s again the singing of the birds, the shepherds
playing on the flute, the pious songs of the pilgrims on their way to
Rome. Full of repentance he kneels down and prays, when suddenly the
Landgrave appears with some minstrels, amongst them Wolfram von
Eschinbach, Tannhaeuser's best friend. They greet their long-lost
companion, who however cannot tell where he has been all the {318}
time, and as Wolfram reminds him of Elizabeth, Tannhaeuser returns with
the party to the Wartburg.

It is just the anniversary of the Tournament of Minstrels, and in the
second act we find Elizabeth with Tannhaeuser, who craves her pardon and
is warmly welcomed by her. The high prize for the best song is again
to be Elizabeth's hand, and Tannhaeuser resolves to win her once more.
The Landgrave chooses "love" as the subject, whose nature is to be
explained by the minstrels. Everyone is called by name, and Wolfram
von Eschinbach begins, praising love as a well, deep and pure, a source
of the highest and most sacred feeling. Others follow; Walther von der
Vogelweide praises the virtue of love, every minstrel celebrates
spiritual love alone.

But Tannhaeuser, who has been in Venus' fetters, sings of another love,
warmer and more passionate, but sensual. And when the others
remonstrate, he loudly praises Venus, the goddess of heathen love. All
stand aghast, they recognize now, where he has been so long, he is
about to be put to death, when Elizabeth prays for him. She loves him
dearly and hopes to save his soul from eternal perdition. Tannhaeuser
is to join a party of pilgrims on their way to Rome, there to crave for
the Pope's pardon.

In the third act we see the pilgrims return from their journey.
Elizabeth anxiously expects her lover, but he is not among
them.--Fervently she prays to the Holy Virgin: but not {319} that a
faithful lover may be given back to her, no, rather that he may be
pardoned and his immortal soul saved. Wolfram is beside her, he loves
the maiden, but he has no thought for himself, he only feels for her,
whose life he sees ebbing swiftly away, and for his unhappy friend.

Presently when Elizabeth is gone, Tannhaeuser comes up in pilgrim's
garb. He has passed a hard journey, full of sacrifices and
castigation, and all for nought, for the Pope has rejected him. He has
been told in hard words, that he is for ever damned, and will as little
get deliverance from his grievous sin, as the stick in his hand will
ever