Bereczky Erzsébet (szerk.): Imre Madách: The Tragedy of Man. Essays about the ideas and the directing of the Drama (Budapest, 1985)
Imre Madách: The Tragedy of Man - full text of the drama - Translated by Joseph Grosz
And here I am with You in every place! Should I who know You well sing words of praise? THE LORD Defiant spirit, go! Away with you! I could destroy you, yet I let you go Banished forever from my retinue. Strive as a hated stranger in the dust Until your barren loneliness will feel The torments of your thought which must reveal That you shake dust-made chains to no avail— Your fight against the Lord shall always fail! LUCIFER You cannot banish me so lightly like A worthless tool which is no longer needed. We both, together, have created-1 Demand my proper share! THE LORD (scornfully) Let it be so! Look down on earth! There are two slender trees. In Eden’s center, budding into life— I curse them both-and they belong to you! LUCIFER With scanty hands You measure-but You are A mighty Lord whose power reaches far. A tiny corner is enough for me, One where Negation can set down its foot, And then destroy Your world, its very root! (He departs.) THE ANGELIC CHOIR Away, accursed one, from the Lord, away! Glory to God whose Law we must obey! 134
