Collected Works (Vol. I)

THE FATAL FORCE 143 And know me Isis. Worship me, and praise The goodliest ruler of the world, the queen Of all the white immeasurable seas, And that vast river of our sowing-time, And of your Sun. Behold me made a god Of my own godhead, and adore the sun Of my quecn’s face, and worship ye the fount And fertile river of my life. Bow down, Ye people and ye priests, and worship me, And him co-equal. Iam very god !” So spake the Queen; but I arose and said : ‘Queen and our lord, we worship! Let the smoke Of this divinest incense be a smell Sweet to thy nostrils! For three times I cast Its faint dust in the tripod, and three times The smoke of adoration has gone up To greet our gods; for the old gods are dead.” Then there came forth a leper in the hall, In the most holy temple. So amazed All shrank. And he made prophecy and said: ‘The child that shall be born of thee is called Fear.) He shall save a people from their sin 5 For the old gods indeed go down to death, But the new gods arise from rottenness.” ‘Then said the goddess: ‘‘ I indeed am pure In my impurity 5 immaculate In misconception ; maiden in my whoredom ; Chaste in my incest, being made a god Through my own strength.” The leper with smooth words Turned, and went laughingly towards the west, And took of his own leprosy and threw Its foul flakes in the censer. So he passed, Laughing, and on the altar the flame fell, Till a great darkness was upon the room, And only the Queen’s eyes blazed out. all 1 S’afi is the ISgyptian for fear. Silently went, and left her naked there, Crowned, sceptred, and exultant, till a chant Rolled from her moving lips; and great fear fell Upon us, and the flame leapt, and we fled, Worshipping. But the mood passed, and we see A lecherous woman whose magician power Is broken, and the balance of her mind Made one with the fool's bauble, and her wand, That was of steel and fire, like a reed, snapped! SAFI. So lived my father. ‘Tell me of his death. AMENHATED. At thy first breath the gods were patient still, Till the abomination filled its cup, And hatred took her heart. She slew thy sire, And made his body the banquet of her sin In the infernal temple. ‘‘ So,” she said, ‘*T reap the incarnation of the god.” So, gloomy and hideous, she would prowl about Seeking fresh human feasts, and bloody rites Stained the white altar of the world. And yet [fer power is gone, and we behold her go, Haggard and weary, through the palace courts And through the temple, lusting for strange loves And horrible things, and thirsting for new steam Of thickening blood upon her altar steps. Ller body wearies of desire, and fails To satisfy the fury of her spirit ; The blood-feasts sicken her and yield no strength ; She is made one with hell, and violent force Slips and is weakness, and extreme desire Spends supple.