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| British Library Four Zoas Manuscript Page 11 |
"I heard the sounding sea; I heard the voice weaker and weaker;
The voice came & went like a dream, I awoke in my sweet bliss.
Then Los smote her upon the Earth twas long eer she revivd
He answer'd, darkning more with indignation hid in smiles
I die not Enitharmon tho thou singst thy Song of Death
Nor shalt thou me torment For I behold the Fallen Man
Seeking to comfort Vala, she will not be comforted
She rises from his throne and seeks the shadows of her garden
Weeping for Luvah lost, in the bloody beams of your false morning
Sickning lies the Fallen Man his head sick his heart faint
Mighty achievement of your power! Beware the punishment
I see, invisible descend into the Gardens of Vala Luvah walking on the winds,
I see the invisible knife I see the shower of blood: I see the swords & spears of futurity
Tho in the Brain of Man we live, & in his circling Nerves.
Tho' this bright world of all our joy is in the Human Brain.
Where Urizen & all his Hosts hang their immortal lamps
Thou neer shalt leave this cold expanse where watry Tharmas mourns
So spoke Los. Scorn & Indignation rose upon Enitharmon
Then Enitharmon reddning fierce stretchd her immortal hands
Descend O Urizen descend with horse & chariots
Threaten not me O visionary thine the punishment
The Human Nature shall no more remain nor Human acts
Form the rebellious Spirits of Heaven. but War & Princedom & Victory & Blood"
TEXTUAL NOTES by David V Erdman, Four Zoas, (E 825)
"In the margin are nine lines marked to follow 11 but then
deleted:
'Refusing to behold the Divine image which all behold
And live thereby. he is sunk down into a deadly sleep
But we immortal in our own strength survive by stern debate
Till we have drawn the Lamb of God into a mortal form
And that he must be born is certain for One must be All
And comprehend within himself all things both small & great
We therefore for whose sake all things aspire to be & live
Will so recieve the Divine Image that amongst the Reprobate
He may be devoted to Destruction from his mothers womb'"
The conflict between Los and Enitharmon takes place within the brain. However Los views consequences beyond Enitharmon's imaginings. Enitharmon is capable of initiating the descent of Urizen, with horses and chariots. In Blake's symbolic system Urizen is the reasoning mind, whereas horses are associated with Emotion and chariots with Imagination.
Los and Enitharmon are each unable to force the other to accept the direction in which the other wishes to lead. His attack on her pushes her in the direction of causing further disintegration of the Fallen Man. Enitharmon's power sickens the head and weakens the heart of Albion.
Although Los declares that Enitharmon will not leave the unconscious herself, she exercises her power by infiltrating the conscious mind as it thinks and feels.
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