identical on the basis of Feuerbach’s formulation that knowledge is power, that the first predicate of God is power, that God for Feuerbach is collective, historical man, and that the Ring grants its owner power over the whole world, both man and nature. This is presumably the same Hoard of runes which, according to Bruennhilde, the gods (i.e. Wotan) imparted to Bruennhilde (we presume during his confession), and which Bruennhilde in turn imparted to Siegfried subliminally during their loving union in both S.3.3 and T.P.2. Siegfried has now told Hagen that he left the Hoard unused in Fafner’s cave, not valuing its barren worth, and we are reminded that Siegfried also told Bruennhilde that she should not be upset if her teaching left him untaught, and that he does not know how to cherish the runes she gave him.
The point here is that Siegfried is not “conscious” of the use he is making of the Hoard for unconscious artistic inspiration, and this is as Wotan intended it, because he desired a hero free from consciousness of Wotan’s own influence, who would nonetheless do, of his own need (“Noth”), as if spontaneously, what Wotan and the gods need for him to do to win them redemption from Alberich’s curse. From a purely practical standpoint it would have been awkward physically for Siegfried to take the entire Hoard with him on his journey to Bruennhilde’s mountaintop, so he left it behind because, in any case, the Tarnhelm, and especially the Ring, stand in for the entire Hoard now. As further evidence for this we hear #150 as Siegfried tells Hagen that a glorious woman (Bruennhilde) is keeping the Ring safe, and #150 is the motif representing the Hoard of knowledge which Wotan imparted to Bruennhilde, and with which Bruennhilde unconsciously inspires Siegfried. Furthermore, if Siegfried had truly despised the Hoard’s barren worth he would not have taken even a portion of it with him, but instead he took the two main elements of the Hoard, what is essential to gathering the Hoard, namely, the Ring, which can produce another Hoard, and the Tarnhelm, which aided Alberich in the acquisition of the Hoard, who employed it to prompt the Nibelungs to greater efforts in its acquisition.
[T.1.2: C]
And now Gutrune has emerged from the Hall with Hagen’s potion, Wagner’s “Wonder,” in hand, offering this drink to Siegfried in welcome as their guest:
(Hagen has gone over to Gutrune’s door and now opens it. Gutrune comes out, carrying a filled drinking-horn, which she takes over to Siegfried.)
Gutrune: ([[ #156: ]]) Welcome, guest, ([[ #156a: ]]) to Gibich’s home (:#156a)! ([[ #156b: ]]) His daughter brings you this drink (:#156b).
(#156b: Siegfried bows to her in friendly fashion and takes the horn. he holds it thoughtfully in front of him.)
