Faust (trans. Bayard Taylor)/Act IV/I
I.
HIGH MOUNTAINS.
Strong, serrated rocky peaks. A cloud approaches, pauses, and
settles down upon a projecting ledge. It then divides.
settles down upon a projecting ledge. It then divides.
Faust (steps forth).
DOWN-GAZING on the deepest solitudes below,
I tread deliberately this summit’s lonely edge,
Relinquishing my cloudy car, which hither bore
Me softly through the shining day o’er land and sea.
Unscattered, slowly moved, it separates from me.
Off eastward strives the mass with rounded, rolling march:
And strives the eye, amazed, admiring, after it.
In motion it divides, in wave-like, changeful guise;
Yet seems to shape a figure.129—Yes! mine yes not err!—
On sun-illumined pillows beauteously reclined,
Colossal, truly, but a godlike woman-form,
I see! The like of Juno, Leda, Helena,
Majestically lovely, floats before my sight!
Ah, now ’t is broken! Towering broad and formlessly,
It rests along the east like distant icy hills,
And shapes the grand significance of fleeting days.
Yet still there clings a light and delicate band of mist
Around my breast and brow, caressing, cheering me.
Now light, delayingly, it soars and higher soars,
And folds together. — Cheats me an ecstatic form,
As early-youthful, long-foregone and highest bliss?
The first glad treasures of my deepest heart break forth;
Aurora’s love, so light of pinion, is its type,
The swiftly-felt, the first, scarce-comprehended glance,
Outshining every treasure, when retained and held.
Like Spiritual Beauty mounts the gracious Form,
Dissolving not, but lifts itself through ether far,
And from my inner being bears the best away.
I tread deliberately this summit’s lonely edge,
Relinquishing my cloudy car, which hither bore
Me softly through the shining day o’er land and sea.
Unscattered, slowly moved, it separates from me.
Off eastward strives the mass with rounded, rolling march:
And strives the eye, amazed, admiring, after it.
In motion it divides, in wave-like, changeful guise;
Yet seems to shape a figure.129—Yes! mine yes not err!—
On sun-illumined pillows beauteously reclined,
Colossal, truly, but a godlike woman-form,
I see! The like of Juno, Leda, Helena,
Majestically lovely, floats before my sight!
Ah, now ’t is broken! Towering broad and formlessly,
It rests along the east like distant icy hills,
And shapes the grand significance of fleeting days.
Yet still there clings a light and delicate band of mist
Around my breast and brow, caressing, cheering me.
Now light, delayingly, it soars and higher soars,
And folds together. — Cheats me an ecstatic form,
As early-youthful, long-foregone and highest bliss?
The first glad treasures of my deepest heart break forth;
Aurora’s love, so light of pinion, is its type,
The swiftly-felt, the first, scarce-comprehended glance,
Outshining every treasure, when retained and held.
Like Spiritual Beauty mounts the gracious Form,
Dissolving not, but lifts itself through ether far,
And from my inner being bears the best away.
(A Seven-league Boot trips forward:130 another immediately
follows. Mephistopheles steps out of them. The Boots
stride onward in haste.)
follows. Mephistopheles steps out of them. The Boots
stride onward in haste.)
Mephistopheles.
I call that genuine forward-striding!
But what thou mean’st, I ’d have thee own,
That in such horrors art abiding,
Amid these yawning jags of stone?
It was not here I learned to know them well;
Such was, indeed, the bottom-ground of Hell.
But what thou mean’st, I ’d have thee own,
That in such horrors art abiding,
Amid these yawning jags of stone?
It was not here I learned to know them well;
Such was, indeed, the bottom-ground of Hell.
Faust.
In foolish legends thou art never lacking;
Again thy store thou set’st about unpacking.
Again thy store thou set’st about unpacking.
Mephistopheles (seriously).
When God the Lord—wherefore, I also know,—
Banned us from air to darkness deep and central,
Where round and round, in fierce, intensest glow,
Eternal fires were whirled in Earth’s hot entrail,
We found ourselves too much illuminated,
Yet crowded and uneasily situated.
The Devils all set up a coughing, sneezing,
At every vent without cessation wheezing:
With sulphur-stench and acids Hell dilated,
And such enormous gas was thence created,
That very soon Earth’s level, far extended,
Thick as it was, was heaved, and split, and rended!
The thing is plain, no theories o’ercome it:
What formerly was bottom, now is summit.
Hereon they base the law there ’s no disputing,
To give the undermost the topmost footing:
For we escaped from fiery dungeons there
To overplus of lordship of the air;—
A mystery manifest and well concealed,131
And to the people only late revealed.
Banned us from air to darkness deep and central,
Where round and round, in fierce, intensest glow,
Eternal fires were whirled in Earth’s hot entrail,
We found ourselves too much illuminated,
Yet crowded and uneasily situated.
The Devils all set up a coughing, sneezing,
At every vent without cessation wheezing:
With sulphur-stench and acids Hell dilated,
And such enormous gas was thence created,
That very soon Earth’s level, far extended,
Thick as it was, was heaved, and split, and rended!
The thing is plain, no theories o’ercome it:
What formerly was bottom, now is summit.
Hereon they base the law there ’s no disputing,
To give the undermost the topmost footing:
For we escaped from fiery dungeons there
To overplus of lordship of the air;—
A mystery manifest and well concealed,131
And to the people only late revealed.
Faust.
To me are mountain-masses grandly dumb:
I ask not, Whence? and ask not, Why? they come.
When Nature in herself her being founded,
Complete and perfect then the globe she rounded,
Glad of the summits and the gorges deep,
Set rock to rock, and mountain steep to steep,
The hills with easy outlines downward moulded,
Till gently from their feet the vales unfolded!
They green and grow; with joy therein she ranges,
Requiring no insane, convulsive changes.
I ask not, Whence? and ask not, Why? they come.
When Nature in herself her being founded,
Complete and perfect then the globe she rounded,
Glad of the summits and the gorges deep,
Set rock to rock, and mountain steep to steep,
The hills with easy outlines downward moulded,
Till gently from their feet the vales unfolded!
They green and grow; with joy therein she ranges,
Requiring no insane, convulsive changes.
Mephistopheles.
Yes, so you talk! You think it clear as sun;
But he knows otherwise, who saw it done.
For I was there, while still below was surging
The red abyss, and streamed the flaming tide,—
When Moloch’s hammer, welding rocks and forging,
Scattered the mountain-ruins far and wide.
O’er all the land the foreign blocks you spy there;132
Who solves the force that hurled them to their place?
The lore of learned men is all awry there;
There lies the rock, and we must let it lie there;
We ’ve thought already—to our own disgrace.
Only the common, faithful people know,
And nothing shakes them in their firm believing:
Their wisdom ripened long ago,—
A marvel ’t is, of Satan’s own achieving.
On crutch of faith my traveller climbs the ridges,
Past Devil’s Rocks and over Devil’s Bridges.
But he knows otherwise, who saw it done.
For I was there, while still below was surging
The red abyss, and streamed the flaming tide,—
When Moloch’s hammer, welding rocks and forging,
Scattered the mountain-ruins far and wide.
O’er all the land the foreign blocks you spy there;132
Who solves the force that hurled them to their place?
The lore of learned men is all awry there;
There lies the rock, and we must let it lie there;
We ’ve thought already—to our own disgrace.
Only the common, faithful people know,
And nothing shakes them in their firm believing:
Their wisdom ripened long ago,—
A marvel ’t is, of Satan’s own achieving.
On crutch of faith my traveller climbs the ridges,
Past Devil’s Rocks and over Devil’s Bridges.
Faust.
Well, —’t is remarkable and new
To note how Devils Nature view.
To note how Devils Nature view.
Mephistopheles.
What ’s all to me? Her shape let Nature wear!
The point of honor is, the Devil was there!
We are the folk to compass grand designs:
Tumult, and Force, and Nonsense! See the signs!—
Yet now, with sober reason to address thee,
Did nothing on our outside shell impress thee?
From this exceeding height thou saw’st unfurled
The glory of the Kingdoms of the World.133
Yet, as thou art, unsatisfied,
Didst feel no lust of power and pride?
The point of honor is, the Devil was there!
We are the folk to compass grand designs:
Tumult, and Force, and Nonsense! See the signs!—
Yet now, with sober reason to address thee,
Did nothing on our outside shell impress thee?
From this exceeding height thou saw’st unfurled
The glory of the Kingdoms of the World.133
Yet, as thou art, unsatisfied,
Didst feel no lust of power and pride?
Faust.
I did! A mighty plan my fancy won:
Canst guess it?
Canst guess it?
Mephistopheles.
That is quickly done.
I ’d take some town,—a capital, perchance,—
Its core, the people’s need of sustenance;
With crooked alleys, pointed gables,
Beets, cabbage, onions, on the market-tables;
With meat-stands, where the blue flies muster,
And round fat joints like gourmands cluster:
There shalt thou find, undoubtedly,
Stench, always, and activity.
Then ample squares, and streets whose measure
Assumes an air of lordly leisure;
And last, without a gate to bar,
The boundless suburbs stretching far.
’T were joy to see the coaches go,
The noisy crowding to and fro,
The endless running, hither, thither,
Of scattered ants that stream together:
And whether walking, driving, riding,
Ever their central point abiding,
Honored by thousands, should be I.
I ’d take some town,—a capital, perchance,—
Its core, the people’s need of sustenance;
With crooked alleys, pointed gables,
Beets, cabbage, onions, on the market-tables;
With meat-stands, where the blue flies muster,
And round fat joints like gourmands cluster:
There shalt thou find, undoubtedly,
Stench, always, and activity.
Then ample squares, and streets whose measure
Assumes an air of lordly leisure;
And last, without a gate to bar,
The boundless suburbs stretching far.
’T were joy to see the coaches go,
The noisy crowding to and fro,
The endless running, hither, thither,
Of scattered ants that stream together:
And whether walking, driving, riding,
Ever their central point abiding,
Honored by thousands, should be I.
Faust.
Therewith I would not be contented!
One likes to see the people multiply,
And in their wise with comfort fed,—
Developed even, taught, well-bred,
Yet one has only, when all ’s said,
The sum of rebels thus augmented.134
One likes to see the people multiply,
And in their wise with comfort fed,—
Developed even, taught, well-bred,
Yet one has only, when all ’s said,
The sum of rebels thus augmented.134
Mephistopheles.
Then I should build, with conscious power and grace,
A pleasure-castle in a pleasant place;
Where hill and forest, level, meadow, field,
Grandly transformed, should park and garden yield.
Before green walls of foliage velvet meadows,
With ordered paths and artful-falling shadows;
Plunge of cascades o’er rocks with skill combined,
And fountain-jets of every form and kind,
There grandly shooting upwards from the middle,
While round the sides a thousand spirt and piddle.
Then for the fairest women, fresh and rosy,
I ’d build a lodge, convenient and cosey;
And so the bright and boundless time I should
Pass in the loveliest social solitude.
Women, I say; and, once for all, believe
That in the plural I the sex conceive!
A pleasure-castle in a pleasant place;
Where hill and forest, level, meadow, field,
Grandly transformed, should park and garden yield.
Before green walls of foliage velvet meadows,
With ordered paths and artful-falling shadows;
Plunge of cascades o’er rocks with skill combined,
And fountain-jets of every form and kind,
There grandly shooting upwards from the middle,
While round the sides a thousand spirt and piddle.
Then for the fairest women, fresh and rosy,
I ’d build a lodge, convenient and cosey;
And so the bright and boundless time I should
Pass in the loveliest social solitude.
Women, I say; and, once for all, believe
That in the plural I the sex conceive!
Faust.
Sardanapalus! Modern, — poor!
Mephistopheles.
Then might one guess whereunto thou hast striven?
Boldly-sublime it was, I ’m sure.
Since nearer to the moon thy flight was driven,
Would now thy mania that realm secure?
Boldly-sublime it was, I ’m sure.
Since nearer to the moon thy flight was driven,
Would now thy mania that realm secure?
Faust.
Not so! This sphere of earthly soil
Still gives us room for lofty doing.
Astounding plans e’en now are brewing:
I feel new strength for bolder toil.
Still gives us room for lofty doing.
Astounding plans e’en now are brewing:
I feel new strength for bolder toil.
Mephistopheles.
So, thou wilt Glory earn? ’T is plain to see
That heroines have been thy company.
That heroines have been thy company.
Faust.
Power and Estate to win, inspires my thought!
The Deed is everything, the Glory naught.
The Deed is everything, the Glory naught.
Mephistopheles.
Yet Poets shall proclaim the matter,
Thy fame to future ages flatter,
By folly further folly scatter!
Thy fame to future ages flatter,
By folly further folly scatter!
Faust.
All that is far beyond thy reach.
How canst thou know what men beseech?
Thy cross-grained self, in malice banned,
How can it know what men demand?
How canst thou know what men beseech?
Thy cross-grained self, in malice banned,
How can it know what men demand?
Mephistopheles.
According to thy will so let it be!
Confide the compass of thy whims to me!
Confide the compass of thy whims to me!
Faust.
Mine eye was drawn to view the open Ocean:135
It swelled aloft, self-heaved and over-vaulting,
And then withdrew, and shook its waves in motion,
Again the breadth of level strand assaulting.
Then I was vexed, since arrogance can spite
The spirit free, which values every right,
And through excited passion of the blood
Discomfort it, as did the haughty flood.
I thought it chance, my vision did I strain;
The billow paused, then thundered back again,
Retiring from the goal so proudly won:
The hour returns, the sport ’s once more begun.
It swelled aloft, self-heaved and over-vaulting,
And then withdrew, and shook its waves in motion,
Again the breadth of level strand assaulting.
Then I was vexed, since arrogance can spite
The spirit free, which values every right,
And through excited passion of the blood
Discomfort it, as did the haughty flood.
I thought it chance, my vision did I strain;
The billow paused, then thundered back again,
Retiring from the goal so proudly won:
The hour returns, the sport ’s once more begun.
Mephistopheles (ad spectatores).
’T is nothing new whatever that one hears;
I ve known it many a hundred thousand years.
I ve known it many a hundred thousand years.
Faust
(continuing impassionedly).
The Sea sweeps on, in thousand quarters flowing,
Itself unfruitful, barrenness bestowing;
It breaks and swells, and rolls, and overwhelms
The desert stretch of desolated realms.
There endless waves hold sway, in strength erected
And then withdrawn, — and nothing is effected.
If aught could drive me to despair, ’t were, truly
The aimless force of elements uprruly.
Then dared my mind its dreams to over-soar:
Here would I fight,—subdue this fierce uproar!
And possible ’t is!—Howe’er the tides may fill,
They gently fawn around the steadfast hill;
A moderate height resists and drives asunder,
A moderate depth allures and leads them on.
So, swiftly, plans within my mind were drawn:
Let that high joy be mine forevermore,
To shut the lordly Ocean from the shore,
The watery waste to limit and to bar,
And push it back upon itself afar!
From step to step I settled how to fight it:
Such is my wish: dare thou to expedite it!
(Drums and martial music in the rear of the spectators, from
the distance, on the right hand.)
The Sea sweeps on, in thousand quarters flowing,
Itself unfruitful, barrenness bestowing;
It breaks and swells, and rolls, and overwhelms
The desert stretch of desolated realms.
There endless waves hold sway, in strength erected
And then withdrawn, — and nothing is effected.
If aught could drive me to despair, ’t were, truly
The aimless force of elements uprruly.
Then dared my mind its dreams to over-soar:
Here would I fight,—subdue this fierce uproar!
And possible ’t is!—Howe’er the tides may fill,
They gently fawn around the steadfast hill;
A moderate height resists and drives asunder,
A moderate depth allures and leads them on.
So, swiftly, plans within my mind were drawn:
Let that high joy be mine forevermore,
To shut the lordly Ocean from the shore,
The watery waste to limit and to bar,
And push it back upon itself afar!
From step to step I settled how to fight it:
Such is my wish: dare thou to expedite it!
(Drums and martial music in the rear of the spectators, from
the distance, on the right hand.)
Mephistopheles.
How easy, that!—Hear’st thou the drums afar?
Faust.
Who ’s wise likes not to hear of coming war.
Mephistopheles.
In War or Peace, ’t is wise to use the chance,
And draw some profit from each circumstance.
One watches, marks the moment, and is bold:
Here ’s opportunity ! — now, Faust, take hold!
And draw some profit from each circumstance.
One watches, marks the moment, and is bold:
Here ’s opportunity ! — now, Faust, take hold!
Faust.
Spare me the squandering of thy riddle-pelf!
What means it, once for all? Explain thyself!
What means it, once for all? Explain thyself!
Mephistopheles.
Upon my way, to me it was discovered
That mighty troubles o’er the Emperor hovered:
Thou knowest him. The while we twain, beside him,
With wealth illusive bounteously supplied him,
Then all the world was to be had for pay;
For as a youth he held imperial sway,
And he was pleased to try it, whether
Both interests would not smoothly pair,
Since ’t were desirable and fair
To govern and enjoy, together.
That mighty troubles o’er the Emperor hovered:
Thou knowest him. The while we twain, beside him,
With wealth illusive bounteously supplied him,
Then all the world was to be had for pay;
For as a youth he held imperial sway,
And he was pleased to try it, whether
Both interests would not smoothly pair,
Since ’t were desirable and fair
To govern and enjoy, together.
Faust.
A mighty error! He who would command
Must in commanding find his highest blessing:
Then, let his breast with force of will expand,
But what he wills, be past anothet’s guessing!
What to his faithful he hath whispered, that
Is turned to act, and men amaze thereat:
Thus will he ever be the highest-placed
And worthiest!—Enjoyment makes debased.
Must in commanding find his highest blessing:
Then, let his breast with force of will expand,
But what he wills, be past anothet’s guessing!
What to his faithful he hath whispered, that
Is turned to act, and men amaze thereat:
Thus will he ever be the highest-placed
And worthiest!—Enjoyment makes debased.
Mephistopheles.
Such is he not! He did enjoy, even he!
Meanwhile the realm was torn by anarchy,
Where great and small were warring with each other,
And brother drove and slaughtered brother,
Castle to castle, town ’gainst town arrayed,
The nobles and the guilds of trade,
The Bishop, with his chapter and congregation,—
All meeting eyes but looked retaliation.
In churches death and murder; past the gates,
The merchants travelled under evil fates;
And all grew bolder, since no rule was drawn
For life, but: Self-defence!—So things went on.
Meanwhile the realm was torn by anarchy,
Where great and small were warring with each other,
And brother drove and slaughtered brother,
Castle to castle, town ’gainst town arrayed,
The nobles and the guilds of trade,
The Bishop, with his chapter and congregation,—
All meeting eyes but looked retaliation.
In churches death and murder; past the gates,
The merchants travelled under evil fates;
And all grew bolder, since no rule was drawn
For life, but: Self-defence!—So things went on.
Faust.
They went, they limped, they fell, arose again,
Then tumbled headlong, and in heaps remain.
Then tumbled headlong, and in heaps remain.
Mephistopheles.
Such a condition no man dared abuse.
Each would be something, each set forth his dues;
The smallest even as full-measured passed:
Yet for the best it grew too bad at last.
The Capable, they then arose with energy,
And said: “Who gives us Peace, shall ruler be.
The Emperor can and will not!—Be elected
An Emperor new, anew the realm directed,
Each one secure and sheltered stand,
And in a fresh-constructed land
Justice and Peace be mated and perfected!”
Each would be something, each set forth his dues;
The smallest even as full-measured passed:
Yet for the best it grew too bad at last.
The Capable, they then arose with energy,
And said: “Who gives us Peace, shall ruler be.
The Emperor can and will not!—Be elected
An Emperor new, anew the realm directed,
Each one secure and sheltered stand,
And in a fresh-constructed land
Justice and Peace be mated and perfected!”
Faust.
Priest-like, that sounds.
Mephistopheles.
Priests were they, to be sure;
They meant their well-fed bellies to secure;
They. more than all, therein were implicated.136
The riot rose, the riot was consecrated,
And now our Emperor, whom we gave delight,
Comes hitherward, perchance for one last fight.
They meant their well-fed bellies to secure;
They. more than all, therein were implicated.136
The riot rose, the riot was consecrated,
And now our Emperor, whom we gave delight,
Comes hitherward, perchance for one last fight.
Faust.
I pity him; he was so frank, forgiving.
Mephistopheles.
Come, we ’ll look on! There’s hope while one is living!
Let us release him from this narrow valley!
He’s saved a thousand times, if once he rally.
Who knows how yet the dice may fall?
If he has fortune, vassals come withal.
Let us release him from this narrow valley!
He’s saved a thousand times, if once he rally.
Who knows how yet the dice may fall?
If he has fortune, vassals come withal.
[They cross over the middle range of mountains, and view the
arrangement of the army in the valley. Drums and military
music resound from below.]
arrangement of the army in the valley. Drums and military
music resound from below.]
Mephistopheles.
A good position is, I see, secured them;
We'll join, then victory will be assured them,
We'll join, then victory will be assured them,
Faust.
What further, I should like to know?
Cheat! Blind delusion! Hollow show!
Cheat! Blind delusion! Hollow show!
Mephistopheles.
No,—stratagems, for battle-winning!
Be steadfast for the grand beginning,
And think upon thy lofty aim!
If we secure the realm its rightful claimant,
Then shalt thou boldly kneel, and claim
The boundless strand in feoff, as payment.
Be steadfast for the grand beginning,
And think upon thy lofty aim!
If we secure the realm its rightful claimant,
Then shalt thou boldly kneel, and claim
The boundless strand in feoff, as payment.
Faust.
In many arts didst thou excel:
Come, win.a battle now, as well!
Come, win.a battle now, as well!
Mephistopheles.
No, thou shalt win it! Here, in brief,
Shalt thou be General-in-Chief.
Shalt thou be General-in-Chief.
Faust.
A high distinction thou wouldst lend,—
There to command, where naught I comprehend:
There to command, where naught I comprehend:
Mephistopheles.
Leave to the Staff the work and blame,
Then the Field-Marshal’s sure of fame!
Of War-Uncouncils I have had enough,
And my War-Council fashion of the stuff
Of primal mountains’ primal human might:
He’s blest, for whom its elements unite!
Then the Field-Marshal’s sure of fame!
Of War-Uncouncils I have had enough,
And my War-Council fashion of the stuff
Of primal mountains’ primal human might:
He’s blest, for whom its elements unite!
Faust.
What do I see, with arms, in yonder place?
Hast thou aroused the mountain-race?
Hast thou aroused the mountain-race?
Mephistopheles.
No! But I’ve brought, like Peter Squence,137
From all the raff the quintessence.
The Three Mighty Men appear138
From all the raff the quintessence.
The Three Mighty Men appear138
Mephistopheles.
My fellows draw already near!
Thou seest, of very different ages,
Of different garb and armor they appear:
They will not serve thee ill when battle rages,
(Ad spectatores.)
Now every child delights to see
The harness and the helm of knightly action’
And allegoric, as the blackguards be,
They ’ll only all the more give satisfaction.
Thou seest, of very different ages,
Of different garb and armor they appear:
They will not serve thee ill when battle rages,
(Ad spectatores.)
Now every child delights to see
The harness and the helm of knightly action’
And allegoric, as the blackguards be,
They ’ll only all the more give satisfaction.
Bully
(young, lightly armed, clad in motley).
When one shall meet me, face to face,
My fisticuffs shall on his chops be showered;
And midway in his headlong race,
Fast by his flying hair I ’ll catch the coward.
When one shall meet me, face to face,
My fisticuffs shall on his chops be showered;
And midway in his headlong race,
Fast by his flying hair I ’ll catch the coward.
Havequick
(manly, well-armed, richly clad).
Such empty brawls are only folly!
They spoil whate’er occasion brings.
In taking, be unwearied wholly,
And after, look to other things!
Such empty brawls are only folly!
They spoil whate’er occasion brings.
In taking, be unwearied wholly,
And after, look to other things!
Holdfast
(well in years, strongly-armed, without raiment).
Yet little gain thereafter lingers!
Soon slips great wealth between your fingers,
Borne by the tides of Life as down they run.
’T is well to take, indeed, but better still to hold:
Be by the gray old churl controlled,
And thou shalt plundered be by none.
(They descend the mountain together.)
Yet little gain thereafter lingers!
Soon slips great wealth between your fingers,
Borne by the tides of Life as down they run.
’T is well to take, indeed, but better still to hold:
Be by the gray old churl controlled,
And thou shalt plundered be by none.
(They descend the mountain together.)