Ye have brought bitter grief to me, my friends. The office which I did entrust to you Ye have administered with ill success. I call you now before my judgment seat. To thee, Capesius, I did entrust Full measure of the spirit, that ideas Of mankind's upward striving might compose, With graceful words, the content of thy speech, Which should have worked convincingly on man. Then thine activity I did direct Into those gatherings of men, wherein Thou didst Johannes and Maria meet. Their tendency towards the spirit-sight Thou shouldst have superseded by the power Which thy words should have exercised on them. Instead of that thou didst thyself give up Unto the influence which flows from them.-- And to thee, Strader, did I show the way That leads to scientific certainty. Thou hadst by rigid thinking to destroy The magic power that comes from spirit-sight. But yet thou lackedst feeling's certain touch. The power of thought did slip away from thee, When opportunity for conquest came. My fate is close-entwinéd with your deeds, Through you are these two seekers after truth Now lost for evermore from my domain; For to the brethren I must give their souls. CAPESIUS: Thy trusty messenger I could not be. Thou gav'st me power to picture human life; And I could well portray whate'er inspired The souls of men at this time or at that: But yet it was impossible for me To gift my words, which painted but the past, With power to fill and satisfy men's souls. STRADER: The weakness which must needs befall me too Was but a true reflection of thine own. Knowledge indeed thou couldst give to me: But not the power to still that yearning voice, Which strives for truth in every yearning heart. Deep in mine inmost soul I none the less Felt other powers continually arise. RETARDUS: See now then what result your weakness brings. The brethren are approaching with those souls In whom they will o'erthrow my power. E'en now Johannes and Maria feel their might. (Enter Benedictus with Lucifer and Ahriman; behind them Johannes and Maria.) BENEDICTUS (to Lucifer): Johannes' and Maria's souls have now No longer room for blind unseeing power: To spirit-life they have been lifted up. LUCIFER: Then must I straightway from their souls depart. The wisdom unto which they have attained, Doth give them power to see me, and my sway O'er souls of men doth only last so long As I remain invisible to them. Yet doth the power continue which hath been From the creation of the worlds mine own. And though I cannot tempt their souls, yet still My power will cause within their spirit-life Most beauteous fruits, to ripen and endure. BENEDICTUS (to Ahriman):