{
  "meta": {
    "schema_version": "1.1",
    "endpoint": "/api/sources/goethe-works/faust/faust-ii/05-act-ii-laboratory-homunculus.json"
  },
  "work": {
    "slug": "faust-ii",
    "name": "Faust II (1832)"
  },
  "parents": [
    {
      "slug": "goethe-works",
      "name": "Works of Goethe",
      "url": "/sources/goethe-works/"
    },
    {
      "slug": "faust",
      "name": "Faust (Parts I and II)",
      "url": "/sources/faust/"
    }
  ],
  "chapter": {
    "num": 5,
    "slug": "05-act-ii-laboratory-homunculus",
    "title": "Act II — Laboratory (Homunculus)",
    "of": 12,
    "words": 1569,
    "text": "After the manner of the Middle Ages ; extensive, ponderous appara-\ntus for fantastic purposes.\n\nWacner (at the furnace.)\n\nHE loud bell chimes with fearful clangor,\n'The sooty walls feel the vibration ;\nSoon must the long suspense be ended\nOf my most earnest expectation.\nIt shines, the darknesses are rended:\nWithin the phial's inmost chamber\nIt gleams, as doth a living ember, —\nYea, a carbuncle, burning, bright'ning,\nIt rays the darkness with its lightning.\nNow white and clear the lustres blend!\nO that I hold, nor lose it more!\nAh, God! what rattles at the door?\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES (entering).\n\nWelcome! I mean it as a friend.\n\nM7\n\n130 faust.\n\nWacner (anxiously).\nBe welcome to the planet of the hour!\n(Whispering. )\nYet breath and speech suspend! A work of power,\nA splendid work, will soon be here displayed.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES (whispering).\n\nWhat is it, then?\n| Wacner (whispering).\n\nA man is being made.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES.\n\nA man? And what enamored pair\nHave you within the chimney hidden?\n\nWAGNER.\n\nNay, God forbid! This procreation is most rare:\nOf the old, senseless mode we 're now well ridden.\nThe tender point, whence Life commenced its course,\nThe outward stress of gracious inward force,\n\nWhich took and gave, itself delineating,\n\nFirst near, then foreign traits assimilating,\n\nWe now of all its dignity divest :\n\nAct Ll. | 131\n\nThe beast therein may further find a zest,\nBut Man must learn, with his great gifts, to win\nHenceforth a purer, loftier origin.\n\n(Turning towards the furnace.)\n\nIt brightens, —see! Sure, now, my hopes increase\nThat if, from many hundred substances,\n\nThrough mixture — since on mixture all depends —\nThe human substance gently be compounded,\n\nAnd by a closed retort surrounded,\n\nDistilled, and fed, and slowly founded,\n\nThen in success the secret labor ends.\n(Again turning towards the furnace.)\n\n\"T will be! the mass is working clearer!\nConviction gathers, truer, nearer!\n\nThe mystery which for Man in Nature lies\nWe dare to test, by knowledge led ;\n\nAnd that which she was wont to organize\n\nWe crystallize, instead.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES.\n\nWho lives, learns.many secrets to unravel ;\n\nFor him, upon this earth, there 's nothing new can be:\nI've seen already, in my years of travel,\n\nMuch crystallized humanity.\n\n132 faust.\n\nWAGNER\n(up to this time continuously attentive to the phial).\n\nIt mounts, it lightens, grows, —'t is won!\n\nA moment more, and it is done!\n\nInsane, at first, appears a great intent;\n\nWe yet shall laugh at chance in generation ;\n\nA brain like this, for genuine thinking meant,\n\nWill henceforth be a thinker's sure creation.\n(Rapturously inspecting the phial.)\n\nThe glass vibrates with sweet and powerful tone;\n\nIt darkens, clears: it must arrive at being!\n\nAnd now in delicate shape is shown\n\nA pretty manikin, moving, living, seeing!\n\nWhat more can we, what more the world demand?\n\nThe secret, solved, all men may reach:\n\nHark! as the ringing tones expand,\n\nThey form a voice, result in speech.\n\nHomuncutus 59\n(in the phial, to WaGNER).\nHow goes it, Daddy? It was then no jest!\n\nCome, press me tenderly upon thy breast!\n\nBut not too hard, for fear the glass might shatter !\n\nAct L1. i323\n\nThis is the quality of matter :\nFor what is natural, scarce the world has place;\n\nWhat 's artificial, needs restricted space.\n(To MEpPHISTOPHELES.)\n\nThou rogue, Sir Cousin! here I find thee, too?\nAnd at the proper time! My thanks are due:\nA lucky fortune led thee here to me;\n\nSince I exist, then I must active be.\n\nI'd fain begin my work without delay :\n\nThou art adroit in shortening my way.\n\nWAGNER.\nBut first, a word! I'm shamed that answers fail me;\nFor old and young with problems so assail me.\nNow, for example, none e'er comprehended\nHow soul and body wedded are and blended, —\nHold fast, as if defying separation,\nYet never cease their mutual irritation.\nTherefore —\nMEPHISTOPHELES.\n\nDesist! I'd rather ask him why\nThe man and wife agree so wretchedly.\nTo thee, my friend, the thing will ne'er be clear:\nThere 's work to do: for that the little fellow 's here.\n\n134 faust.\n\nHomuncuLuvus,\n\nWhat 's to be done?\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES (pointing to a side-door).\n\nThy talents here employ !\n\nWacner (still gazing at the phial).\nForsooth, thou art the very loveliest boy!\n\n(The side-door opens: Faust is seen stretched out upon a couch.)\n\nHomuncutus (astonished).\nSignificant | —\n\n(The phial slips out of Wacner's hands, hovers over Faust, and\n\nshines upon him.)\n\n| Fair scenery ! °— Waters, moving\nIn forest shadows: women there, undressing,\n\nThe loveliest forms !—the picture is improving.\nOne, marked by beauty, splendidly expressing\nDescent from Gods or high heroic races,\n\nNow dips her foot in the translucent shimmer :\nThe living flame of her sweet form displaces\n\nThe yielding crystal, cool around the swimmer.\n\nBut what a sound of wings! What rapid dashing\n\nAct Ll. 135\n\nAcross the glassy pool, what fluttering, splashing !\nThe maidens fly, alarmed; but only she,\n\nThe queen, looks on, composed and terror-free,\n\nAnd sees with proud and womanly delight\n\nThe swan-prince press her knee with. plumage white,\nImportunately tame: he grows acquainted. —\n\nBut all at once floats up a vapor pale,\n\nAnd covers with its closely-woven veil\n\nThe loveliest picture ever dreamed or painted.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES.\n\nHow much hast thou to tell, — what stories merry !\nSo small thou art, so great a visionary !\nNothing see 1! —\n\nHomuncu.us.\n\nOf course. 'Thou, from the North,\n\nAnd in the age of mist brought forth,\nIn knighthood's and in priestcraft's murky den,\nHow should thy sight be clearer, then?\nIn gloom alone art thou at home.\n\n(Gazing around.)\nBrown masonry, repellent, crumbling slowly,\nArch-pointed, finical, fantastic, lowly ! —\n\nIf this man wakes, another danger 's nigh;\n\n136 faust.\n\nAt once upon the spot he 'Il die.\n\nWood-fountains, swans, and naked beauties,\n\nSuch was his dream of presage fair :\n\nHow should these dark surroundings suit his\n\nDesires, when them J scarce can bear?\n\nAway with him! |\nMEPHISTOPHELES.\n\nI hail the issue's chances.\n\nHoMuNCULUS.\n\nCommand the warrior to the fight,\nConduct the maiden to the dances,\n\nAnd all is finished, as is right.\n\nJust now — there breaks on me a light —\n\"T is Classical Walpurgis-Night ;\nWhate'er may come, it is the best event,\n\nSo bring him to his proper element! y,\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES.\n\nThe like of that I never heard one mention.\n\nHomuncu.us.\nHow should it have attracted your attention?\nOnly romantic ghosts are known to you;\n\nA genuine phantom must be classic too.\n\nAct Ll. 137\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES.\n\nBut whitherward shall then we travel, tell me!\n\nYour antique cronies in advance repel me.\n\nHomuncutuws.\n\nNorthwestwards, Satan, is thy park and pale,\n\nBut we, this time, southeastwards sail.\n\nPeneus, there, the great plain wanders through,\n\nBy thickets, groves, and silent coves, and meadow grasses ;\nThe level stretches to the mountain passes,\n\nAnd o'er it lies Pharsalus, old and new.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES.\n\nAlas! Have done! Bring not that fell collision\n\nOf tyrant and of slave before my vision!\n\nI'm tired of that: for scarcely is it done\n\nThan they the same thing have again begun ;\n\nAnd no one marks that he's the puppet blind\n\nOf sly Asmédi, lurking there behind. |\nThey fight, we 're told, their freedom's right to save ;\n\nBut, clearlier seen, 't is slave that fights with slave.®\n\nHomuncu.uvs.\n\nLeave unto men their fractiousness and clatter :\n\nEach must protect himself, as best he can,\n\n138 faust.\n\nFrom boyhood up, and thus becomes a man.\nHow this one shall recover, is our matter.\nHast thou a method, let it tested be!\n\nBut hast thou none, so leave the case to me!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES.\n\nThere 's many a Brocken-method I might try,\nBut pagan bolts, I find, the way deny.\n\nThe Grecian race was little worth, alway ;\n\nIt dazzles with the senses' freer play,\n\nTo cheerful sins the heart of man entices;\nWhile ours are ever counted gloomy vices.\n\nNow, what shall be?\n\nHomuncutvs.\nShyness was ne'er thy blame.\nWhen I to thee Thessalian witches name,\n\nI've not said nothing, that I know.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES (/ustfully).\nThessalian witches! Well! The persons, those,\nWhom I inquired for, long ago.\nNight after night beside them to repose,\nI think would hardly suit: but so,\n\nA mere espial, trial, —\n\nAct LT. 139\n\nHomuncuLUvs.\n\nHere! cast o'er\nThe knight your magic mantle, and infold him!\nThe rag will still, as heretofore,\nUpon his airy course — and thine — uphold him.\nI'll light the way.\n\nWAGNER (anxiously).\n\nAnd I?\n\nHomuncu.uws.\n\nEh? You\nWill stay at home, most weighty work to do.\nUnfold your ancient parchments, and collect\nLife's elements as your recipes direct,\nOne to the other with due caution fitting.\nThe What consider, more the How and Why!\nMeanwhile, about the world at random flitting,\nI may detect the dot upon the \"I.\" ©\nThe lofty aim will then accomplished be ;\nSuch an endeavor merits such requital :\nGold, honor, glory, healthy forces vital,\nAnd science, too, and virtue, — possibly.\n\nFarewell !\n\n140 Faust.\n\nWacner (sorrowfully).\n\nFarewell! It doth depress my heart :\n\nI fear, already, we forever part.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES.\n\nDown to Peneus, with his aid!\n\nSir Cousin is a deft attendant.\n(Ad spectatores.)\n\n' Upon the creatures we have made (_\n\n' We are, ourselves, at last dependent.°3\na\n\nAct Lf, 141\n\nITT.\n\nCLASSICAL WALPURGIS-NIGHT.%\nI.",
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