rnemanz's injunctions to remove
his arms, as none dare enter the holy precincts of the Holy
Grail in martial array, and, planting the spear he recovered
from Klingsor into the ground, he bends the knee before it,
and returns silent thanks that his quest is ended, and he may
at last be vouchsafed to quiet the pain which Amfortas still
endures. While he is wrapt in prayer, Gurnemanz, staring at
him, suddenly recognizes him as the Guileless Fool who came
so long ago, and imparts his knowledge to Kundry, who confirms
it. Parsifal, having finished his prayer, and recovered the power
of speech, now greets Gurnemanz, and in answer to his question
says that he has wandered long, and expresses a fervent hope
that he has not come too late to retrieve his former fault:--

'Through error and through suffering lay my pathway;
May I believe that I have freed me from it,
Now that this forest's murmur
Falls upon my senses,
And worthy voice of age doth welcome?
Or yet--is 't new error?
All's altered here meseemeth.'

Gurnemanz is almost overcome with joy when he hears the young man
declare that he has brought back the sacred lance undefiled,
although he has suffered much to defend it from countless
foes who would fain have wrested it from him. As Parsifal now
begins eagerly to question him, he mournfully relates that times
have changed indeed. Amfortas still lives, and suffers untold
tortures from his unhealed wound, but Titurel, the aged king,
no longer quickened by the sight of the Holy Grail, (which has
never again been unveiled since his unhappy visit,) has slowly
passed away, and has closed his eyes in a last sleep. At these
sad tidings Parsifal faints with remorse, and Gurnemanz and
Kundry restore him with water from the holy spring, with which
they also wash away all the soil of travel. As he comes to life
again, inquiring whether he will be allowed to see Amfortas,
Gurnemanz tells him that the knights are to assemble once more
in the temple, as of old, to celebrate Titurel's obsequies,
and that Amfortas has solemnly promised to unveil the Holy
Grail, although at the cost of suffering to himself. He wishes
to comfort the knights, who have lost all their courage and
strength, and are no longer called upon to go forth and battle
for the right in the name of the Grail.

To enable Parsifal to appear in the temple, Gurnemanz now
baptises him with water from the spring, and Kundry, anointing
his feet