(#83 is a compound motif comprised of #53 plus #53’s Inversion – tantamount to #54, i.e. Erda's prophecy of the twilight of the gods - overlain by #81A, i.e., Wotan's awareness of the futility of hoping for a free hero who could redeem the gods from the fate Erda foresaw; please see #53, #54, and #81AB for the list of motival relationships)
“Wotan: … (#53; #21 Bass) There’s something else (#19) – mark me well – of which the Vala [Erda] warned me. (#19) Through Alberich’s host our end now threatens: (#46) burning with envious [“neidischem”] rage, the Nibelung bears me ill-will; (more animated) but I’m not now afraid of his forces of night – my heroes would defeat him. (more muted: #19) Only were he to win back the Ring (even more muted) would Valhalla then be lost: he who laid a curse on love, he alone in his envy [“neidisch”] would use the runes of the Ring to the noble gods’ unending shame; my heroes’ hearts (more animated) he’d turn against me, forcing the brave to … wage war against me. (muted) Troubled, I brooded in turn how to wrest the Ring from my foe: (muted: #26a) one of the Giants, whose work I rewarded (#26a) with gold that was cursed, Fafner broods on the hoard for which he killed his brother. (#5 Voc plus #19 harmony) From him I must wrest the Ring which I paid him once as tribute: (#28) having treated with him, I cannot meet him; fatally weakened, my courage would fail me. (bitterly: #21) These are the bonds that hold me in thrall: (#21) I, lord of treaties, am now slave to those treaties. [[ #83ab ]]; #57) One man alone could do what I myself may not; a hero I never stooped to help, who, unknown to the god and free of his favours, all unwitting, without his bidding, by his own need ["Noth"] alone and with his own weapon might do the deed which I must shun, and which my urging urged not on him, though it were wished by my wish alone [[ #83ab ]] He who, gainst the god, would fight for me, o how might I find that friendly foe? How fashion a free man whom I never sheltered and who, in his own defiance, is yet the dearest of men to me? (#81 Vari?) How can I make that other man who’s no longer me (#83 end fragment [based on #53 inverted]) and who, of himself, achieves what I alone desire? (#5?; #83 fragment [based on #53; [[ #84 Embryo ]] [hint in harmony]) O godly need [“goettliche Noth]! O hideous shame! [[ #84 Embryo ]] [hint in harmony] To my loathing [“Ekel”] I find only ever myself in all that I encompass! [[ #83 ]] That other self for which I yearn, that other self I never see; for the free man has to fashion himself – [[ #84 harmonic hint ]]; #79) serfs are all I can shape!
Bruennhilde: But the Waelsung, Siegmund? (#79 Vari; #62) Does he not act of himself?
Wotan: (#62) I roamed the wildwood with him; (#62) against the gods’ advice, I boldly urged him on – against the gods’ revenge, he’s shielded now by that sword (#57: slowly and bitterly) which the grace of a [his?] god bestowed upon him. – (#81 Vari) How I slyly sought to deceive myself! (#81 Vari) How easily Fricka (#68) uncovered the fraud! (#36) To my deepest shame she saw straight through me: now I must yield to her will.
