Four Mystery Plays

by Rudolf Steiner

Scene 3

The Same.

(Enter left, Magnus Bellicosus, Romanus, Torquatus, and Hilary, in deep conversation, and pausing in their walk.)

Bellicosus:

And if his headstrong mood will not be changed,

How can prosperity attend the work

Which Hilary is fain to dedicate

In loving service to his fellowmen?

Romanus:

What our friend’s true companion in his work

Did give as reason why he did object,

Hath weight not only amongst men who form

Opinions based on outer facts of life.

Are not these arguments advanced by him

Also in harmony with mystic views?

Bellicosus:

Yet it lies not within the spirit group

Which holds our projects in its firm embrace.

Those who succeeded to our mystic task

Were Benedictus’ pupils;—’tis for them

That Hilary would make a field of work

In which their spirit-fruitage can mature.

The wise powers ruling over destiny

Have, in the temple, joined them to ourselves;

Our friend, however, represents alone

The wisdom which to us within the shrine

As spirit-law and duty was revealed.

Romanus:

But art thou sure that thou dost understand

This spirit-law? More simply it might mean

That Benedictus and his pupils too,

Whom in his way he to the spirit led,

Should still remain within the temple’s shrine

And not at this time tread the hard rough road

To which friend Hilary would lead them on.

For but too easily can spirit-sight

Be turned, upon that road, to soul’s dream-sleep.

Bellicosus:

I did not hope to hear such words from thee

To Hilary’s companion in his work.

We must indeed allow that knowledge gained

From books alone is but of little worth.

But thou art bound to recognize the signs

Which are begotten on the mystic way.

How Benedictus’ pupils were impelled

To come to us, speaks clearly to our souls.

They are joined with us that we may obey

What their clairvoyance doth to them reveal.

Torquatus:

Another sign doth still make manifest

That full rich blessing from the spirit-powers

Upon that project hath not been outpoured

Which in the temple showed itself to us.

Capesius hath now withdrawn himself

From Benedictus and his pupils’ group.

That he should not yet in its fullness feel

The wakefulness of soul which now in him

Doth Benedictus seek, doth cast sad doubt

E’en on our teacher’s personal competence.

Bellicosus:

The gift of seership lies still far from me:

Yet intuition often doth reveal

Within my soul the meaning of events.

When for the first time in our sacred fane

I saw Capesius within our group

The thought oppressed me, that fate set him there

To be both near to us and yet far off.

Romanus:

Thine intuition I can fully grasp.

But at that very moment none amongst

Our new-found mystic friends so closely knit

By fate to us as Strader, could I find.

Such intuition is to me a sign

To show my soul the road, where I may then

With reason search; and when I come to act

I must destroy that intuition first

Which gave strength and direction to my thought.

Thus mysticism’s strict decrees ordain.

In spirit-realms I find myself in truth

With Benedictus’ pupils close allied;

Yet, if I leave my inner mystic group

And find my way back into life on earth,

By Strader’s side alone dare I do this.

Torquatus:

But Hilary’s companion in his work

Finds not in Strader’s soul true spirit-strength

Such as can prove of use in outer life.

And if myself I heed my inner voice

It is revealed that he entirely lacks

The rightful mood to tread the mystic path.

What outward signs can show him of these things

And what his reason grasps of spirit-life,

Arouse the explorer’s zeal in him;

From inward spirit-life he stands far off.

What can the spirit products of this man

Be but obscurely woven mystic dreams?

Romanus:

Upon the spirit path his friends have trod;

He hath not made sufficient progress yet

To join himself to foes of his own soul,

Who bring to many mystics danger great

When they pursue him into life on earth.

Bellicosus:

If thou dost think him safe from such attacks

Nought hinders thee from working for him there

So that this great scheme may be brought to pass

Which Hilary would carry out through him.

For when our friend’s companion comes to know

How highly thou dost rate the man whom he

Dares think of little worth, he will in truth

Misdoubt his own opinion. Thou alone

Canst win him over to the cause we serve.

For well he knows that in thine outer life

Thou hast invariably achieved success

In all thou hast essayed with forethought wise.

Romanus:

If thou wilt Strader take, dear Hilary,

As thy companion, and, from this thy work

Keep Benedictus’ other followers

On spirit paths from all illusion free,

Thou shalt not stand alone;—I offer thee

Not only what now Bellicosus asks

As my assistance; but will also help

With all the worldly goods at my command

In making Strader’s plan a real success.

Hilary:

How canst thou think that Strader at this time

From Benedictus’ pupils would depart?

To follow his own spirit-aims alone?

The others are as near him as himself.

Romanus:

In human life they well may stand so close.

But only that part of his soul can hold

That they in spirit too are one with him,

Which still is deeply sunk in spirit-sleep

But soon, methinks, it will be evident

How that part can grow ripe to waking life.

(Exeunt right.)

(Enter left—Capesius, Strader, Felix Balde, and Dame Balde; as if coming to a standstill during their talk because of the importance to them of the following dialogue.)

Capesius:

To seek the spirit in mine inmost soul

Is all that I can do at such a time.

Were I to load myself with outward work,

That spirit might be brought to realms of sense,

With rashness should I strive to grasp the cause

Of being in those worlds whose essence true

I have not fully grasped within myself.

Of cosmic being I can see no more

Than hath already shaped itself in me.

How shall my work do good to other men

If in creating I but please myself?

Strader:

Thy meaning is, I take it, that thy work

Will only carry thine own being’s stamp;

And in that work, thou dost but manifest

To outward cosmic life thy personal self?

Capesius:

Till I encounter with mine inner world

A being strange to me, ’tis even so.

How far I now can pierce another’s soul

I realized with pain, when for a while

I was awake and could with clearness judge.

Felix Balde:

Thou speak’st as I have never heard thee speak—

But ne’er could I so understand thy mind

As I do now, when naught speaks but thyself.

In all thy words there rings the mystic mood

Which I have sought unwearied many years;

And which alone can recognise the light

In which the human spirit feels itself

A part of cosmic spirit through clear sight.

Capesius:

Because I felt how near I’d drawn to thee

I sought thee, fleeing from the kind of life

That was about to slay mine inner world.

Strader:

I often understood thy present speech;—

And then I thought it wisdom;—but no word

In all thy speech can I now understand.

Capesius and father Felix both

Conceal dark meanings in transparent words.…

Do I not feel these words of thine are but

The cloak of forces: forces of the soul

That exile me from thee unto those words

Which lie remote from all thy spirit-paths?

Worlds I have no desire for,—since I must

Deep in my soul adore that world of thine.

The opposition I can lightly bear

Which from without now menaceth my work;

Yea, e’en if all my plans were broken up

Upon this opposition;—I could bear.

But I cannot forego these worlds of thine.

Felix Balde:

A man cannot attain the spirit-world

By seeking to unlock the gates himself.

Once didst thou give me pleasure, when of old

Of thine invention thou wast wont to speak—

Then, when enlightenment was granted thee

By what thou didst not strive to understand.

Thou wast far nearer to the mystic mood.

To strive for nought,—but just to live in peace,

Expectancy the soul’s whole inner life:—

That is the mystic mood. When waked in man

It leads his inmost soul to realms of light.

Our outward tasks do not endure such mood.

If them thou wouldst through mysticism seek,

Mystic illusion will destroy thy life.

Strader:

I need thee sorely;—yet I find thee not—

The being that unites us thou dost scorn.

Yet how can men be found to undertake

True cosmic work if mystics all decline

To leave their individuality?

Felix Balde:

Into thy world of active daily life

The tender being of clairvoyant sight

Cannot be introduced, for it will fade

E’en as its welcome border line appears.

In faith devout, revering spirit-sway

With spirit-sight reposing in the heart:—

Thus mystics should draw nigh the world of deeds.

Capesius:

And if they strive to tread it otherwise

The work of error they will then behold;

But wisdom’s radiance they will never see.

I once saw clearly through another’s soul.

I knew that I saw truly what I saw.

Yet only that soul’s error could I see.

This was my fate for spoiling spirit-sight

By my desire for outer deeds on earth.

Strader:

Thus speaks Capesius who hath advanced

Beyond me far upon the path of souls.

And yet my spirit-vision only wakes

When thoughts of action wholly fill my soul;

And it is flooded with a living hope

That for the spirit it may build a shrine

And kindle there on earth the light that shines

So warmly through the spirit-worlds on high

And seeks, through human sense-activities,

A new home in the daily life of earth.

Am I a son of error?—not thy son,

Ye wide-flung spirit-realms where wisdom dwells?

(Strader turns away, for a moment, from the companions with whom he has been conversing; and now he has the following spirit-vision—Benedictus, Maria, Ahriman appear—in the guise of his thought-forms but nevertheless in real spirit-intercourse; first Benedictus and Ahriman, then Maria.)

Benedictus:

In wide-flung spirit-realms where wisdom dwells

Thou seekest aid to still thy questioning doubt,

Which makes the secret of thine inner life

Lie like a burden on thine earthly thought.

And thou shalt have an answer, such an one

As spirit-spaces out of their soul-depths

Are willing to reveal through this my voice.

But learn to understand what thou hast guessed

And what thou often hast made bold to say,

But in thine inner being only dreamst.

Give to thy dreams the life, which I am bound

To offer thee from out the spirit-world;

But turn to dreams whatever thou canst draw

By thought from all thy sense-experience.

Capesius and Felix cast thee forth

From out the spirit-light which they behold;

Thy place th’ abyss betwixt themselves and thee—

Do not complain that they have done this thing,

But gaze in thine abyss.

Ahriman:

But gaze in thine abyss. Aye, gaze therein!

Thou shalt behold there what to thee seems meet

For human spirits on their cosmic path.

’Twere well for thee, if other spirit-powers

Did tell thee when thy soul is sunk in sleep;

But Benedictus tells thee when awake,

So dost thou slay, beholding, thy response.

Aye, gaze therein.

Strader:

Aye, gaze therein. I will. What do I see?

Two forms confused? They change, yea, and they tear,

One at the other tears—a battle now—

The phantoms fight each other furiously,—

Destruction reigns, and from it gloom is born;—

From out the gloom now issue other shades

With ether’s light around them,—flick’ring red;

One of the forms quite clearly leaves the rest;

And comes to me;—sent from the dark abyss.

(Maria steps forth from the abyss.)

Maria:

Thou seest demons;—summon up thy strength,

They are not thus,—before thee they appear

What they are not. If thou canst hold them fast

Until their phantom nature shall become

Illumined to the being of thy soul

Thou wilt behold what value they possess

In evolution of the cosmic scheme.

Thy power of sight doth fade ere they unfold

The forces which will make them luminous.

Illuminate them with thine own self’s light.

Where is thy light? Thou rayest darkness out—

Perceive thy darkness all around thyself—

’Midst light thou dost create the baffling gloom;

And feelst it when created by thyself.

Yet then thou ne’er canst feel thyself create.

Thou wouldst forget thy longing to create,

Which reigns unconsciously within thy soul.

Because thou art afraid to ray out light.

Thou wouldst enjoy this light that is thine own.

Thou wouldst enjoy therein thyself alone.

Thou seekst thyself, and seekest to forget.

Thou let’st thyself sink dreaming in thyself.

Ahriman:

Aye, list to her; thy riddles she can solve

But her solution solves them not for thee.

She gives thee wisdom—so that with its aid

Thou canst direct thy steps to foolishness.

Wisdom were good for thee—at other times,

When on thee spirit-day doth brightly shine.

But when Maria speaks thus in thy dreams

She slays thy riddle’s answer by her words.

Aye, list to her.

Strader:

Aye, list to her. What mean such words as these?

Maria, are they born from out the light?

From out my light? Or is my darkness that

From which they sound? O Benedictus, speak;

Who brought me counsel from the dark abyss?

Benedictus:

At thine abyss’s edge she sought thee out.

Thus spirits seek out men to shelter them,

From those who fashion phantoms for men’s souls

And so conceal the cosmic-spirit’s sway

With mazy darkness, that they only know

Themselves in truth in their own being’s net.

Look further yet within thy dark abyss.

Strader:

What now lives in the depths of mine abyss?

Benedictus:

Gaze on these shades; upon the right, blue-red

Enticing Felix—and the others see—

There on the left—where red with yellow blends;

Who are intent to reach Capesius.

They both do feel the might of these same shades;—

And each in loneliness creates the light

Which foils the shades who would deceive men’s souls.

Ahriman:

He would do better did he show to thee

Thy shades—yet this thing could he scarcely do;—

He hath the best intentions certainly.

He only sees not where to seek those shades.

They stand behind thee, critically near,—

Yet thou thyself dost hide them now from him.

Strader:

So now I hear in mine abyss these words

Which once I thought the prating of a fool,

When Hilary’s adviser uttered them.…

Maria:

Sire Felix tempers for himself the blade

That rids him of his danger; one who treads

The path thy soul takes needs another kind.

The sword Capesius doth fashion here,

And bravely wields in battle with his foes,

Would be for Strader but a shadow sword

Should he commence therewith the spirit-fight

Which powers of destiny ordain for souls

Who must change spirit-being, ripe for deeds

With mighty power, to earth activity.

Thou canst not use their weapons in thy fight;

Yet thou must know them, so that thou mayst forge

Thine own from out soul-substance thoughtfully.

(The figures of Benedictus, Ahriman, and Maria disappear; i.e., from outward sight; Strader wakes up from his spirit-vision; he looks round for Capesius, Felix Balde, and Dame Balde, who again approach him; he has seated himself upon a rock.)

Felix Balde:

Dear Strader, even now the spirit drove

Thee far from us—thus it appeared to me.

(He pauses a while in the expectation that Strader will say something, but since the latter remains silent Felix continues.)

I would not seem to cast thee coldly forth

From out our group to other paths of life.

I only wish to check thy further steps

In that illusion which confuseth thee.

What spirit sees in spirit must by souls

In spirit also be received and lived.

How foolish were it if Felicia

Should take the fairies living in her soul,

Who also fain would only live in souls,

And make them dance upon a puppet’s stage.

Their magic charm would be completely lost.

Dame Balde:

I surely have been silent long enough.

But speak I will, if thou art going to cast

Thy mystic mood upon my fairy sprites.

They would indeed enjoy to have their power

Drawn out of them, that they might be brought up

And suckled fresh with mysticism’s milk.

I honour mysticism; but I fain

Would keep it distant from my fairy realms.

Capesius:

Felicia, was it not thy fairy-tales

That set my feet first on the spirit-path?

Those stories of the air and water-sprites,

Called up so oft before my thirsting soul,

Were messengers to me from yonder world

Whereto I now the mystic entrance seek.

Dame Balde:

But since thou cam’st with this new mystic art

Into our house thou hast but seldom asked

What my fair magic beings are about.

More often thou hast only thought of worth

What wears a solemn air of dignity;

While those who caper out of sheer delight

Are uncongenial to thy mystic ways.

Capesius:

I do not doubt, Felicia, that I

Shall one day comprehend the meaning hid

Deep in the being of those wondrous elves

Who show their wisdom through a merry mask.

Yet now my power hath not advanced so far.

Felix Balde:

Felicia, thou knowest how I love

Those fairy beings who do visit thee;

But to conceive them as mechanical

Embodied dolls—this goes against the grain.

Dame Balde:

As yet I have not brought them to thee thus;

Thy fancy flies—too high; but I was glad

When Strader’s plan was told me, and, I heard,

Thomasius also strives to represent

The spirit cased in matter visible.

I saw in spirit dancing merrily

My fairy princes and my souls of fire

In thousand doll-games, beautified by art;

And there I left them, happy in the thought,

To find their own way to the nurseries.

Curtain