First posted April 2012
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| Detail of Upper Left |
The upper
left area of the Arlington Tempera can represent the starting point
in the cycle which is portrayed in the picture. Sitting in a
chariot or on a throne is a figure who appears to be asleep. Behind
him is a radiant sun. In Greek mythology the sun god is Apollo; the
parallel in Blake's mythology is Urizen whom Damon calls the
'Charioteer of the material sun.'
To the right is a team of
four horses under the precarious control of four maidens. Urizen is
the 'limiter of Energy' as well as the 'Prince of Light' (Damon.)
As Urizen falls asleep his horses are loosed to destroy the unity
which is the condition of Eternity. Energy is released to become
manifest in time and space. The section of the picture shone above
captures the fire, light and activity of Eternity. Moving into time
and space this energy will be contained and transformed.
Kathleen Raine in Blake and Tradition makes these comments on this section of the picture (Page 96):
"The god in the chariot of the sun is a strange figure. He appears
to be intended to resemble the traditional Apollo, although he has
no 'bow of burning gold' - and there is a striking resemblance to
the figure of in God in the Job engravings,
the fifth plate, 'Then went Satan forth from the presence of the
Lord.' There the drowsy God is not actually sleeping, as he appears
to be here; yet the symbolic event, though stated in other terms, is
parallel. The separation of Satan (the Selfhood, as Blake
invariably defines him) from God (the Divine Humanity) is about to
initiate a cycle of Experience, a descent and return, in the
suffering of Job, as is here symbolized by the voyage of Odysseus
across the stormy sea of time and space, and his final home-coming.
One thinks of the opening lines of The Gates of Paradise:
The Female from his darkness rose."
This description of the fall by Urizen in the Four Zoas presents images reminiscent of those in the portion of the Arlington Tempera shown above:
Four Zoas, Night V, Page 64, (E 343)
"I siezd thee beauteous Luvah thou art faded like a flower
And like a lilly is thy wife Vala witherd by winds
When thou didst bear the golden cup at the immortal tables
Thy children smote their fiery wings crownd with the gold of heaven
PAGE 65
Thy pure feet stepd on the steps divine. too pure for other feet
And thy fair locks shadowd thine eyes from the divine effulgence
Then thou didst keep with Strong Urthona the living gates of heaven
But now thou art bound down with him even to the gates of hell
Because thou gavest Urizen the wine of the Almighty
For steeds of Light that they might run in thy golden chariot of pride
I gave to thee the Steeds I pourd the stolen wine
And drunken with the immortal draught fell from my throne sublime"
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