188
THE STAR
IN THE WEST
ing cup of thine Illusions
shalt
thou hurl beyond
the
confines of Space over the very rim of Time .
Thou
O
seeker
after
Wisdom , and
Virtue , and
multiscient
Truth , thou O wanderer
in the groves
of
Eleusis , thou , even
thou
shalt
drink of the wine
of
Iacchus , and
thy cup
shall
be
as a triple
flame
set
with sapphire , and beryl, and
amethyst
; for it is the
cup of Adepts , and of Heroes , and of Gods .
Then
all
the
absinthial
bitterness
of
thine
heart
shall
vanish
midst
the
chaunting
of
souls
lost
in
the
ocean
of
understanding
for ever and everlasting
.
From the filthy distillations
of
thy life
,
and the golden
traffic
of
its
quintessential
lusts
;
from
the
fantastic
dews
of
thy
death
,
and
all
the gibbous
glitter
of
its
mirific
mirror
,
shalt
thou
be
purified
:
and
thy
cup
shall
be
as
the cusps
of
the hornéd
moon
,
and
thy
wine
as
the blood
of
the spheres trodden
by
the angels
of
God
,
singing
,
singing
,
singing
,
throughout
all
Eternity
.
Thy joy shall
be
as
the kiss
of
new
-
born
suns
,
and
thy
bliss
as
a
flaming
cloud
of
bridal
stars
.
Thou
shalt sit on the throne of Time
in
the centre
'
twixt the
four corners
of
the Universe
;
and
in
thy
left
hand
shalt
thou hold
the Balances
of
Being
,
in
which
thou
shalt weigh
the suns
,
and moons
,
and all the hosts of
heaven
;
and
thy
foot
-
stool
shall
be
the
Abyss
,
and
thy
sceptre
a
sword
of
flaming
fire
,
thy
crown
the
Zodiac set with the flashing
Stone
of
the Wise
.
Robed
in
glory
,
and
wisdom
,
and
understanding
,
a
light
of
loveliness
,
thou
,
God
-
voiced
with thunder
and light
ning
,
shalt
breathe
forth
words
of
fire
to
flame
for
ever through the empyrean
of
heaven and
to
resound
without ceasing
beyond
the nadir
of
hell
.
Thou sha't
plunge
into the mystery
of
all
things and become
as
a