I willed to flee from thee; but I was blind,

Blinded by glamour of the worlds, whereto

My folly fled to free me from myself;

And now once more within my sightless soul

Blind through these words: ‘Know thou thyself, O man.’

(From the springs and rocks resounds:)

Know thou thyself, O man.

Johannes: (As though coming to himself, sees Maria. The meditation passes to the plane of inner reality.)

Know thou thyself, O man. Thou here, my friend?

Maria: