The Descent into Hell Second Edition, Revised and Re-arranged, with an Analysis and Notes: To which are added, Uriel, a Fragment and Three Odes. By John A. Heraud |
 |
|
| I. |
| I. |
| II. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| XI. |
| XII. |
| V. |
| XIII. |
| XIV. |
| XV. |
| XVI. |
| VI. |
| XVII. |
| XVIII. |
| XIX. |
| XX. | XX. THE GODS. |
| VII. |
|
| I. |
| II. |
|
 | The Descent into Hell |  |
206
XX. THE GODS.
I.1.
He rides upon the Cherubim, among
The Gods, supreme; in orbs concentrick roll
The Worlds beneath his feet, not without song.
The Gods, supreme; in orbs concentrick roll
The Worlds beneath his feet, not without song.
One Law, one Spirit, one pervading Soul,
Guides, rules, and animates, in each and all,
And the same God is present to the whole,
Guides, rules, and animates, in each and all,
And the same God is present to the whole,
Infinite and Eternal. He shall call,
And Time shall answer, and the unflying hours
Rest, like the stars in their ethereal hall,
And Time shall answer, and the unflying hours
Rest, like the stars in their ethereal hall,
In fellowship together; and all Powers,
All Energies, of Nature and of Man,
To him yield their dominion..heavenly dowers.
All Energies, of Nature and of Man,
To him yield their dominion..heavenly dowers.
I.2.
Sun of all Souls! of whom reflection wan,
Thy universal Church shines like the Moon,
Irradiate with thy Glory. Whence began
Thy universal Church shines like the Moon,
Irradiate with thy Glory. Whence began
Truth but in thee? And thou shalt clothe her soon,
She who in the beginning of thy way
Thou didst possess, with everlasting noon—
She who in the beginning of thy way
Thou didst possess, with everlasting noon—
She who rejoiced before thee, ere the day
Of thy Earth's founding, and took after-joy
Within its habitable parts to play
Of thy Earth's founding, and took after-joy
Within its habitable parts to play
207
Delightedly with Men—Oh! Wisdom coy,
Whose Tree of Life the Cherubim ensphered
From touch profane, commissioned to destroy.
Whose Tree of Life the Cherubim ensphered
From touch profane, commissioned to destroy.
Thou wert the Daughter of his Voice, prepared
Before the depths, or ere the fountains flowed;
Thou wert his Sister, and his pleasures shared,
Before the depths, or ere the fountains flowed;
Thou wert his Sister, and his pleasures shared,
When he the heavens gloriously endowed,
And set a compass on the darkling face
Of the Profound, and its due limits showed;
And set a compass on the darkling face
Of the Profound, and its due limits showed;
Thou wert his Bride, enthroned in pride of place,
On Earth; Thou art his mother, seated high
Above the Moon, star-crowned, in virgin grace;
On Earth; Thou art his mother, seated high
Above the Moon, star-crowned, in virgin grace;
Oh, Wisdom—one in all, unchangeably,
And one with him, whose glory covers thee,
As with a garment, sun-clad, in the sky.
And one with him, whose glory covers thee,
As with a garment, sun-clad, in the sky.
II.1.
Hosanna! Sun of Righteousness!..for she
Is radiant with thy glory, in all ages,
Among all people. Mutability
Is radiant with thy glory, in all ages,
Among all people. Mutability
Rolls underneath her feet; to Seers and Sages,
Hast thou appeared in vision and in dream,
Whereof bear record their prophetick pages,
Hast thou appeared in vision and in dream,
Whereof bear record their prophetick pages,
Who in all Forms and Symbols told the theme,
To those whose hearts within them, like their own,
Glowed and expanded, with the truth supreme.
To those whose hearts within them, like their own,
Glowed and expanded, with the truth supreme.
Truth dwells sublime, immutable, alone;—
One..manifold..entire: but Souls embrute
Bow to the Image meant to make her known.
One..manifold..entire: but Souls embrute
Bow to the Image meant to make her known.
208
II.2.
Earth hath of thee had glimpses, shaped to suit
The contemplative Spirit, suffering
From occultation of the Absolute,
The contemplative Spirit, suffering
From occultation of the Absolute,
The shadow of the spiritual thing
That, passing, veils the Truth. Let it pass on!
Shine forth, O Sun! the universal King,
That, passing, veils the Truth. Let it pass on!
Shine forth, O Sun! the universal King,
Intelligible God. Thy stedfast Throne
For ever is, immovable, and Earth
Light from thine aspect borrows, and, anon,
For ever is, immovable, and Earth
Light from thine aspect borrows, and, anon,
In constant revolution, giveth birth
To darkness, not forsaken; for the Moon
And Stars reflect thy glory faintly forth,
To darkness, not forsaken; for the Moon
And Stars reflect thy glory faintly forth,
In Night, most holy Night, in whose high Noon
Majestick Heaven itself alone reveals
To Faith,..a starry spell,..a visible tune,..
Majestick Heaven itself alone reveals
To Faith,..a starry spell,..a visible tune,..
Until thy Reappearing opes the seals
Of the mysterious Tome, and supersedes
Their borrowed Lights,..their spirit-motived wheels.
Of the mysterious Tome, and supersedes
Their borrowed Lights,..their spirit-motived wheels.
Yet are they Gods!—how happy he who reads
Their office rightly;—Oracles Earth hears
In visionary slumber, hears and heeds;
Their office rightly;—Oracles Earth hears
In visionary slumber, hears and heeds;
The Deities of Darkness, on the spheres
Enthroned; Angels of Night, whose choral gleams
Echo the Word unto the Worlds He cheers.
Enthroned; Angels of Night, whose choral gleams
Echo the Word unto the Worlds He cheers.
III.1.
He judges 'mong the Gods of whom misdeems
Idolatrous Earth, reposing on the lap
Of Nature, lost in maze of errant dreams,
Idolatrous Earth, reposing on the lap
Of Nature, lost in maze of errant dreams,
209
Threading in vain the universal map,
The Archetypal Image to discern,
And finding none to stand within the gap.
The Archetypal Image to discern,
And finding none to stand within the gap.
First-born of Creatures, Fountain from whose urn
The floods of Being flow. Unformed, unseen,
Unchanged, art thou; Creator sempitern,
The floods of Being flow. Unformed, unseen,
Unchanged, art thou; Creator sempitern,
The Mediator God and Man between—
Around a greater than Apollo throng
The Lights of Life, immortal and serene!
Around a greater than Apollo throng
The Lights of Life, immortal and serene!
III.2.
Bel boweth down and Nebo stoopeth; Song
Is silent, Art is shamed, and Nature hushed,
Before thy coming, Lord of Lords! Along
Is silent, Art is shamed, and Nature hushed,
Before thy coming, Lord of Lords! Along
The Shores of Nile, upon his throne hath blushed
The Demiurgick Mind through the obscure
Of his dark aspect, Emeph. He hath crushed
The Demiurgick Mind through the obscure
Of his dark aspect, Emeph. He hath crushed
The sceptre in his girdled hand impure,
And vailed the princely plume upon his head;
Nor vaunts his word a world. No more,..besure—
And vailed the princely plume upon his head;
Nor vaunts his word a world. No more,..besure—
Mythras maintains long Conflict, while his dread
And everlasting Sire reposes, 'till
The times of strife are all accomplished.
And everlasting Sire reposes, 'till
The times of strife are all accomplished.
Jupiter, in his winged Chariot, still
Stands, and adores a greater Guide than he;
And Neptune, Son of Sorrow, wise of will,
Stands, and adores a greater Guide than he;
And Neptune, Son of Sorrow, wise of will,
Whence Seas have motions and sweet harmony,
Yields his dominion to a greater power:
And Pluto hails aloud the Deity
Yields his dominion to a greater power:
And Pluto hails aloud the Deity
210
Who shall from Hell deliver and restore
The Souls detained by Love and by Desire,
Prepared for perfect Bliss. Let Mars adore,
The Souls detained by Love and by Desire,
Prepared for perfect Bliss. Let Mars adore,
Behold a greater Victor. God of Fire!
Who fell like Lucifer from heaven, behold
The Gatherer of the Just; Son of the Sire!
Who fell like Lucifer from heaven, behold
The Gatherer of the Just; Son of the Sire!
IV.1.
Hosannas, hallelujahs manifold
To the Messiah! Let all Gods bow down
Before him. Lo! he cometh, all-extolled;
To the Messiah! Let all Gods bow down
Before him. Lo! he cometh, all-extolled;
Hosanna, the Creator cometh! Crown
Him King,..him God! The King of kings,..the God
Of Gods—the knowing-all, the all-unknown—
Him King,..him God! The King of kings,..the God
Of Gods—the knowing-all, the all-unknown—
The Warrior, and the Victor—whose abode
Is in the Heaven, whose sway is on the Sea,
Whose judgements are in Hell for ever showed—
Is in the Heaven, whose sway is on the Sea,
Whose judgements are in Hell for ever showed—
His heel is bruised. Who bruised it, where is he?
Deeper into the Abyss of Darkness driven,
The Adversary flees from dread of Thee!
Deeper into the Abyss of Darkness driven,
The Adversary flees from dread of Thee!
IV.2.
Hail, Realms of Darkness! for to you is given
Death, and the Power of Death! Hail, Darkness, hail!
Hail, central Darkness! utter and unriven,
Death, and the Power of Death! Hail, Darkness, hail!
Hail, central Darkness! utter and unriven,
Serried, compact, intense; beyond the pale
Of Life. The Lord of Life—the Lord of Light,
Even in thy deepest pit of saddest bale,
Of Life. The Lord of Life—the Lord of Light,
Even in thy deepest pit of saddest bale,
Is present aye, invisible in night,
In non-existence all impalpable,
Shining in darkness, breathing in despite.
In non-existence all impalpable,
Shining in darkness, breathing in despite.
211
But thou shalt see and feel, Abyss of Hell!
His coming whom we herald. Hast thou hied
Into thy Centre inaccessible?—
His coming whom we herald. Hast thou hied
Into thy Centre inaccessible?—
But not to him who made thee, deep and wide
Thy firm foundations cast, and, based on thee,
His Universe of Mercy edified.
Thy firm foundations cast, and, based on thee,
His Universe of Mercy edified.
Thou broodest o'er the Formless Void. But He
Calls Light into existence, from the womb
Of hidden being. Earth appears—and she,
Calls Light into existence, from the womb
Of hidden being. Earth appears—and she,
The indefatigable Mother, from the gloom
Emerged irradiate, rolls amidst the Day,
A solitary Orb, till Night resume
Emerged irradiate, rolls amidst the Day,
A solitary Orb, till Night resume
Dominion. She revolves—alternate they.
Darkness retires, above, beneath, around,
(Its immaterial Centre,) far away—
Then forth reissues, from its chains unbound.Darkness retires, above, beneath, around,
(Its immaterial Centre,) far away—
| The Descent into Hell | |