"Man, image of your author, break from your harsh jail
at the voice of your creator!"

"If Man passes
from non-being to being,
then the spouse of Light
he will be...
he being opposite her
in that happy bridal bed.
But it will not be so
for me!"

Prince of Darkness: "Who could, with this invocation,
compel me to come out, breaking from this deadly dungeon..."

Shadow: "O, lucernal one, who else but I who am Shadow,
could have use for the Prince of Darkness"

Shadow: "Let us
confect a thing
full of opium
henbane and hemlock
so charming and
so poisonous
that with his
senses made strange
Man breaks the
commandment..."

Chorus: "What have you done, O Man?!"

Man: "Gotten rid of my Understanding, and without him
to pester me, I will eat the forbidden fruit. Look!"

Man: "O, woe is me
that I have darkened
the whole world!

Light: "Woe to the world,
for your miserable error,
will be its legacy!"

Shadow: "What good fortune,
having passed,
is not dreamed?
...For because of your guilt
you awoke in my arms
here in the arms of Death!"

"Listen! A gallant pilgrim crossing the harshness of the wildeness
comes to this place!"

"This pure, clear,
limpid Water,
which from the
Jordan's banks
I have collected...
washes Man clean
of his offense,
so that its
beautiful streams
being sanctified
they will open
the doors to
a better paradise!"

Man: "My change of heart
I offer at your feet"

Understanding: "and I offer
to counsel his change of heart.

Free Will: "and I
to lead him to the good."

Light: "and I will give him
Grace that will enlighten him."

". . .Strength, pardon, shelter, and haven
Mercy, refuge, and forgiveness..."

"To see so breathtaking a production was truly a remarkable privilege. ...I have talked more about the ideas of this production than any other for a long time."
--Max Harris, Executive Director of the Wisconsin Humanities Council.