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[Faust:] "I, Johannes Faust, do call upon thee, Mephistopheles!" |
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[Faust:] |
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O growing Moon, didst thou but shine |
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A last time on this pain of mine |
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Behind this desk how oft have I |
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At midnight seen thee rising high |
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O'er book and paper I bend |
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Thou didst appear, o mournful friend |
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[Mephistopheles:] |
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I am the spirit that ever denies! |
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And justly so: for all that is born |
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Deserves to be destroyed in scorn |
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Therefore 'twere best if nothing were created |
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Destruction, sin, wickedness - plainly stated |
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All of which you as evil have classified |
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That is my element - there I abide |
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[Manager: ] |
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Scatter the stars with a lavish hand |
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Water, fire, tavern wall |
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Birds and beasts, all within command |
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Thus in our narrow booth today |
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Creation's ample scope display |
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Wander swiftly, observing well |
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From the Heavens, to the World, to Hell! |
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The World of Spirits is not barred to thee! |
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[Mephistopheles:] "Now then, Faustus. What wouldst thou have Mephisto do?" |
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[Faust:] |
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"I charge thee, Mephisto, wait upon me while I live... to do whatever Faustus shall command. Be it to make the moon drop from outer sphere, or the ocean to overwhelm the world. Go bear these tidings to great Lucifer: say he surrenders up his soul. So that he shall spare him four and twenty years, letting him live in all voluptiousness, having thee ever to attend on me. To give me whatsoever I shall ask." |
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[Mephistopheles:] "I will." |
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[Faust:] |
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Sublime spirit, thou hast given me all |
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All for which I besought thee, not in vain |
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Didst thou reveal thy countenance in the fire |
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Thou hast given me Nature for a kingdom |
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With the power to enjoy and feel |
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Only a visit of chilling bewilderment |
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Thou [then me?] bringest all the living creatures |
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And taught me to know my brothers in the Air |
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In the deep waters and in the silent coverts |
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When through the forest the storm rages |
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Uprooting the giant pines which in their fall |
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Crushing, drag down neighboring boughs and trunks |
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Whose [growingly?] hollow thunder shake the hills |
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Then thou dost lead me to a sheltering cave |
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And revealest me to myself and layest bare |
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The deep mysterious miracle of my Nature |
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And when the pure moon rises into sight |
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Soothingly above me, then about me hover |
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Creeping from rocky walls and dewy thickets |
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Silver shadows, phantoms of a bygone world |
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Which allay the austere joy of meditation |
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Now fully do I realize that Man |
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Can never possess perfection |
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With this ecstasy which brings me near and nearer |
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To the Gods |
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[Margarete: ] |
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My mother the harlot put me to death |
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My father the scoundrel ate my flesh |
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My dear little sister laid all my bones |
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In a dark shaded place under the stones |
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Then I changed into a wood-bird |
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Fluttering away |
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Fly away |
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[Mephistopheles:] |
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Mankind, that foolish Cosmos |
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Always acts as incomplete |
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He thought himself to Be |
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I am part of that part which was the Absolute |
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A part of that Darkness which gave birth to Light |
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The arrogant Light which would dispute |
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Ancient rank of Mother Night |
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Therefore I hope it won't be long before |
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With matter it shall perish evermore! |
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[Manager: ] |
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Scatter the stars with a lavish hand |
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Water, fire, tavern wall |
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Birds and beasts, all within command |
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Thus in our narrow booth today |
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Creation's ample scope display |
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Wander swiftly, observing well |
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From the Heavens to the World |
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The World of Spirits is not barred to thee! |
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[Faust:] "So, still I seek the force, the reason governing life's flow, and not just its external show." |
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[Mephistopheles:] "The governing force? The reason? Some things cannot be known; they are beyond your reach even when shown." |
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[Faust:] "Why should that be so?" |
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[Mephistopheles:] "They lie outside the boundaries that words can address; and man can only grasp those thoughts which language can express." |
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[Faust:] "What? Do you mean that words are greater yet than man?" |
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[Mephistopheles:] "Indeed they are." |
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[Faust:] "Then what of longing? Affection, pain or grief? I can't describe these, yet I know they are in my breast. What are they?"" |
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[Mephistopheles:] "Without substance, as mist is." |
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[Faust:] "In that case man is only air as well!" |
