The phrase “comes to pass” renders the German verb sich ereignet (from sich ereignen, to happen or take place). The noun Ereignis usually means, correspondingly, event. Later in this essay, Heidegger points to the fact that Ereignis, and with it necessarily sich ereignen, embodies the meanings of the two verbs eignen (to be one’s own, to suit, to belong to), and the archaic eräugnen (to bring before the eyes, to bring to sight). He says: Ereignis ist eignende Eräugnis (“Disclosing coming-to-pass is bringing-to-sight that brings into its own”). Although the introduction of this fullness of meaning for sich ereignen and Ereignis has been reserved in the translation for the point at which Heidegger’s definitive statement is made, that meaning clearly informs the argument of the essay throughout and should therefore be borne in mind.