Гімн
Part Twelve
Hedeclaredtoallhisbrothersthatamanhasrightswhichneithergodnorkingnorothermencantakeawayfromhim,nomatterwhattheirnumber,forhisistherightofman,andthereisnorightonearthabovethisright.Andhestoodonthethresholdofthefreedomforwhichthebloodofthecenturiesbehindhimhadbeenspilled.
Butthenhegaveupallhehadwon,andfelllowerthanhissavagebeginning.
Whatbroughtittopass?Whatdisastertooktheirreasonawayfrommen?Whatwhiplashedthemtotheirkneesinshameandsubmission?Theworshipoftheword“We.”
Whenmenacceptedthatworship,thestructureofcenturiescollapsedaboutthem,thestructurewhoseeverybeamhadcomefromthethoughtofsomeoneman,eachinhisdaydowntheages,fromthedepthofsomeonespirit,suchspiritasexistedbutforitsownsake.Thosemenwhosurvivedthoseeagertoobey,eagertoliveforoneanother,sincetheyhadnothingelsetovindicatethem—thosemencouldneithercarryon,norpreservewhattheyhadreceived.Thusdidallthought,allscience,allwisdomperishonearth.Thusdidmen—menwithnothingtooffersavetheirgreatnumber—lostthesteeltowers,theflyingships,thepowerwires,allthethingstheyhadnotcreatedandcouldneverkeep.Perhaps,later,somemenhadbeenbornwiththemindandthecouragetorecoverthesethingswhichwerelost;perhapsthesemencamebeforetheCouncilsofScholars.TheywereansweredasIhavebeenanswered—andforthesamereasons.
