August 2025
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    I have been reading Goethe's second part of his most famous verse tragedy "Faust", and I have always been fascinated with the Faust's final scene in the fifth act (Grosser Vorhof des Palasts; The courtyard of Faust's palace). In this scene we see a blinded Faust (he was blinded in the previous scene by the personification of Depression; "Curae" in latin) walking towards Mephistopheles and his "Cronies" (Lemuren; Lemures, ancient roman spirits of death); he quickly lounges into a long speech about progress, happiness and utopic desires (which most 20th century writers and philosophers have interpreted as a "capitalistic" desire which Faust tries to apply towards his subjects). During this speech he pronounces the ill-fated words of his deal ("verweile doch, du bist so schön!; "stay a while, you are so lovely!") and promptly falls on the ground, dead. I have always loved this scene because of its beautiful nature and because I love Goethe as an author in general. What do you guys think?

    Anyway, I think I'll leave a copy of Faust's last speech right under here: "Ein Sumpf zieht am Gebirge hin, Verpestet alles schon Errungene; Den faulen Pfuhl auch abzuziehn, Das Letzte wär das Höchsterrungene. Eröffn’ ich Räume vielen Millionen, Nicht sicher zwar, doch tätig-frei zu wohnen. Grün das Gefilde, uchtbar; Mensch und Herde Sogleich behaglich auf der neusten Erde, Gleich angesiedelt an des Hügels Krat, Den aufgewälzt kühn-emsige Völkerschaft. Im Innern hier ein paradiesisch Land, Da rase draußen Flut bis auf zum Rand, Und wie sie nascht, gewaltsam einzuschießen, Gemeindrang eilt, die Lücke zu verschließen. Ja! diesem Sinne bin ich ganz ergeben, Das ist der Weisheit letzter Schluß: Nur der verdient sich Freiheit wie das Leben, Der täglich sie erobern muß. Und so verbringt, umrungen von Gefahr, Hier Kindheit, Mann und Greis sein tüchtig Jahr. Solch ein Gewimmel möcht ich sehn, Auf freiem Grund mit freiem Volke stehn. Zum Augenblicke dürft ich sagen: „Verweile doch, du bist so schön! Es kann die Spur von meinen Erdetagen Nicht in Äonen untergehn.” — Im Vorgefühl von solchem hohen Glück Genieß ich jetzt den höchsten Augenblick."

    English version: A swamp lies there below the hill,

    Infecting everything I’ve done:

    My last and greatest act of will

    Succeeds when that foul pool is gone.

    Let me make room for many a million,

    Not wholly secure, but free to work on.

    Green fertile fields, where men and herds

    May gain swift comfort from the new-made earth.

    Quickly settled in those hills’ embrace,

    Piled high by a brave, industrious race.

    And in the centre here, a Paradise,

    Whose boundaries hold back the raging tide,

    And though it gnaws to enter in by force,

    The common urge unites to halt its course.

    Yes, I’ve surrendered to this thought’s insistence,

    The last word Wisdom ever has to say:

    He only earns his Freedom and Existence,

    Who’s forced to win them freshly every day.

    Childhood, manhood, age’s vigorous years,

    Surrounded by dangers, they’ll spend here.

    I wish to gaze again on such a land,

    Free earth: where a free race, in freedom, stand.

    Then, to the Moment I’d dare say:

    ‘Stay a while! You are so lovely!’

    Through aeons, then, never to fade away

    This path of mine through all that’s earthly. –

    Anticipating, here, its deep enjoyment,

    Now I savour it, that highest moment.

    by Justanotheryankee-12

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