96
is actually
the largest of his
weapons ; happy
is
he
who
can make
the
dagger suffice !
The hilt of the Sword
should
be made
of copper.
The guard
is composed
of the
two
crescents of the
waxing
and
the
waning
moon — back to back.
Spheres
are placed
between
them, form-
ing an equilateral
triangle
with the sphere of the pommel.
The blade
is straight,
pointed,
and
sharp right
up to the guard.
It is
made
of steel,
to
equilibrate
with
the
hilt,
for
steel
is the
metal
of
Mars,
as copper
is of Venus.
Those two planets
are male and
female —and
thus
reflect the Wand
and the Cup,
though
in a much
lower
sense.
The hilt is of Venus, for Love is the motive
of this ruthless
analysis — if this
were
not
so
the
sword
would
be
a Black Magical
weapon.
The pommel
of the Sword
is
in Death,
the guard
extends to Chesed
and
Geburah;
the
point
is
in
jNIalkuth.
Some
magi
make
the
three
spheres
of lead, tin,
and
gold
respectively;
the
moons
are
silver,
and
the
grip
contains
quicksilver,
thus
making
the Sword
symbolic
of the
seven planets.
But this
is a phantasy
and affectation.
" Whoso taketh the sword shall perish
by the sword,"
is not
a mystical
threat, but
a mystical
promise.
It is our own complexity
that
must
be
destroyed.