A verse by Goethe was quoted in passing by philosopher Hannah Arendt in an essay on Brecht, in which she is highly critical of the effects of the poet’s political and ideological commitment in some of his poems and plays. The verse is the subject of comment by José Maria Vieira Mendes, who is a playwright, a member of Teatro Praga, and a writer of essays and an extraordinary diary (Arroios. Diário de um Diário, Dois Dias, 2015) – and who could not ignore Arendt’s mediation.