The human being is the guardian of the clearing, of the disclosive appropriating Event [of being]. He is not the clearing himself, not the entire clearing, nor is he identical with the whole of the clearing as such. But as the one ecstatically "standing out" into the clearing, he himself is essentially cleared, and thus cleared himself in a distinguished way. Therefore, he is related to, belongs to, and is appropriated by the clearing. Da-sein's being needed as the shepherd of the clearing is a distinguished manner of belonging to the clearing.

P. 178

Up to the eighteenth century, Ereignis was spelled Eräugnis (from "to place before the eye, " "to be disclosed") and then was associated with Eigen (one's own) and Ereignis (happening, event). Heidegger combines all of these meanings in Ereignis, i.e. Eräugnis (disclosing), Eigen (appropriating), and Ereignis (event).

¶ 6:00 PM