The Equinox (Volume I, Number IX)

LIBER L. VEL LEGIS 26. Then saith the prophet and slave of the beauteous one: Who am I, and what shall be the sign? So she answered him, bending down, a lambent flame of blue, all-touching, all penetrant, her lovely hands upon the black earth, & her lithe body arched for love, and her soft feet not hurting the little flowers: Thou knowest! And the sign shall be my ecstasy, the consciousness of the continuity of existence, the omnipre- sence of my body. 27. Then the priest answered & said unto the Queen of Space, kissing her lovely brows, and the dew of her light bathing his whole body in a sweet-smelling perfume of sweat : O Nuit, continuous one of Heaven, let it be ever thus; that men speak not of Thee as One but as None; and let them speak not of thee at all, since thou art continuous! 28. None, breathed the light, faint & faery, of the stars, and two. 29. For I am divided for love's sake, for the chance of union. 30. This is the creation of the world, that the pain of division is as nothing, and the joy of dissolution all. 31. For these fools of men and their woes care not thou at all! They feel little ; what is, is balanced by weak joys ; but ye are my chosen ones. 32. Obey my prophet! follow out the ordeals of my know- ledge! seek me only! Then the joys of my love will redeem ye from all pain. This is so; I swear it by the vault of my body; by my sacred heart and tongue ; by all I can give, by all I desire of ye all. 33. Then the priest fell into a deep trance or swoon, & said unto the Queen of Heaven; Write unto us the ordeals ; write unto us the rituals ; write unto us the law! 13