# Paralipomena on the first, third, tenth, and eleventh images

[On the first image]

[STRADER]:  
I must confess, in the fullest sense,  
that I agree with your last words.  
It even seems to me  
As if in the strongest way  
It should be emphasized  
That the value of high ideals and ideas  
Cannot lie in that effect  
Which results in satisfaction and peace  
Of the soul's longing.  
Rather, we must examine  
The basis of the structure of thought,  
And such examination is hardly up to the task,  
What here presents itself as the solution to the highest mysteries  
In a seemingly fixed manner.  
It captivates the human senses,  
Because it seemingly opens up  
Knowledge from the realms  
Before which  
Strictly deliberate research stands perplexed.  
Those who follow this research,  
Are weighed down by an infinite burden,  
When they must admit  
That no one can know  
From whence the sources of thought flow  
And where the foundation of existence is laid.  
And beyond what the senses perceive...

[STRADER]:  
I must confess in the fullest sense  
To your last words,  
And I would even like to emphasize more sharply  
That the satisfaction and peace  
That grows in our soul  
From high ideals and ideas  
Can be of no value  
When it comes to recognizing  
Whether truth or error  
Lives in them.  
We can only be responsible  
For examining whether they meet the requirements  
Of genuine science.  
And truly, everything we hear here  
As the solution to life's greatest mysteries  
With bold certainty  
Proves weak  
In such an examination.  
It captivates the human mind  
It captivates the human mind  
For no other reason  
Than because it seemingly opens  
The gate to those realms  
Before which perplexed and modest  
Stands the strictly cautious research.  
And whoever stands in true loyalty  
To this research  
It befits him to confess  
That no one can know  
From whence the springs of thought flow  
And where the foundation of existence is to be found.  
When such a confession  
Becomes hard on the soul,  
Which would all too gladly fathom  
What lies beyond all knowledge.  
If we deny our reason  
And the sure guidance of experience,  
We sink into the abyss.  
And who could fail to see  
How little such a way of thinking  
Will submit to this revelation.  
It lacks entirely  
The sure ground of experience  
And the firm foundation of rigorous thought.

MARIA:  
This is the first time  
That she has revealed herself in this way  
In front of so many people.  
Until now, we have only heard her speak  
In front of two or three people.

CAPESIUS:  
It is strange,  
That she felt compelled  
As if on command  
To make this revelation  
Right now.

MARIA:  
She is not disturbed by her surroundings  
When she feels the urge.  
But it is always As if the urge  
To reveal herself  
Arose then,  
When people were present  
Who were to hear her.

CAPESIUS:  
Now we have heard  
That of that event,  
Which is the content of her dreams,  
The man who is currently  
The man who is currently  
The soul of this circle.  
It must be the case,  
That she has heard the content  
From him.

MARIA:  
If that were the case,  
We would truly  
Think very little of her.  
However, it has been established,  
As surely as is necessary,  
That our friend  
Was completely unaware  
Of the words of our leader,  
Before she entered our circle.  
Just as none of us  
Had ever spoken  
Of this strange human being before.

CAPESIUS:...

*

The way Lilie perceives things must be much clearer. She must perceive with a completely pure soul that kills everything that comes near her. —

*

[To the third picture]

A word from Mary must evoke something like passion.

[To the tenth picture]

JOHN:  
(He has confronted Mary and risen above himself.)

I must not let those moments pass me by in which the spiritual worlds can give me signs. If one has the spiritual eye, one must let things come to one calmly — one's own calm pole — One needs presence of mind to grasp them — courage not to let oneself be overwhelmed — not to be blinded —. One must follow things in their change — inner mobility — depth of the world —

THEODOSIUS: You must not have anything that burdens you —  
You must be able to face the future freely —

*

[To the eleventh picture]

RETARDUS: My time for Johannes and Maria is up; I no longer have any influence over them — That Balde and the other Maria sacrificed themselves, entrusting Benedictus with the development of Johannes and Maria — F. Balde  
Capesius and Strader. —

RETARDUS:  
I summon you before my judgment seat.  
You have not fulfilled the task  
I gave you.  
I counted on you to  
  
steer Johannes and Maria in such  
directions that would distract their souls  
from initiation,  
that would not allow those forces in them  
to unfold which go in that direction.  
You, Capesius, were sent by me to  
that circle to overwhelm him with  
the power of your words,  
but instead you showed weakness  
from the very first moment;  
you, Strader, could not overcome  
your feelings; again and again  
they overwhelmed you. —  
So I must leave the field. —

CAPESIUS: It was due to your weakness; I  
had noticed it from the beginning;

STRADER: You were never there when  
my feelings spoke. —  
You spoke only to my intellect.