We do not like final knowledge, because knowledge, Phaedo, has no dignity orseverity: it knows, understands, forgives, without attitude; it is sympathetic to theabyss, it is the abyss. Therefore we deny it and instead seek beauty, simplicity,greatness and severity, of objectivity and form. But form and objectivity, Phaedo,lead the noble one to intoxication and desire, to horrible emotional transgressionsrejected by his beautiful severity, lead to the abyss. Us poets, I say, it leads there,for we are unable to elevate ourselves, instead we can only transgress. Death in Venice