evolved human species. Since man, in whom nature first becomes self-conscious, is the first and only animal whose mind has sought autonomy from its source, its true mother, by positing the existence of transcendent gods who are not only autonomous from nature but in some cases are believed to have created nature, man has figuratively killed her. If nature renounces herself in man, as she seems to do through man’s religious belief in a transcendent realm of being which is held to be autonomous from her, then nature has indeed become confused since she wakened.
[S.3.1: D]
Having virtually repeated his initial request he made of Erda in R.4, that she tell him why he must live in fear (and, implicitly, how he might overcome its cause), when he asked her moments ago how he might stop the rolling wheel of fate which the Norns spin, Wotan now paraphrases his second request of Erda from R.4, and asks her how he, the god, can overcome his care. This is a rhetorical question also, because Wotan knows very well that the objective knowledge which Erda and her daughters the Norns would teach Wotan, representing the prosaic, real world as Alberich understands it, does not embrace the redeeming love that Erda, as known subjectively, feelingly, aesthetically to Wotan via their daughter Bruennhilde, can grant him:
Wanderer: (#133:) Mother, I’ll not let you go (:#133) (#66?: [&/or another musical back-reference to Siegfried’s remark “Why did she have to die then?,” from S.2.2?]) while I yet have (#133:) mastery over the spell (:#66? [&/or s.2.2 back reference?]; :#133). (#?: – [not #82?]:) Primevally wise you thrust ere now the thorn of care into Wotan’s venturous heart (:#? [not #82?]): (#2 [not #53?]:) with fear of (:#2 [not #53?]) (#54:) a shamefully adverse end (#37?: [&/or music which foreshadows Wotan’s confrontation with Siegfried in S.3.2?]) your knowledge filled him (:#37? [&/or musical foreshadowing of S.3.2?]) (#82?:) till dread enmeshed his mind (:#82?). (#82 [sounding like #47?]) (#112:; #voc?: - [no #82 in vocal line?]:) If you are the world’s wisest woman, then tell me now (:#112; :#voc?): how can the god (#21) overcome his care?
Erda: (#?: [possible hint of music heard during Bruennhilde’s remark to wotan in V.2.2: “To wotan’s will you speak, when you tell me what you will,” which according to Dunning contains chord changes from #15 and #59a, as heard When bruennhilde sings “Rest! rest!” during the finale of Twilight of the Gods?]) you are not (#19:) what you say you are (:#?; :#19)! (#19?) Stubborn and wild-spirited god [“god” is not even hinted at in the German: “Was kam’st du stoerrischer Wilder, zu stoeren der Wala Schlaf?,” and Spencer’s use of it destroys the meaning of this passage, in which Erda is telling Wotan that he is not what he calls himself, a god!!!], why have you come (#37:) to disturb the vala’s sleep (:#37)? (#47 [or #82?])
