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Four Mystery Plays
GA 14
The Guardian of the Threshold

Scene 6

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

Benedictus (only audible, not yet visible):
Within thy thinking, cosmic thoughts do live.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Capesius:
So Benedictus is in spirit here
And not his words are echoing.
Doth then the teacher bring the lore of earth
To vivify and work in spirit-realm?
But what can be the meaning here of words
Which he doth use on earth in other ways?

Benedictus:
Capesius, thou hast in thine earth-life
Entered within my circle, though in truth
Thou ne'er wart conscious of thy pupilship.

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

Benedictus:
'Thou wilt not feel thou art Capesius
But him in spirit thou shalt see and know.
For thee the powerful work of thought hath now
In thy soul-body oped the spirit-life.
So that thy soul-life could release itself
From thought's dream-play within thine earthly frame.
Too weak it felt itself to wander forth
From out world distances to depths of soul;
Too strong to gaze at lofty spirit-light
Through all the darkness that surrounds the Earth.
I must accompany each one who gains
The spirit-light from me in earthly life
Whether he knows, or Both not know, that he
Came as a spirit-pupil to myself.
And I must lead him further on those paths
Which he in spirit learned to tread through me.
Thou hast through thy soul-sight in cosmic space
Learned to draw nigh the spirit consciously
Since loosed from body thou canst follow it.
But, not yet freed from thought, thou canst not see
True being in the spirit-realm as yet.
Thy senses' body thou canst lay aside,
But not the fine corporeal web of thought.
Thou only canst perceive the world in truth
When nothing of thy personality
Remains to cloud the clearness of thy sight.
He only who hath learned to view his thoughts
As things outside himself, e'en as the seer
Beholds his earthy form released from him,
Can penetrate to spirit verities.
So look upon this picture that it may
Turn into knowledge through clairvoyant powers
Thoughts, whose true being is built up in space
To forms, which mirror forth the thoughts of men.

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

(Exeunt Capesius and Maria.)

Voices (which sound together, spoken by Philia, Astrid, and Luna.):
Let thoughts hover round
Like weaving of dreams
And build themselves in
To souls that are here;
Let will that creates
And feeling that stirs
And thought that doth work
The dreamer arouse—

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

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

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

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

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

Lucifer:
Within thy feeling cosmic forces play

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

Ahriman:
The cosmic forces are but mocking thee.

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

Lucifer:
Within thy thinking cosmic thought doth live.

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

Ahriman:
The cosmic thought doth but bewilder thee.

(Repetition of the movement in Ahriman's group.)

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

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

Philia, etc.:
Thoughts hovered around
Like weaving of dreams
And built themselves in
To souls that are here—
Then will that creates
And feeling that stirs
And thought that loth work
The dreamer aroused—

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

Capesius:
The soul lives out her life within herself:
Believes she thinks because she does not see
Thoughts all spread out in space in front of her—
Believes she feels, because the feelings show
No flash like lightning leaping from the clouds;
She sees this realm of space, and gazeth on
The clouds above her ...; and were this not so,
Supposing that the lightning were to flash,
And not an eye looked up above to see,
She needs must think the lightning was in her.
She sees not Lucifer, from whom the thoughts
Spring forth, from whom the feelings flow!
And thus she thinks she is alone with them.
Why doth delusion lead her captive thus?
O soul, give answer to thyself ... yet ... whence?
From out thyself? Ah, nay ... perhaps that, too,
Were answered ... not by thee ... but Lucifer. ...

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

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

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

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

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

Lucifer:
Who flees from me will love me all the same.
Children of Earth have loved me from the first
And only think that hatred is my due.
So do they ever seek me in my deeds.
If I had not as ornament to life
Sent beauty to their souls, they would long since
Have pined away in truth's cold empty forms
Throughout the long dull progress of the Earth.
'Tis I who fill the artist's soul with power
And whatsoe'er of beauty men have seen
Hath had its prototype within my realm—
Now ask thyself, if thou shouldst fear me still.

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

Ahriman:
At birth I was the equal of the gods,
Who have curtailed my many ancient rights.
I wished in such a way to fashion men
For Lucifer, my brother, and his realm,
That each should bear his own world in himself.
For Lucifer in spirit worlds but seeks
To show himself as peer among his peers;
To others he but shows his form sublime;
He ne'er would seek imperious rulership.
I wished to give unto mankind such strength
That they might grow to equal Lucifer.
And had I stayed within the realm of gods
This too had been in primal days fulfilled.
The gods however willed to rule on Earth,
And from their kingdom they did one day thrust
My power into the depth of the abyss,
So that I might not make mankind too strong.
And thus 'tis only from this place I dare
Send out my powerful strength upon the Earth.
But in this way my power turns into Fear.

(As Ahriman finishes speaking, Benedictus appears.)

Capesius:
He who hath heard what both these two powers here
Spake from their places out into the worlds
May know from this where he can look and find
Both fear and hatred in their own domains.

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

Capesius:
So once more I belong to mine own self!—
Now will I seek myself, because I dare
To see myself in cosmic thought and live.

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

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

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

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

Philia:
Now let every soul
That drinks of the light
Awake to full power
In cosmic expanse.

Astrid:
So too let the spirit
That knoweth no fear
Arise in full power
In cosmic domains.

Luna:
Let man who doth strive
To reach to the heights
In Beings' foundation.
Hold fast with full strength.

The Other Philia:
Let man struggle on
To him who bears light
And opens out worlds
Which quicken in men
The sense of delight.
This beauty so bright
Awakened in souls,
Inspired to admire,
The spirit leads on
To realms of the gods.
Achievement consoles
The feelings that dare
The threshold to tread,
Which strictly doth guard
'Gainst souls that feel fear.
And energy finds
A will that grows ripe
And fearless doth stand
'Fore powers that create
And fashion the worlds.

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


Sechstes Bild

Ein Raum, der nicht von künstlichen Wänden begrenzt, sondern von baumartig geformten sich verschlingenden Gewächsen und Gebilden eingeschlossen ist, die sich ausweiten und Ausläufer ins Innere senden. Das Ganze durch Naturvorgänge wild bewegt und zuweilen stürmisch erfüllt. Capesius und Maria sind auf der Scene, wenn der Vorhang aufgeht. Dann kommen Benedictus, Philia, Astrid, Luna, Lucifer, Ahriman und die tanzartig sich bewegenden Wesen, welche Gedanken darstellen, zuletzt Frau Baldes Seele.

Benedictus noch unsichtbar, nur hörbar:
In deinem Denken leben Weltgedanken.

Capesius:
Das ist des Benedictus edle Stimme,
und seine Worte tönen geistig hier.
Es sind die gleichen, die im Lebensbuche
für seine Schüler eingeschrieben sind,
und die für Erdenseelen schwer begreiflich
und noch viel schwerer zu erleben sind.
An welchem Ort des Geisterlandes tönen
die Worte, die auf Erden Seelen prüfen?

Maria:
Du weilst so lange schon im Geisterland
in einer Art, die vieles offenbart,
und unbekannt ist dir noch dies Gebiet?

Capesius:
Was hier in eigner Wesenheit sich lebt,
ist leicht verständlich geistgewöhnten Seelen;
es klärt das eine sich durch andres auf.
Das Ganze ist voll Licht, wenn auch der Teil,
für sich allein gesehn, oft dunkel ist.
Doch wenn sich geistig Sein mit Erdenwesen
zu Einem Schaffen bilden will, beginnt
die Seele ihr Verständnis zu verlieren.
Und nicht der Teil allein, das Ganze hüllt
sich ihr dann oft in tiefe Finsternis.
Warum an diesem Orte widerhallen
die Worte, die in Benedictus’ Buch
für Erdenseelen sich geschrieben finden,
dies macht zum Rätsel, was sich hier begibt.

Benedictus noch immer unsichtbar:
In deinem Fühlen weben Weltenkräfte.

Capesius:
Schon wieder solch ein Wort, das drüben
von Benedictus Schülern anvertraut
und hier in seiner Stimme sich erschafft.
Es strömet, Dunkelkraft durch sich erregend,
durch dieses Reiches grenzenlose Weiten.

Maria:
Schon fühle ich, was ich erfahren soll
in dieses Reiches fernelosen Weiten;
und Benedictus’ Nähe winket mir.
Er will an diesem Ort mich schauen lassen,
was unverständlich ist der Erdenseele,
so lang sie sinnbegabt im Leibe weset,
auch wenn die Geistesschülerschaft errungen.
Sie muß dem Lehrer folgen zu den Orten,
wo er die Worte nicht in Menschensprache
zu Zeichen nur der Wesen prägen kann;
wo er im Weltgeschehn die Schrift erreget,
die weltbedeutend sich der Seele gibt.
Ich will das Innre mir vom Erdensein,
verdichtend meine Seelenkräfte, lösen
und so erwarten, was sich offenbarend
mir durch die Geistesweiten zeigen will.
Es wird, wenn ich zum Erdensein mich wende,
Gedanke sein, der mir im Nach-Erdenken
im Seelen-Innern als Erkenntnis leuchtet.

Benedictus erscheint aus dem Hintergrunde:
Gewinne dich in Weltgedankenkraft,
verliere dich durch Weltenkräfteleben;
du findest Erdenziele, spiegelnd sich
durch deine Wesenheit im Welten-Licht.

Capesius:
Auch Benedictus selber hier im Geiste!
Und seine Worte klingen nicht allein?
So trägt der Geisteslehrer Erdenwissen
zu Geistesorten wirksam lebend hin?
Und was bedeuten diese Worte hier,
die er im Erdenleben anders wendet?

Benedictus:
Capesius, du bist in meine Kreise
in deinen Erdenzeiten eingetreten,
obgleich du wissend nie mein Schüler warst.

Capesius:
Capesius ist nicht an diesem Orte;
und seine Seele will von ihm nicht hören.

Benedictus:
Du willst nicht in Capesius dich fühlen,
doch sollst du ihn erinnernd geistig schauen.
Dir hat des Denkens starke Wirkenskraft
im Seelenleib das Geistessein erschlossen.
Es löste dann dein Seelenleben sich
von Denkenstraumesspiel im Erdenleibe.
Zu schwach erfühlt’ es sich, mit ihm zu wandeln
aus Weltenfernen in die Seelentiefen;
zu stark, mit ihm das Geisteshöhenlicht
durch Erdenfinsternisse nur zu schauen.
Ich muß begleiten jeden, der von mir
im Erdensein das Geisteslicht empfangen,
ob er sich wissend, ob nur unbewußt
sich mir als Geistesschüler hat ergeben,
und muß die Wege weiter ihn geleiten,
die er durch mich im Geist betreten hat.
Du hast gelernt durch Seelenschau dem Geiste
in Weltenweiten dich erkennend nahen,
weil du vom Leib gelöst ihm folgen kannst.
Doch du erschaust noch nicht gedankenfrei
im Geistgebiet die wahre Wesenheit.
Den Sinnesleib vermagst du abzulegen,
Doch nicht des Denkens feines Leibgewebe.
Du kannst die Welt erst wahrhaft wirklich schauen
wenn nichts, das dir von Eigenheit geblieben,
des Schauens Klarheit wirksam trüben kann.
Nur wer das eigne Denken ausser sich
zu schauen hat gelernt, wie Seherkräfte
den Erdenleib von sich gelöst erschauen,
der dringt in Geisteswirklichkeiten ein.
So schau im Bilde, daß das Bild sich dir
zum Wissen durch die Seherkräfte wandle,
Gedanken, die sich räumlich wesenhaft
zu Formen bilden, Menschendenken spiegelnd.

Eine freundlich gedämpfte Beleuchtung tritt ein, es erscheinen Philia, Astrid, Luna
in glimmender Wolke. Benedictus, Capesius, Maria gehen ab.

Stimme zusammenklingend von Philia, Astrid, Luna gesprochen:
Es schweben Gedanken
wie webendes Träumen
sich wesenhaft bildend
an Seelen heran;
sich schaffender Wille,
sich regendes Fühlen,
sich wirkendes Denken
erstehe dem Träumer.

Während dies erklingt, kommt Lucifer von der einen, Ahriman von der anderen Seite.
Sie suchen ihre Orte zu beiden Seiten des Raumes auf.

Lucifer mit breitem Tone jedes Wort hervorhebend:
In deinem Willen wirken Weltenwesen.

Von der Seite des Lucifer bewegen sich Wesen heran, welche Gedanken darstellen.
In tanzartiger Weise führen diese Bewegungen aus, welche Gedankenformen,
den Worten Lucifers entsprechend, darstellen.

Ahriman auch breit sprechend, doch rauh:
Die Weltenwesen, sie verwirren dich.

Nach diesen Worten bewegen sich von Ahrimans Seite die Gedankenwesen und führen Tanzbewegungen, seinen Worten als Formen entsprechend, aus. Nach diesen werden die Bewegungen von beiden Gruppen zusammen ausgeführt.

Lucifer:
In deinem Fühlen weben Weltenkräfte.

Es wiederholen nun die Gedankenwesen auf Lucifers Seite ihre Bewegungen.

Ahriman:
Die Weltenkräfte, sie verführen dich.

Es wiederholen die Gedankenwesen auf Ahrimans Seite ihre Bewegungen,
dann wieder beide zusammen.

Lucifer:
In deinem Denken leben Weltgedanken.

Wiederholung der Bewegungen durch Lucifers Gruppe.

Ahriman:
Die Weltgedanken, sie beirren dich.

Wiederholung der Bewegung durch Ahrimans Gruppe.

Dann 4malige Wiederholung der Bewegungen jeder Gruppe einzeln und 3malige des Zusammenwirkens.

Die Gedankenwesen verschwinden links und rechts, Lucifer und Ahriman bleiben; es treten Philia, Luna, Astrid wieder aus dem Hintergrunde vor und sprechen die Worte, die sie vorher gesprochen, mir folgender Abänderung:

Es schwebten Gedanken
wie webendes Träumen
Sich wesenhaft bildend
an Seelen heran;
sich schaffender Wille,
sich regendes Fühlen,
sich wirkendes Denken
erstanden dem Träumen.

Philia, Astrid, Luna verschwinden; es kommt Capesius, und, nachdem er
einige Worte gesprochen, tritt Maria hinzu, die ihm zuerst unsichtbar ist.

Capesius:
Die Seele, sie erlebt sich innerlich;
sie glaubt zu denken, weil sie nicht Gedanken
im Raume vor sich hingestellt erschaut.
Zu fühlen glaubt sie, weil Gefühle nicht
wie Blitze aus den Wolken zuckend leuchten;
sie sieht des Raumes Reiche und erblickt
Die Wolken über sich ... Und wenn dies nicht
sich so verhielte: wenn die Blitze zuckten,
und nicht ein Auge sich nach oben lenkte ...
Sie müsste glauben, daß in ihr der Blitz.
Sie sieht nicht Lucifer, aus dem Gedanken
entspriessen und Gefühle sich ergiessen ‒
so kann sie sich allein mit ihnen glauben.
Weshalb ergibt sie solchem Wahne sich?
O Seele, gib dir Antwort... doch . . . woher?
Aus dir? O tu es nicht … vielleicht ist auch
die Antwort … nicht von dir … von Lucifer …

Maria:
Und wenn sie’s wäre: deshalb suchst du nicht?
So steige in die Tiefen, sie zu finden …

Capesius:
Ein Wesen hier, das Seelen hören kann?

Maria:
Es sind die Seelen hier doch nicht getrennt.
Das sind sie nur, wenn sie den Leib gebrauchen.
Hier hört sich jede selbst im Wort der andern.
Drum sagst du dir nur selbst, wenn ich dir sage:
daß du in Tiefen Antwort suchen sollst.

Capesius:
O in den Tiefen … droht die finstre … Furcht.

Maria:
Ja, wahrlich, sie ist da; doch frage dich,
da du hinab dich zwangest in ihr Reich,
ob sie nicht deutlich sich dir offenbart.
Von Lucifer, vor dem du stehst, erfrage,
ob er dir Furcht in deine Schwäche gießt.

Lucifer:
Die Wesen, die mich fliehen, lieben mich.
Es liebten mich die Erdenkinder stets,
nur glauben sie, daß sie mich hassen sollen.
Doch suchen sie in meinen Taten mich.
In kalter Wahrheit Formen müssten sie
hinschmachten durch das lange Erdenwerden,
wenn ich in ihre Seelen ihnen nicht
die Schönheit senkte als des Daseins Zierde.
In Künstlerseelen flöße ich die Kräfte.
Was jemals Menschen als ein Schönes schauen,
in seinem Urbild ist’s in meinem Reich.
Nun frage dich, oh du mich fürchten sollst.

Maria:
In Lucifers Gebieten wäre Furcht
an ihrer rechten Stelle wahrlich nicht.
Er muß als Gaben Wünsche vor sich her,
und nicht die Furcht, in Menschenseelen senden.
Sie stammt fürwahr aus andrem Machtbereich.

Ahriman:
Ich war den Göttern ebenbürtig einst.
Sie mußten mir die alten Rechte kürzen.
Ich wollte meinem Bruder Lucifer
für seine Reiche so die Menschen bilden,
daß jeder seine Welt in sich nur trüge,
Da Lucifer als Gleicher unter Gleichen
im Geistesreiche nur sich geben wollte
und Vorbild nur für andre, niemals aber
ein Herrscher über Wesen konnte sein.
so wollte ich dem Menschen Stärke geben,
daß er dem Lucifer sich gleich bezeuge.
Und wär’ ich in dem Götterreich geblieben,
es wär’ dies auch im Urbeginn geschehn.
Doch wollten Götter Herrscher sein auf Erden;
so mußten sie aus ihrem Reiche einst
in Abgrundtiefen meine Kraft verbannen,
daß ich die Menschen nicht zu stark erkrafte.
und so vermag ich nur von diesem Orte
zur Erde hin die starke Kraft zu senden.
Sie wird auf diesem Wege aber ‒ Furcht.

Bei Ahrimans letzten Worten erscheint Benedictus.

Capesius:
Wer das gehört, was hier die beiden Mächte
von ihren Orten durch die Welten sprachen,
der weiß dadurch die Furcht und auch den Hass
in ihren eignen Reichen aufzusuchen.

Benedictus:
In Weltenworten sollst du dich erkennen,
erfühlen dich in Weltgedankenkraft.
Und da du ausser dir jetzt schauen konntest,
was du als deine Eigenheit dir träumtest,
so finde dich und schaudre künftig nicht
beim Worte, welches dir gerecht erklingt
und dir das eigne Sein bezeugen soll.

Capesius:
So darf ich künftig wieder mir gehören.
Ich werde mich jetzt suchen, weil ich mich
im Weltendenken schauend leben darf.

Benedictus:
Und binde dir, was du gewonnen jetzt,
an alt erworbenes auch, zum Weltbesitz.

Im Hintergrunde an Benedictus’ Seite erscheint Frau Balde in ihrer gewöhnlichen Kleidung.

Frau Balde im sinnigen Märchenton:
Es war einmal ein helles Götterkind.
Das war den Wesen wahlverwandt, die Weisheit
im Geistesreiche sinnvoll weben dürfen.
Das Wesen wuchs, gepflegt vom Wahrheitvater,
in seiner Welt zur Urgewalt heran.
Und als es fühlte den gereiften Willen
in seinem Lichtesleib sich schaffend regen,
da blickt es oft voll Mitgefühl zur Erde,
wo Menschenseelen sich nach Wahrheit sehnten.
Es sagt’ das Wesen dann zum Wahrheitvater:
»Es dürsten Menschen nach dem Trank, den du
aus deinen Quellen ihnen reichen kannst.«
Mit ernster Würde sprach der Wahrheitvater:
»Die Quellen, welche ich behüten muß,
sie lassen Licht aus Geistessonnen strömen;
und trinken dürfen Licht nur solche Wesen,
die nicht nach Luft zum Atmen dürsten müssen.
Drum hab ich mir am Licht das Kind erzogen,
das Mitleid mit den Erdenseelen fühlen
und Licht in Atemwesen zeugen kann.
So wandle du zu Menschen hin und bringe
das Licht aus ihren Seelen meinem Licht
vertrauensvoll und geistbelebt entgegen.«
Da wandte sich das helle Lichteswesen
zu Seelen hin, die atmend sich erleben.
Es fand auf Erden viele gute Menschen,
die freudig ihm die Seelenwohnung gaben.
Es lenkte dieser Seelen Blick zum Vater
am Lichtesquell in treuer Liebe hin.
Und wenn das Wesen aus dem Menschenmund
und frohem Menschensinne Phantasie
als Zauberwort vernahm, dann wußt’ es sich
in guten Menschenherzen froh erlebt.
Doch eines Tages trat zu diesem Wesen
ein Mann, der ihm gar fremde Blicke warf.
»Ich lenk’ auf Erden Menschenseelen hin
zum Wahrheitvater an dem Lichtesquell.«
So sprach das Wesen zu dem fremden Manne.
Da sprach der Mann: »Du webst in Menschengeistern
nur wilde Träume und betrügst die Seelen.«
Und seit dem Tage, welcher dieses sah,
verleumden viele Menschen dieses Wesen,
das Licht in Atemseelen bringen kann.

Es erscheinen in einer Lichtwolke: Philia, Astrid, Luna und die andre Philia.

Philia:
Es findet die Seele,
die trinket das Licht,
in Weltengefilden
sich kräftig erwacht.

Astrid:
Es fühlet der Geist,
der furchtlos sich weiß,
im Welten-Erleben
sich kraftvoll erstehen.

Luna:
Es wolle der Mensch,
der Höhen erstrebt,
in Gründen des Seins
sich machtvoll erhalten.

Die andre Philia:
Es strebet der Mensch
zum Träger des Lichts,
der Welten erschliesst,
die fröhliche Sinne
im Menschen erquicken.
Begeistert Bewundern
entführet den Geist
in Göttergefilde,
die leuchtende Schönheit
in Seelen erweckt.
Errungenes tröstet
Gefühle, die wagen
an Schwellen zu treten,
die strenge behütet
vor fürchtenden Seelen.
Und Stärke, sie findet
das reifende Wollen,
das furchtlos sich trägt
zu Schöpfergewalten,
die Welten erhalten.

Vorhang fällt, während noch Benedictus, Capesius, Maria, Frau Balde,
Lucifer, Ahriman und die vier Seelengestalten an ihren Orten sind.



Scene Six

A space that is not bounded by artificial walls, but enclosed by tree-like intertwining plants and structures that expand and send out shoots into the interior. The whole is wildly moved by natural processes and at times filled with stormy activity. Capesius and Maria are on stage when the curtain rises. Then come Benedictus, Philia, Astrid, Luna, Lucifer, Ahriman, and the dance-like moving beings that represent thoughts, and finally Mrs. Balde's soul.

Benedictus still invisible, only audible:
World thoughts live in your thinking.

Capesius:
That is the noble voice of Benedictus,
and his words resound spiritually here.
They are the same words that are written in the book of life
for his disciples,
and which are difficult for earthly souls to comprehend
and even more difficult to experience.
In which place of the spirit world do
the words that test souls on earth resound?

Maria:
You have been in the spirit world for so long
in a way that reveals many things,
and yet this area is still unknown to you?

Capesius:
What lives here in its own essence
is easily understood by souls accustomed to the spirit;
one thing clarifies another.
The whole is full of light, even if the part,
seen on its own, is often dark.
But when spiritual being wants to form with earthly beings
into one creation,
the soul begins to lose its understanding.
And not only the part, but the whole
is then often shrouded in deep darkness.
Why do the words found written in Benedictus' book
for earthly souls echo in this place?
This makes what is happening here a mystery.

Benedictus still invisible:
World forces weave in your feelings.

Capesius:
Once again, such a word, entrusted over there
by Benedictus' disciples
and created here in his voice.
It flows, exciting dark forces,
through the boundless expanses of this realm.

Maria:
I already feel what I am to experience
in the boundless expanses of this realm;
and Benedictus' presence beckons me.
He wants me to see in this place
what is incomprehensible to the earthly soul,
as long as it is endowed with senses in the body,
even if the discipleship of the spirit has been attained.
It must follow the teacher to the places
where he can only express words in human language
as signs of beings;
where he inspires the scriptures in world events,
which give the soul world significance.
I want to intensify my inner being from earthly existence,
condensing my soul forces,
and thus await what will reveal itself
to me through the expanses of the spirit.
When I turn to earthly existence,
it will be a thought that shines in my soul
as insight in my reflection.

Benedictus appears from the background:
Gain yourself in world thought power,
lose yourself through world power life;
you will find earthly goals, reflected
through your being in the light of the world.

Capesius:
Benedictus himself is here in spirit!
And his words do not sound alone?
So the spiritual teacher carries earthly knowledge
to spiritual places, effectively living there?
And what do these words mean here,
which he uses differently in earthly life?

Benedictus:
Capesius, you entered my circles
in your earthly times,
although you knowingly were never my student.

Capesius:
Capesius is not in this place;
and his soul does not want to hear from him.

Benedictus:
You do not want to feel yourself in Capesius,
but you shall see him spiritually in remembrance.
The powerful influence of thought
has opened up the spirit being in your soul body.
Then your soul life detached itself
from the dream play of thought in the earthly body.
It felt too weak to walk with it
from distant worlds into the depths of the soul;
too strong to see with it the light of the spirit's heights
through earthly darkness.
I must accompany everyone who has received
the light of the spirit from me in earthly existence,
whether they knowingly or unconsciously
have surrendered to me as spiritual disciples,
and I must continue to guide them along the paths
they have entered through me in the spirit.
You have learned through soul-gazing to approach the spirit
in worlds far away, recognizing yourself,
because you can follow it, detached from the body.
But you do not yet see the true essence
in the spiritual realm without thoughts.
You can lay aside the sensory body,
but not the fine fabric of the body of thought.
You can only truly see the world
when nothing that remains of your own individuality
can effectively cloud the clarity of your vision.
Only those who have learned to see their own thoughts outside themselves,
like seers
see the earthly body detached from themselves,
penetrates into spiritual realities.
So look at the image, that the image may transform itself for you
into knowledge through the powers of vision,
thoughts that form themselves spatially and essentially
into shapes, reflecting human thinking.

A friendly, subdued lighting comes on, Philia, Astrid, and Luna appear
in a glowing cloud. Benedictus, Capesius, and Maria exit.

Voice spoken in unison by Philia, Astrid, and Luna:
Thoughts float
like weaving dreams
forming themselves
close to souls;
creative will,
stirring feelings,
effective thinking
arise in the dreamer.

As this sounds, Lucifer comes from one side, Ahriman from the other.
They seek their places on either side of the room.

Lucifer emphasizing each word with a broad tone:
World beings work in your will.

From Lucifer's side, beings representing thoughts approach.
In a dance-like manner, they perform movements that represent thought forms
corresponding to Lucifer's words.

Ahriman also speaking broadly, but harshly:
The world beings confuse you.

After these words, the thought beings move from Ahriman's side and perform dance movements corresponding to his words as forms. After these, the movements are performed by both groups together.

Lucifer:
World forces weave in your feelings.

The thought beings on Lucifer's side now repeat their movements.

Ahriman:
The world forces seduce you.

The thought beings on Ahriman's side repeat their movements,
then both groups together.

Lucifer:
World thoughts live in your thinking.

Repetition of the movements by Lucifer's group.

Ahriman:
The world thoughts mislead you.

Repetition of the movement by Ahriman's group.

Then 4 repetitions of the movements of each group individually and 3 repetitions of the interaction.

The thought beings disappear on the left and right, Lucifer and Ahriman remain; Philia, Luna, and Astrid reappear from the background and speak the words they spoke before, with the following modification:
Thoughts floated
like weaving dreams
Forming themselves
close to souls;
creative will,
stirring feeling,
active thinking
arose from dreams.

Philia, Astrid, and Luna disappear; Capesius enters, and after he has spoken a few words, Maria approaches, who is invisible to him at first.

Capesius:
The soul experiences itself internally;
it believes it thinks because it does not see thoughts
placed in front of it in space.
It believes it feels because feelings do not
flash like lightning from the clouds;
it sees the realms of space and beholds
the clouds above it... And if this were not
the case: if the lightning flashed,
and no eye looked upward...
It would have to believe that the lightning was within it.
It does not see Lucifer springing from thought
and feelings pouring forth—
so it can only believe in them alone.
Why does she surrender to such delusions?
O soul, give yourself an answer... but... where from?
From yourself? O don't do it... perhaps the answer is also...
not from you... from Lucifer...

Maria:
And if it were, why don't you seek it?
Then descend into the depths to find it...

Capesius:
A being here that can hear souls?

Maria:
The souls here are not separate.
They are only separate when they use the body.
Here, each hears itself in the words of the other.
Therefore, you only say to yourself when I tell you:
that you should seek the answer in the depths.

Capesius:
Oh, in the depths... the dark... fear threatens.

Maria:
Yes, truly, it is there; but ask yourself,
since you forced yourself down into its realm,
whether it does not reveal itself clearly to you.
Ask Lucifer, before whom you stand,
whether he pours fear into your weakness.

Lucifer:
The beings who flee from me love me.
The children of the earth have always loved me,
only they believe that they should hate me.
But they seek me in my deeds.
In cold truth, they would have to
languish through the long earthen becoming,
if I did not sink into their souls
the beauty as the adornment of existence.
I instill strength into the souls of artists.
Whatever humans ever see as beautiful,
its archetype is in my realm.
Now ask yourself, oh you who should fear me.

Maria:
In Lucifer's domains, fear
would truly not be in its rightful place.
He must send forth gifts of desire,
and not fear, into human souls.
It truly originates from another sphere of power.

Ahriman:
I was once equal to the gods.
They had to curtail my ancient rights.
I wanted to shape my brother Lucifer's
humanity for his realms,
so that each would carry his world within himself,
Since Lucifer, as an equal among equals,
wanted only to be himself in the spiritual realm
and a model for others, but never
a ruler over beings.
So I wanted to give humanity strength,
so that they might prove themselves equal to Lucifer.
And had I remained in the kingdom of the gods,
this would also have happened in the beginning.
But the gods wanted to be rulers on earth;
so they had to banish my power from their kingdom
into the depths of the abyss,
so that I would not empower humans too strongly.
And so I can only send my powerful force
to Earth from this place.
But in this way, it becomes fear.

Benedictus appears as Ahriman utters his last words.

Capesius:
Whoever hears what the two powers
spoke here from their places through the worlds,
knows thereby to seek out the fear and also the hatred
in their own realms.

Benedictus:
In the words of the world you shall recognize yourself,
feel yourself in the power of the world's thoughts.
And since you have now been able to see outside yourself
what you dreamed of as your own nature,
find yourself and do not tremble in future
at the words that sound just to you
and shall testify to your own being.

Capesius:
So I may belong to myself again in future.
I will now seek myself, because I may live
seeing myself in the world's thinking.

Benedictus:
And bind what you have now gained,
along with what you acquired long ago, to the world's possessions.

In the background, at Benedictus' side, Mrs. Balde appears in her usual clothing.

Mrs. Balde in a meaningful fairy-tale tone:
Once upon a time there was a bright child of the gods.
It was kindred to those beings who are allowed to weave wisdom
meaningfully in the spiritual realm.
The being grew up, nurtured by the Father of Truth,
into a primal force in its world.
And when it felt the matured will
stirring in its body of light,
it often looked down with compassion upon the earth,
where human souls longed for truth.
The being then said to the Father of Truth:
“Human beings thirst for the drink that you
can give them from your springs.”
With solemn dignity, the Father of Truth spoke:
"The springs which I must guard
let light stream forth from spiritual suns;
and only those beings may drink of the light
who do not thirst for air to breathe.
Therefore I have raised the child in the light,
who feels compassion for the souls of the earth
and can bring forth light in breathing beings.
So go to the people and bring
the light from their souls to my light
with trust and spiritual vitality."
Then the bright being of light turned
to the souls who experience themselves as breathing beings.
It found many good people on earth
who joyfully gave it a dwelling place in their souls.
It directed the gaze of these souls to the Father
at the source of light in faithful love.
And when the being heard from human mouths
and joyful human imagination
as a magic word, then it knew itself
to be joyfully experienced in good human hearts.
But one day, a man approached this being
a man who looked at it with a strange gaze.
“I guide human souls on earth
to the Father of Truth at the source of light.”
So spoke the being to the strange man.
Then the man said, “You weave only wild dreams in human spirits
and deceive souls.”
And since the day that saw this,
many people slander this being,
who can bring light into breathing souls.

Appearing in a cloud of light: Philia, Astrid, Luna, and the other Philia.

Philia:
The soul finds,
drinks the light,
in the realms of the world
awakens powerfully.

Astrid:
The spirit feels,
fearless,
in the experience of the world
arises powerfully.

Luna:
May the human being,
who strives for heights,
in the depths of being
maintain himself powerfully.

The other Philia:
Man strives
to be the bearer of light,
who opens up worlds
that refresh the joyful senses
in man.
Enthusiastic admiration
carries the spirit away
to the realm of the gods,
which awakens luminous beauty
in souls.
Achievements comfort
feelings that dare
to cross thresholds
strictly guarded
from fearful souls.
And strength finds
the maturing will,
which fearlessly carries itself
to creative powers,
which sustain worlds.

The curtain falls while Benedictus, Capesius, Mary, Mrs. Balde,
Lucifer, Ahriman, and the four soul figures are still in their places.