 THE BIRTH OF TRAGEDY FROM THE SPIRIT OF MUSIC by Friedrich Nietzsche translated by Albert A. Andersen and Liza Latta Andersen published by Agra Publications Incorporated copyright 2013 all rights reserved Friedrich Nietzsche is performed by Bill Sagalus the music is composed and performed by Michael Severins translators note this was Nietzsche's first book although the version published in 1872 contained 25 parts Nietzsche's original draft ended after part 15 the final sections contained his attempt to propose the rebirth of tragedy based on the work of Richard Wagner however he soon regretted his alliance with Wagner in a subsequent preface attempt at self-criticism and in a later book the case of Wagner he severed his ties to Wagner for these reasons this translation contains only Nietzsche's original draft of the book parts one through fifteen that was completed in 1871 part one we will have gained much concerning aesthetic knowledge if we arrive not only at logical insight but at a secure first-hand realization that the advance of the arts is tied to the duality of the Apollonian and the Dionysian similar to the generation of the duality of the sexes that brings about constant battle and only periodically achieves reconciliation we borrow these names from the Greeks who did not grasp the profound and secret lessons regarding the perception of their art in concepts but from making their insights known to the discerning viewer through clear and convincing figures from the realm of their gods our insight is tied to the two gods of the arts Apollo and Dionysus in the Greek world we encounter an enormous contrast in origin and goals between the art of the visual creator the Apollonian and the art of music Dionysian both of these different forces exist next to each other mostly in open conflict always provoking each other to achieve new and powerful births in order to perpetuate the battle of the opposites inside them that only apparently unite in a mutual word art until finally by means of a metaphysical act of magic Hellenic will both appear together as a pair in the end this pairing simultaneously produces the Dionysian and Apollonian art of Attic tragedy in order to understand both of these forces we must first think of them as two separate worlds of dreams and of ecstasy between those forces the physical appearances of opposites between the Apollonian and Dionysian become apparent according to the vision of Lucretius the magnificent divine figures first appeared to the souls of people in a dream and in this dream the great sculptor saw the delightful form of superhuman beings and the Hellenic poet when questioned about the secrets of poetic creation would likewise be reminded of the dream and would have given instructions such as Hansox gives to the master singers my friend this then is the poet's work that in his dream he finds and shows believe me man's truest vision that opens up for him in dreams all art of poetry and all attempts to it are nothing but interpreting the truth of dreams the beautiful appearance of the world of dreams where everyone in its creation is a perfect artist is the precondition of all fine arts and also sample complete ready to continue