Who calleth me to realms so strange to me? I like it not, unless the world of gods Reveals itself in love unto my soul, And glowing warmth entwining round my heart Draws spirit-speech from out mine inmost soul.
Ah, how thou dost transform my very life! Thou hast appeared, and here am I, a man Who now can only work when filled by thee. Johannes shall, through me, be now thine own, And from henceforward thou shalt have the love Which once so fearful and so radiant Was wrested for Maria from his heart. He saw thee years ago, but did not then Feel all the warmth of love which was to grow In secret in the depths of his own soul. Now it will rise, and fill him full of power, And turn his thoughts entirely to thyself.
The crucial moment is arriving now, His strongest power hath Lucifer let loose: Maria, all the training of thy soul Thou must put forth in strength to vanquish him.
O Bearer of that Light, which would confine Love only to the service of the self; Thou hast from Earth's beginning granted men Knowledge, when they, still guided by the gods, Obeyed the spirit, knowing nought of self. But since that time each soul of man hath been The place in which thou fightest 'gainst the gods. Yet now the times are coming, which must bring Destruction on thyself and on thy realms. A thinker bold was able to release Science from all thy gifts in such a way That unto mankind's gods it gave itself. But thou dost try once more to get the powers, Which for the gods are destined, for thyself. Because Johannes through his work hath now Deprived thee of that knowledge, with whose fruit Thou from the first deceived'st all mankind, So now thou would'st deceive him, through that love Which, should he follow out his destined path For Theodora he should never feel. Thou fain wouldst conquer Wisdom now by Love, As once 'gainst Love thou didst by Wisdom fight. But know full well that in Maria's heart, With which she now opposeth thy designs, The spirit-pupilship hath planted powers To keep far off, for ever, all self-love From Knowledge. Never from this hour will I Allow myself to be possessed by joy Such as men feel when thoughts grow ripe within. I'll steel my heart to serve as sacrifice So that my mind can always only think In such a way that through my thoughts I may Offer the fruits of Knowledge to the gods. My sacred service shall such Knowledge be, And what I thus effect within myself Shall o'er Johannes powerfully outstream, And oft, in future, when within his heart These words are whispered from thyself to him: 'Man's human nature shall through love find out What gives strength to his personality.' Then shall my heart this powerful answer give: 'Once didst thou hear these words, when Earth began, And there didst show forth signs of Wisdom's fruit, "The fruits of love can only come to man When they are brought to him from realms divine."'