[1] Reiter: This is first a rhetorical question, since no such constellation exists and Rilke is pointing out the injustice to equestrians. Rhetorical question A question to which no answer is expected.

[2] dieser Stolz aus Erde: The colon after "Denn dies ist uns seltsam eingeprägt" indicates an excemplification of the constellation "Reiter" which is imprinted on our consciousness. The "Stolz aus Erde" being the horse and "ein zweiter" the rider. A thoroughbred horse, and especially a stallion, are seen as proud and haughty. The "aus Erde" could refer to the animalistic, earthy aspect of horses contrasted with the more distant aspirations of humans. Animals are more "down to earth." In the Eighth Elegy Rilke writes of animals: " . . . das freie Tier/hat seinen Untergang stets hinter sich/und vor sich Gott, und wenn es geht, so gehts/in Ewigkeit,/so wie die Brunnen gehen." In regard to their pride Rilke writes in the Fifth Elegy: "Und irgendwo gehn Löwen noch und wissen,/ solang sie herrlich sind, von keiner Ohnmacht."

[3] ein zweiter: Although this uncapitalized "zweiter" is used in the first edition which was corrected and approved by Rilke, the later edition by Ernst Zinn from 1955 capitalizes it and this change was picked up by the book about the sonnets which is trying to establish a critical edition. They also capitalized the "Dieser" before "Stolz." Interestingly enough, the attempt of the Insel Verlag to publish a complete edition of Rilke's works in 1930 retains the uncapitalized versions. If we accept the uncapitalized form which Rilke approved during his lifetime, then it must refer back to the last masculine noun which is "Stolz" and should be read as "und ein zweiter Stolz" which is then used as the antecedent for the following relative clause "der ihn treibt und hält und den er trägt." From the context the second "Stolz" is the rider.

[4] den: Refers to the "Reiter."

[5] er trägt: Now, by extension. the "er" references the horse which is carrying the Rider.

[6] gejagt und dann gebändigt: There is a straightforward correspondence between "der ihn treibt und hält" und "gejagt und dann gebändigt." It is clear that the never mentioned by name horse except for the "dieser Stolz auf Erde" reference is the one being chased forward and then restrained and that this will be a main motif of this sonnet.

[7] diese sehnige Natur: Another oblique reference to the horse, because the tendons are of paramount value to the ability of a horse to race or to pull a load. An injured tendon can lead to months of innaction or necessitate that the horse be put down.

[8] Weg und Wendung: An alliterative elliptical phrase followed in the next verse with another elliptical phrase "Neue Weite." Both have the same meter (trochaic) and begin their respective verses 7 and 8. The phrase "Weg und Wendung" also exhibits a somewhat tenuous parallel to the preceding "gejagt und dann gebändigt." These two phrases are also a clear example of syntacic Parallelism. Alliteration: The repetition of the sound of an initial consonant or consonant cluster in stressed syllables close enough for the ear to be affected. Ellipsis, plural ellipses: 1.a. The omission of a word or phrase necessary for a complete syntactical construction, but not necessary for understanding. Parallelism: The repetition of identical or similar syntactic patterns in adjacent phrases, clauses or sentences; the matching patterns are usually doubled, but more extensive iteration is not rare.

[9] ein Druck verständigt: A light pressure on the reins creates mutual understanding.

[10] Neue Weite: Another ellipticial phrase which compensates for the lack of alliteration present in "Weg und Wendung" with the assonance of the final short "e" sound of both words. This phrase is the second part of a three part Parallelism, since it is a short phrase with the same meter. "Neue Weite" is a summation of the new horizons which have been achieved through this simple act of mutual understanding. Ellipsis, plural ellipses: 1.a. The omission of a word or phrase necessary for a complete syntactical construction, but not necessary for understanding. Assonance: Resemblance of sound, especially of the vowel sounds in words. Parallelism: The repetition of identical or similar syntactic patterns in adjacent phrases, clauses or sentences; the matching patterns are usually doubled, but more extensive iteration is not rare.

[11] die zwei: The aforementioned "dieser Stolz aus Erde" along with "der zweite" have become the "die zwei" and are temporarily united.

[12] Aber  s i n d  sie's: Another quite subtle usage of Sperrdruck coming on a normally unaccented syllable. An example of Synaloepha, but in this rare instance Rilke uses an apostrophe in place of the missing vowel, probably because of the resulting typographically ugly "sies" which would result. Sperrdruck: Spaced type formerly used for Italics and found in the Duineser Elegien and the Sonette an Orpheus. Synaloepha: Omission of a vowel to contract two words into one such as "don't," "it's."

[13] Namenlos: The Sprach Brockhaus gives as its second definition of this word as "sehr groß, unsagbar." Both of these fit the situation where both the differences are so large and so inexpressable as that between the two elements of the third parallelism "Tisch und Weide.

[14] Tisch und Weide: Each of these nouns represents the eating place of the two protagonists, one at the table and the other grazing in a field. Although not being an elliptical phrase as "Weg und Wendung" and "Neue Weite;" all three have the same meter. Also "Weg und Wandlung" and "Tisch und Weide" are connected with "und," thereby not only creating two new linguistic "Zwillingspaare," but also the third linguistic "Parallelism" in this sonnet. Note that the two elements are treated as one with the singular verb form "trennt." Ellipsis: The omission of a word or phrase necessary for a complete syntactical construction, but not necessary for understanding. Parallelism: The repetition of identical or similar syntactic patterns in adjacent phrases, clauses or sentences; the matching patterns are usually doubled, but more extensive iteration is not rare.

[15] die sternische Verbindung: Referencing the point at which the two elements of the imaginary constellation named "Rider" became one.

[16] freue: An example of the use of Konjunktiv 1 as expression of a wish or desire (Wunsch- und Begehrenssatz), usually expressed in English as "Let us . . ." Subjunctive 1 is usually used in the third person singular, since for regular verbs it is the same or almost the same in the other persons. In the third person it ends in "e" instead of "t." Also note that "uns freue" is elliptical for "es freue uns!" Wunsch und Begehrenssatz: Darunter sind solche Sätze zu verstehen, die ein Geschehen oder Sein nennen, das noch nicht verwirklicht ist, dessen Verwirklichung jedoch gewünscht, gewollt, gefordert, erstrebt wird. Der 1 Konjunktive als Ausdruck eines Begehrens im Hauptsatz: Dieser Konjunktiv tritt vor allem in der 3. Person auf: "Der Herr segne dich und behüte dich! Er lebe hoch!).

[17] der Figur: The first definition of "Figur" in the Sprach Brockhaus is "Gestalt" which means a configuration, but this definition seems somewhat anticlimactic. Perhaps the last dictionary definition as a "rednerische Wendung" which is a rhetorical expression is more fitting. Rhetorical techniques are called "Redefiguren." We have noted in this sonnet many rhetorical figures. Besides the clear Parallelisms already described, there is another more distant one with "Stolz aus Erde." Lacking the final weak ending we find "Nature des Seins" and "Aber sind sie's" where the final "s" sound lengthens the word creating an agogic accent rather than the normal stress accent. Could it be that Rilke is expressing an artistic credo where the poetic or rhetorical rightness of an image is more important than the contradictory reality thereof? And that we should be open to being convinced thereby. German scholars, especially those studying Rilke, use the German term "poetogogisch" which, of course, means poetically logical. Agogic Accent: Stress secured through relative prolongation of the word or syllable to be emphasized. Rhetoric: The art of effective expression and the persuasive use of language.