Locked fast in deep recesses of his soul. I told thee when at first thou called'st me That I could never tread the temple courts In mine own human personality. He who now comes, as though another's life Had been entrusted to him, sees that fate Hath laid on him the task of watching o'er Results of his own work and guiding them With dutiful attention from this place For such time as the spirit doth command. TORQUATUS (in the South, to Capesius): Capesius, henceforth 'twill be thy task To serve the holy temple in this place Whence love through wisdom shall stream forth to men As warmly as the sunshine's noontide rays. He who would to the spirit sacrifice With understanding of the mystic work, Must needs face dangers here, for Lucifer Can in this place draw near with secret tread To whomsoever faithfully doth try To carry out the spirit-service here, And on each word he can impress the seal That marks the adversary of the gods. Thou stood'st before the adversary's throne And saw'st what follows his activities; So for thine office thou art well prepared. CAPESIUS: He who hath viewed the adversary's realm As powers of fate permitted me to do, He knows that 'good' and 'evil' are but words Which mankind scarce can understand aright. Who speaks of Lucifer as wholly bad Might also say that fire is evil too, Because it hath a power that can kill life; He might call water evil, since a man Might in the water easily be drowned. TORQUATUS: Through other things doth Lucifer appear As evil to thee; not through that which he Would indicate as evil of himself. CAPESIUS: The cosmic spirit who could bring the light To souls of men when first the Earth was formed Must render service to the universe, In ways which in themselves seem neither good Nor evil unto spirits who have learned What stern necessity doth oft reveal. For good can turn to ill, if evil minds Make use of it for their destructive ends; And what seems evil may be turned to good If some good being guideth it aright. TORQUATUS: So dost thou know what thou wilt have to do So long as thou dost stand within this place. Love doth not value powers that are revealed Within the world by judgment's stern decree-- She treasures them for what they may bring forth And asks how she can mould and use the life Which is created out of cosmic depths. BENEDICTUS (in the East): Yet love speaks often with such gentle words, And needs support within the depths of soul. Here in this place she will unite with all That follows cosmic law with threefold will And is unto the spirit dedicate. Maria will unite her work to thine. The vow she took in Lucifer's domain Is now permitted to ray forth its powers. MARIA: