A Little Bit Of Goethe

[Thomas Knierim]

Night. In a high-vaulted, narrow Gothic chamber FAUST, restless in his chair by his desk.

Faust:

I've studied now Philosophy
And Jurisprudence, Medicine,
And even, alas! Theology
All through and through with ardour keen!
Here now I stand, poor fool, and see
I'm just as wise as formerly.

[...]

True, I am more clever than all the vain creatures,
The Doctors and Masters, Writers and Preachers;
No doubts plague me, nor scruples as well.
I'm not afraid of devil or hell.
To offset that, all joy is rent from me.
I do not imagine I know aught that's right;
I do not imagine I could teach what might
Convert and improve humanity.
Nor have I gold or things of worth,
Or honours, splendours of the earth.

No dog could live thus any more!
So I have turned to magic lore,
To see if through the spirit's power and speech
Perchance full many a secret I may reach,
So that no more with bitter sweat
I need to talk of what I don't know yet,
So that I may perceive whatever holds
The world together in its inmost folds,
See all its seeds, its working power,
And cease word-threshing from this hour.

[...]

What rapture, ah! at once is flowing
Through all my senses at the sight of this!
I feel a youthful life, its holy bliss,
Through nerve and vein run on, new-glowing.
Was it a god who wrote these signs that still
My inner tumult and that fill
My wretched heart with ecstasy?
Unveiling with mysterious potency
The powers of Nature round about me here?
Am I a god? All grows so clear to me!
In these pure lineaments I see
Creative Nature's self before my soul appear.
Now first I understand what he, the sage, has said:
"The world of spirits is not shut away;
Thy sense is closed, thy heart is dead!
Up, Student! bathe without dismay
Thy earthly breast in morning-red!"

J.W. Goethe

[a random hack]

I've studied now Philosophy
And Jurisprudence, Medicine,
And even, alas! Theology
All through and through with ardour keen!
Here now I stand, poor fool, and see
I'm just as wise as formerly.

[...]

True, I am more clever than all the vain creatures,


[...]
No dog could live thus any more!
So I have turned to magic lore,
To see if through the spirit's power and speech
Perchance full many a secret I may reach,
[...]

Once a fool, always a fool, as the saying goes (and I should know!) :lol:

[rich]

Random posted:Once a fool, always a fool, as the saying goes (and I should know!)

I can not disagree with what you say Random, for as the saying goes, it takes one to know one.(and I should know!) :lol:

[a random hack]

But what a fine pair of fools we are!

:lol::lol:

Listening to foolish old sayings.

:lol: :lol:

[rich]

Another old saying for your collection:

A fool and his money is quickly parted

and my favorite:

There is no fool like an old fool.

:wacko: :blink: -_-

[a random hack]

ah rt, I once got a card which read 'a fool and his money are soon partying' :lol:

As for old fool quote, I guess you'd know :lol: ;)

[sylph]

i remember reading those words.. :) i was always amazed at the translator, who converted german rhymes to english rhymes so poetically... :o

[DavidS]

Originally posted by Thomas Knierim@Aug 11 2003, 07:51 PM
What rapture, ah! at once is flowing
Through all my senses at the sight of this!
I feel a youthful life, its holy bliss,
Through nerve and vein run on, new-glowing.
Was it a god who wrote these signs that still
My inner tumult and that fill
My wretched heart with ecstasy?
Unveiling with mysterious potency
The powers of Nature round about me here?
Am I a god? All grows so clear to me!
In these pure lineaments I see
Creative Nature's self before my soul appear.
Foolish? I be BIG fool like this!

Yahoooo! Hiyo, Pegasus, warp speed ahead!!

:lol: David

[sahyo]

Creative Nature's self before my soul appear.



entity"self"notself?
"before"behind-awhere?
"my soul"?

[sahyo]

warp speed ahead!!



"ahead"?

[Thomas Knierim]

Sylph: i remember reading those words.. i was always amazed at the translator, who converted german rhymes to english rhymes so poetically...

An amazing piece of work, indeed. The expressiveness of the English is in no way inferior to the German, at least I can say that for the quoted scene, which is one of the more famous ones. The translator is George Madison Priest. He is good; very good. Occasionally he brings out the impish side of Goethe. In the following scene, which is continued from above, it gets more philosophic until the spirit pops out of the flames.

[Faust contemplates the sign of the Macrocosm.]

Faust. Into the whole how all things blend,
Each in the other working, living!
How heavenly powers ascend, descend,
Each unto each the golden vessels giving!
On pinions fragrant blessings bringing,
From Heaven through Earth all onward winging,
Through all the All harmonious ringing!
What pageantry! Yet, ah, mere pageantry!
Where shall I, endless Nature, seize on thee?
Thy breasts are - where? Ye, of all life the spring,
To whom both Earth and Heaven cling,
Toward whom the withering breast doth strain-
Ye gush, ye suckle, and shall I pine thus in vain?

[He turns the book over impatiently and perceives the sign of the EARTH-SPIRIT.]

How differently upon me works this sign!
Thou, Spirit of the Earth, I feel, art nigher.
I feel my powers already higher,
I glow already as from some new wine.
I feel the courage, forth into the world to dare;
The woe of earth, the bliss of earth to bear;
With storms to battle, brave the lightning's glare;
And in the shipwreck's crash not to despair!
Clouds gather over me-
The moon conceals her light-
The lamp fades out!
Mists rise - red beams dart forth
Around my head - there floats
A horror downward from the vault
And seizes me!
Spirit invoked! near me, I feel, thou art!
Unveil thyself!
Ha! how it rends my heart!
To unknown feeling
All my senses burst forth, reeling!
I feel my heart is thine and to the uttermost!
Thou must! Thou must! though my life be the cost!

[He clutches the book and utters the sign of the
Spirit in a tone of mystery. A ruddy flame flashes up;
the SPIRIT appears in the flames.]

Spirit. Who calls to me?
Faust [turning away]. Appalling apparition!
Spirit. By potent spell hast drawn me here,
Hast long been tugging at my sphere,
And now-
Faust. Oh woe! I can not bear thy vision!
Spirit. With panting breath thou hast implored this sight,
Wouldst hear my voice, my face wouldst see;
Thy mighty spirit-plea inclineth me!
Here am I! - what a pitiable fright
Grips thee, thou Superman! Where is the soul elated?
Where is the breast that in its self a world created
And bore and fostered it? And that with joyous trembling
Expanded as if spirits, us, resembling?
Where art thou, Faust, whose voice rang out to me,
Who toward me pressed with all thy energy?
Is it thou who, by my breath surrounded,
In all the deeps of being art confounded?
A frightened, fleeing, writhing worm?
Faust. Am I, O form of flame, to yield to thee in fear?
'Tis I, I'm Faust, I am thy peer!
Spirit. In the tides of life, in action's storm,
Up and down I wave,
To and fro weave free,
Birth and the grave,
An infinite sea,
A varied weaving,
A radiant living,
Thus at Time's humming loom it's my hand that prepares
The robe ever-living the Deity wears.
Faust. Thou who dost round the wide world wend,
Thou busy spirit, how near I feel to thee!
Spirit. Thou art like the spirit thou canst comprehend,
Not me!

[Vanishes.]

See http://www.levity.com/alchemy/faustidx.html for more Faust.

Cheers, Thomas

[vicente]

"Thou, Spirit of the Earth, I feel, art nigher.
I feel my powers already higher,
I glow already as from some new wine".

I would have guessed that Gurta experienced the disrobing of ones garments, for how could write about what he did not already realize. Perhaps if he wrote that as an autobiography, rather than poetic fiction, they'd have sent for the white coats.

I haven't read Faust, but did study Gurta's treatise on Water Prisms. It would be wonder if he, and other leading edge gentlemen, like Nietzsche, Steiner, Milarespa, Franklin, Spinoza, Tesla, De Vinci, etc were around today, continuing their inquiries.

Instead, today, in America at least, our heros are Rightwing Theocrats, Basketball players, firemen doing their job, Billionares, etc.

Vicente
:)

[DavidS]

Originally posted by asheera@Aug 12 2003, 01:37 PM
"ahead"?
"Ahead" is English for "in the direction of one's heart's desire."

"Direction" is simply English shorthand for whatever 'leads' to one's getting 'closer' to the 'manifestation' desired or othewise referred to.

If has no heart's desires, then what lies 'ahead' is just (personally) passively moving along with the 'surrounding' flow - in a kind of "Brownian Motion" dance, like what molecules are obesrved (via micrscopes) as doing, only in the domain of the psychospiritual.

Please don't reply, "domain?" - love, we've been through that before.

And please don't reply "desire?" or "psychospiritual?" - love, if my many uses such and related word doesn't provide a basis for you to 'sense' what I am pointing to, just assume I'm talking gibberish, or simply accept that fact that you don't care to 'know' what I am talking about, and let's leave it at that.

Peace, please! Thank you. - David

[sahyo]

"lead to"-'pastfuture' "'manifestation' desired" awhere?

...thought"direction"pastfuturewhichnot-"desir"ing-hoping


If has no heart's desires, then what lies 'ahead' is just (personally) passively moving along with the 'surrounding' flow



'aseparate' "'surrounding'flow"?

which is thinking"passively"actively?

is loving listening the questions?, or just dismissing since
thinks loving not understanding which is posted?

:)

[a random hack]

Spirit. Thou art like the spirit thou canst comprehend,
Not me!


:rolleyes:

[Vanishes.]

[Thomas Knierim]

vicente: I would have guessed that Gurta experienced the disrobing of ones garments, for how could write about what he did not already realize.

Gurta??? The man was a krauter, not curry. But, I like the Indian slant. Perhaps Bollywood should consider the Faust script. There would be a lot of scenes were Faust chases his love, Gretchen, singing and dancing around pillars. Johann Wolfgang Goethe becomes Jivan Vulgang Gurta.

vicente: Perhaps if he wrote that as an autobiography, rather than poetic fiction, they'd have sent for the white coats.

Oh, he would surely be wearing the white coats if he lived in our time. Or, more likely, orange.

Cheers, Thomas

[sylph]

Originally posted by Thomas Knierim@Aug 13 2003, 06:31 PM
Gurta??? The man was a krauter, not curry. But, I like the Indian slant. Perhaps Bollywood should consider the Faust script. There would be a lot of scenes were Faust chases his love, Gretchen, singing and dancing around pillars. Johann Wolfgang Goethe becomes Jivan Vulgang Gurta.
:D so funny, especially the chasing the girl around pillars while singing and dancing. i can just imagine it... :lol:

[vicente]

A krauter, absolutely. Before I went to Wiesbaden in 74, I pronounced Goethe, goth, instead of Gurta.

As for the orange clothes, yes, I'd have to agree.

Faust could certainly make an interesting film,...American audiences however have very limited attention spans.

I have for years wanted to see Tuesday Lobsang Rampa on the Big Screen,...especially his story about Sir Algernon,...what a teary story that was.
http://www.galactic-server.com/rampa/rambeliv.html

Vicente
:)

[sonrisa]

Originally posted by vicente@Aug 14 2003, 11:21 AM

Faust could certainly make an interesting film,...American audiences however have very limited attention spans.

:)
Well there's "Dr Faustus". It's a Liz & Dick flick I think. I only saw it once, a long time ago. :)

[dog goddess]

i hope i get my hearts desire.




his spirit is beautiful.




just one kiss......

[The Great One]

One's spirit maybe disguised . Like the Venus Fly Trap to the fly... beware...

[DavidS]

Hail there alongside, TGO!

Originally posted by The Great One@Oct 14 2003, 09:50 AM
One's spirit maybe disguised . Like the Venus Fly Trap to the fly... beware...
To which, I might add: or it may be or also be 'deluded' and, so, 'paper bag' containment-prone - as in the cases of the blind[wo]men-followers who blind[wo]men-followers 'follow' through the 'meaningful' interstices of labyrinthian ditches.

However, I must say, that the 'meanings' in the poem ripple-'rang as being 'genuine', or 'honestly' 'true', in my personal 'sound space' - like the author 'truly' 'knew' certain thangs pertaining to Life which I (and presumably, based on her "just one kiss" response, dog goddess, as well) have come to also 'know' in similar fashion.

This could, of course be taken to be a meaningful 'sign' that I-David don't 'know' what I am talking about! Life's meaning-interpretation roulette-wheel-go-around certainly is bet-risky business (though it's possible, I think, to learn from ex·peer·ience to 'improve' one's 'batting average' in this regard). But, hey, what has anyone to really 'lose' except their illusions? The 'truth' about a wall will 'out' its presence even in the context of a completely darkened room, at least in the case of those who are curious and exploratory (fearless?, loving?, loving-n-fearless?) enough to bang their heads into it and are 'honest' enough with themselves to 'believe' that what they 'feel' in such case is meaningfully 'significant'.

To such I say, go for 'it'! - :D