Zarathustra leads Bodhi off the path until they arrive at a wedding ceremony attended by several animals. The serpent and eagle stand at the Altar of Recurrence. “Ode to Eternity” plays. Zarathustra says to Bodhi:

they wait for me

disturber of the earth

companions to wed

the overanimal’s birth

Bodhi hides behind a tree as Zarathustra walks up to the Altar and calls to the gathered guests. He places his lantern on the tree's trunk and ties ribbons around the eagle and serpent. He opens the ceremony:

dear seekers

gathered here today

to pay respects and

cast ignorance away

merging wisdom and pride

i sweep divine morals away

and herald a new order

for becoming’s new day

bow your heads

to this union of ego

truth’s ribbons

hereby i bestow

The serpent and eagle take their seats with the other animals. A swan stands up and asks:

if i may

before you begin

why is your lamp lit

when the sun is not dim

Zarathustra responds: 

dear know thyself

this flame i keep aglow

it shows what lies hidden

in god’s lingering shadow

Zarathustra grows silent and addresses the gathered guests:

dear assembled

we have one life to live

we must confront god

remove the divine sieve

the task is formidable

to break the ancient rules

and build a ground for truth

unchained from pious fools

Zarathustra pauses, gazes at the serpent and eagle, and continues:

eternal recurrence

bound by wisdom and pride

are here today to wed

an eagle and his bride

first framed as a thought

for minds unsure

but borne in blood

where no lies endure

imagine if a god or demon

from shadow’s depths it blew

declares that this life you lived

returns eternally, nothing new

would you fall to the ground

gnash your teeth

curse the demon

who speaks beneath

or would you rejoice

bow to him as a god

your life fulfilled

from the demon awed

Zarathustra pauses and smiles, which turns to derision as he rants: 

to live an authentic life

we reject thou shalt’s dictates

and the lie that his god

controls our becoming fates

time to rise up, revolt

time to reclaim god

protect the lamb

expose the fraud

Zarathustra pauses, turns to the sea in reflection, and continues while gesturing to where Bodhi is hiding: 

seven biblical days 

this journey shall take

to create a world anew

a divine earthquake 

i shall travel to the ridge

with our young knight

so he sees firsthand

the divine blight

After Zarathustra finishes speaking, he picks up his lantern and walks past the animals to where Bodhi is hiding, and says:

i shall be your virgil 

through dante’s hell

i will walk with you 

to break the dragon’s spell