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none to live for me； nor do I live for any others。 I covet no man's soul； nor
is my soul theirs to covet。
I am neither foe nor friend to my brothers； but such as each of them
shall deserve of me。 And to earn my love； my brothers must do more
than to have been born。 I do not grant my love without reason； nor to any
chance passer…by who may wish to claim it。 I honor men with my love。
But honor is a thing to be earned。
I shall choose friends among men； but neither slaves nor masters。
And I shall choose only such as please me； and them I shall love and
respect； but neither command nor obey。 And we shall join our hands
when we wish； or walk alone when we so desire。 For in the temple of his
spirit； each man is alone。 Let each man keep his temple untouched and
undefiled。 Then let him join hands with others if he wishes； but only
beyond his holy threshold。
For the word 〃We〃 must never be spoken； save by one's choice and as
a second thought。 This word must never be placed first within man's soul；
else it becomes a monster； the root of all the evils on earth； the root of
man's torture by men； and of an unspeakable lie。
The word 〃We〃 is as lime poured over men； which sets and hardens to
stone； and crushes all beneath it； and that which is white and that which is
black are lost equally in the grey of it。 It is the word by which the
depraved steal the virtue of the good； by which the weak steal the might of
the strong； by which the fools steal the wisdom of the sages。
What is my joy if all hands； even the unclean； can reach into it？
What is my wisdom； if even the fools can dictate to me？ What is my
freedom； if all creatures； even the botched and the impotent； are my
masters？ What is my life； if I am but to bow； to agree and to obey？
But I am done with this creed of corruption。
I am done with the monster of 〃We；〃 the word of serfdom； of plunder；
of misery； falsehood and shame。
And now I see the face of god； and I raise this god over the earth； this
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god whom men have sought since men came into being； this god who will
grant them joy and peace and pride。
This god； this one word：
〃I。〃
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ANTHEM
PART TWELVE
It was when I read the first of the books I found in my house that I saw
the word 〃I。〃 And when I understood this word； the book fell from my
hands； and I wept； I who had never known tears。 I wept in deliverance
and in pity for all mankind。
I understood the blessed thing which I had called my curse。 I
understood why the best in me had been my sins and my transgressions；
and why I had never felt guilt in my sins。 I understood that centuries of
chains and lashes will not kill the spirit of man nor the sense of truth
within him。
I read many books for many days。 Then I called the Golden One； and
I told her what I had read and what I had learned。 She looked at me and
the first words she spoke were：
〃I love you。〃
Then I said：
〃My dearest one； it is not proper for men to be without names。 There
was a time when each man had a name of his own to distinguish him from
all other men。 So let us choose our names。 I have read of a man who
lived many thousands of years ago； and of all the names in these books；
his is the one I wish to bear。 He took the light of the gods and he brought
it to men； and he taught men to be gods。 And he suffered for his deed as
all bearers of light must suffer。 His name was Prometheus。〃
〃It shall be your name；〃 said the Golden One。
〃And I have read of a goddess；〃 I said； 〃who was the mother of the
earth and of all the gods。 Her name was Gaea。 Let this be your name；
my Golden One； for you are to be the mother of a new kind of gods。〃
〃It shall be my name；〃 said the Golden One。
Now I look ahead。 My future is clear before me。 The Saint of the
pyre had seen the future when he chose me as his heir； as the heir of all the
saints and all the martyrs who came before him and who died for the same
cause； for the same word； no matter what name they gave to their cause
and their truth。
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I shall live here； in my own house。 I shall take my food from the earth
by the toil of my own hands。 I shall learn many secrets from my books。
Through the years ahead； I shall rebuild the achievements of the past； and
open the way to carry them further； the achievements which are open to
me； but closed forever to my brothers； for their minds are shackled to the
weakest and dullest ones among them。
I have learned that my power of the sky was known to men long ago；
they called it Electricity。 It was the power that moved their greatest
inventions。 It lit this house with light which came from those globes of
glass on the walls。 I have found the engine which produced this light。 I
shall learn how to repair it and how to make it work again。 I shall learn
how to use the wires which carry this power。 Then I shall build a barrier of
wires around my home； and across the paths which lead to my home； a
barrier light as a cobweb； more impassable than a wall of granite； a barrier
my brothers will never be able to cross。 For they have nothing to fight me
with； save the brute force of their numbers。 I have my mind。
Then here； on this mountaintop； with the world below me and nothing
above me but the sun； I shall live my own truth。 Gaea is pregnant with my
child。 Our son will be raised as a man。 He will be taught to say 〃I〃 and
to bear the pride of it。 He will be taught to walk straight and on his own
feet。 He will be taught reverence for his own spirit。
When I shall have read all the books and learned my new way； when
my home will be ready and my earth tilled； I shall steal one day； for the
last time； into the cursed City of my birth。 I shall call to me my friend
who has no name save International 4…8818； and all those like him；
Fraternity 2…5503； who cries without reason； and Solidarity 9…6347 who
calls for help in the night； and a few others。 I shall call to me all the men
and the women whose spirit has not been killed within them and who
suffer under the yoke of their brothers。 They will follow me and I shall
lead them to my fortress。 And here； in this uncharted wilderness； I and
they； my chosen friends； my fellow…builders； shall write the first chapter in
the new history of man。
These are the things before me。 And as I stand here at the door of glory；
I look behind me for the last time。 I look upon the history of men； which I
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have learned from the books； and I wonder。 It was a long story； and the
spirit which moved it was the spirit of man's freedom。 But what is freedom？
Freedom from what？ There is nothing to take a man's freedom away from
him； save other men。 To be free； a man must be free of his brothers。 That
is freedom。 That and nothing else。
At first； man was enslaved by the gods。 But he broke their chains。
Then he was enslaved by the kings。 But he broke their chains。 He was
enslaved by his birth； by his kin； by his race。 But he broke their chains。
He declared to all his brothers that a man has rights which neither god nor
king nor other men can take away from him； no matter what their number；
for his is the right of man； and there is no right on earth above this right。
And he stood on the threshold of the freedom for which the blood of the
centuries behind him had been spilled。
But then he gave up all he had won； and fell lower than his savage
beginning。
What brought it to pass？ What disaster took their reason away from
men？ What whip lashed them to their