amongst the spheres.

So listen to thy soul-powers when they speak;

And thine own voice within their words perceive.

Philia:In fire cleanse thou thyself;—and lose thyselfAs cosmic wave in music of the spheres.

Philia:

In fire cleanse thou thyself;—and lose thyself

As cosmic wave in music of the spheres.

Astrid:Build thou thyself in music of the spheres;In cosmic distances fly light as air.

Astrid:

Build thou thyself in music of the spheres;

In cosmic distances fly light as air.

Luna:Sink with thy weight of earth to cosmic depths;Take courage as a self in thy sore weight.

Luna:

Sink with thy weight of earth to cosmic depths;

Take courage as a self in thy sore weight.

The Other Philia:From thine own being draw thyself away;Unite thyself with elemental might.

The Other Philia:

From thine own being draw thyself away;

Unite thyself with elemental might.

The Mystic:Thine own soul speaks thus in these temple halls;Feel thou therein the guidance of the powers.

The Mystic:

Thine own soul speaks thus in these temple halls;

Feel thou therein the guidance of the powers.

The Chief Hierophant(addressing the Hierophant):My brother hierophant, explore this soul,Which we are to direct to wisdom’s path,Down to its depths; tell us what thou dost findIts present state of consciousness to be.

The Chief Hierophant(addressing the Hierophant):

My brother hierophant, explore this soul,

Which we are to direct to wisdom’s path,

Down to its depths; tell us what thou dost find

Its present state of consciousness to be.

The Hierophant:All hath been done that our rite doth demand.The soul no more remembers what it was.The web of semblance, spun on error’s loom,Opposing elements have swept away;In elemental strife it doth live on;Naught save its being hath the soul retained.Now of this being it shall read the lifeIn cosmic words, that speak from out the flame.

The Hierophant:

All hath been done that our rite doth demand.

The soul no more remembers what it was.

The web of semblance, spun on error’s loom,

Opposing elements have swept away;

In elemental strife it doth live on;

Naught save its being hath the soul retained.

Now of this being it shall read the life

In cosmic words, that speak from out the flame.

The Chief Hierophant:O human soul, read now what through the flameThe cosmic word declares within thyself.

The Chief Hierophant:

O human soul, read now what through the flame

The cosmic word declares within thyself.

(A pause of considerable length ensues, during which the stage is darkened till only theflame and indistinct outlines of the characters are visible; at the conclusion of the pause the Chief Hierophant continues.)

And now from out the cosmic vision wake!Declare what can be read from cosmic words!

And now from out the cosmic vision wake!

Declare what can be read from cosmic words!

(The Neophyte is silent. The Chief Hierophant, much alarmed, continues):

He speaks not. Doth the vision leave thee? Speak!

The Neophyte:Obedient to thy strict and sacred riteI sank into the being of this flameTo wait the sound of lofty cosmic words.

The Neophyte:

Obedient to thy strict and sacred rite

I sank into the being of this flame

To wait the sound of lofty cosmic words.

(The assembled mystics, the Hierophant excepted, show an ever-increasing alarm during the speech of the Neophyte.)

I felt that I could shake off from myselfThe weight of earth and be as light as air.I felt the loving tide of cosmic fireDid bear me up on streaming spirit-waves.I saw the body that I wear on earthAs other being stand outside myself.Though wrapt in bliss, and conscious of the lightOf spirit round me, yet I could regardMine earthly sheath with longing and desire.

I felt that I could shake off from myself

The weight of earth and be as light as air.

I felt the loving tide of cosmic fire

Did bear me up on streaming spirit-waves.

I saw the body that I wear on earth

As other being stand outside myself.

Though wrapt in bliss, and conscious of the light

Of spirit round me, yet I could regard

Mine earthly sheath with longing and desire.

(Consternation all around.)

Spirits rayed light thereon from lofty worlds;Like shining butterflies there hovered nearThe beings who attend its active life;The body by these beings bathed in lightReflected sparkling colours manifold;They shone close by, grew fainter further off,And then were scattered and dispersed in space.Within the being of my spirit soulThere lurked the wish that weight of earth should sinkMe down into my sheath, that I might feelAnd learn the sense of joy within life’s warmth.So, diving gladly down into my sheath,I heeded thy stern summons to awake.

Spirits rayed light thereon from lofty worlds;

Like shining butterflies there hovered near

The beings who attend its active life;

The body by these beings bathed in light

Reflected sparkling colours manifold;

They shone close by, grew fainter further off,

And then were scattered and dispersed in space.

Within the being of my spirit soul

There lurked the wish that weight of earth should sink

Me down into my sheath, that I might feel

And learn the sense of joy within life’s warmth.

So, diving gladly down into my sheath,

I heeded thy stern summons to awake.

The Chief Hierophant(himself alarmed, to the alarmed mystics):This is no spirit-vision; earth’s desiresEscaped the mystic and as offering roseTo radiant spirit-heights;—O sacrilege!

The Chief Hierophant(himself alarmed, to the alarmed mystics):

This is no spirit-vision; earth’s desires

Escaped the mystic and as offering rose

To radiant spirit-heights;—O sacrilege!

The Recorder(angrily to the Hierophant):This could not have occurred, hadst thou performedThe office granted thee as hierophantAs ancient holy duty did demand.

The Recorder(angrily to the Hierophant):

This could not have occurred, hadst thou performed

The office granted thee as hierophant

As ancient holy duty did demand.

The Hierophant:I did the duty in this solemn hourWhich those from higher realms did lay on me.I did not think that which it is my placeTo think, according to the ritual,And which, proceeding from me, should appearIn spirit-working in the neophyte.The young man therefore hath declared to usNone other’s thoughts but his own being’s self.The truth hath conquered. Ye may punish me;I had to do what ye perceived with fear.I feel the times approach which will set freeThe ego from the group-soul and let looseIts own true individual powers of thought.What if the youth escapes your mystic pathAt present?—Later lives on earth will showWith clearest signs the kind of mystic wayWhich destiny hath foreordained for him.

The Hierophant:

I did the duty in this solemn hour

Which those from higher realms did lay on me.

I did not think that which it is my place

To think, according to the ritual,

And which, proceeding from me, should appear

In spirit-working in the neophyte.

The young man therefore hath declared to us

None other’s thoughts but his own being’s self.

The truth hath conquered. Ye may punish me;

I had to do what ye perceived with fear.

I feel the times approach which will set free

The ego from the group-soul and let loose

Its own true individual powers of thought.

What if the youth escapes your mystic path

At present?—Later lives on earth will show

With clearest signs the kind of mystic way

Which destiny hath foreordained for him.

The Mystics:O sacrilege;—thou must atone—and pay—

The Mystics:

O sacrilege;—thou must atone—and pay—

(The sphinxes begin to speak one after the other as Ahriman and Lucifer; hitherto they have been as motionless as statues; what they say is heard only by the hierophant, the chief hierophant, and the neophyte;—the others are full of excitement over the preceding events.)

Ahriman as Sphinx:For my realm I must lay my hands uponWhat here doth wrongly seek the way to light,And in the darkness further foster it;That it may bring forth spirit-qualitiesWhich later on will let it weave itselfWith rightful meaning into human life.But till it gains these spirit-qualities,What in this holy service did appearAs earthly burden, this will serve my work.

Ahriman as Sphinx:

For my realm I must lay my hands upon

What here doth wrongly seek the way to light,

And in the darkness further foster it;

That it may bring forth spirit-qualities

Which later on will let it weave itself

With rightful meaning into human life.

But till it gains these spirit-qualities,

What in this holy service did appear

As earthly burden, this will serve my work.

Lucifer as Sphinx:For my realm I shall bear away the thingsThat joy as spirit-wish in semblance here;They’ll gladly shine as semblance in the lightAnd thus in spirit dedicate themselvesTo beauty from which they are kept apartAt present by the burden of earth’s weight.In beauty, semblance into being turns,Which later shall illuminate the earth,Descending as the light which flies from here.

Lucifer as Sphinx:

For my realm I shall bear away the things

That joy as spirit-wish in semblance here;

They’ll gladly shine as semblance in the light

And thus in spirit dedicate themselves

To beauty from which they are kept apart

At present by the burden of earth’s weight.

In beauty, semblance into being turns,

Which later shall illuminate the earth,

Descending as the light which flies from here.

The Chief Hierophant:The sphinxes speak—who were but imagesE’er since this rite by sages was performed.Upon dead form the spirit now hath seized.O Fate, thou dost sound forth as cosmic word!

The Chief Hierophant:

The sphinxes speak—who were but images

E’er since this rite by sages was performed.

Upon dead form the spirit now hath seized.

O Fate, thou dost sound forth as cosmic word!

(The other mystics, with the exception of the Hierophant and the Neophyte, are amazed at the words of the Chief Hierophant.)

The Hierophant(to the Chief Hierophant):This holy mystic rite which we performHath not importance for ourselves alone.Fate’s stream of cosmic evolution poursThrough word and deed of sacred priestly rites.

The Hierophant(to the Chief Hierophant):

This holy mystic rite which we perform

Hath not importance for ourselves alone.

Fate’s stream of cosmic evolution pours

Through word and deed of sacred priestly rites.

The curtain falls on the mental atmosphere set up by the preceding occurrences

Scene 9A study in Hilary’s house. A general atmosphere of seriousness pervades the room. Maria alone in meditation.Maria:A starry soul, on yonder spirit-shore,Draws near,—draws near me clad in spirit-light,Draws near with mine own self, and as it nears—Its radiance gains in power,—and gains in calm.O star within my spirit-circle, whatDoth thine approach shed on my gazing soul?(Astrid appears to right.)Astrid:Perceive that which I now can bring to thee;From cosmic strife ’twixt darkness and the lightI stole thy power of thought; I bring it nowFrom out its cosmic midnight’s wakeningWith service true back to thine earthly form.Maria:My Astrid, thou hast ever till todayAppeared to me as shining shadow-soul;What turns thee now to this bright spirit-star?Astrid:I kept the lightning’s and the thunder’s powerFor thee, that they might stay within thy soul,And now thou canst behold them consciously—When of the cosmic midnight thou dost think.Maria:The cosmic midnight!—ere for this earth-lifeMy self enclosed me in my body’s sheath;When Saturn’s coloured light kept endless watch!Mine earthly thoughts concealed from me beforeThis spirit scene in soul-obscurity;—Now in soul-clarity it doth emerge.Astrid:Thyself in cosmic light didst speak these words:‘Of thee, Duration, would I crave a boon:Pour out thyself into this blessednessAnd let my guide, and let that other soulNow dwell with me therein in peacefulness.’Maria:Dwell with me also. O thou moment blest,In which this spirit happening createsNew powers of self. Equip my soul with strengthThat thou mayst not pass from me like a dream.In light which on the cosmic midnight shines,Which Astrid brings from soul-obscurity,Mine ego joins that self which fashioned meTo serve its purpose in the cosmic life.But how, O moment, can I hold thee fast,So that I do not lose thee when once moreMy senses feel earth clearness once again?Their power is great; and often, if they slayThe spirit-vision, it stays dead e’en whenThe self in spirit finds itself again.(Immediately after the last words, as if summoned by them, Luna appears.)Luna:Preserve, before the sense-life once againMakes thee to dream, the power of thine own willWith which this moment hath presented thee.Think of the words that I myself did speakWhen at the cosmic midnight seen by thee.Maria:My Luna, from the cosmic midnight thouHast brought me hither mine own power of willTo be my prop throughout my life on earth.Luna:The Guardian’s warning followed thus thy words:‘Then shalt thou see thyself in other guise,E’en in a picture of an olden time,And know how strength for lofty spirit-flightE’en from disaster may the soul’s wings gain.A soul may never wish itself to fall;Yet, when it falls it must a lesson learn.’Maria:Whereto doth thy word’s power now carry me?A spirit-star on yonder shore of souls!It gleams, it draweth nigh—in spirit-form;Draws nigh with mine own self; and, as it nears,The light grows denser and within the lightForms darken, taking on their being’s shape!A youthful mystic, and a sacred flame,The stern call of the highest hierophantTo tell the vision seen within the flame!The group of mystics overcome with fearAt that young mystic’s self-acknowledgment.(The Guardian of the Threshold appears while the latter sentences are being uttered.)The Guardian:Hear once again within thy spirit-earThe stern call of the highest hierophant.Maria:‘O human soul, read now what through the flame(Benedictus appears.)The cosmic word declares within thyself.’Who spoke the words my thought brings back to me,Recalling them from waters of the soul?Benedictus:With mine own words thou callest me to thee.When in times past I uttered this command,It did not find thee ready to respond.And so it stayed in evolution’s womb;The course of time hath lent new force theretoWhich flowed therein from out thine own soul’s life;And so it wrought in later lives on earthIn thy soul’s depths although thou knewest it not.It let thee find me as thy guide again;By conscious thought it now transforms itselfInto a powerful motive in thy life.‘This holy mystic rite, which we perform,Hath not importance for ourselves alone;Fate’s stream of cosmic evolution poursThrough word and deed of sacred priestly rites.’Maria:Thou didst not speak this word within that place.The hierophant did speak, who used to beThy colleague in that ancient mystic band.He knew e’en then that powers of destinyForesaw the ending of this mystic band.Unconsciously thehierophantbeheldThe beauteous rising of the rosy dawnWhich to the spirit-stream of earth foretoldA new sun over Hellas should arise.So he forbore to send the powerful thoughtWhich he should have directed to my soul.The cosmic spirit’s instrument was heAt that initiation, during whichHe heard the whispering stream of cosmic life.He spoke a word from out his inmost soul‘One thing especially I deeply feel:The solitude of this stern spirit-shrine.Why do I feel so lonely in this place?’Benedictus:In his soul there was planted even thenThe germ of solitude, which later onMatured to soul-fruit in the womb of time.This fruit Capesius as mystic nowMust taste, and so must follow Felix’ steps.Maria:That woman, too, who near the temple stayed,I see her as she was in olden time,But not yet can my vision penetrateTo where she is; how can I find her thenWhen sense-life causeth me to dream again?The Guardian:Thou wilt discover her when thou dost seeThat being in the realm of souls whom sheDoth count a shade amongst the other shades.She seeks to reach it with strong power of soul.She will not free it from the world of shadesTill in her present body, through thine aid,She hath beheld her long past life on earth.Maria:Like some soul-star my highest guardian glides,In glowing light toward my shore of souls;—His light spreads peace, far round the wide flung space;—His light hath grandeur;—and his dignityMakes strong my being in its inmost depths;In this peace will I now submerge myself;—I feel before that through it I shall findMy way to fullest spirit-wakefulness.And ye, too, messengers into my soul—I’ll keep within myself as beacon-lights.Upon thee, Astrid, will I call when thoughtWould from soul-clearness fain withdraw itself.And thee, O Luna, may my prayer then findWhen will-power slumbers deep in my soul depths.The curtain falls while Maria, Astrid, and Luna are still in the room

A study in Hilary’s house. A general atmosphere of seriousness pervades the room. Maria alone in meditation.

Maria:A starry soul, on yonder spirit-shore,Draws near,—draws near me clad in spirit-light,Draws near with mine own self, and as it nears—Its radiance gains in power,—and gains in calm.O star within my spirit-circle, whatDoth thine approach shed on my gazing soul?

Maria:

A starry soul, on yonder spirit-shore,

Draws near,—draws near me clad in spirit-light,

Draws near with mine own self, and as it nears—

Its radiance gains in power,—and gains in calm.

O star within my spirit-circle, what

Doth thine approach shed on my gazing soul?

(Astrid appears to right.)

Astrid:Perceive that which I now can bring to thee;From cosmic strife ’twixt darkness and the lightI stole thy power of thought; I bring it nowFrom out its cosmic midnight’s wakeningWith service true back to thine earthly form.

Astrid:

Perceive that which I now can bring to thee;

From cosmic strife ’twixt darkness and the light

I stole thy power of thought; I bring it now

From out its cosmic midnight’s wakening

With service true back to thine earthly form.

Maria:My Astrid, thou hast ever till todayAppeared to me as shining shadow-soul;What turns thee now to this bright spirit-star?

Maria:

My Astrid, thou hast ever till today

Appeared to me as shining shadow-soul;

What turns thee now to this bright spirit-star?

Astrid:I kept the lightning’s and the thunder’s powerFor thee, that they might stay within thy soul,And now thou canst behold them consciously—When of the cosmic midnight thou dost think.

Astrid:

I kept the lightning’s and the thunder’s power

For thee, that they might stay within thy soul,

And now thou canst behold them consciously—

When of the cosmic midnight thou dost think.

Maria:The cosmic midnight!—ere for this earth-lifeMy self enclosed me in my body’s sheath;When Saturn’s coloured light kept endless watch!Mine earthly thoughts concealed from me beforeThis spirit scene in soul-obscurity;—Now in soul-clarity it doth emerge.

Maria:

The cosmic midnight!—ere for this earth-life

My self enclosed me in my body’s sheath;

When Saturn’s coloured light kept endless watch!

Mine earthly thoughts concealed from me before

This spirit scene in soul-obscurity;—

Now in soul-clarity it doth emerge.

Astrid:Thyself in cosmic light didst speak these words:‘Of thee, Duration, would I crave a boon:Pour out thyself into this blessednessAnd let my guide, and let that other soulNow dwell with me therein in peacefulness.’

Astrid:

Thyself in cosmic light didst speak these words:

‘Of thee, Duration, would I crave a boon:

Pour out thyself into this blessedness

And let my guide, and let that other soul

Now dwell with me therein in peacefulness.’

Maria:Dwell with me also. O thou moment blest,In which this spirit happening createsNew powers of self. Equip my soul with strengthThat thou mayst not pass from me like a dream.In light which on the cosmic midnight shines,Which Astrid brings from soul-obscurity,Mine ego joins that self which fashioned meTo serve its purpose in the cosmic life.But how, O moment, can I hold thee fast,So that I do not lose thee when once moreMy senses feel earth clearness once again?Their power is great; and often, if they slayThe spirit-vision, it stays dead e’en whenThe self in spirit finds itself again.

Maria:

Dwell with me also. O thou moment blest,

In which this spirit happening creates

New powers of self. Equip my soul with strength

That thou mayst not pass from me like a dream.

In light which on the cosmic midnight shines,

Which Astrid brings from soul-obscurity,

Mine ego joins that self which fashioned me

To serve its purpose in the cosmic life.

But how, O moment, can I hold thee fast,

So that I do not lose thee when once more

My senses feel earth clearness once again?

Their power is great; and often, if they slay

The spirit-vision, it stays dead e’en when

The self in spirit finds itself again.

(Immediately after the last words, as if summoned by them, Luna appears.)

Luna:Preserve, before the sense-life once againMakes thee to dream, the power of thine own willWith which this moment hath presented thee.Think of the words that I myself did speakWhen at the cosmic midnight seen by thee.

Luna:

Preserve, before the sense-life once again

Makes thee to dream, the power of thine own will

With which this moment hath presented thee.

Think of the words that I myself did speak

When at the cosmic midnight seen by thee.

Maria:My Luna, from the cosmic midnight thouHast brought me hither mine own power of willTo be my prop throughout my life on earth.

Maria:

My Luna, from the cosmic midnight thou

Hast brought me hither mine own power of will

To be my prop throughout my life on earth.

Luna:The Guardian’s warning followed thus thy words:‘Then shalt thou see thyself in other guise,E’en in a picture of an olden time,And know how strength for lofty spirit-flightE’en from disaster may the soul’s wings gain.A soul may never wish itself to fall;Yet, when it falls it must a lesson learn.’

Luna:

The Guardian’s warning followed thus thy words:

‘Then shalt thou see thyself in other guise,

E’en in a picture of an olden time,

And know how strength for lofty spirit-flight

E’en from disaster may the soul’s wings gain.

A soul may never wish itself to fall;

Yet, when it falls it must a lesson learn.’

Maria:Whereto doth thy word’s power now carry me?A spirit-star on yonder shore of souls!It gleams, it draweth nigh—in spirit-form;Draws nigh with mine own self; and, as it nears,The light grows denser and within the lightForms darken, taking on their being’s shape!A youthful mystic, and a sacred flame,The stern call of the highest hierophantTo tell the vision seen within the flame!

Maria:

Whereto doth thy word’s power now carry me?

A spirit-star on yonder shore of souls!

It gleams, it draweth nigh—in spirit-form;

Draws nigh with mine own self; and, as it nears,

The light grows denser and within the light

Forms darken, taking on their being’s shape!

A youthful mystic, and a sacred flame,

The stern call of the highest hierophant

To tell the vision seen within the flame!

The group of mystics overcome with fearAt that young mystic’s self-acknowledgment.

The group of mystics overcome with fear

At that young mystic’s self-acknowledgment.

(The Guardian of the Threshold appears while the latter sentences are being uttered.)

The Guardian:Hear once again within thy spirit-earThe stern call of the highest hierophant.

The Guardian:

Hear once again within thy spirit-ear

The stern call of the highest hierophant.

Maria:‘O human soul, read now what through the flame

Maria:

‘O human soul, read now what through the flame

(Benedictus appears.)

The cosmic word declares within thyself.’Who spoke the words my thought brings back to me,Recalling them from waters of the soul?

The cosmic word declares within thyself.’

Who spoke the words my thought brings back to me,

Recalling them from waters of the soul?

Benedictus:With mine own words thou callest me to thee.When in times past I uttered this command,It did not find thee ready to respond.And so it stayed in evolution’s womb;The course of time hath lent new force theretoWhich flowed therein from out thine own soul’s life;And so it wrought in later lives on earthIn thy soul’s depths although thou knewest it not.It let thee find me as thy guide again;By conscious thought it now transforms itselfInto a powerful motive in thy life.‘This holy mystic rite, which we perform,Hath not importance for ourselves alone;Fate’s stream of cosmic evolution poursThrough word and deed of sacred priestly rites.’

Benedictus:

With mine own words thou callest me to thee.

When in times past I uttered this command,

It did not find thee ready to respond.

And so it stayed in evolution’s womb;

The course of time hath lent new force thereto

Which flowed therein from out thine own soul’s life;

And so it wrought in later lives on earth

In thy soul’s depths although thou knewest it not.

It let thee find me as thy guide again;

By conscious thought it now transforms itself

Into a powerful motive in thy life.

‘This holy mystic rite, which we perform,

Hath not importance for ourselves alone;

Fate’s stream of cosmic evolution pours

Through word and deed of sacred priestly rites.’

Maria:Thou didst not speak this word within that place.The hierophant did speak, who used to beThy colleague in that ancient mystic band.He knew e’en then that powers of destinyForesaw the ending of this mystic band.Unconsciously thehierophantbeheldThe beauteous rising of the rosy dawnWhich to the spirit-stream of earth foretoldA new sun over Hellas should arise.So he forbore to send the powerful thoughtWhich he should have directed to my soul.The cosmic spirit’s instrument was heAt that initiation, during whichHe heard the whispering stream of cosmic life.He spoke a word from out his inmost soul‘One thing especially I deeply feel:The solitude of this stern spirit-shrine.Why do I feel so lonely in this place?’

Maria:

Thou didst not speak this word within that place.

The hierophant did speak, who used to be

Thy colleague in that ancient mystic band.

He knew e’en then that powers of destiny

Foresaw the ending of this mystic band.

Unconsciously thehierophantbeheld

The beauteous rising of the rosy dawn

Which to the spirit-stream of earth foretold

A new sun over Hellas should arise.

So he forbore to send the powerful thought

Which he should have directed to my soul.

The cosmic spirit’s instrument was he

At that initiation, during which

He heard the whispering stream of cosmic life.

He spoke a word from out his inmost soul

‘One thing especially I deeply feel:

The solitude of this stern spirit-shrine.

Why do I feel so lonely in this place?’

Benedictus:In his soul there was planted even thenThe germ of solitude, which later onMatured to soul-fruit in the womb of time.This fruit Capesius as mystic nowMust taste, and so must follow Felix’ steps.

Benedictus:

In his soul there was planted even then

The germ of solitude, which later on

Matured to soul-fruit in the womb of time.

This fruit Capesius as mystic now

Must taste, and so must follow Felix’ steps.

Maria:That woman, too, who near the temple stayed,I see her as she was in olden time,But not yet can my vision penetrateTo where she is; how can I find her thenWhen sense-life causeth me to dream again?

Maria:

That woman, too, who near the temple stayed,

I see her as she was in olden time,

But not yet can my vision penetrate

To where she is; how can I find her then

When sense-life causeth me to dream again?

The Guardian:Thou wilt discover her when thou dost seeThat being in the realm of souls whom sheDoth count a shade amongst the other shades.She seeks to reach it with strong power of soul.She will not free it from the world of shadesTill in her present body, through thine aid,She hath beheld her long past life on earth.

The Guardian:

Thou wilt discover her when thou dost see

That being in the realm of souls whom she

Doth count a shade amongst the other shades.

She seeks to reach it with strong power of soul.

She will not free it from the world of shades

Till in her present body, through thine aid,

She hath beheld her long past life on earth.

Maria:Like some soul-star my highest guardian glides,In glowing light toward my shore of souls;—His light spreads peace, far round the wide flung space;—His light hath grandeur;—and his dignityMakes strong my being in its inmost depths;In this peace will I now submerge myself;—I feel before that through it I shall findMy way to fullest spirit-wakefulness.And ye, too, messengers into my soul—I’ll keep within myself as beacon-lights.Upon thee, Astrid, will I call when thoughtWould from soul-clearness fain withdraw itself.And thee, O Luna, may my prayer then findWhen will-power slumbers deep in my soul depths.

Maria:

Like some soul-star my highest guardian glides,

In glowing light toward my shore of souls;—

His light spreads peace, far round the wide flung space;—

His light hath grandeur;—and his dignity

Makes strong my being in its inmost depths;

In this peace will I now submerge myself;—

I feel before that through it I shall find

My way to fullest spirit-wakefulness.

And ye, too, messengers into my soul—

I’ll keep within myself as beacon-lights.

Upon thee, Astrid, will I call when thought

Would from soul-clearness fain withdraw itself.

And thee, O Luna, may my prayer then find

When will-power slumbers deep in my soul depths.

The curtain falls while Maria, Astrid, and Luna are still in the room

Scene 10The same. Johannes alone in meditation.Johannes:‘This is the hour in which he dedicatesHimself to serve the ancient holy lawsOf sacred wisdom;—in a dream perchanceI may in spirit linger at his side.’Thus near the temple spake in ancient timesThe woman whom my spirit-vision sees;By thoughts of her I feel my strength increased.What is this picture’s purpose? Why doth itHold my attention spellbound? CertainlyNo sympathy from out the picture’s selfAccounts for this, for, should I see the sceneIn earthly life, I should consider itOf no importance. What saith it to me?(As if from afar the voice of ‘the other Philia.’)The Other Philia:The magical webThat forms their own self.Johannes:And clairvoyant dreamsMake clear unto soulsThe magical webThat forms their own self.(While Johannes is speaking these lines ‘the other Philia’ approaches him.)Johannes:Who art thou, magic spirit-counsellor?True counsel didst thou bring unto my soulBut didst deceive me over thine own self.The Other Philia:Johannes, thine own being’s double formFrom thyself didst thou fashion. As a shadeMustIroam round thee for so long a timeAs thou thyself shalt not set free the shadeWhom thine offence doth lend a magic life.Johannes:This is the third time that thou speakest thus;I will obey thee. Point me out the way!The Other Philia:Johannes, whilst thou liv’st in spirit-light,Seek what is treasured up within thy Self.From its own light it will shed light on thee.Thus canst thou learn by looking in thyselfHow to wipe out thy fault in later lives.Johannes:How shall I, while I live in spirit-light,Seek what is treasured up within my Self?The Other Philia:Give me that which thou thinkest that thou art;Lose thou thyself in me a little while,Yet so that thou dost not another seem.Johannes:How can I give myself to thee beforeI have beheld thee as thou really art?The Other Philia:I am within thee, member of thy soul;The force of love within thee is myself;The heart’s hope, as it stirs within thy breast,The fruits of long-past lives upon this earthLaid up for thee and hid within thyself,Behold them now through me;—feel what I am,And through my power in thee behold thyself.Search out the pictured being, which thy sight,Without thy sympathy, did form for thee.(Exit.)Johannes:O spirit-counsellor, I can indeedFeel thee in me, yet I see thee no more.Where livest thou for me?(As if from afar the call of ‘the other Philia.’)The Other Philia:The magical webThat forms their own self.Johannes:‘The magical webThat forms their own self.’O magical web, that forms mine own self,Show me the pictured being which my sightWithout my sympathy did form for me.Whereto doth this word’s power conduct me now?A spirit-star on yonder shore of souls—It shines,—it draweth nigh—as spirit-form,Grows brighter as it nears;—now forms appear;—They act as beings act who are alive;—A youthful mystic—and a sacred flame,The stern call of the highest hierophantTo tell the vision seen within the flame.That woman doth the youthful mystic seek,Whom my sight saw without my sympathy.(Maria appears as a thought-form of Johannes.)Maria:Who thought of thee before the sacred flame?Who felt thee near initiation’s shrine?Johannes, wouldst thou tear thy spirit-shadeFrom out the magic kingdoms of the soul;Live then the aims that it will show to thee;The path on which thou seek’st will guide thy steps,But thou must first discover it aright.The woman near the temple shows it theeIf she lives powerfully within thy thought.Spellbound amongst shade-spirits doth she striveTo draw nigh to that other shade who nowThrough thee doth evil service to grim shades.(The Spirit of Johannes’ Youth appears.)The Spirit of Johannes’ Youth:I will be grateful to thee evermoreIf thou in love dost cultivate the powersLaid up for me within the womb of timeBy that young mystic in that bygone ageWhom once thy soul sought at the temple gate.But thou must first this spirit truly seeAt whose side I have now appeared to thee.Maria:Maria, as thou wouldst behold her, livesIn other worlds than those where truth abides.My holy earnest vow doth ray out strengthWhich shall keep for thee that which thou hast gained.In these clear fields of light me shalt thou findWhere radiant beauty life-power doth create;Seek me in cosmic fundaments, where soulsFight to recover their divine estateThrough love, which in the whole beholds the self.(While Maria is speaking the last lines, Lucifer appears.)Lucifer:So work, compelling powers;Act therefore, powers of might,Ye elemental sprites,Feel now your master’s power,And smooth for me the wayThat leads from realms of EarthThat so there may draw nearTo Lucifer’s domainWhate’er my wish desires,Whate’er obeys my will.(Enter Benedictus.)Benedictus:Maria’s holy earnest vow doth pourNow through his soul salvation’s healing ray.He will admire thee, but he will not fall.Lucifer:I mean to fight.Benedictus:And, fighting serve the gods.Curtain

The same. Johannes alone in meditation.

Johannes:‘This is the hour in which he dedicatesHimself to serve the ancient holy lawsOf sacred wisdom;—in a dream perchanceI may in spirit linger at his side.’Thus near the temple spake in ancient timesThe woman whom my spirit-vision sees;By thoughts of her I feel my strength increased.What is this picture’s purpose? Why doth itHold my attention spellbound? CertainlyNo sympathy from out the picture’s selfAccounts for this, for, should I see the sceneIn earthly life, I should consider itOf no importance. What saith it to me?

Johannes:

‘This is the hour in which he dedicates

Himself to serve the ancient holy laws

Of sacred wisdom;—in a dream perchance

I may in spirit linger at his side.’

Thus near the temple spake in ancient times

The woman whom my spirit-vision sees;

By thoughts of her I feel my strength increased.

What is this picture’s purpose? Why doth it

Hold my attention spellbound? Certainly

No sympathy from out the picture’s self

Accounts for this, for, should I see the scene

In earthly life, I should consider it

Of no importance. What saith it to me?

(As if from afar the voice of ‘the other Philia.’)

The Other Philia:The magical webThat forms their own self.

The Other Philia:

The magical web

That forms their own self.

Johannes:And clairvoyant dreamsMake clear unto soulsThe magical webThat forms their own self.

Johannes:

And clairvoyant dreams

Make clear unto souls

The magical web

That forms their own self.

(While Johannes is speaking these lines ‘the other Philia’ approaches him.)

Johannes:Who art thou, magic spirit-counsellor?True counsel didst thou bring unto my soulBut didst deceive me over thine own self.

Johannes:

Who art thou, magic spirit-counsellor?

True counsel didst thou bring unto my soul

But didst deceive me over thine own self.

The Other Philia:Johannes, thine own being’s double formFrom thyself didst thou fashion. As a shadeMustIroam round thee for so long a timeAs thou thyself shalt not set free the shadeWhom thine offence doth lend a magic life.

The Other Philia:

Johannes, thine own being’s double form

From thyself didst thou fashion. As a shade

MustIroam round thee for so long a time

As thou thyself shalt not set free the shade

Whom thine offence doth lend a magic life.

Johannes:This is the third time that thou speakest thus;I will obey thee. Point me out the way!

Johannes:

This is the third time that thou speakest thus;

I will obey thee. Point me out the way!

The Other Philia:Johannes, whilst thou liv’st in spirit-light,Seek what is treasured up within thy Self.From its own light it will shed light on thee.Thus canst thou learn by looking in thyselfHow to wipe out thy fault in later lives.

The Other Philia:

Johannes, whilst thou liv’st in spirit-light,

Seek what is treasured up within thy Self.

From its own light it will shed light on thee.

Thus canst thou learn by looking in thyself

How to wipe out thy fault in later lives.

Johannes:How shall I, while I live in spirit-light,Seek what is treasured up within my Self?

Johannes:

How shall I, while I live in spirit-light,

Seek what is treasured up within my Self?

The Other Philia:Give me that which thou thinkest that thou art;Lose thou thyself in me a little while,Yet so that thou dost not another seem.

The Other Philia:

Give me that which thou thinkest that thou art;

Lose thou thyself in me a little while,

Yet so that thou dost not another seem.

Johannes:How can I give myself to thee beforeI have beheld thee as thou really art?

Johannes:

How can I give myself to thee before

I have beheld thee as thou really art?

The Other Philia:I am within thee, member of thy soul;The force of love within thee is myself;The heart’s hope, as it stirs within thy breast,The fruits of long-past lives upon this earthLaid up for thee and hid within thyself,Behold them now through me;—feel what I am,And through my power in thee behold thyself.Search out the pictured being, which thy sight,Without thy sympathy, did form for thee.

The Other Philia:

I am within thee, member of thy soul;

The force of love within thee is myself;

The heart’s hope, as it stirs within thy breast,

The fruits of long-past lives upon this earth

Laid up for thee and hid within thyself,

Behold them now through me;—feel what I am,

And through my power in thee behold thyself.

Search out the pictured being, which thy sight,

Without thy sympathy, did form for thee.

(Exit.)

Johannes:O spirit-counsellor, I can indeedFeel thee in me, yet I see thee no more.Where livest thou for me?

Johannes:

O spirit-counsellor, I can indeed

Feel thee in me, yet I see thee no more.

Where livest thou for me?

(As if from afar the call of ‘the other Philia.’)

The Other Philia:The magical webThat forms their own self.

The Other Philia:

The magical web

That forms their own self.

Johannes:‘The magical webThat forms their own self.’O magical web, that forms mine own self,Show me the pictured being which my sightWithout my sympathy did form for me.

Johannes:

‘The magical web

That forms their own self.’

O magical web, that forms mine own self,

Show me the pictured being which my sight

Without my sympathy did form for me.

Whereto doth this word’s power conduct me now?A spirit-star on yonder shore of souls—It shines,—it draweth nigh—as spirit-form,Grows brighter as it nears;—now forms appear;—They act as beings act who are alive;—A youthful mystic—and a sacred flame,The stern call of the highest hierophantTo tell the vision seen within the flame.

Whereto doth this word’s power conduct me now?

A spirit-star on yonder shore of souls—

It shines,—it draweth nigh—as spirit-form,

Grows brighter as it nears;—now forms appear;—

They act as beings act who are alive;—

A youthful mystic—and a sacred flame,

The stern call of the highest hierophant

To tell the vision seen within the flame.

That woman doth the youthful mystic seek,Whom my sight saw without my sympathy.

That woman doth the youthful mystic seek,

Whom my sight saw without my sympathy.

(Maria appears as a thought-form of Johannes.)

Maria:Who thought of thee before the sacred flame?Who felt thee near initiation’s shrine?

Maria:

Who thought of thee before the sacred flame?

Who felt thee near initiation’s shrine?

Johannes, wouldst thou tear thy spirit-shadeFrom out the magic kingdoms of the soul;Live then the aims that it will show to thee;The path on which thou seek’st will guide thy steps,But thou must first discover it aright.The woman near the temple shows it theeIf she lives powerfully within thy thought.Spellbound amongst shade-spirits doth she striveTo draw nigh to that other shade who nowThrough thee doth evil service to grim shades.

Johannes, wouldst thou tear thy spirit-shade

From out the magic kingdoms of the soul;

Live then the aims that it will show to thee;

The path on which thou seek’st will guide thy steps,

But thou must first discover it aright.

The woman near the temple shows it thee

If she lives powerfully within thy thought.

Spellbound amongst shade-spirits doth she strive

To draw nigh to that other shade who now

Through thee doth evil service to grim shades.

(The Spirit of Johannes’ Youth appears.)

The Spirit of Johannes’ Youth:I will be grateful to thee evermoreIf thou in love dost cultivate the powersLaid up for me within the womb of timeBy that young mystic in that bygone ageWhom once thy soul sought at the temple gate.But thou must first this spirit truly seeAt whose side I have now appeared to thee.

The Spirit of Johannes’ Youth:

I will be grateful to thee evermore

If thou in love dost cultivate the powers

Laid up for me within the womb of time

By that young mystic in that bygone age

Whom once thy soul sought at the temple gate.

But thou must first this spirit truly see

At whose side I have now appeared to thee.

Maria:Maria, as thou wouldst behold her, livesIn other worlds than those where truth abides.My holy earnest vow doth ray out strengthWhich shall keep for thee that which thou hast gained.In these clear fields of light me shalt thou findWhere radiant beauty life-power doth create;Seek me in cosmic fundaments, where soulsFight to recover their divine estateThrough love, which in the whole beholds the self.

Maria:

Maria, as thou wouldst behold her, lives

In other worlds than those where truth abides.

My holy earnest vow doth ray out strength

Which shall keep for thee that which thou hast gained.

In these clear fields of light me shalt thou find

Where radiant beauty life-power doth create;

Seek me in cosmic fundaments, where souls

Fight to recover their divine estate

Through love, which in the whole beholds the self.

(While Maria is speaking the last lines, Lucifer appears.)

Lucifer:So work, compelling powers;Act therefore, powers of might,Ye elemental sprites,Feel now your master’s power,And smooth for me the wayThat leads from realms of EarthThat so there may draw nearTo Lucifer’s domainWhate’er my wish desires,Whate’er obeys my will.

Lucifer:

So work, compelling powers;

Act therefore, powers of might,

Ye elemental sprites,

Feel now your master’s power,

And smooth for me the way

That leads from realms of Earth

That so there may draw near

To Lucifer’s domain

Whate’er my wish desires,

Whate’er obeys my will.

(Enter Benedictus.)

Benedictus:Maria’s holy earnest vow doth pourNow through his soul salvation’s healing ray.He will admire thee, but he will not fall.

Benedictus:

Maria’s holy earnest vow doth pour

Now through his soul salvation’s healing ray.

He will admire thee, but he will not fall.

Lucifer:I mean to fight.

Lucifer:

I mean to fight.

Benedictus:And, fighting serve the gods.

Benedictus:

And, fighting serve the gods.

Curtain

Scene 11The same. Enter Benedictus and Strader.Strader:Thou didst speak gravely, and Maria spokeRight harshly to me also, when ye twoShowed yourselves to me at my life’s abyss.Benedictus:Thou know’st those pictures have no proper life;Their content only, strives to make its wayInto the soul, and takes pictorial form.Strader:Yet it was hard to hear these pictures say:‘Where is thy light? Thou rayest darkness out,Midst light thou dost create the baffling gloom.’So spake the spirit through Maria’s form.Benedictus:Because in thine ascent thou hadst attainedTo higher levels on the spirit-path.The spirit, which had led thee to itself,Used darkness as a symbol to depictThe state of knowledge which was thine before.This spirit chose to use Maria’s formBecause thy soul itself so fashioned it.The spirit, my dear Strader, at this hourWorks mightily within thee and will leadThee with swift flight to lofty grades of soul.Strader:And yet these words still terrify my soul:‘Because thou art afraid to ray out light.’The spirit spake this also in that scene.Benedictus:The spirit had to call thy soul afraidBecause in thee those things were fearfulnessWhich would, in lesser souls, be bravery.As we advance, our former braveryTurns into fear which must be overcome.Strader:Oh! how these words do pierce me to the heart!Romanus lately told me of his plan:I was to carry out the work myselfNot as thy partner but without thine aid.In this event, he was prepared to useAll that he had to succour Hilary.When I declared that I could ne’er consentTo separate the work from out thy group,He answered that in that case it would beIn vain to make more effort. He it isWho backs the opposition to my work,Which Hilary’s companion offereth.Without these plans my life must worthless seem.Since these two men have torn away from meMy field of action, all that I can seeAhead is life reft of the breath of life.In order that my spirit may not showDiscouragement I need that braveryOf which thou spak’st just now. But whether IShall find my strength sufficient for the taskIs more than I can say, for I can feelHow that same force which I must needs set freeWill likewise work on me distinctively.Benedictus:Maria and Johannes have just madeAdvances in clairvoyance; and the thingsWhich hindered them from bridging o’er the gapBetween the mystic life and world of senseAre no more there, and in the course of timeAims will appear in which both thou and theyCan take part jointly. ’Tis not guidance, butCreative strength that flows from mystic words:‘For that which must will surely come to pass.’And so in wakefulness we must awaitThe way in which the spirit sends the signs.Strader:A vision came to me not long agoWhich I must hold to be a sign from fate.I was aboard a ship, thou at the helm,The labouring oars were under my command;And we were bearing to their place of workMaria and Johannes; there appearedAnother ship quite close to us; on boardRomanus and the friend of Hilary—They lay across our course as enemies.I battled with them;—as the fight went onLo! Ahriman stood by their side to help.While I was bitterly engaged with himCame Theodora to my side, in aid,And then the vision vanished from my sight.I dared to say once to CapesiusAnd Felix that I could with ease endureThe opposition which now menacethMy work from outward sources e’en if allMy plans were ruined—I should stand upright.Suppose that picture now should show to meThat outward opposition doth implyAn inward fight—a fight with Ahriman;Am I well armoured also for this fight?Benedictus:My friend, I can behold in thine own soulThis picture is not fully ripe as yet.I feel thou canst make stronger still the powerWhich showed this picture to thy spirit’s eye.I can feel too that for thy friends and theeThis picture can create new powers of soulIf only thou wilt rightly strive for strength.This can I feel;—how it shall be fulfilledRemains a secret hidden from my sight.Curtain

The same. Enter Benedictus and Strader.

Strader:Thou didst speak gravely, and Maria spokeRight harshly to me also, when ye twoShowed yourselves to me at my life’s abyss.

Strader:

Thou didst speak gravely, and Maria spoke

Right harshly to me also, when ye two

Showed yourselves to me at my life’s abyss.

Benedictus:Thou know’st those pictures have no proper life;Their content only, strives to make its wayInto the soul, and takes pictorial form.

Benedictus:

Thou know’st those pictures have no proper life;

Their content only, strives to make its way

Into the soul, and takes pictorial form.

Strader:Yet it was hard to hear these pictures say:‘Where is thy light? Thou rayest darkness out,Midst light thou dost create the baffling gloom.’So spake the spirit through Maria’s form.

Strader:

Yet it was hard to hear these pictures say:

‘Where is thy light? Thou rayest darkness out,

Midst light thou dost create the baffling gloom.’

So spake the spirit through Maria’s form.

Benedictus:Because in thine ascent thou hadst attainedTo higher levels on the spirit-path.The spirit, which had led thee to itself,Used darkness as a symbol to depictThe state of knowledge which was thine before.This spirit chose to use Maria’s formBecause thy soul itself so fashioned it.The spirit, my dear Strader, at this hourWorks mightily within thee and will leadThee with swift flight to lofty grades of soul.

Benedictus:

Because in thine ascent thou hadst attained

To higher levels on the spirit-path.

The spirit, which had led thee to itself,

Used darkness as a symbol to depict

The state of knowledge which was thine before.

This spirit chose to use Maria’s form

Because thy soul itself so fashioned it.

The spirit, my dear Strader, at this hour

Works mightily within thee and will lead

Thee with swift flight to lofty grades of soul.

Strader:And yet these words still terrify my soul:‘Because thou art afraid to ray out light.’The spirit spake this also in that scene.

Strader:

And yet these words still terrify my soul:

‘Because thou art afraid to ray out light.’

The spirit spake this also in that scene.

Benedictus:The spirit had to call thy soul afraidBecause in thee those things were fearfulnessWhich would, in lesser souls, be bravery.As we advance, our former braveryTurns into fear which must be overcome.

Benedictus:

The spirit had to call thy soul afraid

Because in thee those things were fearfulness

Which would, in lesser souls, be bravery.

As we advance, our former bravery

Turns into fear which must be overcome.

Strader:Oh! how these words do pierce me to the heart!Romanus lately told me of his plan:I was to carry out the work myselfNot as thy partner but without thine aid.In this event, he was prepared to useAll that he had to succour Hilary.When I declared that I could ne’er consentTo separate the work from out thy group,He answered that in that case it would beIn vain to make more effort. He it isWho backs the opposition to my work,Which Hilary’s companion offereth.Without these plans my life must worthless seem.Since these two men have torn away from meMy field of action, all that I can seeAhead is life reft of the breath of life.In order that my spirit may not showDiscouragement I need that braveryOf which thou spak’st just now. But whether IShall find my strength sufficient for the taskIs more than I can say, for I can feelHow that same force which I must needs set freeWill likewise work on me distinctively.

Strader:

Oh! how these words do pierce me to the heart!

Romanus lately told me of his plan:

I was to carry out the work myself

Not as thy partner but without thine aid.

In this event, he was prepared to use

All that he had to succour Hilary.

When I declared that I could ne’er consent

To separate the work from out thy group,

He answered that in that case it would be

In vain to make more effort. He it is

Who backs the opposition to my work,

Which Hilary’s companion offereth.

Without these plans my life must worthless seem.

Since these two men have torn away from me

My field of action, all that I can see

Ahead is life reft of the breath of life.

In order that my spirit may not show

Discouragement I need that bravery

Of which thou spak’st just now. But whether I

Shall find my strength sufficient for the task

Is more than I can say, for I can feel

How that same force which I must needs set free

Will likewise work on me distinctively.

Benedictus:Maria and Johannes have just madeAdvances in clairvoyance; and the thingsWhich hindered them from bridging o’er the gapBetween the mystic life and world of senseAre no more there, and in the course of timeAims will appear in which both thou and theyCan take part jointly. ’Tis not guidance, butCreative strength that flows from mystic words:‘For that which must will surely come to pass.’And so in wakefulness we must awaitThe way in which the spirit sends the signs.

Benedictus:

Maria and Johannes have just made

Advances in clairvoyance; and the things

Which hindered them from bridging o’er the gap

Between the mystic life and world of sense

Are no more there, and in the course of time

Aims will appear in which both thou and they

Can take part jointly. ’Tis not guidance, but

Creative strength that flows from mystic words:

‘For that which must will surely come to pass.’

And so in wakefulness we must await

The way in which the spirit sends the signs.

Strader:A vision came to me not long agoWhich I must hold to be a sign from fate.I was aboard a ship, thou at the helm,The labouring oars were under my command;And we were bearing to their place of workMaria and Johannes; there appearedAnother ship quite close to us; on boardRomanus and the friend of Hilary—They lay across our course as enemies.I battled with them;—as the fight went onLo! Ahriman stood by their side to help.While I was bitterly engaged with himCame Theodora to my side, in aid,And then the vision vanished from my sight.I dared to say once to CapesiusAnd Felix that I could with ease endureThe opposition which now menacethMy work from outward sources e’en if allMy plans were ruined—I should stand upright.Suppose that picture now should show to meThat outward opposition doth implyAn inward fight—a fight with Ahriman;Am I well armoured also for this fight?

Strader:

A vision came to me not long ago

Which I must hold to be a sign from fate.

I was aboard a ship, thou at the helm,

The labouring oars were under my command;

And we were bearing to their place of work

Maria and Johannes; there appeared

Another ship quite close to us; on board

Romanus and the friend of Hilary—

They lay across our course as enemies.

I battled with them;—as the fight went on

Lo! Ahriman stood by their side to help.

While I was bitterly engaged with him

Came Theodora to my side, in aid,

And then the vision vanished from my sight.

I dared to say once to Capesius

And Felix that I could with ease endure

The opposition which now menaceth

My work from outward sources e’en if all

My plans were ruined—I should stand upright.

Suppose that picture now should show to me

That outward opposition doth imply

An inward fight—a fight with Ahriman;

Am I well armoured also for this fight?

Benedictus:My friend, I can behold in thine own soulThis picture is not fully ripe as yet.I feel thou canst make stronger still the powerWhich showed this picture to thy spirit’s eye.I can feel too that for thy friends and theeThis picture can create new powers of soulIf only thou wilt rightly strive for strength.This can I feel;—how it shall be fulfilledRemains a secret hidden from my sight.

Benedictus:

My friend, I can behold in thine own soul

This picture is not fully ripe as yet.

I feel thou canst make stronger still the power

Which showed this picture to thy spirit’s eye.

I can feel too that for thy friends and thee

This picture can create new powers of soul

If only thou wilt rightly strive for strength.

This can I feel;—how it shall be fulfilled

Remains a secret hidden from my sight.

Curtain

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