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Page 1 of 41912 · PDF PAGE 105
…ave thee, Palamede! Who courseth yonder on the field? Those silver arms, that sable steed, The sun and rose upon his shield? The strange knight spurs to him. Disdain Curls the proud lip as he uplifts His vizor. ‘Come, an end! In vain, Sir Fox, thy thousand turns and shifts!” Sir Palamede was white with fear. Lord Christ! those features were his own; His own that voice so icy clear That cuts him, cuts him to the bone. “False knight! false knight!” the stranger cried. “ Thou bastard dog, Sir Palamede? Iam the good knight fain to ride Upon the Que…
1912 · PDF PAGE 44
38 XIV Nortuwarp the good knight gallops fast, Resolved to seek his foe at home, When rose that Vision of the past, The royal battlements of Rome, A ruined city, and a dome. There in the broken Forum sat A red-robed robber in a Hat. “Whither away, Sir Knight, so fey?” “Priest, for the dove on Ararat T could not, nor I will not, stay!” “T know thy quest. Seek on in vain A golden hart with silver horns! Life springeth out of divers pains. What crown the King of Kings adorns? A crown of gems? A crown of thorns! The Questing Beast is like a king In…
1912 · PDF PAGE 7
SIR PALAMEDES, THE SARACEN KNIGHT Beast. Standing up, that he may enjoy the reward, he findeth another answer to the riddle. Yet abideth in the quest. xxxviii. Sir Palamede is confronted by a stranger knight, whose arms are his own, as also his features, This knight mocketh Sir Palamede for an impudent pretender, and impersonator of the chosen knight. Sir Palamede in all humility alloweth that there is no proof possible, and offereth ordeal of battle, in which the stranger is slain, Sir Palamede heweth him into the smallest dust without pity, x…
1912 · PDF PAGE 72
They swarm, they grow, they multiply; The strong knight’s brain goes all a-swim, Paced by that maddening minstrelsy, Those dog-like demons hunting him. The last bar breaks; the steel will snaps ; The black hordes riot in his brain ; A thousand threatening thunder-claps Smite him—insane—insane—insane |! His muscles roar with senseless rage; The pale knight staggers, deathly sick; Reels to the light that sorry sage, Sir Palamede the Lunatick.
1912 · PDF PAGE 116
As the simoom, and forth did roll A sudden thunder. Still they stood. Then came a bugle-blast. The soul Of each knight stirred. With vigour rude, The blast tore down the tapestry That hid the door. All ashen-hued The knights laid hand to sword. But he (Sir Palamedes) in the gap Was found—God knoweth—bitterly Weeping. Cried Arthur: “Strange the hap! My knight, my dearest knight, my friend ! What gift had Fortune in her lap Like thee? Embrace me!” “ Rather rend Your garments, if you love me, sire!” (Quod he). “Iam come unto the end. All mine inte…
1912 · PDF PAGE 63
…ck, and splits, and splits again, Until the baffled warrior sees A myriad myriad swarms of these A-questing over all the plain. The good knight reins his charger in. “ Now, by the faith of Paladin! The subtle quest at last I ken.” Rides off to Camelot to plight The faith of many a noble knight, Sir Palamede the Saracen. 57
1912 · PDF PAGE 69
…, a Gothic spire he spies, That like a gladiator towers Its spear-sharp splendour to the skies. The people cluster round, acclaim : “Sir Knight, good knight, thy quest is won. Here dwells the Beast in orient flame, Spring-sweet, and swifter than the sun!” Sir Palamede the Saracen Spurs to the shrine, afire to win The end; and all the urgent men Throng with him eloquently in. Sir Palamede his vizor drops; He lays his loyal lance in rest; He drives the rowels home—he stops! Faugh! but a black-mouthed money-chest! 63
1912 · PDF PAGE 76
70 For all these Paynim knights may rest In the black bliss they struggle to.” But from the earth’s full-flowered breast Brake the blind roar of earthquake through, Tearing the belly of its mother, Engulphing all that heathen crew, That cried and cursed on one another. Aghast he standeth, Palamede ! For twinned with Earthquake laughs her brother The Questing Beast. As Goddes reed Sweats blood for sin, so now the heart Of the good knight begins to bleed. Of all the ruinous shafts that dart Within his liver, this hath plied The most intolerable s…
1912 · PDF PAGE 8
THE HIGH HISTORY OF GOOD SIR PALAMEDES THE SARACEN KNIGHT; AND OF HIS FOLLOWING OF THE QUESTING BEAST ALEISTER CROWLEY 3
1912 · PDF PAGE 82
76 XXIX Ha! but the good knight, striding forth From Set’s abominable shrine, Pursues the quest with bitter wrath, So that his words flow out like wine. And lo! the soul that heareth them Is straightway healed of suffering. His fame runs through the land of Khem: They flock, the peasant and the king. There he works many a miracle: The blind see, and the cripples walk; Lepers grow clean ; sick folk grow well ; The deaf men hear, the dumb men talk. He casts out devils with a word; Circleth his wand, and dead men rise. No such a wonder hath been h…
1912 · PDF PAGE 90
84 XXXII “Hal” cries the knight, “ may patient toil Of brain dissolve this cruel coil! In Afric they that chase the ostrich Clothe them with feathers, subtly foil Its vigilance, come close, then dart Its death upon it. Brave my heart! Do thus!” And so the knight disguises Himself, on hands and knees doth start His hunt, goes questing up and down. So in the fields the peasant clown Flies, shrieking, from that dreadful figure. But when he came to any town They caged him for a lunatic. Quod he: ‘‘ Would God I had the trick! The beast escaped from …
1912 · PDF PAGE 34
…s God’s asleep, His armour in illusion’s war Itself illusion, all his might And courage vain. Yet ardours pour Through every artery. The knight Scales the Himalaya’s frozen sides, Crowned with illimitable light, And there in constant war abides, Smiting the spangles of the snow ; Smiting until the vernal tides Of earth leap high ; the steady flow Of sunlight splits the icy walls : They slide, they hurl the knight below. Sir Palamede the mighty falls Into an hollow where there dwelt A bearded crew of monachals Asleep in various visions spelt By …
1912 · PDF PAGE 102
…the haggard face! God grant to him the Beauteous Breath! God send the Goodly Gift of Grace! There is a white cave by the sea Wherein the knight is hid away. Just ere the night falls, spieth he The sun’s last shaft flicker astray. All day is dark. There, there he mourns His wasted years, his purpose faint. A million whips, a million scorns Make the knight flinch, and stain the saint. For now! what hath he left? He feeds On limpets and wild roots. What odds? There is no need a mortal needs Who hath loosed man’s hope to grasp at God's! How his hea…
1912 · PDF PAGE 101
Straight he dissolved, a voiceless shade. “Or scotched or slain,” the knight said then, “What odds? Keep bright and sharp thy blade, Sir Palamede the Saracen!” 95
1912 · PDF PAGE 3
TO ALLAN BENNETT “Bhikkhu Ananda Metteyya” my good knight comrade in the Quest, I dedicate this imperfect account of it, in some small recognition of his suggestion of its form. MANDALAY, November 1905
1912 · PDF PAGE 13
…nd and wreath, Languorous boy and laughing maid. And in the centre is a sight Of hateful love and shameless shame: A recreant Abyssinian knight Sports grossly with a wanton dame. How black and swinish is the knave! His hellish grunt, his bestial grin; Her trilling laugh, her gesture suave, The cool sweat swimming on her skin ! She looks and laughs upon the knight, Then turns to buss the blubber mouth, Draining the dregs of that black blight Of wine to ease their double drouth! God! what a glance! Sir Palamede Is stricken by the sword of fate : …
1912 · PDF PAGE 56
…rpass In one day’s march the galaxy Of Europe’s starry mountain mass. “Now,” quoth he, “let me find the quest!” The Beast sterte up. Sir Knight, alas! Day after day they race, nor rest Till seven days were fairly done. Then doth the Questing Marvel crest The ridge: the knight is well outrun. Now, adding laughter to its din, Like some lewd comet at the sun, Around the panting paladin It runs with all its splendid speed. Yet, knowing that he may not win,
1912 · PDF PAGE 112
… And see this petty man move on, Relentless as Thine own renown, Careless of praise or orison, Simply determined. Wilt Thou launch (This knight's presumptuous head upon) The devastating avalanche? He knows too much, and cares too little! His wound is more than Death can staunch. He can avoid, though by one tittle, Thy surest shaft! And now the knight, Breasting the crags, may laugh and whittle Away the demon-club whose might Threatened him. Now he leaves the spur; And eager, with a boy’s delight,
1912 · PDF PAGE 100
…stands and grins A motley hunchback. “Knave!” quoth he, “Hast seen the Beast? The quest that wins The loftiest prize of chivalry >?” Sir Knight,” he answers, “hast thou seen Aught of that Beast? How knowest thou, then, That it is ever or hath been, Sir Palamede the Saracen?” Sir Palamede was well awake. “Nay! I deliberate deep and long, Yet find no answer fit to make To thee. The weak beats down the strong; The fool’s cap shames the helm. But thou! I know thee for the shade that haunts My way, sets shame upon my brow, My purpose dims, my courag…
1912 · PDF PAGE 85
…me shape glimmering through the gloom: Naught, naught in all that void appears ; More still, more silent than the tomb! Yet now the good knight is aware Of some black force, of some dread throne, Waiting beneath that awful stair, Beneath that pit of slippery stone. Yea! though he sees not anything, Nor hears, his subtle sense is ’ware That, lackeyed by the devil-king, The Beast—the Questing Beast—is there| So though his heart beats close with fear, Though horror grips his throat, he goes, Goes on to meet it, spear to spear, ; As good knight sho…