# Scene 3

*The Same.*

*Enter left, Magnus Bellicosus, Romanus, Torquatus, and Hilary, in deep conversation, and pausing in their walk. While Torquatus is speaking (page 183), Ahriman enters left, glides stealthily across the stage unnoticed by the speaker and exits right.*

*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 think to hear such words from thee.  
To Hilary's companion, in his work,  
Such words might be allowed, who knowledge gains  
From books alone, of little inward 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Capesius hath now withdrawn himself From  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 pupil's group.  
That he should not yet in its fullness feel  
The wakefulness of soul already sought  
In him by Benedictus, doth cast sad doubt  
E'en on our teacher's personal competence.

*Bellicosus:*  
The gift of seership still lies far from me:  
Yet intuition often doth reveal  
Within my soul the meaning of events.  
When for the first time in our sacred fame  
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: but when I come to act  
I cast aside the intuition dim  
That first directed and inspired my thought,  
Such is the mystic rule for me ordained.  
In spirit-realms I find myself indeed  
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 a mystic 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 with forethought wise essayed.

*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 which still  
Is deeply sunk in spirit-sleep can hold  
That they in spirit too are one with him.  
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 I can accomplish at this time.  
Were I to load myself with outward work,  
That spirit might be brought to realms of sense.  
Most rashly 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 (to Capesius):*  
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 (to Capesius and Felix Balde):*  
I often understood your present speech;—  
And then I thought it wise;—but not a word  
In all your speech can I now understand.  
Capesius and father Felix both  
Conceal dark meanings in transparent words ...  
  
Do I not feel these words of yours are but  
The cloak of forces; forces of the soul  
That exile me from you unto those worlds  
Which lie remote from all your spirit-paths?  
Worlds I have no desire for,—since I must  
Deep in my soul adore that world of yours.  
The opposition I can lightly bear  
Which from without now menaceth my work;  
Yea, e'en if all my plans were devastate  
Upon this opposition,—I could bear.  
But your worlds I can never more forego.

*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 (to Capesius and Felix Balde):*  
I need you sorely,—yet I find you not.  
The being that unites us you do scorn.  
Yet how can men be found to undertake  
True cosmic work if mystics all decline  
To leave their separateness?

*Felix Balde:*  
Into the world of active daily life  
The tender being of the inner sight  
Cannot be introduced, for it will fade  
E'en as ye cross the threshold back again.  
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 home  
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 your 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 from the depth of soul  
Are willing to reveal through this my voice.  
But learn to understand thy fancied thought,  
The knowledge thou hast oft made bold to speak,  
Which thou wert only dreaming hitherto.  
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;  
They place th' abyss betwixt themselves and thee—  
Do not complain that they have done this thing,  
But gaze in thine abyss.

*Ahriman:*  
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 slayest thou the answer in beholding!  
Aye, gaze therein.

*Strader:*  
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 seekest 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:*  
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 cannot see  
Reality, save in the web of self;  
Look further yet within thy dark abyss.

*Strader:*  
What now lives in the depth of mine abyss?

*Benedictus:*  
Gaze on these shades; upon the left, blue-red  
Enticing Felix—and the others see  
There on the right—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 caust 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 decline with thanks 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  
That 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.