The Rudolf Steiner Archive

The Apollonian Course XX

In this lesson, in which Rudolf Steiner discussed the forms of six- and eight-line poems, Marie Steiner's notes indicate that the prelude to the “Song of Initiation” was also given (“Ganz nah / Leben wir uns / Suchen wir uns” [Very close / We live / We seek each other], see p. 410). Both were performed for the first time on September 12, 1915. - The heptagon is only found in Tatiana Kisseleff's eurythmy diary—it was probably developed later.

The hexagon, for six-line stanzas

From the “Edda”: Warrior wisdom

Fire is valuable
To the human race
And the face of the sun,
Healing body,
Who can keep it,
Without being reproached.

The fearful man
Thinks he will live forever,
If he avoids fighting other men;
But one day
Old age will break the peace
That Ger gave him.

He who is generous and bold
Who is generous and bold,
Rarely tormented by worry;
Fear always harbors
The cowardly man,
The gift gnaws at the miser.

Early shall rise,
He who desires from another
Life or land:
Rape rarely wins
The resting wolf,
Nor the sleeper the battle.

From his weapons
Go away, man
No foot on the field:
No one knows for sure. When the javelin
Is needed outside.

The handless man herds,
The lame man rides,
The deaf man fights bravely;
Blind is better
Than being burned:
The dead are no longer useful.

If you have six lines, hexagon. Outer circle. Inner circle, two circles in between.

After each six-line stanza, the people first change diagonally, as follows:

First 1, 3, 5 and then 2, 4, 6.

Then everyone changes places: 1 goes to 2, 2 to 3, 3 to 4, etc.

Then they move into the new formation, i.e., the next arrangement. The movement also takes place before the start of the verses.

Hexagon / 3-1 / 1-2 / 2-4 / 4-6 / 6-5 / 5-4

Upbeat for six-line verses

1) Inner movement / 2) Circulation / Beginning / 3) Transition / to the second / Hexagon
In the II hexagon, either the person standing on the second circle or the person standing on the outer circle can begin the inner movement. In the first case, the person standing on the middle circle begins in the III hexagon and the person standing on the fourth circle begins in the IV hexagon.
Here, too, several transitions are possible.
Further examples: Christian Knorr von Rosenroth: “Morgenglanz der Ewigkeit” (Morning Glory of Eternity); Death Poems by C. F. Meyer; Johann Gaudenz von Salis-Seewis: Morning Psalm (“Der Erdkreis feiert noch im Dämmerschein” (The Earth Still Celebrates in the Twilight)); Spiritual Song: “Schönster Herr Jesu” (Most Beautiful Lord Jesus).

The octagon, for eight-line poems

From the Bjarkilied of the “Edda”:

Hjalti:
Gather around the shield castle
Around the treasure giver!
Shining gifts
Are worth rewarding:
Silver rings
And sax swords,
Broad broadswords
And gleaming helmets.

Let us not casually
Keep the vows
We joyfully swore
To the prince's cup
By Freyr and Njörd
And the terrible Aesir,
The ring giver never
To abandon in need.

See at the front of the army
Hjörward striding,
The prince in his golden helmet
Joyfully to battle!
Many warriors follow him.
Cold are their gazes,
With bright battle helmets,
Clanking spears.

Did Skuld plan the betrayal?
Did the Norns provoke you?
Who incited you, Hjörward,
To commit this hopeless sacrilege?
You treacherously betrayed
The most excellent prince,
Envious of his kingdom,
The most noble of the North.

Octagon. Eight-line poem.

The octagons do not need to be arranged as shown in the drawing. They can interlock. After each stanza, the following moves simultaneously:

First 1 to 3, 3 to 5, 5 to 7, 7 to 1.

Then: 2 to 4, 4 to 6, 6 to 8, 8 to 2.

Then everyone moves one place further in the circle, i.e., 1 goes to 2, 2 goes to 3, etc.

Only then does the whole circle move forward.

After the inward movement, the next figure is performed.

Upbeat for eight-line stanzas

1) Inner movement / 2) Inner movement / 3) Transition to the second / Octagon

Upbeat for the “dedication” to Goethe's Faust (“You approach again, wavering figures”)

Eight lines: “Urworte Orphisch” (8 x 5). // Upbeat for the “dedication” to Goethe's Faust:

Further examples: Conrad Ferdinand Meyer: Peace on Earth (“Da die Hirten ihre Herde”) (or also for heptagon with refrain); Friedrich Hebbel: God (“Wenn Stürme brausen, Blitze schmettern”); Friedrich Richter: “Es glänzet der Christen inwendiges Leben”; Friedrich Schiller: Longing (“Ach, aus dieses Tales Gründen”)

Tatiana Kissele/fs also includes an introduction to seven-line stanzas. The entire form and an excerpt from it are shown below.