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 assuming a figure in the drama： — and again as the
Zeus of the oath and of the Furies； the Zeus of what is universal； of the inner being dwelling in
concealment。 The further moments taken from the notion （Begriff） and dispersed in the form of
ideal presentation （Vorstellung）； moments which the chorus permits to hold good one after the
other； are； on the other hand； not the 〃pathos〃 of the hero； they sink to the level of passions in the
hero — to the level of accidental； insubstantial moments； which the impersonal chorus no doubt
praises； but which are not capable of constituting the character of heroes； nor of being expressed
and revered by them as their real nature。
But； further； the persons of the divine Being itself； as well as the characters of its substance；
coalesce into the simplicity of what is devoid of consciousness。 This necessity has； in contrast to
self…consciousness； the characteristic of being the negative power of all the shapes that appear； a
power in which they do not recognize themselves； but perish therein。 The self appears as merely
allotted amongst the different characters； and not as the mediating factor of the process。 But
self…consciousness； the simple certainty of self； is in point of fact the negative power； the unity of
Zeus； the unity of the substantial essence and abstract necessity； it is the spiritual unity into which
everything returns。 Because actual self…consciousness is still distinguished from the substance and
fate； it is partly the chorus； or rather the crowd looking on； whom this movement of the divine life
fills with fear as being something alien and strange； or in whom this movement； as something
closely touching themselves； produces merely the emotion of passive pity。 Partly again； so far as
consciousness co…operates and belongs to the various characters； this alliance is of an external
kind； is a hypocrisy — because the true union； that of self； fate； and substance； is not yet present。
The hero； who appears bef ore the onlookers； breaks up into his mask and the actor； into the
person of the play and the actual self。
The self…consciousness of the heroes must step forth from its mask and be represented as knowing
itself to be the fate both of the gods of the chorus and of the absolute powers themselves； and as
being no longer separated from the chorus； the universal consciousness。
Comedy has； then； first of all； the aspect that actual self…consciousness represents itself as the fate
of the gods。 These elemental Beings are； qua universal moments； no definite self； and are not
actual。 They are； indeed； endowed with the form of individuality； but this is in their case merely put
on； and does not really and truly belong to them。 The actual self has no such abstract moment as
its substance and content。 The subject； therefore； is raised above such a moment； as it would be
above a particular quality； and when clothed with this mask gives utterance to the irony of such a
property trying to be something on its own account。 The pretentious claims of the universal
abstract nature are shown up and discovered in the actual self； it is seen to be caught and held in a
concrete reality； and lets the mask drop； just when it wants to be something genuine。 The self；
appearing here in its significance as something actual； plays with the mask which it once puts on； in
order to be its own person； but it breaks away from this seeming and pretence just as quickly
again； and comes out in its own nakedness and commonness； which it shows not to be distinct
from the proper self； the actor； nor again from the onlooker。
This general dissolution； which the formally embodied essential nature as a whole undergoes when
it assumes individuality； becomes in its content more serious； and hence more petulant and bitter；
in so far as the content possesses its more serious and necessary meaning。 The divine substance
combines the meaning of natural and ethical essentiality。
As regards the natural element； actual self…consciousness shows in the very fact of applying
elements of nature for its adornment； for its abode and so on； and again in feasting on its own
offering； that itself is the Fate to which the secret is betrayed； no matter what may be the truth as
regards the independent substantialitv of nature。 In the mystery of the bread and wine it makes its
very owm this self…subsistence of nature together with the significance of the inner reality； and in
Comedy it is conscious of the irony lurking in this meaning。
So far； again； as this meaning contains the essence of ethical reality； it is partly the nation in its two
aspects of the state； or Demos proper； and individual family life； partly； however； it is
self…conscious pure knowledge； or rational thought of the universal。 Demos； the general mass；
which knows itself as master and governor； and is also aware of being the insight and intelligence
which demand respect； exerts compulsion and is befooled through the particularity of its actual life；
and exhibits the ludicrous contrast between its own opinion of itself and its immediate existence；
between its necessity and contingency； its universality and its vulgarity。 If the principle of its
individual existence； cut off from the universal； breaks out in the proper figure of an actual man and
openly usurps and administers the commonwealth； to which it is a secret harm and detriment； then
there is more immediately disclosed the contrast between the universal in the sense of a theory；
and that with which practice is concerned； there stand exposed the entire emancipation of the ends
and aims of the mere individual from the universal order； and the scorn the mere individual shows
for such order。（10）
Rational thinking removes contingency of form and shape from the divine Being； and； in opposition
to the uncritical wisdom of the chorus — a wisdom； giving utterance to all sorts of ethical maxims
and stamping with validity and authority a multitude of laws and specific conceptions of duty and
of right — rational thought lifts these into the simple Ideas of the Beautiful and the Good。 The