FALL OF LUVAH

The account of the fall by the messengers from Beulah to the Eternals may be thought of as the fall from Luvah's perspective. It is Luvah's milder emotions which are expressed in Beulah. Notice the emotional terms and phrases used in the first two paragraphs of the quote. Albion's family is asleep as the account begins. Two aspects of Albion are awake: reason and emotion. Urizen proposes a plan to Luvah which would give him control of the area he desires: the South, the territory of Urizen, the reason. Urizen himself would acquire the territory of Urthona, the imagination or intuition in the North.

Image from Dante, Hell, Canto VII
The Stygian Lake, with the Ireful Sinners Fighting


Luvah begins to mistrust and fear Urizen. He feels that in his absence, Urizen will seize his crown and throne amassing all the power to himself. Luvah is unwilling to play the supportive role to Urizen.

A struggle ensues pitting the fires of Luvah against the deep darkness on Urizen which would put out the fires of Luvah in 'silent brooding death.'









Four Zoas, Night I, Page 22, (E 311)
"For messengers from Beulah come in tears & darkning clouds
Saying Shiloh is in ruins our brother is sick Albion He
Whom thou lovest is sick he wanders from his house of Eternity
The daughters of Beulah terrified have closd the Gate of the Tongue
Luvah & Urizen contend in war around the holy tent

So spoke the Ambassadors from Beulah & with solemn mourning
They were introducd to the divine presence & they kneeled down
In Conways Vale thus recounting the Wars of Death Eternal

The Eternal Man wept in the holy tent Our Brother in Eternity
Even Albion whom thou lovest wept in pain his family
Slept round on hills & valleys in the regions of his love
But Urizen awoke & Luvah woke & thus conferrd

Thou Luvah said the Prince of Light behold our sons & daughters
Reposd on beds. let them sleep on. do thou alone depart
Into thy wished Kingdom where in Majesty & Power
We may erect a throne. deep in the North I place my lot
Thou in the South listen attentive. In silent of this night
I will infold the Eternal tent in clouds opake while thou
Siezing the chariots of the morning. Go outfleeting ride
Afar into the Zenith high bending thy furious course
Southward with half the tents of men inclosd in clouds
Will lay my scepter on Jerusalem the Emanation
On all her sons & on thy sons O Luvah & on mine
Till dawn was wont to wake them then my trumpet sounding loud
Ravishd away in night my strong command shall be obeyd
For I have placd my centinels in stations each tenth man
Is bought & sold & in dim night my Word shall be their law
PAGE 22
Luvah replied Dictate to thy Equals. am not I
The Prince of all the hosts of Men nor Equal know in Heaven
If I arise into the Zenith leaving thee to watch
The Emanation & her Sons the Satan & the Anak
Sihon and Og. wilt thou not rebel to my laws remain
In darkness building thy strong throne & in my ancient night
Daring my power wilt arm my sons against me in the Atlantic
My deep My night which thou assuming hast assumed my Crown
I will remain as well as thou & here with hands of blood
Smite this dark sleeper in his tent then try my strength with thee

While thus he spoke his fires reddend oer the holy tent
Urizen cast deep darkness round him silent brooding death
Eternal death to Luvah. raging Luvah pourd
The Lances of Urizen from chariots. round the holy tent
Discord began & yells & cries shook the wide firmament"

At the beginning of the passage we read:
"The daughters of Beulah terrified have closd the Gate of the Tongue
Luvah & Urizen contend in war around the holy tent"

The western gate, Tharmas' gate, was closed in the fall to divide the fallen material world (the sea of time and space) from Eternity. Discord prevails, yet there remains the 'holy tent,' a protective dwelling place unscathed by the turmoil around it.