Four Mystery Plays. Rudolf Steiner

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ years ago unto my home again,

      Called to attend my mother’s funeral rites.

      I heeded not, but tore myself away.

      For mighty was the power that drew me here

      To this thy circle and the goals of life

      Which here are set before our eager gaze.

      In those dark days I felt no sense of guilt

      When I did rend in twain the bond of love,

      That was unto another soul its life.

      Nor later when the message came to me

      How that her life did slowly pine away,

      And finally was altogether quenched

      Did I feel aught of guilt until today;

      But full of meaning were those recent words

      In yonder chamber which our leader spake;

      How that we may destroy by power misused

      And perverse thought the destiny of those

      Whom bonds of loving trust link to our souls.

      Ah, hideously these words again resound

      Out of the picture, thence re-echoing

      With ghastly repetition from all sides:

      ‘Her murderer thou art! her hast thou slain!’

      Thus whilst this weighty speech hath been for all

      The motive to probe deep within themselves,

      Within my heart it hath brought forth alone

      The consciousness of this most grievous guilt.

      By this new means of sight I can perceive

      How far astray my striving footsteps erred.

      Maria:

      And at this moment, friend, in dark domains

      Thou walkest, and none else can help thee there,

      Save he, in whom we all do put our trust.

      (Maria is called away; re-enter Helena.)

      Helena:

      I feel constrained to linger by thy side

      A little while; since now for many weeks

      Thy gaze hath held so much of grief and care.

      How can the light, which streams so radiantly

      Bring gloom unto thy soul, which only strives

      With utmost strength to seek and know the truth?

      Johannes:

      Hath then this light brought naught but joy to thee?

      Helena:

      Not the same joy as that which once I knew,

      But that new joy which springeth from those words,

      Through which the spirit doth reveal itself.

      Johannes:

      Natheless I tell thee that the self-same power,

      Which doth in thee create, can also crush.

      Helena:

      Some error must have crept into thy soul

      With cunning tread, if this be possible;

      And if dull care instead of happiness,

      And moods of sorrow flow forth from the source

      Of truth itself instead of spirit-bliss

      In free abundance: seek then in thyself

      The stumbling-blocks that thus impede thy way.

      How often are we told that only health

      Is the true fruitage of our teaching here,

      Which makes to blossom forth the powers of life.

      Shall it then show the contrary in thee?

      I see its fruitage in so many lives,

      Which, trusting me, find union in themselves.

      Their former mode of life grows day by day

      Strange and still stranger to such souls as these;

      As well-springs are fresh opened in their hearts,

      Thenceforth renewing life within themselves.

      To gaze into the primal depths of being

      Doth not create those passionate desires

      Which torture and torment the souls of men.

      (Exit.)

      Johannes:

      It took me many years to understand

      And know the vanity of things of sense

      When spirit-knowledge is not joined with them

      In close and intimate companionship:

      And yet one single moment proves to me

      That e’en the highest wisdom’s words may be

      But vanity of soul in man’s own self.

       Curtain

      Scene 2

       Table of Contents

       In the open. Rocks and springs. The entire scene is to be thought of as taking place in the soul of Johannes Thomasius. What follows is the content of his meditation.

      (There sounds from the springs and rocks:)

      Know thou thyself, O man.

      Johannes:

СКАЧАТЬ