THE VISION AND THE VOICE
this perfect wine be the quintessence, and the elixir, and by
the draught thereof shall he renew his youth; and so shall it
be eternally, as age by age the worlds do dissolve and change,
and the universe unfoldeth itself as a Rose, and shutteth itself
up as the Cross that is bent into the cube.
And this is the comedy of Pan, that is played at night in
the thick forest. And this is the mystery of Dionysus Zagreus,
that is celebrated upon the holy mountain of Kithairon. And
this is the secret of the brothers of the Rosy Cross; and this
is the heart of the ritual that is accomplished in the Vault of
the Adepts that is hidden in the Mountain of the Caverns,
even the Holy Mountain Abiegnus.
And this is the meaning of the Supper of the Passover,
the spilling of the blood of the Lamb being a ritual of the
Dark Brothers, for they have sealed up the Pylon with blood,
lest the Angel of Death should enter therein. Thus do they
shut themselves off from the company of the saints. Thus do
they keep themselves from compassion and from under-
standing. Accurséd are they, for they shut up their blood in
their heart.
They keep themselves from the kisses of my Mother
Babylon, and in their lonely fortresses they pray to the false
moon. And they bind themselves together with an oath, and
with a great curse. And of their malice they conspire together,
and they have power, and mastery, and in their cauldrons do
they brew the harsh wine of delusion, mingled with the poison
of their selfishness.
Thus they make war upon the Holy One, sending forth
their delusion upon men, and upon everything that liveth.
So that their false compassion is called compassion, and their
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