Section 356
Original German
356 2) Das Griechische Reich.
Dieses hat jene substantielle Einheit des Endlichen und Unendlichen, aber nur zur mysteriösen, in dumpfe Erinnerung, in Höhlen und in Bilder der Tradition zurückgedrängten Grundlage, welche aus dem sich unterscheidenden Geiste zur individuellen Geistigkeit und in den Tag des Wissens herausgeboren, zur Schönheit und zur freyen und heiteren Sittlichkeit gemäßigt und verklärt ist. In dieser Bestimmung geht somit das Princip persönlicher Individualität sich auf, noch als nicht in sich selbst befangen, sondern in seiner idealen Einheit gehalten; — theils zerfällt das Ganze darum in einen Kreis besonderer Volksgeister, theils ist einerseits die letzte Willensentschließung noch nicht in die Subjectivität des für sich seyenden Selbstbewußtseyns, sondern in eine Macht, die höher und außerhalb desselben sey, gelegt, (vergl. §. 279. Anm.) und andererseits ist die dem Bedürfnisse angehörige Besonderheit noch nicht in die Freyheit aufgenommen, sondern an einen Sclavenstand ausgeschlossen.
Musean translation
Machine-assisted Musean translation made directly from Hegel's German in the Berlin Nicolai first edition, dated 1821. Complete preface, introduction and sections 1–360, including the author's remarks and notes; no later Gans additions.
356 2) The Greek Realm.
This has that substantial unity of the finite and the infinite, but only as a mysterious foundation, pushed back into dull recollection, into caves and into images of tradition, which, born forth out of the self-differentiating spirit into individual spirituality and into the daylight of knowing, is tempered and transfigured into beauty and into free and serene ethical life. In this determination the principle of personal individuality thus opens out, not yet caught up in itself but held within its ideal unity;—in part the whole therefore falls apart into a circle of particular spirits of peoples, in part, on the one hand, the final decision of the will is not yet placed in the subjectivity of self-consciousness existing for itself, but in a power that is higher than it and outside it (compare § 279, Remark), and on the other hand, the particularity belonging to need is not yet taken up into freedom, but shut out into a class of slaves.
Plain English translation
Independent machine-assisted Plain English translation made directly from the German first-edition source, not from the Musean edition or an existing English translation. Complete preface, introduction and sections 1–360 with the author's remarks and notes.
356 2) The Greek Realm.
This realm has that substantial unity of the finite and the infinite. But it has it only as a mysterious foundation, pushed back into dull memory, into caves and into images of tradition. This foundation is born out of spirit as it distinguishes itself, into individual spirituality and into the daylight of knowing. It is moderated and transfigured into beauty and into free and cheerful ethical life. In this determination, the principle of personal individuality emerges. It is not yet caught up in itself, but is still held in its ideal unity. For this reason the whole breaks up into a circle of particular spirits of peoples. Also, the final decision of the will is not yet placed in the subjectivity of self-conscious being-for-itself. It is placed in a power that is higher than that subjectivity and outside it (compare § 279, Remark). And the particularity that belongs to need is not yet taken up into freedom. It is shut out into a class of slaves.
About this section
Section 356 is part of Elements of the Philosophy of Right by Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel. This page sets the German original beside 2 direct-source translations, so any line can be checked against the source. It is section 358 of 362 in the work, which is kept in the European tradition.
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