Abbot Daniel is the kindly old man who heads the Mariabronn cloister at the start of the novel. Warmhearted and deeply spiritual, he also is wise and aware of interpersonal dynamics in the cloister, as a good leader should be. He tells Narcissus that he is a little worried the younger man might be arrogant, and is right that this is a potential weakness in the highly intelligent novice. When jealous talk arises concerning the budding friendship between Narcissus and Goldmund, Abbot Daniel takes heed but decides to trust his judgment that Narcissus has the good sense to make correct decisions about the relationship. When Goldmund falls into a feint in what appears to be a kind of nervous breakdown, Abbot Daniel is worldly enough to wonder if Narcissus has been engaging in evil-doing, but he is also wise enough to dismiss his doubts. In this, he is again proven correct. Both Narcissus and Goldmund are great admirers of Abbot Daniel, who evokes such feelings of love and loyalty from all the cloister members. Just as Narcissus represents the intellectual life and Goldmund the sensual life, Abbot Daniel is the novel's embodiment of humble spirituality. Later in the novel, his death is as peaceful as Narcissus predicted it would be, which seems a just reward for a life of spirituality.
