THE EQUINOX
him, like an alexandrite stone. He bears a pitcher or amphora.
And now there comes another Angel upon a white horse, and
yet again another Angel upon a black bull. And now there
comes a lion and swallows the two latter angels up. The first
angel goes to the lion and closes his mouth. And behind them
are arrayed a great company of Angels with silver spears, like
a forest. And the Angel says: Blow, all ye trumpets, for I
will loose my hands from the mouth of the lion, and his roar-
ing shall enkindle the worlds.
Then the trumpets blow, and the wind rises and whistles
terribly. It is a blue wind with silver specks; and it blows
through the whole Aethyr. But through it one perceives the
lion, which has become as a raging flame.
And he roareth in an unknown tongue. But this is the
interpretation thereof: Let the stars be burnt up in the fire of
my nostrils! Let all the gods and the archangels and the
angels and the spirits that are on the earth, and above the
earth, and below the earth, that are in all the heavens and in
all the hells, let them be as motes dancing in the beam of
mine eye!
I am he that swalloweth up death and victory. I have
slain the crownéd goat, and drunk up the great sea. Like the
ash of dried leaves the worlds are blown before me. Thou
hast passed by me, and thou hast not known me. Woe
unto thee, that I have not devoured thee altogether!
On my head is the crown, 419 rays far-darting. And my
body is the body of the Snake, and my soul is the soul of
the Crowned Child. Though an Angel in white robes leadeth
me, who shall ride upon me but the Woman of Abom-
inations? Who is the Beast? Am not I one more than he? In
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