Let man struggle on To him who bears light And opens out worlds Which quicken in men The sense of delight. This beauty so bright Awakened in souls, Inspired to admire, The spirit leads on To realms of the gods. Achievement consoles The feelings that dare The threshold to tread, Which strictly doth guard 'Gainst souls that feel fear. And energy finds A will that grows ripe And fearless doth stand 'Fore powers that create And fashion the worlds. Curtain falls whilst Benedictus, Capesius, Maria, Dame Balde, Lucifer, and Ahriman, and the four Soul-forms, are still in their places. SCENE 7 A landscape composed of fantastic forms. This picture of blazing fire on one side of the stage with rushing water on the other whirled into living forms is intended to suggest the sublime. In the centre a chasm belching forth fire which leaps up into a kind of barrier of fire and water. The Guardian of the Threshold stands in the centre with flaming sword erect. His costume is the conventional angelic garb. The Guardian, Thomasius, Maria, later on Lucifer and then the other Philia. THE GUARDIAN: What unchecked wish doth sound within mine ear? So storm men's souls when first approaching me E'er they have fully gained tranquillity. It is desire that really leads such men And not creative power which dares to speak Since it in silence could itself create. The souls which thus comport themselves when here I needs must relegate again to Earth, For in the Spirit-realm they can but sow Confusion, and do but disturb the deeds Which cosmic powers have wisely foreordained. Such men can also injure their own selves Who form destructive passions in their hearts Which are mistaken for creative powers, Since they must take delusion for the truth When earthly darkness no more shelters them. (Thomasius and Maria appear.) THOMASIUS: