THE RITES OF ELEUSIS
Even as the wicked eye
Seeks the mysteries to spy,
So the blindness of the gods takes his spirit: he shall die.
Even as the evil priest,
Poisoned by the sacred feast,
Changes by its seven powers to the misbegotten beast:
Even as the powers of ill,
Broken by the wanded will,
shriek about the holy place, vain and vague and terrible:
Even as the lords of hell,
Chained in fires before the spell,
Strain upon the sightless steel, break not fetters nor compel :
So be distant, Ο profane!
Children of the hurricane!
Lest the sword of fire destroy, lest the ways of death be plain
I
So depart, and so be wise,
Lest your perishable eyes
Look upon the {armless fire, see the maiden sacrifice!
So depart, and secret flame
Burn upon the stone of shame,
That the holy ones may hear music of the sleepless Name!
Holy, holy, holy spouse
Of the sun-engirdled house,
With the secret symbol burning on thy multiscient brows l
.
.
,
Even as the traitor’s breath
Goeth forth, he perisheth
By the secret sibilant word that is spoken unto death.
CAPRICORNUS. Brethren, let us awaken the Master of the
Temple.
[THE LEADER OF THE CHORUS beats the tam-tam, and the
other ärelhren Παῤand stamp their/”661‘.
No result,]