# The Origin and Development of Eurythmy 1912–1918

## GA 277a — 19 August 1915, Dornach

### The Apollonian Course II

*In the second hour, a kind of cosmic dance was performed for the first time as an exercise in three circles with the specifications “sun, zodiac, moon,” which is similar in many ways to the “planetary dance” performed in the sixth hour, but also differs from it. For example, the instruction practiced in the following lesson to distribute the grammatical forms among the three circles is not found in the original notes on the actual “planet dance.”*

> **Exercise in three circles**
> The “meaning forms” indicated yesterday can now be practiced and presented by distributing them among three circles.
> *Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock: “Der Erbarmer” (excerpt)*
> O words of eternal life! [Words: abstract; life: abstract forward]  
> Thus speaks Jehovah:
>
> "Can a mother forget her infant,  
> That she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Would she forget him,  
> I will not forget you!"
>
> Praise, worship, and tears of joy, and eternal thanks  
> For immortality! [Praise: abstract; worship: abstract  
> Heartfelt, sincere, warm thanks [Tears of joy: state; thanks: abstract]  
> For immortality!  
> Hallelujah in the sanctuary! [Sanctuary: concrete]  
> And beyond the curtain  
> In the Holy of Holies Hallelujah! [Holy of Holies: abstract]  
> For thus has Jehovah spoken.


Zodiac, sun, moon // Sun circle (zodiac), moon circle (secundary), (Plan.) Zodiac. ![277a-142](images/277a-142.webp) ![277a-143](images/277a-143.webp) ![277a-144](images/277a-144.webp) ![277a-353](images/277a-353.webp)

We distinguish between an outer, middle, and inner circle.  
Those in the outer circle do everything related to the concrete, those in the middle circle do everything related to the abstract. Those in the inner circle do everything else.  
All gods are in the outer circle. Concrete, but abstract. All interjectional things are in the lunar circle.

We distinguish between:  
an outer circle—the sun  
a middle circle—the zodiac  
an inner circle—the moon

Now you can dance and distribute poems:  
On the outer [sun] circle: Everything that refers to the concrete; all nouns (abstract and concrete), personal and demonstrative pronouns. All gods on the outer circle.  
On the middle [zodiac] circle: Everything that refers to the egg; shaft. All adjectives and adverbs, reflexive pronouns, articles, and numerals  
On the inner [lunar] circle: Everything else. Verbs, prepositions, copulas (connecting words), interjections.

Or:  
Upper circle - 12 [persons] (all)  
Middle circle — as many [persons] as lines (vocalic)  
Inner circle - (consonantal)

As above, in three circles:

> *Joseph von Aujfenberg: “Die Gnosis” (Gnosis).  
> From a speech by Simon the Magician. Fragment*
> The ancient night is eternal, unfathomable,  
> In her womb she carried time  
> And her sister, sublime wisdom.  
> But they are the mothers of the eons,  
> Who lay beneath chaos, deprived of light.  
> All the elements collided with each other in tremendous force,  
> And the mouth of the primordial night cried out a triple woe!  
> She gave birth, amid bitter maternal pains,  
> To the mind that overcomes all things.  
> The son intervened powerfully in the darkness.  
> And Demiurgos shone like a star, [Demiurgos: abstract]  
> Whom we know as the next creator of worlds.  
> He stood there alone, and no altar  
> Was yet clouded with sweet sacrificial incense.  
> He drew sparks from the pure ether, [Ether: abstract]  
> And bound them firmly in heavy bodies;  
> They now lie praying before the altars,  
> And Demiurgos sees his goal achieved.  
> But those sparks always strive upward,  
> The star greets them, the blue of the sky entices them, [Star: concrete; sky: concrete; blue: abstract]
> Therefore, they consume their gloomy dungeons  
> And swing themselves, after stripping off their chains  
> Flying quickly up into the mother light. [Mother light; abstract]  
> The urge to ascend has created death, [Urge: abstract; Death: abstract]  
> But those sparks we call souls, [Souls: abstract]  
> Are imperishable, like the eternal light, [Light; abstract]  
> And often gaze with clear genius eyes [Genius eyes: abstract-concrete]
> Joyfully down upon the shattered dungeons.

**Principle of the Dionysus Chorus**

> *Fercher von Steinwand: “The Mother”*
> Deep in the Alps, in the reed beds,  
> There sits on a stone  
> A poor, aged mother  
> And looks and looks  
> Into a dark green lake.
> This eye, how it flows with streaming sorrow,  
> This heart, oh how it yearns deeply for mercy!
> In the lake are mermaids with bare arms,  
> They came swimming  
> And took the mother's warm,  
> Blossoming son.
> The mermaids come  
> And gather closely  
> Around her feet  
> And gaze brightly.
> Others wave,  
> Sway and sparkle  
> And approach winningly and bring greetings,  
> With silver lips ringing kisses,  
> But they do not bring  
> The beloved son.  
> The mother weeps.
> How painfully her breast  
> Swells with longing,  
> How hot the holy tears flow —  
> The mermaids swim,  
> Sink and climb  
> Before her face  
> With mournful tones,  
> They do not bring her  
> Her beloved son.
> The moons, the years have flown,  
> The young days blossom  
> And are reflected rosy in the green of the lake,  
> The mother weeps —  
> The sun shines.  
> The sun sinks,  
> The starry sky beckons,  
> The mother weeps, weeps, weeps. —

The mother: One in the middle vocalizes and dances the soul forms, while a choir (12) around her makes the consonants, also the nature forms.

Precise collaboration.

In everything related to the ancient Dionysian dance, the main character — vowels, the choir — consonants. Previously distributed as follows: one main character (Dionysus, vocal) and choir. Dionysus stood in the middle (vocally) and [had a] choir that surrounded him and looked at him (the consonants must come in correctly).

Today, one [person] can dance everything.  
Examples: F. G. Klopstock: “O Worte des ewigen Lebens” [see above]; Fercher von Steinwand: “Mädchen am Ufer” [see p. 326].

The main character (Dionysus) stood in the middle (vowels) and the chorus, which surrounded him and looked at him, so that the consonants could be inserted in the right place, stood around him:

*Principle of the Dionysus choir for the “penitents scene” in “Mountain Gorges” (Faust II)*

Principle of the Dionysus Chorus: e.g., penitents, Gretchen would make 6130 vowels and the chorus the consonants.

When climbing the podium: lift left (knee), then right

(sideways up). Down: right knee bend, then down.

> Mater Gloriosa, penitents, Gretchen

*Drawing related to the explanations of the exercise in three circles, without further explanation*