Monday, August 18, 2014

Furnace 5

(These quotations come from The Four Zoas)

PAGE 113 (FIRST PORTION)
We behold with wonder Enitharmons Looms & Los's Forges        
And the Spindles of Tirzah & Rahab and the Mills of Satan &
     Beelzeboul                                                
In Golgonooza Los's anvils stand & his Furnaces rage          
Ten thousand demons labour at the forges Creating Continually
The times & spaces of Mortal Life the Sun the Moon the Stars
In periods of Pulsative furor beating into wedges & bars      
Then drawing into wires the terrific Passions & Affections
Of Spectrous dead. Thence to the Looms of Cathedron conveyd
The Daughters of Enitharmon weave the ovarium & the integument
In soft silk drawn from their own bowels in lascivious delight
With songs of sweetest cadence to the turning spindle & reel
Lulling the weeping spectres of the dead. Clothing their limbs
With gifts & gold of Eden. Astonishd stupefied with delight
The terrors put on their sweet clothing on the banks of Arnon  
Whence they plunge into the river of space for a period till
The dread Sleep of Ulro is past. But Satan Og & Sihon          
Build Mills of resistless wheels to unwind the soft threads &
     reveal
Naked of their clothing the poor spectres before the accusing
     heavens
While Rahab & Tirzah far different mantles prepare webs of
     torture
(376 )

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[113] (SECOND PORTION)
But when Rahab had cut off the Mantle of Luvah from            
The Lamb of God it rolld apart, revealing to all in heaven
And all on Earth the Temple & the Synagogue of Satan & Mystery

Even Rahab in all her turpitude Rahab divided herself
She stood before Los in her Pride among the Furnaces          
Dividing & uniting in Delusive feminine pomp questioning him

He answerd her with tenderness & love not uninspird            
Los sat upon his anvil stock they sat beside the forge
Los wipd the sweat from his red brow & thus began
To the delusive female forms shining among his furnaces

I am that shadowy Prophet who six thousand years ago
Fell from my station in the Eternal bosom. I divided
To multitude & my multitudes are children of Care & Labour
O Rahab I behold thee I was once like thee a Son
Of Pride and I also have piercd the Lamb of God in pride & wrath
Hear me repeat my Generations that thou mayst also repent
(379)
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The Sun has left his blackness & has found a fresher morning    
And the mild moon rejoices in the clear & cloudless night      
And Man walks forth from midst of the fires the evil is all
     consumd
His eyes behold the Angelic spheres arising night & day
The stars consumd like a lamp blown out & in their stead behold
The Expanding Eyes of Man behold the depths of wondrous worlds
One Earth one sea beneath nor Erring Globes wander but Stars
Of fire rise up nightly from the Ocean & one Sun
Each morning like a New born Man issues with songs & Joy
Calling the Plowman to his Labour & the Shepherd to his rest
He walks upon the Eternal Mountains raising his heavenly voice  
Conversing with the Animal forms of wisdom night & day
That risen from the Sea of fire renewd walk oer the Earth

For Tharmas brought his flocks upon the hills & in the Vales
Around the Eternal Mans bright tent the little Children play
Among the wooly flocks The hammer of Urthona sounds            
In the deep caves beneath his limbs renewd his Lions roar
Around the Furnaces & in Evening sport upon the plains
They raise their faces from the Earth conversing with the Man

How is it we have walkd thro fires & yet are not consumd
How is it that all things are changd even as in ancient times  

PAGE 139
The Sun arises from his dewy bed & the fresh airs
Play in his smiling beams giving the seeds of life to grow
And the fresh Earth beams forth ten thousand thousand springs of
     life
Urthona is arisen in his strength no longer now
Divided from Enitharmon no longer the Spectre Los              
Where is the Spectre of Prophecy where the delusive Phantom
Departed & Urthona rises from the ruinous walls
In all his ancient strength to form the golden armour of science
For intellectual War The war of swords departed now
The dark Religions are departed & sweet Science reigns          

                  End of The Dream  
(406-7)
(End of The Four Zoas)                        

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