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Zacharias Werner, Die Söhne des Thals, Teil 1: Die Templer auf Cypern, 4. Aufzug, 2. Szene, Auszug, Abschrift Beethovens

Beethoven-Haus Bonn, BH 57

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Summary
Werner's tragedy "Die Templer von Cypern" ("The Templars of Cyprus") describes the conflict between the Order of the Knights Templar and the Pope as well as royalty, who wanted to acquire the wealth of the Order. The protagonists in the scene extracted by Beethoven are the Order's grandmaster Molay and his pupil Robert, who is guilty of disobedience. Robert is to be thrown out of the Order, Molay comforts him by teaching him submission. A hero has to accept his fate. He can be defeated but not destroyed. Beethoven's copy emphasizes certain passages through crossings-out and larger writing, clearly showing his identification with the text. These were maxims which he wanted to follow after his hope of professional success and family happiness had disintegrated and he had become increasingly isolated from society. All he had left to fall back on was himself and his art. "Submission, the deepest submission to your fate" were the words with which he had begun his diary for the critical year 1812. (After the facsimile by Sieghard Brandenburg)

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