How glorious these words of thine do sound! I must now live them out within myself. From all illusion they will set me free, If they but fill my nature to the full. Work on then further in my soul's deep core, Ye words, sublime and grand! Ye surely must Proceed from out the temple's shrine alone, Since Benedictus' brother uttered you. I feel already how ye mount within Mine inmost being. Soon shall ye resound From out my very Self, that I may read Your meaning rightly. Spirit, that doth dwell Within me, forth from thy concealment come! Now in thine own true nature show thyself! I feel thy near approach: thou must appear. (Lucifer and Ahriman appear.) LUCIFER: O man, know me. O man, feel thou thyself. From spirit guidance hast thou freed thyself, And into earth's free realms thou hast escaped. Midst earth's confusion thou didst seek to prove Thine own existence; and to find thyself Was thy reward. So now use this reward. In spirit-ventures keep thyself secure. In the wide realms on high a being strange Thou shalt discover, who to human lot Will fetter thee, and will oppress thee too. A man, feel thou thyself: O man, know me. AHRIMAN: O man, know thou thyself: O man, feel me. From spirit darkness hast thou now escaped; And thou hast found again the light of earth. So now from my sure ground draw strength and truth. The solid earth do I make hard and fast: Yet canst thou also lose that certainty. Weak hesitation can e'en now destroy The power of being, and thou canst misuse The spirit-strength e'en in the heights of light. Thou canst be rent in twain within thyself. O man, feel me. O man, know thou thyself. (Exit with Lucifer.) JOHANNES: What meaneth this? First Lucifer arose From me, and Ahriman did follow him. Doth now some new illusion haunt my soul, Although I prayed so ardently for truth? Hath Benedictus' brother roused in me Only those powers, which in the souls of men Do but create illusion and deceit? (The following is a spirit voice coming from the heights.) SPIRIT: To founts of world primeval Thy surging thoughts do mount. What unto illusion urged, What in error held thee fast, Appeareth to thee now in spirit-light. Through whose fulness seeing, Mankind doth think in truth; Through whose fulness striving, Mankind doth live in Love. Curtain SCENE 11 The Temple of the Sun. Hidden site of the mysteries of the Hierophants. Capesius and Strader appear as in Scene 4. RETARDUS (to Capesius and Strader before him):