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The Mass of the Golden Topaz

The Whole Heptarchial Revelation

Sword and Disk Against the Heathen

On the Veneration of the Earth
at the Winter Solstice

Fragments 6 & 7 from On Images
by Porphyry
(pagan philosopher of the late third century of the common era)

Crowley Classics

The Ideal Idol
(Two Stories in One, but with only One Moral)

from the Grady Project:

Thirteen Haiku

by Grady McMurtry

from the Library Shelf

by Torquato Tasso
(1575)
English translation by Edward Fairfax (1600)

LIV     

Not as elsewhere now sunshine bright now show'rs, Now heat, now cold, there interchanged were, But everlasting spring mild heaven down pours, In which nor rain, nor storm, nor clouds appear; Nursing to fields their grass, to grass his flowers; To flowers their smell, to trees, the leaves they bear. There by a lake a stately palace stands, That overlooks all mountains, seas, and lands:

LV     

The passage hard against the mountain steep These travellers had faint and weary made, That through those grassy plains they scantly creep, They walk'd, they rested oft, they went, they stay'd; When from the rocks that seem'd for joy to weep, Before their feet a dropping crystal play'd, Enticing them to drink, and on the flow'rs The plenteous spring a thousand streams down pours.

LVI     

All which united, in the springing grass, Ate forth a channel through the tender green, And underneath eternal shade did pass, With murmur shrill, cold, pure, and scantly seen; Yet so transparent that perceived was The bottom rich, and sands that golden been; And on the brims the silken grass aloft Proffer'd them seats, sweet, easy, fresh, and soft.

LVII     

"See here the stream of laughter, see the spring," Quoth they, "of danger and of deadly pain; Here fond desire must by fair governing Be rul'd, our lust bridled with wisdom's rein; Our ears be stopped while these syrens sing, Their notes enticing man to pleasure vain." Thus pass'd they forward where the stream did make An ample pond, a large and spacious lake:

LVIII     

There on a table was all dainty food That sea, that earth, or liquid air could give; And in the crystal of the laughing flood They saw two naked virgins bathe and dive, That sometimes toying, sometimes wrestling stood, Sometimes for speed and skill in swimming strive; Now underneath they div'd, now rose above, And 'ticing baits laid forth of lust and love:

LIX     

These naked wantons, tender, fair and white, Moved so far the warriors' stubborn hearts, That on their shapes they gazed with delight; The nymphs applied their sweet alluring arts, And one of them above the waters quite, Lift up her head, her breasts, and higher parts, And all that might weak eyes subdue and take; Her lower beauties veil'd the gentle lake.

LX     

As when the morning star escap'd and fled From greedy waves with dewy beams up flies, Or as the queen of love, new born and bred Of th' ocean's fruitful froth, did first arise: So vented she, her golden locks forth shed Round pearls and crystal moist therein which lies: But when her eyes upon the knights she cast, She start, and feign'd her of their sight aghast;

LXI     

And her fair locks, that on a knot were tied High on her crown, she 'gan at large unfold; Which falling long and thick, and spreading wide, The ivory soft and white mantled in gold: Thus her fair skin the dame would clothe and hide, And that which hid it no less fair was hold: Thus clad in waves and locks, her eyes divine From them ashamed did she turn and twine:

LXII     

Withal she smiled, and she blush'd withal, Her blush her smilings, smiles her blushing graced; Over her face her amber tresses fall, Whereunder Love himself in ambush placed: At last she warbled forth a treble small, And with sweet looks her sweet songs interlaced; "Oh happy men! that have the grace," quoth she, "This bliss, this heav'n, this paradise to see.

LXIII     

"This is the place wherein you may assuage Your sorrows past, here is that joy and bliss That flourish'd in the antique golden age; Here needs no law, here none doth aught amiss; Put off those arms, and fear not Mars his rage, Your sword, your shield, your helmet needless is; Then consecrate them here to endless rest, You shall love's champions be and soldiers blest.

LXIV     

"The fields for combat here are beds of down, Or heaped lilies under shady brakes: But come and see our queen with golden crown, That all her servants blest and happy makes; She will admit you gently for her own, Number'd with those that of her joy partakes: But first within this lake your dust and sweat Wash off, and at that table sit and eat."

LXV     

While thus she sung, her sister lur'd them nigh, With many a gesture kind and loving show, To music's sound as dames in court apply Their cunning feet, and dance now swift now slow. But still the knights unmoved passed by, These vain delights for wicked charms they know; Nor could their heav'nly voice nor angel's look, Surprise their hearts, if eye or ear they took:

LXVI     

For if that sweetness once but touched their hearts, And proffer'd there to kindle Cupid's fire, Straight armed reason to his charge upstarts, And quencheth lust and killeth fond desire: Thus scorned were the dames, their wiles and arts, And to the palace gates the knights retire, While in their stream the damsels dived sad, Asham'd, disgrac'd, for that repulse they had.

I     

The palace great is builded rich and round, And in the centre of the inmost hold There lies a garden sweet on fertile ground, Fairer than that where grew the trees of gold. The cunning sprites had buildings rear'd around With doors and entries false a thousandfold; A labyrinth they made that fortress brave, Like Dedal's prison, or Porsenna's grave.

II     

The knights pass'd through the castle's largest gate (Though round about an hundred ports there shine), The door leaves fram'd of carved silver-plate, Upon their golden hinges turn and twine: They stay'd to view this work of wit and state, The workmanship excell'd the substance fine, For all the shapes in that rich metal wrought, Save speech, of living bodies wanted naught:

[descriptions of the carved figures on the walls are omitted here]

VII     

. . . The knights these stories viewed first and last, Which seen, they forward press'd, and in they pass'd:

VIII     

As through his channel crook'd Meander glides With turns and twines, and rolls now to now fro, Whose streams run forth there to the salt sea sides, Here back return and to their spring-ward go: Such crooked paths, such ways this palace hides; Yet all the maze their map described so, That through the labyrinth they got in fine, As Theseus did by Ariadne's line.

IX     

When they had passed all those troubled ways, The garden sweet spread forth her green to show, The moving crystal from the fountains plays, Fair trees, high plants, strange herbs and flow'rets new, Sun-shiny hills, dales hid from Phoebus' rays, Groves, arbors, mossy caves, at once they view; And that which beauty most, most wonder brought, Nowhere appear'd the art which all this wrought.

X     

So with the rude the polish'd mingled was, That natural seem'd all, and every part Nature would craft in counterfeiting pass, And imitate her imitator art. Mild was the air, the skies were clear as glass, The trees no whirlwind felt, nor tempest's smart, But ere the fruit drop off, the blossom comes; This springs, that falls, that rip'neth, and this blooms.

XI     

The leaves upon the self-same bough did hide, Beside the young, the old and ripened fig; Here fruit was green, there ripe with vermeil side, The apples new and old grew on one twig; The fruitful vine her arms spread high and wide That bended underneath their clusters big; The grapes were tender here, hard, young and sour, There purple ripe, and nectar sweet forth pour.

XII     

The joyous birds, hid under greenwood shade Sung merry notes on every branch and bough; The wind, that in the leaves and waters play'd, With murmur sweet now sung, and whistled now; Ceased the birds, the wind loud answer made, And while they sung it rumbled soft and low: Thus, were it hap or cunning, chance or art, The wind in this strange music bore his part.

XIII     

With party-color'd plumes and purple bill, A wond'rous bird among the rest there flew, That in plain speech sung lovelays loud and shrill, Her leden was like human language true; So much she talk'd, and with such wit and skill, That strange it seemed how much good she knew; Her feather'd fellows all stood hush'd to hear, Dumb was the wind, the waters silent were.

XIV     

"The gently budding rose," quoth she, "behold, That first scant peeping forth with virgin beams, Half ope, half shut, her beauties doth up-fold In their dear leaves, and less seen fairer seems, And after spreads them forth more broad and bold, Then languisheth and dies in last extremes: For seems the same that decked bed and bow'r Of many a lady late, and paramour:

XV     

"So in the passing of a day, doth pass The bud and blossom of the life of man, Nor e'er doth flourish more, but like the grass Cut down, becometh withered, pale and wan; Oh gather then the rose while time thou has, Short is the day, done when it scant began; Gather the rose of love while yet thou mayest, Loving, be lov'd, embracing be embrac'd."

XVI     

She ceas'd; and as approving all she spoke, The choir of birds their heav'nly tunes renew; The turtles sigh'd and sighs with kisses broke, The fowls to shades unseen by pairs withdrew; It seem'd the laurel chaste and stubborn oak, And all the gentle trees on earth that grew, It seem'd the land, the sea, and heav'n above, All breath'd out fancy sweet, and sigh'd out love.

XVII     

Through all this music rare and strong consent Of strange allurements, sweet 'bove mean and measure, Severe, firm, constant, still the knights forth went, Hard'ning their hearts 'gainst false enticing pleasure, 'Twixt leaf and leaf their sight before they sent, And after crept themselves at ease and leisure, Till they beheld the queen sit with their knight Besides the lake, shaded with boughs from sight:

XVIII     

Her breasts were naked, for the day was hot, Her locks unbound wav'd in the wanton wind; Some deal she sweat (tired with the game you wot), Her sweat-drops bright, white, round, like pearls of Inde; Her humid eyes a fiery smile forth shot, That like sun-beams in silver fountains shin'd; O'er him her looks she hung, and her soft breast The pillow was where he and love took rest:

XIX     

His hungry eyes upon her face he fed, And feeding them so, pin'd himself away; And she, declining often down her head, His lips, his cheeks, his eyes kiss'd as he lay; Wherewith he sigh'd, as if his soul had fled From his frail breast to hers, and there would stay With her beloved sprite. The armed pair These follies all beheld and this hot fair.

XX     

Down by the lovers' side there pendent was A crystal mirror, bright, pure, smooth, and neat; He rose, and to his mistress held the glass (A noble page, graced with that service great); She, with glad looks, he with inflam'd (alas!), Beauty and love beheld both in one seat; Yet them in sundry objects each espies, She, in the glass, he saw them in her eyes:

XXI     

Her to command, to serve it pleas'd the knight; He proud of bondage, of her empire, she. "My dear," she said, "that blesseth with thy sight Even blessed angels, turn thine eyes to me, For painted in my heart and portray'd right, Thy worth, thy beauties, and perfections be; Of which the form, the shape, and fashion best, Not in this glass is seen, but in my breast;

XXII     

"And if thou me disdain, yet be content At least so to behold thy lovely hue, That while thereon thy looks are fix'd and bent, Thy happy eyes themselves may see and view; So rare a shape no crystal can present, No glass contain that heav'n of beauties true: O let the skies thy worthy mirror be, And in clear stars try shape and image see!"

XXIII     

And with that word she smil'd, and ne'ertheless Her love-toys still she us'd and pleasures bold. Her hair, that done, she twisted up in tress, And looser locks in silken laces roll'd; Her curles garland-wise she did up dress, Wherein (like rich enamel laid on gold) The twisted flow'rets smil'd; and her white breast, The lilies there that spring, with roses dress'd:

XXIV     

The jolly peacock spreads not half so fair The eyed feathers of his pompous train; Nor golden Iris so bends in the air Her twenty-color'd bow, through clouds of rain: Yet all her ornaments, strange, rich and rare, Her girdle did in price and beauty stain; Not that (with scorn) which Tuscan Guilla lost, Nor Venus' ceston, could match this for cost:

XXV     

Of mild denays, of tender scorns, of sweet Repulses, war, peace, hope, despair, joy, fear, Of smiles, jests, mirth, wo, grief, and sad regret, Sighs, sorrows, tears, embracements, kisses dear, That mixed first by weight and measure meet, Then at an easy fire attemper'd were, This wond'rous girdle did Armida frame, And when she would be loved wore the same:

XXVI     

But when her wooing fit was brought to end, She congee took, kiss'd him, and went her way; For once she used every day to wend 'Bout her affairs, her spells and charms to say. The youth remain'd, yet had no power to bend One step from thence, but used there to stray 'Mongst the sweet birds, through every walk and grove, Alone, save for an hermit false call'd Love:

XXVII     

And when the silence deep and friendly shade Recall'd the lovers to their wonted sport, In a fair room for pleasure built they lay'd, And longest nights with joys made sweet and short. Now while the queen her household things survey'd, And left her lord, her garden, and disport, The twain that hidden in the bushes were, Before the prince in glist'ring arms appear.

XXVIII     

As the fierce steed for age withdrawn from war, Wherein the glorious beast had always won, That in vile rest, from fight sequester'd far, Feeds with the mares at large, his service done; If arms he see, or hear the trumpet's jar, He neigheth loud, and thither fast doth run, And wisheth on his back the armed knight, Longing for jousts, for tournaments, and fight:

XXIX     

So far'd Rinaldo when the glorious light Of their bright harness glister'd in his eyes, His noble sprite awaked at that sight, His blood began to warm, his heart to rise; Though drunk with ease, devoid of wonted might, On sleep till then his weaken'd virtue lies. Ubaldo forward stept, and to him held Of diamonds clear that pure and precious shield:

XXX     

Upon the targe his looks amaz'd he bent, And therein all his wanton habit spied, His civet, balm, and perfumes redolent, How from his locks they smok'd and mantle wide; His sword, that many a Pagan stout had shent, Bewrapt with flow'rs, hung idly by his side, So nicely decked that it seem'd the knight Wore it for fashion sake, but not for fight.

XXXI     

As when from sleep and idle dreams abray'd A man awak'd calls home his wits again, So in beholding his attire he play'd, But yet to view himself could not sustain; His looks he downward cast and naught he said, Griev'd, shamed, sad, he would have died fain, And oft he wish'd the earth or ocean wide Would swallow him, and so his errors hide.

XXXII     

Ubaldo took the time and thus begun: "All Europe now and Asia be in war; And all that Christ adore, and fame have won In battaile strong, in Syria fighting are: But thee alone (Bertoldo's noble son) This little corner keeps, exiled far From all the world, buried in sloth and shame, A carpet champion for a wanton dame!

XXXIII     

"What letharge hath in drowsiness uppend Thy courage thus? What sloth doth thee infect? Up! up! our camp and Godfrey for thee send, Thee fortune, praise, and victory expect: Come, fatal champion, bring to happy end This enterprise begun, and all that sect (Which oft thou shaken hast) to earth full low With thy sharp brand strike down, kill, overthrow."

XXXIV     

This said, the noble infant stood a space Confused, speechless, senseless, ill, ashamed; But when that shame to just disdain gave place, To fierce disdain, from courage sprung untamed, Another redness blushed through his face, Whence worthy anger shone, displeasure flamed; His nice attire in scorn he rent and tore, For of his bondage vile that witness bore:

XXXV     

That done, he hasted from the charmed fort, And through the maze pass'd with his searchers twain. Armida of her mount and chiefest port Wonder'd to find the furious keeper slain; Awhile she feared, but she knew in short That her dear lord was fled; then saw she plain (Ah, woful sight!) how from her gates the man In haste, in fear, in wrath, in anger ran.