The Star in the West

106 THE STAR IN THE WEST Lo ! Man is made one with God , an equal soul . For he shall know The harmony , the oneness of the Whole. This was my purpose . Remains the life of earth , which is but hell , Destiny's web , and my immense despair . And this despair -as sorrow so frequently does creates in him a deep cynical disgust for the world : Man , a bad joke ; and God , mere epigram ! If we must come to that . And likewise love .? Only a donkey fastened to a post Moves in a circle.3 He taunts them , insults God ; and tells all , shouting it far and broad , that his road was the road of the Mount of Venus , the road of Lust , the fiery baptism of Vice which impels Virtue . Then the silence breaks , the foul mob of the Self - sufficient , the spawn of ignor ance , and the slime of superstition , let loose their hell - hound voices : —fiend ! atheist ! devil ! are hurled at his head ; kill him ! Crucify him ! death ! death ! But Tannhäuser stands a colossus amid the bursting bubbles of this Stygian mire of corruption , and turn ing to the Landgrave he says : Will they answer you ? My arm is weary as your souls are not Of beastliness : I have drawn my father's sword , Hard as your virtue is the easy sort , Heavy to handle as your loves are light , Smooth as your lies , and sharper than your hates ! I know you ! Cowards to the very bone ! 2 Ibid . 3 Ibid . vol .i, p . 254 . 1 Tannhäuser , vol .i, p . 253 . 4 Ibid . vol . i, p. 257 .