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1 Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller 2 Sourced: 2.1 An die Freude (Ode to Joy; or Hymn to Joy) (1785) 3 External links:

Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller

(November 10, 1759 - May 9, 1805) German poet, historian, dramatist, and playwright.

Sourced:

• "Love is only known by him who hopelessly persists in love."
  • Don Carlos, 1787.

• Folly, thou conquerest, and I must yield!
  Against stupidity the very gods
  Themselves contend in vain. Exalted reason,
  Resplendent daughter of the head divine,
  Wise foundress of the system of the world,
  Guide of the stars, who art thou then if thou,
  Bound to the tail of folly's uncurbed steed,
  Must, vainly shrieking with the drunken crowd,
  Eyes open, plunge down headlong in the abyss.
  Accursed, who striveth after noble ends,
  And with deliberate wisdom forms his plans!
  To the fool-king belongs the world.
  • The Maid of Orleans (1801) Act iii scene 6 (as translated by Anna Swanwick)
  • Variants of the most commonly quoted portion:
    &nbsp "Against stupidity the gods themselves contend in vain."
    &nbsp "Against stupidity the gods themselves fight unvictorious"
    "Against stupidity even the gods contend in vain."

• "Only through Beauty's morning gate, dost thou enter the land of Knowledge." — The Artists

• "The dignity of mankind is in your hands; protect it! It sinks with you! With you it will ascend." — The Artists

• Threefold the stride of Time, from first to last! / Loitering slow, the FUTURE creepeth -- / Arrow-swift, the Present sweepeth -- /

And motionless forever stands the Past.

• • Sentences of Confucius.

An die Freude (Ode to Joy; or Hymn to Joy) (1785)

This work is most famous as providing the inspiration for Ludwig van Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, and the lyrics to the choral portion of that work.

• Joy, thou goddess, fair, immortal,
  Offspring of Elysium,
  Mad with rapture, to the portal
  Of thy holy fame we come!
  Fashion's laws, indeed, may sever,
  But thy magic joins again;
  All mankind are brethren ever
  'Neath thy mild and gentle reign.

• Welcome, all ye myriad creatures!
  Brethren, take the kiss of love!

• He, that noble prize possessing—
  He that boasts a friend that's true,
  He whom woman's love is blessing,
  Let him join the chorus too!

• Bow before him, all creation!
  Mortals, own the God of love!
  Seek him high the stars above,—
  Yonder is his habitation!

• Joy, in Nature's wide dominion,
  Mightiest cause of all is found;
  And 'tis joy that moves the pinion,
  When the wheel of time goes round

• Joy from truth's own glass of fire
  Sweetly on the searcher smiles;
  Lest on virtue's steeps he tire,
  Joy the tedious path beguiles.
  High on faith's bright hill before us,
  See her banner proudly wave!
  Joy, too, swells the angels' chorus,—
  Bursts the bondage of the grave!

• To the Gods we ne'er can render
  Praise for every good they grant;
  Let us, with devotion tender,
  Minister to grief and want.
  Quenched be hate and wrath forever,
  Pardoned be our mortal foe—
  May our tears upbraid him never,
  No repentance bring him low!

• Sense of wrongs forget to treasure—
  Brethren, live in perfect love!
  In the starry realms above,
  God will mete as we may measure.

• Courage, ne'er by sorrow broken!
  Aid where tears of virtue flow;
  Faith to keep each promise spoken!
  Truth alike to friend and foe!

• Lo, the dead shall rise to heaven!
  Brethren hail the blest decree;
  Every sin shall be forgiven,
  Hell forever cease to be!

External links:

• Schiller's works at Project Gutenberg
• The Maid of Orleans