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 disturbs the peace of the substance； and awakens the essential
Being； and by so doing its simple unity is divided into parts； and opened up into the manifold world
of natural powers and ethical forces。 The act is the violation of the peaceful earth； it is the trench
which； vivified by the blood of the living； calls forth the spirits of the departed； who are thirsting for
life； and who receive it in the action of self…consciousness。（3） There are two sides to the business
the universal activity is concerned to accomplish： the side of the self…in virtue of which it is brought
about by a collection of actual nations with the prominent individualities at the head of them； and
the side of the universal — in virtue of which it is brought about by their substantial forces。 The
relation of the two； however； took； as we saw just now； the character of being the synthetic
connexion of universal and individual； i。e。 of being a process of ideal presentation。 On this specific
character depends the judgment regarding this world。
The relation of the two is； by this means； a commingling of both； which illogically divides the unity
of the action； and in a needless fashion throws the act from one side over to the other。 The
universal powers have the form of individual beings； and thus have in them the principle from which
action comes； when they effect anything； therefore； this seems to proceed as entirely from them
and to be as free as in the case of men。 Hence both gods and men have done one and the same
thing。 The seriousness with which those divine powers go to work is ridiculously unnecessary；
since they are in point of fact the moving force of the individualities engaged in the acts； while the
strain and toil of the latter again is an equally useless effort； since the former direct and manage
everything。 Overzealous mortal creatures； who are as nothing； are at the same time the mighty self
that brings into subjection the universal beings； offends the gods； and procures for them actual
reality and an interest in acting。 Just as； conversely； these powerless gods； these impotent universal
beings； who procure their sustenance from the gifts of men and through men first get something to
do； are the natural inner principle and the substance of all events； as also the ethical material； and
the 〃pathos〃 of action。 If their cosmic natures first get reality and a sphere of effectual operation
through the free self of individuality； it is also the case that they are the universal； which withdraws
from and avoids this connexion； remains unrestricted and unconstrained in its own character； and；
by the unconquerable elasticity of its unity； extinguishes the atomic singleness of the individual
acting and his various features； preserves itself in its purity； and dissolves all that is individual in the
current of its own continuity。
Just as the gods fall into this contradictory relation with the antithetic nature having the form of self；
in the same way their universality comes into conflict with their own specific character and the
relation in which it stands to others。 They are the eternal and resplendent individuals； who exist in
their own calm； and are removed from the changes of time and the influence of alien forces。 But
they are at the same time determinate elements； particular gods； and thus stand in relation to
others。 But that relation to others； which； in virtue of the opposition it involves； is one of strife； is a
comic self…forgetfulness of their eternal nature。 The determinateness they possess is rooted in the
divine subsistence； and in its specific limitation has the independence of the whole individuality；
owing to this whole； their characters at once lose the sharpness of their distinctive peculiarity； and
in their ambiguity blend together。
One purpose of their activity and their activity itself； being directed against an 〃other〃 and so
against an invincible divine force； are a contingent and futile piece of bravado； which passes away
at once； and transforms the pretence of seriousness in the act into a harmless； self…confident piece
of sport with no result and no issue。 If； however； in the nature of their divinity； the negative
element； the specific determinateness of that nature； appears merely as the inconsistency of their
activity； and as the contradiction between the purpose and result； and if that independent
self…confidence outweighs and overbalances the element of determinateness； then； by that very
fact； the pure force of negativity confronts and opposes their nature； and moreover with a power
to which it must finally submit； and over which it can in no way prevail。 They are the universal； and
the positive； as against the individual self of mortals； which cannot hold out against their power and
might。 But the universal self； for that reason； hovers over them ＇the gods in Homer＇ and over this
whole world of imagination to which the entire content belongs； and is for them the unintelligible
void of Necessity； — a mere happening to which they stand related selfless and sorrowing； for
these determinate natures do not find themselves in this purely formal necessity。
This necessity； however； is the unity of the notion； a unity dominating and controlling the
contradictory independent subsistence of the individual moments a unity in which the inconsistency
and fortuitousness of their action is coherently regulated； and the sportive character of their acts
receives its serious value in those acts themselves。 The content of the world of imagination carries
on its process in the middle element ＇term＇ detached by itself； gathering round the individuality of
some hero； who； however feels the strength and splendour of his life broken； and mourns the early
death he sees ahead of him。 For individuality； firmly established and real in itself； is isolated and
excluded to the utmost extreme； and severed into its moments； which have not yet found each
other and united。 The one individual element； the abstract unreal moment； is necessity which shares
in the life of the mediating term just as little as does the other； the concrete real individual element；
the minstrel； who keeps himself outside it； and disappears in what he imaginatively presents。 Both
extremes must get nearer the content； the one； necessity； has to get filled with it； the other； the
language of the minstrel； must have a share in it。 And the content formerly left to itself must acquire
in itself the certainty and the fixed character of the negative。
This higher language； that of Tragedy； gathers and keeps more closely together the dispersed and
scattered moments of the inner essential world and the world of action。 The substance of the
divine falls apart； in accordance with the nature of the notion； into its shapes and forms； and their
movement is likewise in conformity with that notion。 In regard to form； the language here ceases to
be narrative； in virtue of the fact that it enters into the content； just as the content ceases to be
merely one that is ideally imagined。 The hero is himself the spokesman； and