Collected Works (Vol. I)

TANNHAUSER 233 VENUS. Answer that call—and thou art lost indeed ! Wake thou thy spirit in this hateful sleep, Keeping the vision, rise, and spit on her! TANNHAUSER. Spit on Thy likeness? I who love Thee sor VENUS. Yes, yes: obey me! She will leave thee then. She hath assumed mine image ! [ Thunder. TANNHAUSER. What is that? VENUS. Mere thunder on the mountain top. Do this, And I will come in sleep, in sleep renew The carnal joys of day. TANNHAUSER. Hast Thou forgot? It is the fleshly I would flee ! VENUS. Forget ? But I strive fleshwards. Let our sleep renew The endless struggle—-and perhaps, for thee, For thee !—the veil may lift another fold. TANNHAUSER. Why dost Thou hate this vision? VENUS. She would take Thee from these arms ! TANNHAUSER. But she is beautiful With Thine own beauty: yet as if the God Cancelled its mortal comeliness, and came More intimate than maiter, closing in Keen on my spirit ; as if all I sought In Thine own symbol, Beauty, were con- cealed Under her brows—how wider than the air ! How deeper than the sea! How radiant Beyond the fire! VENUS. O shun her devilish lures ! That Beauty is the sole detested fear That can annul our conquests, and arouse Our rapt dream-kisses. TANNHAUSER. That is my intent. It is the spiritual life of things I seek—Thou knowest ! VENUS. Oh, I did not mean ! Remember my dilemma! Hear me speak The story of her. She is a wicked witch That seeketh to delude thy sleepy sense In vicious purpose and malignant hope To ape my Godhead. [ Thunder. TANNHAUSER. Thunder rolls again. I am uneasy. VENUS. Feed it not at all! May not my servants of the elements Play children’s gambols on the mountain crest About our fortress? Leave this idle talk ! Come, in this sweet abandonment of self— Come, with this kiss I seal thy loyal oath ‘To spit upon her ! TANNHAUSER. Ah, you murder me! [ Szegs, Come, love, and kiss my shoulders! Sleepy lies The tinted bosom whence its fire flies,