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which matches strength with its beauty； and to him is given； as a reward for his force and energy；
the adornment； with which the statue was honoured ＇in the former type of religion＇； and the honour
of being； amongst his own nation；； instead of a god in stone； the highest bodily representation of
what the essential Being of the nation is。
In both the representations； which have just come before us； there is present the unity of
self…consciousness and spiritual Being； but they still lack their due balance and equilibrium。 In the
case of the bacchic（5） revelling enthusiasm the self is beside itself； in bodily beauty of form it is
spiritual Being that is outside itself。 The dim obscurity of consciousness in the one case and its wild
stammering utterance； must be taken up into the transparent existence of the latter； and the clear
but spiritless form of the latter； into the emotional inwardness of the former。 The perfect element in
which the inwardness is as external as the externality is inward； is once again Language。 But it is
neither the language of the oracle； entirely contingent in its content and altogether individual in
character； nor is it the emotional hymn sung in praise of a merely individual god； nor is it the
meaningless stammer of delirious bacchantic revelry。 It has attained to its clear and universal
content and meaning。 Its content is clear； for the artificer has passed out of the previous state of
entirely substantial enthusiasm； and worked himself into a definite shape； which is his own proper
existence； permeated through all its movements by self…conscious soul； and is that of his
contemporaries。 Its content is universal； for in this festival； which is to the honour of man； there
vanishes the onesidedness peculiar to figures represented in statues； which merely contain a
national spirit； a determinate character of the godhead。 The finely built warrior is indeed the honour
and glory of his particular nation； but he is a physical or corporeal individuality in which are sunk
out of sight the expanse and the seriousness of meaning； and the inner character of the spirit which
underlies the particular mode of life； the peculiar petitions； the needs and the customs of his nation。
In relinquishing all this for complete corporeal embodiment； spirit has laid aside the particular
impressions； the special tones and chords of that nature which it； as the actual spirit of the nation；
includes。 Its nation； therefore； is no longer conscious in this spirit of its special particular character；
but rather of having laid this aside； and of the universality of its human existence。
1。 The 〃Light〃 of the world。
2。 As found in the mysteries of Demeter。
3。 As found in the mysteries of Bacchus and Dionysus。
4。 The Maenads； cp。 Euripides； Bacchae。
5。 As distinct from the worship of Apollo。
c
The Spiritual Work of Art
THE national spirits； which become conscious of their being in the shape of some particular
animal； coalesce into one single spirit。（1） Thus it is that the separate artistically beautiful national
spirits combine to form a Pantheon； the element and habitation of which is Language。 Pure intuition
of self in the sense of universal human nature takes； when the national spirit is actualized； this form：
the national spirit combines with the others （which with it constitute； through nature and natural
conditions； one people）； in a common undertaking； and for this task builds up a collective nation；
and； with that； a collective heaven。 This universality； to which spirit attains in its existence； is；
nevertheless； merely this first universality； which； to begin with； starts from the individuality of
ethical life； has not yet overcome its immediacy； has not yet built up a single state out of these
separate national elements。 The ethical life of an actual national spirit rests partly on the immediate
confiding trust of the individuals in the whole of their nation； partly in the direct share which all； in
spite of differences of class； take in the decisions and acts of its government。 In the union； not in
the first instance to secure a permanent order but merely for a common act； that freedom of
participation on the part of each and all is for the nonce set aside。 This first community of life is；
therefore； an assemblage of individualities rather than the dominion and control of abstract thought；
which would rob the individuals of their self…conscious share in the will and act of the whole。
The assembly of national spirits constitutes a circle of forms and shapes； which now embraces the
whole of nature； as well as the whole ethical world。 They too are under the supreme command
rather than the supreme dominion of the One。 By themselves； they are the universal substances
embodying what the self…conscious essential reality inherently is and does。 This； however；
constitutes the moving force； and； in the first instance； at least the centre； with which those
universal entities are concerned； and which； to begin with； seems to unite in a merely accidental
way all that they variously accomplish。 But it is the return of the divine Being to self…consciousness
which already contains the reason that self…consciousness forms the centre for those divine forces；
and conceals their essential unity in the first instance under the guise of a friendly external relation
between both worlds。
The same universality； which belongs to this content； attaches necessarily also to that form of
consciousness in which the content appears。 It is no longer the concrete acts of the cult； it is an
action which is not indeed raised as yet to the level of the notion； but only to that of ideas； the
synthetic connexion of self…conscious and external existence。 The element in which these presented
ideas exist； language； is the earliest language； the Epic as such。； which contains the universal
content； at any rate universal in the sense of completeness of the world presented； though not in
the sense of universality of thought。 The Minstrel is the individual and actual spirit from whom； as a
subject of this world； it is produced； and by whom it is borne。 His 〃pathos〃 is not the deafening
power of nature； but Mnemosyne； Recollection； a gradually evolved inwardness； the memory of
an essential mode of being once directly present。 He is the organ and instrument whose content is
passing away； it is not his own self which is of any account； but his muse； his universal song。 What；
however； is present in fact； has the form of an inferential process； where the one extreme of
universality； the world of gods； is connected with individuality； the minstrel； through the middle
term of particularity。 The middle term is the nation in its heroes； who are individual men like the
minstrel； but only ideally presented； and thereby at the same time universal like the free extreme of
universality； the gods。
In this Epic； then； what is inherently established in the cult； the relation of the divine to the human；
is set forth and displayed as a whole to consciousness。 The content is an 〃act〃（2） of the essential
Being conscious of itself。 Acting