The Equinox (Volume I, Number I)

THE TEMPLE OF SOLOMON THE KING then did bewilderment possess me, for I found that I was robed in red garments in place of the white in which I had dressed myself. And as I wondered, the angel said to me: ‘They have been given thee’ ; therefore again I knelt, and was endued with a great power. “ And as the great strength coursed through me I stood up and the angel gave me a white wand, placing it in my right hand; then fiery rain fell upon me, bursting into little flames as it touched me. “Taller and taller did I grow, striving up and upwards to reach the face of the great figure. And as I strove, I emerged from the centre of the crown of mine own head like a white bird; and so great had been my desire that I shot upwards past my skull like an arrow from abended bow. And swerv- ing down, I played around the head of the great image and kissed it on the lips. But though for many minutes did I fly about that immense head, the countenance thereof was ever cloudy as a mountain seen through a storm of snow; yet nevertheless could I distinguish that the head was like an Assyrian clean-shaven, like a bull, a hawk, an Egyptian and myself. “Intoxicated with rapture, I fluttered about the lips and then entered the great mouth. “Up! up! I rise. I am in a chamber with two square pillars and an eye . . . I bathe in the light of this eye and the intense brilliancy of the whole room, which swallows me up. “ Bigger and bigger do I grow... I fill the room... I emerge from the top of the mighty head, and kissing once again the lips, swerve downwards and unite with the red figure below me. 307