Study Start of the next scene from Faust

In the next scene  Faust is disturbed in his peaceful contemplation by the poodle. He  attempts to force it to show its true form and finally Mephistopheles emerges.

STUDY

FAUST (ENTERING WITH POODLE)

I have forsaken field and meadow,

All sheltered in a deep night-shadow;

With sacred and foreboding awe,

Our better soul wakes in our core.

Wild impulses are sleeping, cooled

Like all impetuous action's power;

By love of humankind we're ruled,

The love of God reigns in us now.

Be quiet poodle! Don’t run everywhere.

Why sniff the threshold, as you do?

Lie down behind the oven there,

And my best cushion I'll give you.

When outside on the hillside way

Through running and leaping you pleased us best,

So now accept my care and stay

Here as a quiet and welcome guest.

Ah, when within my narrow cell

The friendly lamp glow burns once more,

It grows bright in my breast as well,

Within the heart that knows its core.

Then once more reason starts to speak,

Then once more hope begins to flower;

You yearn to reach life’s streams, to seek

The very wellspring of life’s power.

Stop growling, poodle! For the sacred tones,

That now encompass my whole soul,

Do not accord with such a brutish howl.

I know how many people mock and moan,

Reject whatever they've not understood;

And mutter much about the fair and good,

So often finding them a burden… but must you,

A dog, start growling at them too?

Oh! But already now, with my best will,

Contentment flows no longer from heart’s fill.

Why must the stream run dry so quickly, then

Leave us to lie in thirst again?

I've been through this so many times,

And yet this want is answered- for we learn

To prize the super-earthly, and we yearn,

We long for revelation’s signs,

Which nowhere fairer flame, with worth expressed,

Than in the gospel’s words. I sense a call

To open up this ancient text;

With honest feeling now to reach

And take the sacred, great original

And set it down in my loved native speech. .

(HE OPENS A GREAT VOLUME AND PREPARES TO WRITE)

It is written: “ In the beginning was the Word!”

I stop already. Who can help me forward?

I cannot make the word so high a prize,

I must translate this otherwise,

If right-illumined by the spirit- hence

It is written: “ In the beginning was the Sense.”

Consider well this first line’s taste;

Your pen must not run on with too much haste.

Does sense create all things and weave their course?

It ought to stand: “ In the beginning was the Force.”

Yet even as I write these words down too,

Already something warns me they won’t do.

Now spirit helps. It shows me what I need;

With confidence I write: “In the beginning was the Deed.”

If we’re to share this room at all,

Poodle, you must not howl,

You must not bark!

Such troubling friends, let me remark,

Are not allowed to stay so near.

One of us, you hear,

Has to go, it’s clear.

I fear you are not welcome any more.

You’re free to go. There’s the open door.

But what is this I see?

Can this be so? How can this be?

Is this reality

Or are these shadow dreams?

How long and broad my poodle seems.

How powerfully he rises up.

That is not a canine shape!

What ghost have I brought to the house!

He now looks like a river horse!

With fiery eyes, with terrifying teeth.

Oh! Now I see through your false sheath!

With such half-hellish spawn the key

Of Solomon gives mastery.

SPIRITS (IN THE CORRIDOR OUTSIDE)

One is imprisoned within!

Stay outside, don’t follow him.

Like a fox in a snare,

One old hell lynx trembles there.

But now, give heed!

Hover, floating to and fro,

High and low;

And he'll get out and be freed.

Help where it’s fitting,

Don’t leave him sitting!

For favours did fall

From him for us all.

FAUST

First, to counter this beast’s core,

I need the Spell of Four:

Salamander shall shine.

Undine weave here,

Sylph disappear,

Kobolt toil and mine.

Those who don’t know

The elements’ flow,

All their forces

And their resources,

Won’t master fleeing,

Spiritual being.

Vanish in flaming glow,

Salamander!

Rush together, smoothly flow,

Undine!

Shine with meteor-fair gleam,

Sylph!

Bring homely helpfulness,

Incubus! Incubus!

Step forward and end this address.

None of the four

Hides in its core,

It lies quite calmly and grins at me,

I haven’t hurt it yet I see,

Hear stronger teachers’

Conjuring speeches.

Are you, come tell,

A fugitive from hell?

Then see this sign

That makes malign

Black legions bow.

The hair is bristling: it’s swelling now.

Accursed, base being

Are you not seeing

The never-begotten,

Unutterable

One permeating all heaven,

Pierced by mankind’s evil?

There behind the stove, still pent,

Swelling like an elephant,

It fills the whole space. Now it's willing

To melt in mist and so retreat.

Don't rise up to the ceiling!

Lay down at your master’s feet.

You'll see that I don’t threaten in vain.

I’ll singe you now with sacred flame.

Don’t wait to fight

The threefold, dazzling light!

Don’t wait to fight

The strongest art that I've at hand!

THE MIST CLEARS AND MEPHISTOPHELES

STEPS FORTH FROM BEHIND THE OVEN,
DRESSED AS A TRAVELLING SCHOLAR

MEPHISTOPHELES

Why all the noise? What does my lord command?