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Page 1 of 41910 · PDF PAGE 99
46 THE WORLD’S TRAGEDY. Ah ! my pan, if blood suffice, Crush the world as in a vice ! IST NYMPH King of kings, the world shall bleed In the vilest vice of vices. 2ND NYMPH While the riddle thou hast ree’d Mocks them with its “ Blood suffices ”. ALEXANDER Know ye, bright ones, who I am ? I have slain a thing adored At this altar to its Lord, As a butcher kills a lamb. IST NYMPH That shall be — thou rightly fearest — Till the Balance weigh the Ram. 2ND NYMPH Men shall even slay their dearest For the sake of that slain lamb.
1910 · PDF PAGE 26
…Nature, is perfectly “ sane ” and “ wholesome ”. In a perfect society I should regard even my “ Alice ” as perverted art : for in a sane world one is insane to proclaim sanity. But art (which is the Word of the Masters to the World) must move with that world and follow it into its corruption, redeeming the same. The simple humanity, the great guffawing indecency, of Shakespeare is well enough for the pagan society of Eliza- beth. The splendid savage Jehovah is sane enough and grand enough for nomadic Israel. But since then the World is Christia…
1910 · PDF PAGE 50
THE WORLD’S TRAGEDY
1910 · PDF PAGE 1
ae THE WORLD’S TRAGEDY
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THE WORLD’S TRAGEDY PRICE TWO GUINEAS
1910 · PDF PAGE 95
42 THE WORLD’S TRAGEDY. The god hath on harsh face. Take me home now ! ALEXANDER to the Ist satyr What next ? How shall a babe scarce- sexed Avail when the dread offering Of the world’s mightiest king Is not received ? IST SATYR Impale You trembling fawn too frail Upon that ivory ruby rod That juts from the azure throne of God ! Then — as the scream chills the blue air, Draw the curved steel along The snow-pure throat ! Hold the bright hair Firm in one swarthy grip ; And ere the blood leap strong Suck with insensate lip That wine of Pan ! Ah, d…
1910 · PDF PAGE 191
I38 THE WORLD’S TRAGEDY. Had never been. Yet to this keen Sight, to this sleuth-hound scent for subtle truth, The essential youth Of all things is corrupt. I will away Into the mystic palaces of Pan Hidden from day, Hidden from man, Awaiting there the coming of the Sphinx Whose genius drinks The poison of this pestilence, and saves The world from all its lords and slaves. Ho ! for his chariot-wheels that whirl afar ! His hawk’s eye flashing through the silver star ! Upon the heights his standard shall be plant Free, equal, passionate, pagan, do…
1910 · PDF PAGE 123
70 THE WORLD’S TRAGEDY. MIRIAM Stay, will you go ? What, are you men — or tame ? PUBLIUS Faugh, wench ! is there no shame ? He kicks her brutally. The guard moves off. MIRIAM The dawn ! oh, curses on the dawn that breaks This night of joy. God ! my whole being wakes Into a world of rapture. I am I At last — the little fool that wondered why ! I am abreast of God’s whole tide of thought. Like gold into fine linen, I am wrought Into the royal vesture of the globe. I am the Empress of the City of Sin, Wrapped in its purple robe Stained with mine o…
1910 · PDF PAGE 4
THE WORLD’S TRAGEDY BY ALEISTER CROWLEY PARIS Privately printed for circulation in free countries. Copies must not be imported into England or America. — 1910
1910 · PDF PAGE 27
…y one more satire. The invention was not cowardice but art. My sympathies are entirely with the alleged author of the Quatorzains ; in a world of Winnington-Ingrams it is about the best that any one can do. At the same time, I have a foible : I should like to pro- duce ideal poetry ; poetry free from the false conditions of modern crapulence. “ Clouds without Water ” and this World’s Tragedy are mostly nonsense to a Nina Olivier or a Dorothy Lamb, those avatars of Pagan art. But to a Dilke, lamed by a kick from the British ass ; or to a Burton,…
1910 · PDF PAGE 107
54 THE WORLD’S TRAGEDY. With the sun glittering amorously. But now, o Pan, the whole world falls With its reeling rout of Bacchanals Into the gulf, and thy wild note Shrills up from the black Nothing’s throat Like an enchanted harp that playeth Melodies, melodies magniloquent of death. Yea ! o thou golden wan strange-smiling one, Thou art not only cold. Thine ivory came from fierce bull-elephants That trampled Persians in their battle-rage ; Thy gold was found by men most grave and sage Among the sands of a strange river. How my breast pants ! …
1910 · PDF PAGE 81
28 THE WORLD’S TRAGEDY. HERACLEITUS Ah ! but some evil things have brooded here Over the sleepers. May it be indeed The truth that some strange fate threatens the world ? That Art and Love and Beauty, to renew Their glory, must be bathed in their own blood ? But who shall understand the Soul of Pan ? Involved in All and still apart from All ! For steeped therein as I am all my life, I know but exquisite beatitude, Knowing the whole, Then who shall know or care What may befall the part ? One must remain ; Many must change. Then all is well. The …
1910 · PDF PAGE 185
I32 THE WORLD’S TRAGEDY. JOHN Nay, thou Greek heretic devil, have done ! Before He is dead a schism begun ? Say Homoousios ! THE GREEK Never, dog Jew ! Homoiousios ! JOHN Master, decide ! ISSA O may I cease ! If my spirit to you I must commend. JOHN Are you now satisfied ? Clear as — THE GREEK You lie, pathic ! JOHN Pandar !
1910 · PDF PAGE 163
II0 THE WORLD’S TRAGEDY. ISSA And then, to counterbalance the effect — What next ? JOHN I cannot say. ISSA I resurrect. JOHN What good would that do ? ISSA As I understand, It would spoil life for everyone. JOHN How grand ! How simple ! ISSA Look, boy, I am tired of things. Joy, that had legs before, hath now got wings. I am exceeding weary.
1910 · PDF PAGE 189
I36 THE WORLD’S TRAGEDY. PUBLIUS Death was duty’s one divorcement. AGRIPPA Pooh ! The stern old Roman ! Fudge ! Even Horatio would budge. Kill that Jew, men ! A SOLDIER Heard and done. ISSA It is finished ! PUBLIUS Ill begun When the Roman virtue sleeps ! AGRIPPA Death, man ! See the tide that sweeps From his side, a pinkish flood Of foaming water mixed with blood. It swells; it washes all the hill —
1910 · PDF PAGE 77
24 THE WORLD’S TRAGEDY. THE DOVE Well, you will. We’ll make a rule That anyone who disbelieves it Shall be strictly prosecuted — With the utmost rigour Of the majesty of law. THE LAMB And if any fool believes it — THE DOVE He shall come to live with Us. What a privilege ! THE VULTURE Provided He observe propriety, Never laugh, never dance, Never do the dreadful thing ! THE DOVE Precisely so !
1910 · PDF PAGE 101
48 THE WORLD’S TRAGEDY. IST NYMPH From what a lash ! 2ND NYMPH O the monstrous travail—gape In the belly of the sky ! IST NYMPH Shall the man beget the ape, All the wine of time run dry ? 2ND NYMPH Ah ! the grisly spoil of rape Dark with vilest ecstasy ! IST NYMPH Listen, how shall life escape From such death it breedeth by ? 2ND NYMPH Hangs there not a single grape From that nightshade galaxy ?
1910 · PDF PAGE 161
I08 THE WORLD’S TRAGEDY. ISSA Take note of it : Matter is muck ! JOHN True wisdom and true wit ! The upshot, Lord ? ISSA Than living, I would rather Play the fool’s game of my unnatural Father. JOHN Thy father, Lord ? Thy pardon, but we heard — ISSA No odds — all genealogy’s absurd. JOHN Suppose, Lord, I should simply call Thee “ Word ” ? ISSA Happy the thought ! But, in thy secret ear, There was a scheme — thou mark’st me ?
1910 · PDF PAGE 65
I2 THE WORLD’S TRAGEDY. EVADNE Chrysis ! could one weary of All thine opulence of love ? CHRYSIS I am fair ; I cannot fear. Was my tongue too eager, dear ? EVADNE Never, never, never ! Here, Coil the roses close, a cluster In the flax, the lyric lustre ! CHRYSIS In the white waves that carouse On the satyr’s beetle brows, Plait a wreath of laurustine With the broad leaves of the vine ! SALMACIS Sweet Lysander, now thou knowest All the oracle obscure !
1910 · PDF PAGE 188
…Zeus ! ’twas a foul throw ! 2ND SOLDIER Throw again ! 3RD SOLDIER It’s Venus ! The coat is mine. Silky-soft and rainbow-fine ! Would the world were never duller Than this cool cascade of colour ! AGRIPPA Something serious is occurring. All the town is lighted, stirring. We had best bring reinforcement.