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Hölderlin's Hymns
Martin Heidegger, William McNeill, Julia Ireland
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Hölderlin's Hymns
Martin Heidegger, William McNeill, Julia Ireland
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"Translated with skill and precision, these lectures... present the most penetrating analysis of two of Hölderlin's most significant hymns" ( Choice ). Martin Heidegger's 1934–1935 lectures on Friedrich Hölderlin's hymns "Germania" and "The Rhine" are considered the most significant among Heidegger's lectures on Hölderlin. Coming at a crucial time in his career, the text illustrates Heidegger's turn toward language, art, and poetry while reflecting his despair at his failure to revolutionize the German university and his hope for a more profound revolution through the German language, guided by Hölderlin's poetry. These lectures are important for understanding Heidegger's changing relation to politics, his turn toward Nietzsche, his thinking about the German language, and his breakthrough to a new kind of poetic thinking. "[This translation], including a clear and concise introduction and useful glossaries, attains both accuracy and clarity, rarely faltering in its choice of words." — Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews
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PART ONE
“GERMANIA”
We shall now read and listen to the poem “Germania.” The authoritative edition from which I shall cite is the six-volume edition of Norbert von Hellingrath and his friends.1 In von Hellingrath’s edition, Hölderlin’s entire work is distributed throughout the various volumes according to when the poems were composed. The letters are in each case ascribed to different periods and accordingly arranged throughout the various volumes. This is wholly appropriate to the character of Hölderlin’s letters, which belong entirely to his work. Perhaps the German youth will one day come to remember the creator of their Hölderlin edition, Norbert von Hellingrath, who, at the age of twenty-eight, was killed in action at Verdun in 1916—or perhaps they will not.
The other critical edition by Franz Zinkernagel, which we must also necessarily employ in our actual work, collects all of Hölderlin’s letters together in volume four.2 Unfortunately we do not have the volume with the different versions.
Germania3
I | Nicht sie, die Seeligen, die erschienen sind, |
Die Götterbilder in dem alten Lande,
Sie darf ich ja nicht rufen mehr, wenn aber
Ihr heimatlichen Wasser! jezt mit euch
Des Herzens Liebe klagt, was will es anders
Das Heiligtrauernde? Denn voll Erwartung liegt
Das Land und als in heissen Tagen
Herabgesenkt, umschattet heut
Ihr Sehnenden! uns ahnungsvoll ein Himmel.
10
Voll ist er von Verheissungen und scheint
Mir drohend auch, doch will ich bei ihm bleiben,
Und rükwärts soll die Seele mir nicht fliehn
Zu euch, Vergangene! die zu lieb mir sind.
Denn euer schönes Angesicht zu sehn,
Als wärs, wie sonst, ich fürcht’ es, tödtlich ists
Und kaum erlaubt, Gestorbene zu weken.
II | Entflohene Götter! auch ihr, ihr gegenwärtigen, damals |
Wahrhaftiger, ihr hattet eure Zeiten!
Nichts läugnen will ich hier und nichts erbitten.
20
Denn wenn es aus ist, und der Tag erloschen,
Wohl trifts den Priester erst, doch liebend folgt
Der Tempel und das Bild ihm auch und seine Sitte
Zum dunkeln Land und keines mag noch scheinen.
Nur als von Grabesflammen, ziehet dann
Ein goldner Rauch, die Sage drob hinüber,
Und dämmert jezt uns Zweifelnden um das Haupt,
Und keiner weiss, wie ihm geschieht. Er fühlt
Die Schatten derer, so gewesen sind,
Die Alten, so die Erde neubesuchen.
30
Denn die da kommen sollen, drängen uns,
Und länger säumt von Göttermenschen
Die heilige Schaar nicht mehr im blauen Himmel.
III | Schon grünet ja, im Vorspiel rauherer Zeit |
Für sie erzogen das Feld, bereitet ist die Gaabe
Zum Opfermahl und Thal und Ströme sind
Weitoffen um prophetische Berge,
Dass schauen mag bis in den Orient
Der Mann und ihn von dort der Wandlungen viele bewegen.
Vom Äther aber fällt
40
Das treue Bild und Göttersprüche reegnen
Unzählbare von ihm, und es tönt im innersten Haine.
Und der Adler, der vom Indus kömmt,
Und über des Parnassos
Beschneite Gipfel fliegt, hoch über den Opferhügeln
Italias, und frohe Beute sucht
Dem Vater, nicht wie sonst, geübter im Fluge
Der Alte, jauchzend überschwingt er
Zulezt die Alpen und sieht die vielgearteten Länder.
IV | Die Priesterin, die stillste Tochter Gottes, |
50
Sie, die zu gern in tiefer Einfalt schweigt,
Sie suchet er, die offnen Auges schaute,
Als wüsste sie es nicht, jüngst da ein Sturm
Todtdrohend über ihrem Haupt ertönte;
Es ahnete das Kind ein Besseres,
Und endlich ward ein Staunen weit im Himmel
Weil Eines gross an Glauben, wie sie selbst,
Die seegnende, die Macht der Höhe sei;
Drum sandten sie den Boten, der, sie schnell erkennend,
Denkt lächelnd so: Dich, unzerbrechliche, muss
60
Ein ander Wort erprüfen und ruft es laut,
Der Jugendliche, nach Germania schauend:
“Du bist es, auserwählt
“Allliebend und ein schweres Glük
“Bist du zu tragen stark geworden.
V | Seit damals, da im Walde verstekt und blühendem Mohn |
Voll süssen Schlummers, trunkene, meiner du
Nicht achtetest, lang, ehe noch auch Geringere fühlten
Der Jungfrau Stolz, und staunten, wess du wärst und woher,
Doch du es selbst nicht wusstest. Ich miskannte dich nicht,
70
Und heimlich, da du träumtest, liess ich
Am Mittag scheidend dir ein Freundeszeichen,
Die Blume des Mundes zurük und du redetest einsam.
Doch Fülle der goldenen Worte sandtest du auch
Glükseelige! mit den Strömen und sie quillen unerschöpflich
In die Gegenden all. Denn fast, wie der heiligen,
Die Mutter ist von allem, und den Abgrund trägt
Die Verborgene sonst genannt von Menschen,
So ist von Lieben und Leiden
Und voll von Ahnungen dir
80
Und voll von Frieden der Busen.
VI | O trinke Morgenlüfte, |
Biss dass du offen bist,
Und nenne, was vor Augen dir ist,
Nicht länger darf Geheimniss mehr
Das Ungesprochene bleiben,
Nachdem es lange verhüllt ist;
Denn Sterblichen geziemet die Schaam,
Und so zu reden die meiste Zeit
Ist weise auch von Göttern.
90
Wo aber überflüssiger, denn lautere Quellen
Das Gold und ernst geworden ist der Zorn an dem Himmel,
Muss zwischen Tag und Nacht
Einsmals ein Wahres erscheinen.
Dreifach umschreibe du es,
Doch ungesprochen auch, wie es da ist,
Unschuldige, muss es bleiben.
VII | O nenne Tochter du der heiligen Erd’! |
Einmal die Mutter. Es rauschen die Wasser am Fels
Und Wetter im Wald und bei dem Nahmen derselben
100
Tönt auf aus alter Zeit Vergangengöttliches wieder.
Wie anders ists! und rechthin glänzt und spricht
Zukünftiges auch erfreulich aus den Fernen.
Doch in der Mitte der Zeit
Lebt ruhig mit geweihter
Jungfräulicher Erde der Äther
Und gerne, zur Erinnerung, sind
Die unbedürftigen sie
Gastfreundlich bei den unbedürftgen
Bei deinen Feiertagen
110
Germania, wo du Priesterin bist
Und wehrlos Rath giebst rings
Den Königen und den Völkern.
Germania
I | Not those, the blessed ones who once appeared, |
Divine images in the land of old,
Those, indeed, I may call no longer, yet if
You waters of the homeland! now with you
The heart’s love has plaint, what else does it want,
The holy mourning one? For full of expectation lies
The land, and as in sultry days
Bowed down, a heaven casts today
You longing ones! its shadows full of intimation round about us.
10
Full of promises it is, and seems
Threatening to me also, yet I want to stay by it,
And backwards shall my soul not flee
To you, past ones! who are too dear to me.
For to see your beautiful countenance
As once it was, before, this I fear, deadly it is,
And scarcely allowed, to waken the dead.
II | Gods who have fled! You too, you present ones, once |
More truthful, you had your times!
Nothing do I want to deny here, and ask nothing of you.
20
For when it is out, and the day extinguished,
It affects first the priest, yet lovingly follow
Him temple and image too and his custom
To the land of darkness and none is able still to shine.
Only, as from flames of the grave, there passes
Then overhead a wisp of golden smoke, the legend thereof,
And now it dawns around the heads of us who doubt,
And no one knows what is happening to him. Each feels
The shadows of those who once have been,
Those of old, who visit thus the Earth anew.
30
For those who are to come press upon us,
No longer does the holy host of humans divine
Tarry in the blue of the heavens.
III | Already nurtured for them, the field indeed grows verdant, |
Prelude to a harsher time, the gift is readied
For the sacrificial meal and valley and rivers lie
Open wide around prophetic mountains,
So that into the Orient may look
The man and from there be moved by many transformations.
Yet from the Aether falls
40
The faithful image, and divine edicts rain down
Innumerable from it, and the innermost grove resounds.
And the eagle that comes from the Indus,
And over Parnassus’
Snowy peaks, flies high above the sacrificial hills
Of Italy, and seeks willing prey
For the Father, not as before, more practiced in flight
Ancient one, jubilant he soars over
The Alps at last and sees the many different lands.
IV | The priestess, quietest daughter of God, |
50
She who too readily keeps silent in deep simplicity,
Her he seeks, who gazed with open eyes
As though unaware just now, when a storm
With deadly threat rang out above her head;
An intimation had the child of something better,
And eventually astonishment spread across the heavens
For there was One as great in faith, as they themselves,
The powers that bless from on high;
Wherefore they sent the messenger, who, quick to recognize her
Smilingly thinks to himself: You, unshatterable one,
60
Another word must test, and youthfully
He calls it loud, looking at Germania:
“You it is, the chosen one,
“All-loving and a grave good fortune
“Have you become strong to bear.
V | Since then, when hidden in the woods and flowering poppy |
Full of sweet slumber, drunken, long you took
No heed of me, until lesser ones too sensed
Your virgin’s pride and were astonished whose you were and whence you came,
Yet you knew it not yourself. I mistook you not,
70
And in secret, while you dreamt, I left for you
Departing at midday, a sign of friendship,
The flower of the mouth, and solitary was your speaking.
Yet a fullness of golden words too you bestowed,
Blissful one! with the rivers, and they streamed inexhaustibly
Into the regions all. For almost like the holy one,
Who is Mother of all, and carries the abyss,
Otherwise named the Concealed One by humans,
So is of loves and sufferings
And full of intimations too
80
And full of peace your breast.
VI
O drink morning breezes,
Until you are open,
And name what is before your eyes,
No longer may the unspoken
Remain a mystery,
Though long it has been veiled;
For shame is fitting for mortals,
And thus to speak most of the time,
Of gods is also wise.
90
Yet where more overflowing than the purest wellsprings
The gold has become and anger in the heavens earnest,
Between day and night
Something true must once appear.
Threefold you shall circumscribe it,
Yet unspoken too, as it is found there,
Innocent one, it must remain.
VII | O name you daughter of the holy Earth! |
Once the Mother. On the rock the waters rush
And storms in the woods, and in her name too
100
From ancient times echoes the divinity of old once more.
How different it is! And unmistakably gleam and speak
From great distance also cheering things to come.
But in the middle of time
Peacefully with hallowed
Virgin Earth lives Aether
And gladly, to be remembered,
The needless dwell
Hospitably among the needless
At your feast days
110
Germania, where you are priestess
And defenselessly give counsel
Around the kings and peoples.
1. Hölderlin, Sämtliche Werke. Historisch-kritische Ausgabe, begun by Norbert von Hellingrath, continued by Friedrich Seebass and Ludwig von Pigenot. Second edition. Berlin, 1923. The Roman numerals indicate the volume; page numbers are given in Arabic.
2. Hölderlin, Sämtliche Werke und Briefe in five volumes. Kritisch-historische Ausgabe by Franz Zinkernagel. Leipzig, 1914.
3. IV, 181ff.
Chapter One
Preparatory Reflection: Poetry and Language
§ 2. Provisional Path of Approach to the Poem as a Piece of Text
a) The Overarching Resonance of the Telling as Origin for the Choice and Positioning of Words
The poem lies printed before us, a verbal construction that we can immediately read, repeat, and listen to. As this kind of linguistic construction it has a ‘meaning.’ The meaning is expressed on the one hand via the significance of the words whose content we can immediately grasp (“templ...