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power to unlock the riddle of the sphinx； and he too who trusted with childlike confidence；（5） are；
therefore； both sent to destruction through what the god reveals to them。 The priestess； through
whose mouth the beautiful god speaks；（6） is in nothing different from the equivocal sisters of fate；（7）
who drive their victim to crime by their promises； and who； by the double…tongued； equivocal
character of what they gave out as a certainty； deceive the King when he relies upon the manifest
and obvious meaning of what they say。 There is a type of consciousness that is purer than the
latter（8） which believes in witches； and more sober； more thorough； and more solid than the former
which puts its trust in the priestess and the beautiful god。 This type of consciousness；（9） therefore；
lets his revenge tarry for the revelation which the spirit of his father makes regarding the crime that
did him to death； and institutes other proofs in addition — for the reason that the spirit giving the
revelation might possibly be the devil。
This mistrust has good grounds； because the knowing consciousness takes its stand on the
opposition between certainty of itself on the one hand； and the objective essential reality on the
other。 Ethical rightness； which insists that actuality is nothing per se in opposition to absolute law；
finds out that its knowledge is onesided； its law merely a law of its own character； and that it has
laid hold of merely one of the powers of the substance。 The act itself is this inversion of what is
known into its opposite； into objective existence； turns round what is right from the point of view
of character and knowledge into the right of the very opposite with which the former is bound up
in the essential nature of the substance — turns it into the 〃Furies〃 who embody the right of the
other power and character awakened into hostility。 The lower right sits with Zeus enthroned； and
enjoys equal respect and homage with the god revealed and knowing。
To these three supernatural Beings the world of the gods of the chorus is limited and restricted by
the acting individuality。 The one is the substance； the power presiding over the hearth and home
and the spirit worshipped by the family； as well as the universal power pervading state and
government。 Since this distinction belongs to the substance as such； it is； when dramatically
presented； not individualized in two distinct shapes ＇of the substance＇； but has in actual reality the
two persons of its characters。 On the other hand； the distinction between knowing and not
knowing falls within each of the actual self…consciousnesses； and only in abstraction； in the element
of universality； does it get divided into two individual shapes。 For the self of the hero only exists as
a whole consciousness； and hence includes essentially the whole of the distinction belonging to the
form； but its substance is determinate； and only one side of the content distinguished belongs to
him。 Hence the two sides of consciousness； which have m concrete reality no separate individuality
peculiarly their own； receive； when ideally represented； each its own particular form： the one that
of the god revealed； the other that of the Furies keeping themselves concealed。 In part both enjoy
equal honour； while again； the form assumed by the substance； Zeus； is the necessity of the relation
of the two to one another。 The substance is the relation ＇1＇ that knowledge is for itself； but finds its
truth in what is simple； ＇2＇ that the distinction； through and in which actual consciousness exists；
has its basis in that inner being which destroys it； ＇3＇ that the clear conscious assurance of certainty
has its confirmation in forgetfulness。
Consciousness disclosed this opposition by action； through doing something。 Acting in accordance
with the knowledge revealed； it； finds out the deceptiveness of that knowledge； and being
committed； as regards its inner nature。； to one of the attributes of substance； it did violence to the
other and thereby gave the latter right as against itself。 When following that god who knows and
reveals himself； it really seized hold of what is not revealed； and pays the penalty for having trusted
the knowledge； whose equivocal character （since this is its very nature） it also had to discover；
and an admonition thereanent to be given。 The frenzy of the priestess； the inhuman shape of the
witches； the voices of trees and birds； dreams； and so on； are not ways in which truth appears；
they are admonitory signs of deception； of want of judgment； of the individual and accidental
character of knowledge。 Or； what comes to the same thing； the opposite power； which
consciousness has violated； is present as express law and authentic right； whether law of the family
or law of the state； while consciousness； on the other hand； pursued its own proper knowledge；
and hid from itself what was revealed。
The truth； however； of the opposing powers of content and consciousness is the final result； that
both are equally right； and； hence； in their opposition （which comes about through action） are
equally wrong。 The process of action proves their unity in the mutual overthrow of both powers
and both self…conscious characters。 The reconciliation of the opposition with itself is the Lethe of
the nether world in the form of Death…or the Lethe of the upper world in the form of absolution；
not from guilt （for consciousness cannot deny its guilt； because the act was done）； but from the
crime； and in the form of the peace of soul which atones for the crime。 Both are forgetfulness； the
disappearance of the reality and action of the powers of the substance； of their component
individualities； and of the powers of the abstract thought of good and evil。 For none of them by
itself is the real essence： this consists in the undisturbed calm of the whole within itself； the
immovable unity of Fate； the quiescent existence （and hence want of activity and vitality） of the
family and government； and the equal honour and consequent indifferent unreality of Apollo and
the Furies； and the return of their spiritual life and activity into Zeus solely and simply。
This destiny completes the depopulation of Heaven…of that unthinking blending of individuality and。
ultimate Being — a blending whereby the action of this absolute Being appears as something
incoherent； contingent； unworthy of itself； for individuality； when attaching in a merely superficial
way to absolute Being； is unessential。 The expulsion of such unreal insubstantial ideas； which was
demanded by the philosophers of antiquity； thus already has its beginning in tragedy in general；
through the fact that the division of the substance is controlled by the notion； and hence
individuality is the essential individuality； and the specific determinations are absolute characters。
The self…consciousness represented in tragedy knows and acknowledges on that account only one
highest power； Zeus。 This Zeus is known and acknowledged only as the power of the state or of
the hearth and home； and； in the opposition belonging to knowledge； merely as the Father of the
knowledge of the particular； — a knowledge assu