# Vala, or The Four Zoas/Night the First

Source: The Complete Poetry & Prose of William Blake by William Blake. Edited by David V. Erdman
* Vala, or The Four Zoas
* [ Title, first form ]
* VALA OR The Death and Judgement of the [Eternal del.]<Ancient> Man a DREAM of Nine Nights by William Blake 1797.
* [ Title, second form (revised) ]
* THE FOUR ZOAS The torments of Love & Jealousy in The Death and Judgement of Albion the Ancient Man by William Blake 1797
* [ page 2 ]
* Rest before Labour
* [ page 3 ]
* Οτι ουκ εστιν ημιν η παλη προς αιμα και σαρκα, αλλα
* προς τας αρχας, προς τας εξουσιας, προς τους
* κοσμοκρατορας του σκοτους του αιωνος τουτου, προς
* τα πνευματικα της πονηριας εν τοις επουρανιοις.
* Εφες: VI κεφ. 12 ver.
* VALA Night the First
* The Song of the Aged Mother which shook the heavens with wrath
* Hearing the march of long resounding strong heroic Verse
* Marshalld in order for the day of Intellectual Battle
* Four Mighty Ones are in every Man; a Perfect Unity
* 5 Cannot Exist. but from the Universal Brotherhood of Eden
* The Universal Man. To Whom be Glory Evermore Amen
* John XVII c. 21 & 22 & 23 v
* John I c. 14. v
* και: εσκηνωσεν εν: ημιν
* [What] are the Natures of those Living Creatures the Heavenly Father only
* [Knoweth] no Individual [Knoweth nor] Can know in all Eternity
* Los was the fourth immortal starry one, & in the Earth
* 10Of a bright Universe Empery attended day & night
* Days & nights of revolving joy, Urthona was his name
* [ page 4 (I 17-64) ]
* In Eden; in the Auricular Nerves of Human life
* Which is the Earth of Eden, he his Emanations propagated
* Fairies of Albion afterwards Gods of the Heathen, Daughter of Beulah Sing
* His fall into Division & his Resurrection to Unity
* 5 His fall into the Generation of Decay & Death & his Regeneration by the Resurrection from the dead
* Begin with Tharmas Parent power. darkning in the West
* Lost! Lost! Lost! are my Emanations Enion O Enion
* We are become a Victim to the Living We hide in secret
* I have hidden Jerusalem in Silent Contrition O Pity Me
* 10 I will build thee a Labyrinth also O pity me O Enion
* Why hast thou taken sweet Jerusalem from my inmost Soul
* Let her Lay secret in the Soft recess of darkness & silence
* It is not Love I bear to [Jerusalem] It is Pity
* She hath taken refuge in my bosom & I cannot cast her out.
* 15 The Men have recieved their death wounds & their Emanations are fled
* To me for refuge & I cannot turn them out for Pitys sake
* Enion said—Thy fear has made me tremble thy terrors have surrounded me
* All Love is lost Terror succeeds & Hatred instead of Love
* And stern demands of Right & Duty instead of Liberty.
* 20 Once thou wast to Me the loveliest son of heaven—But now
* Why art thou Terrible and yet I love thee in thy terror till
* I am almost Extinct & soon shall be a Shadow in Oblivion
* Unless some way can be found that I may look upon thee & live
* Hide me some Shadowy semblance. secret whispring in my Ear
* 25 In secret of soft wings. in mazes of delusive beauty
* I have lookd into the secret soul of him I lovd
* And in the Dark recesses found Sin & cannot return
* Trembling & pale sat Tharmas weeping in his clouds
* Why wilt thou Examine every little fibre of my soul
* 30 Spreading them out before the Sun like Stalks of flax to dry
* The infant joy is beautiful but its anatomy
* Horrible Ghast & Deadly nought shalt thou find in it
* But Death Despair & Everlasting brooding Melancholy
* Thou wilt go mad with horror if thou dost Examine thus
* 35 Every moment of my secret hours Yea I know
* That I have sinnd & that my Emanations are become harlots
* I am already distracted at their deeds & if I look
* Upon them more Despair will bring self murder on my soul
* O Enion thou art thyself a root growing in hell
* 40 Tho thus heavenly beautiful to draw me to destruction
* Sometimes I think thou art a flower expanding
* Sometimes I think thou art fruit breaking from its bud
* In dreadful dolor & pain & I am like an atom
* A Nothing left in darkness yet I am an identity
* 45 I wish & feel & weep & groan Ah terrible terrible
* [ page 5 (I 65-118) ]
* In Eden, Females sleep the winter in soft silken veils
* Woven by their own hands to hide them in the darksom grave
* But Males immortal live renewd by female deaths. in soft
* Delight they die & they revive in spring with music & songs
* 5 Enion said Farewell I die I hide. from thy searching eyes
* So saying—From her bosom weaving soft in Sinewy threads
* A tabernacle for Jerusalem she sat among the Rocks
* Singing her lamentation. Tharmas groand among his Clouds
* Weeping, then bending from his Clouds he stoopd his innocent head
* 10 And stretching out his holy hand in the vast Deep sublime
* Turnd round the circle of Destiny with tears & bitter sighs
* And said. Return O Wanderer when the Day of Clouds is oer
* So saying he sunk down into the sea a pale white corse
* In torment he sunk down & flowd among her filmy Woof
* 15 His Spectre issuing from his feet in flames of fire
* In gnawing pain drawn out by her lovd fingers every nerve
* She counted. every vein & lacteal threading them among
* Her woof of terror. Terrified & drinking tears of woe
* Shuddring she wove—nine days & nights Sleepless her food was tears
* 20 Wondring she saw her woof begin to animate. & not
* As Garments woven subservient to her hands but having a will
* Of its own perverse & wayward Enion lovd & wept
* Nine days she labourd at her work. & nine dark sleepless nights
* But on the tenth trembling morn the Circle of Destiny Complete
* 25 Round rolld the Sea Englobing in a watry Globe self balancd
* A Frowning Continent appeard Where Enion in the Desart
* Terrified in her own Creation viewing her woven shadow
* Sat in a dread intoxication of Repentance & Contritiont
* There is from Great Eternity a mild & pleasant rest
* 30 Namd Beulah a Soft Moony Universe feminine lovely
* Pure mild & Gentle given in Mercy to those who sleep
* Eternally. Created by the Lamb of God around
* On all sides within & without the Universal Man
* The Daughters of Beulah follow sleepers in all their Dreams
* 35 Creating Spaces lest they fall into Eternal Death
* The Circle of Destiny complete they gave to it a Space
* And namd the Space Ulro & brooded over it in care & love
* They said The Spectre is in every man insane & most
* Deformd Thro the three heavens descending in fury & fire
* 40 We meet it with our Songs & loving blandishments & give
* To it a form of vegetation But this Spectre of Tharmas
* Is Eternal Death What shall we do O God pity & help
* So spoke they & closd the Gate of the Tongue in trembling fear
* What have I done! said Enion accursed wretch! What deed.
* 45 Is this a deed of Love I know what I have done. I know
* Too late now to repent. Love is changd to deadly Hate
* A [ll] life is blotted out & I alone remain possessd with Fears
* I see the Shadow of the dead within my Soul wandering
* In darkness & solitude forming Seas of Doubt & rocks of Repentance
* 50 Already are my Eyes reverted. all that I behold
* Within my Soul has lost its splendor & a brooding Fear
* Shadows me oer & drives me outward to a world of woe
* So waild she trembling before her own Created Phantasm
* [ page 6 (I 121-29, 147-69) ]
* She drew the Spectre forth from Tharmas in her shining loom
* Of Vegetation weeping in wayward infancy & sullen youth
* Listning to her soft lamentations soon his tongue began
* To Lisp out words & soon in masculine strength augmenting he
* 5 Reard up a form of gold & stood upon the glittering rock
* A shadowy human form winged & in his depths
* The dazzlings as of gems shone clear, rapturous in fury
* Glorying in his own eyes Exalted in terrific Pride
* The Spectre thus spoke. Who art thou Diminutive husk & shell
* 10 If thou hast sinnd & art polluted know that I am pure
* And unpolluted & will bring to rigid strict account
* All thy past deeds [So] hear what I tell thee! mark it well! remember!
* This world is Thine in which thou dwellest that within thy soul
* That dark & dismal infinite where Thought roams up & down
* 15 Is Mine & there thou goest when with one Sting of my tongue
* Envenomd thou rolist inwards to the place whence I emergd
* She trembling answerd Wherefore was I born & what am It
* I thought to weave a Covering for my Sins from wrath of Tharmas
* [ page 7 (I 163-69, 172, 182-87) ]
* I thought Tharmas a Sinner & I murderd his Emanationst
* His secret loves & Graces Ah me wretched What have I done
* For now I find that all those Emanations were my Childrens Souls
* And I have murderd them with Cruelty above atonementt
* 5 Those that remain have fled from my cruelty into the desarts
* And thou the delusive tempter to these deeds sittest before me
* In this thy world not mine tho dark I feel my world withint
* Mingling his horrible brightness with her tender limbs then high she soardt
* Above the ocean; a bright wonder that Nature shudder'd at
* 10 Half Woman & half Spectre, all his lovely changing colours mixt
* With her fair crystal clearness; in her lips & cheeks his poisons roset
* In blushes like the morning, and his scaly armour softening
* A monster lovely in the heavens or wandering on the earth,
* [ page 8 (I 191-97, 211-13) ]
* Till with fierce pain she brought forth on the rocks her sorrow & woe
* Behold two little Infants wept upon the desolate wind.
* The first state weeping they began & helpless as a wave
* Beaten along its sightless way growing enormous in its motion to
* 5Its utmost goal, till strength from Enion like richest summer shining
* Raisd the bright boy & girl with glories from their heads out beaming
* Drawing forth drooping mothers pity drooping mothers sorrow
* They sulk upon her breast her hair became like snow on mountains
* Weaker & weaker, weeping woful, wearier and wearier
* 10Faded & her bright Eyes decayd melted with pity & love
* [ page 9 (I 214-51) ]
* And then they wanderd far away she sought for them in vain
* In weeping blindness stumbling she followd them oer rocks & mountains
* Rehumanizing from the Spectre in pangs of maternal love
* Ingrate they wanderd scorning her drawing her Spectrous Life
* 5Repelling her away & away by a dread repulsive power
* Into Non Entity revolving round in dark despair.
* And drawing in the Spectrous life in pride and haughty joy
* Thus Enion gave them all her spectrous life
* Then Eno a daughter of Beulah took a Moment of Time
* 10And drew it out to Seven thousand years with much care & afflictiont
* And many tears & in Every year made windows into Eden
* She also took an atom of space & opend its center
* Into Infinitude & ornamented it with wondrous art
* Astonishd sat her Sisters of Beulah to see her soft affections
* 15To Enion & her children & they ponderd these things wondring
* And they Alternate kept watch over the Youthful terrors
* They saw not yet the Hand Divine for it was not yet reveald
* But they went on in Silent Hope & Feminine repose
* But Los & Enitharmon delighted in the Moony spaces of Eno
* 20Nine Times they livd among the forests, feeding on sweet fruits
* And nine bright Spaces wanderd weaving mazes of delight
* Snaring the wild Goats for their milk they eat the flesh of Lambs
* A male & female naked & ruddy as the pride of summer
* Alternate Love & Hate his breast; hers Scorn & Jealousy
* 25In embryon passions. they kiss'd not nor embrac'd for shame & fear
* His head beamd light & in his vigorous voice was prophecy
* He could controll the times & seasons, & the days & years
* She could controll the spaces, regions, desart, flood & forest
* But had no power to weave a Veil of covering for her Sins
* 30She drave the Females all away from Los
* And Los drave all the Males from her away
* They wanderd long, till they sat down upon the margind sea.
* Conversing with the visions of Beulah in dark slumberous bliss
* But the two youthful wonders wanderd in the world of Tharmas
* 35Thy name is Enitharmon; said the fierce prophetic boy
* While thy mild voice fills all these Caverns with sweet harmony
* O how our Parents sit & mourn in their silent secret bowers
* [ page 10 (I 252-78) ]
* But Enitharmon answerd with a dropping tear & frowningt
* Dark as a dewy morning when the crimson light appears
* To make us happy let them weary their immortal powers
* While we draw in their sweet delights while we return them scornt
* 5 On scorn to feed our discontent; for if we grateful prove
* They will withhold sweet love, whose food is thorns & bitter roots.
* We hear the warlike clarions we view the turning spheres
* Yet Thou in indolence reposest holding me in bonds
* Hear! I will sing a Song of Death! it is a Song of Vala!
* 10 The Fallen Man takes his repose: Urizen sleeps in the porcht
* Luvah and Vala woke & flew up from the Human Heart
* Into the Brain; from thence upon the pillow Vala slumber'd.
* And Luvah siez'd the Horses of Light, & rose into the Chariot of Day
* Sweet laughter siezd me in my sleep! silent & close I laughd
* 15 For in the visions of Vala I walkd with the mighty Fallen One
* I heard his voice among the branches, & among sweet flowers.
* Why is the light of Enitharmon darken'd in dewy mornt
* Why is the silence of Enitharmon a terror & her smile a whirlwind
* Uttering this darkness in my halls, in the pillars of my Holy-ones
* 20 Why dost thou weep as Vala? & wet thy veil with dewy tears,
* In slumbers of my night-repose, infusing a false morning?
* Driving the Female Emanations all away from Los
* I have refusd to look upon the Universal Vision
* And wilt thou slay with death him who devotes himself to thee
* 25 Once born for the sport & amusement of Man now born to drink up all his Powers
* [ page 11 (I 279-311) ]
* I heard the sounding sea; I heard the voice weaker and weaker;
* The voice came & went like a dream, I awoke in my sweet bliss.
* Then Los smote her upon the Earth twas long eer she revivd
* He answer'd, darkning more with indignation hid in smiles
* 5 I die not Enitharmon tho thou singst thy Song of Death
* Nor shalt thou me torment For I behold the Fallen Man
* Seeking to comfort Vala, she will not be comfortedt
* She rises from his throne and seeks the shadows of her garden
* Weeping for Luvah lost, in the bloody beams of your false morning
* 10Sickning lies the Fallen Man his head sick his heart faint
* Mighty atchievement of your power! Beware the punishment
* I see, invisible descend into the Gardens of Vala
* Luvah walking on the winds, I see the invisible knife
* I see the shower of blood: I see the swords & spears of futurity
* 15Tho in the Brain of Man we live, & in his circling Nerves.
* Tho' this bright world of all our joy is in the Human Brain.
* Where Urizen & all his Hosts hang their immortal lamps
* Thou neer shalt leave this cold expanse where watry Tharmas mourns
* 20So spoke Los. Scorn & Indignation rose upon Enitharmon
* Then Enitharmon reddning fierce stretchd her immortal hands
* Descend O Urizen descend with horse & chariots
* Threaten not me O visionary thine the punishment
* The Human Nature shall no more remain nor Human acts
* Form the rebellious Spirits of Heaven. but War & Princedom & Victory & Blood
* [ page 12 (I 312-55) ]
* Night darkend as she spoke! a shuddring ran from East to Westt
* A Groan was heard on high. The warlike clarions ceast. the Spirits
* Of Luvah & Vala shudderd in their Orb: an orb of blood!
* Eternity groand & was troubled at the Image of Eternal Death
* 5 The Wandering Man bow'd his faint head and Urizen descended
* And the one must have murderd the other if he had not descended
* Indignant muttering low thunders; Urizen descended
* Gloomy sounding, Now I am God from Eternity to Eternity
* Sullen sat Los plotting Revenge. Silent he eye'd the Prince
* 10 Of Light. Silent the prince of Light viewd Los. at length a broodedt
* Smile broke from Urizen for Enitharmon brightend more & more
* Sullen he lowerd on Enitharmon but he smild on Los
* Saying Thou art the Lord of Luvah into thine hands I give
* The prince of Love the murderer his soul is in thine hands
* 15 Pity not Vala for she pitied not the Eternal Man
* Nor pity thou the cries of Luvah. Lo these starry hosts
* They are thy servants if thou wilt obey my awful Law
* Los answerd furious art thou one of those who when most complacent
* Mean mischief most. If you are such Lo! I am also such
* 20 One must be master. try thy Arts I also will try mine
* For I percieve Thou hast Abundance which I claim as mine
* Urizen startled stood but not Long soon he cried
* Obey my voice young Demon I am God from Eternity to Eternity
* Thus Urizen spoke collected in himself in awful pride
* 25 Art thou a visionary of Jesus the soft delusion of Eternity
* Lo I am God the terrible destroyer & not the Saviour
* Why should the Divine Vision compell the sons of Eden
* to forego each his own delight to war against his Spectre
* The Spectre is the Man the rest is only delusion & fancy
* 30 So spoke the Prince of Light & sat beside the Seat of Los
* Upon the sandy shore rested his chariot of fire
* Ten thousand thousand were his hosts of spirits on the wind:
* Ten thousand thousand glittering Chariots shining in the sky:
* They pour upon the golden shore beside the silent ocean.
* 35 Rejoicing in the Victory & the heavens were filld with blood
* The Earth spread forth her table wide. the Night a silver cup
* Fill'd with the wine of anguish waited at the golden feast
* But the bright Sun was not as yet; he filling all the expanse
* Slept as a bird in the blue shell that soon shall burst away
* 40 Los saw the wound of his blow he saw he pitied he weptt
* Los now repented that he had smitten Enitharmon he felt love
* Arise in all his Veins he threw his arms around her loins
* To heal the wound of his smiting
* They eat the fleshly bread, they drank the nervous wine
* [ page 13 (I 356-79) ]
* They listend to the Elemental Harps & Sphery Song
* They view'd the dancing Hours, quick sporting thro' the sky
* With winged radiance scattering joys thro the ever changing light
* But Luvah & Vala standing in the bloody sky
* 5 On high remaind alone forsaken in fierce jealousy
* They stood above the heavens forsaken desolate suspended in blood
* Descend they could not. nor from Each other avert their eyes
* Eternity appeard above them as One Man infolded
* In Luvah[s] robes of blood & bearing all his afflictions
* 10 As the sun shines down on the misty earth Such was the Vision
* But purple night and crimson morning & golden day descending
* Thro' the clear changing atmosphere display'd green fields among
* The varying clouds, like paradises stretch'd in the expanse
* With towns & villages and temples, tents sheep-folds and pastures
* 15 Where dwell the children of the elemental worlds in harmony,
* Not long in harmony they dwell, their life is drawn away
* And wintry woes succeed; successive driven into the Void
* Where Enion craves: successive drawn into the golden feast
* And Los & Enitharmon sat in discontent & scornt
* 20 The Nuptial Song arose from all the thousand thousand spiritst
* Over the joyful Earth & Sea, and ascended into the Heavens
* For Elemental Gods their thunderous Organs blew; creating
* Delicious Viands. Demons of Waves their watry Eccho's woke!
* Bright Souls of vegetative life, budding and blossoming
* [ page 14 (I 380-401) ]
* Stretch their immortal hands to smite the gold & silver Wires
* And with immortal Voice soft warbling fill all Earth & Heaven.
* With doubling Voices & loud Horns wound round sounding
* Cavernous dwellers fill'd the enormous Revelry, Responsing!
* 5 And Spirits of Flaming fire on high, govern'd the mighty Song.
* And This the Song! sung at The Feast of Los & Enitharmon
* Ephraim calld out to Zion: Awake O Brother Mountain
* Let us refuse the Plow & Spade, the heavy Roller & spiked
* Harrow. burn all these Corn fields. throw down all these fences
* 10 Fattend on Human blood & drunk with wine of life is better far
* Than all these labours of the harvest & the vintage. See the river
* Red with the blood of Men. swells lustful round my rocky knees
* My clouds are not the clouds of verdant fields & groves of fruit
* But Clouds of Human Souls. my nostrils drink the lives of Men
* 15 The Villages Lament. they faint outstretchd upon the plain
* Wailing runs round the Valleys from the Mill & from the Barn
* But most the polishd Palaces dark silent bow with dread
* Hiding their books & pictures. underneath the dens of Earth
* The Cities send to one another saying My sons are Mad
* 20 With wine of cruelty. Let us plat a Scourge O Sister City
* Children are nourishd for the Slaughter; once the Child was fed
* With Milk; but wherefore now are Children fed with bloodt
* [ page 15 (I 402-21) ]
* The Horse is of more value than the Man. The Tyger fierce
* Laughs at the Human form. the Lion mocks & thirsts for blood
* They cry O Spider spread thy web! Enlarge thy bones & fill'd
* With marrow. sinews & flesh Exalt thyself attain a voice
* 5 Call to thy dark armd hosts, for all the sons of Men muster together
* To desolate their cities! Man shall be no more! Awake O Hosts
* The bow string sang upon the hills! Luvah & Vala ride
* Triumphant in the bloody sky. & the Human form is no more
* The listning Stars heard, & the first beam of the morning started back
* 10 He cried out to his Father, depart! depart! but sudden Siez'd
* And clad in steel. & his Horse proudly neighd; he smelt the battle
* Afar off, Rushing back, reddning with rage the Mighty Father
* Siezd his bright Sheephook studded with gems & gold, he Swung it round
* His head shrill sounding in the sky, down rushd the Sun with noise
* 15 Of war, The Mountains fled away they sought a place beneath
* Vala remaind in desarts of dark solitude. nor Sun nor Moon
* By night nor day to comfort her, she labourd in thick smoke
* Tharmas endurd not, he fled howling. then a barren waste sunk>
* Conglobing in the dark confusion, Mean time Los was born
* 20 And Thou O Enitharmon! Hark I hear the hammers of Los
* [ page 16 (I 422-43) ]
* They melt the bones of Vala, & the bones of Luvah into wedges
* The innumerable sons & daughters of Luvah closd in furnaces
* Melt into furrows. winter blows his bellows: ice & Snow
* Tend the dire anvils. Mountains mourn & Rivers faint & fail
* 5 There is no City nor Corn-field nor Orchard! all is Rock & Sand
* There is no Sun nor Moon nor Star. but rugged wintry rocks
* Justling together in the void suspended by inward fires
* Impatience now no longer can endure. Distracted Luvah
* Bursting forth from the loins of Enitharmon, Thou fierce Terror
* 10 Go howl in vain, Smite Smite his fetters Smite O wintry hammers
* Smite Spectre of Urthona, mock the fiend who drew us down
* From heavens of joy into this Deep. Now rage but rage in vain
* Thus Sang the Demons of the Deep. the Clarions of War blew loud
* The Feast redounds & Crownd with roses & the circling vine
* 15 The Enormous Bride & Bridegroom sat, beside them Urizen
* With faded radiance sighd, forgetful of the flowing wine
* And of Ahania his Pure Bride but She was distant far
* But Los & Enitharmon sat in discontent & scorn
* Craving the more the more enjoying, drawing out sweet bliss
* 20 From all the turning wheels of heaven & the chariots of the Slain
* At distance Far in Night repelld. in direful hunger craving
* Summers & Winters round revolving in the frightful deep.
* [ page 17 (I 454-68) ]
* Enion blind & age-bent wept upon the desolate wind
* Why does the Raven cry aloud and no eye pities her?
* Why fall the Sparrow & the Robin in the foodless winter?
* Faint! shivering they sit on leafless bush, or frozen stone
* 5 Wearied with seeking food across the snowy waste; the little
* Heart, cold; and the little tongue consum'd, that once in thoughtless joy
* Gave songs of gratitude to waving corn fields round their nest.
* Why howl the Lion & the Wolf? why do they roam abroad?
* Deluded by summers heat they sport in enormous love
* 10 And cast their young out to the hungry wilds & sandy desarts
* [ page 18 ]
* Why is the Sheep given to the knife? the Lamb plays in the Sun
* He starts! he hears the foot of Man! he says, Take thou my wool
* But spare my life, but he knows not that winter cometh fast.
* The Spider sits in his labourd Web, eager watching for the Fly
* 5 Presently comes a famishd Bird & takes away the Spider
* His Web is left all desolate, that his little anxious heart
* So careful wove; & spread it out with sighs and weariness.
* This was the Lamentation of Enion round the golden Feast
* Eternity groand and was troubled at the image of Eternal Death
* 10 Without the body of Man an Exudation from his sickning limbs
* Now Man was come to the Palm tree & to the Oak of Weeping
* Which stand upon the Edge of Beulah & he sunk down
* From the Supporting arms of the Eternal Saviour; who disposd
* The pale limbs of his Eternal Individuality
* 15 Upon The Rock of Ages. Watching over him with Love & Care
* [ page 21 (I 469-503) ]
* Then those in Great Eternity met in the Council of God
* As one Man for contracting their Exalted Senses
* They behold Multitude or Expanding they behold as one
* As One Man all the Universal family & that one Mant
* 5 They call Jesus the Christ & they in him & he in them
* Live in Perfect harmony in Eden the land of life
* Consulting as One Man above the Mountain of Snowdon Sublime
* For messengers from Beulah come in tears & darkning clouds
* Saying Shiloh is in ruins our brother is sick Albion Het
* 10 Whom thou lovest is sick he wanders from his house of Eternity
* The daughters of Beulah terrified have closd the Gate of the Tongue
* Luvah & Urizen contend in war around the holy tent
* So spoke the Ambassadors from Beulah & with solemn mourningt
* They were introducd to the divine presence & they kneeled down
* 15 In Conways Vale thus recounting the Wars of Death Eternal
* The Eternal Man wept in the holy tent Our Brother in Eternity
* Even Albion whom thou lovest wept in pain his family
* Slept round on hills & valleys in the regions of his love
* But Urizen awoke & Luvah woke & thus conferrd
* 20 Thou Luvah said the Prince of Light behold our sons & daughters
* Reposd on beds. let them sleep on. do thou alone depar
* Into thy wished Kingdom where in Majesty & Power
* We may erect a throne. deep in the North I place my lot
* Thou in the South listen attentive. In silent of this night
* 25 I will infold the Eternal tent in clouds opake while thou
* Siezing the chariots of the morning. Go outfleeting ride
* Afar into the Zenith high bending thy furious course
* Southward with half the tents of men inclosd in clouds>
* Will lay my scepter on Jerusalem the Emanation
* 30 On all her sons & on thy sons O Luvah & on mine
* Till dawn was wont to wake them then my trumpet sounding loud
* Ravishd away in night my strong command shall be obeyd
* For I have placd my centinels in stations each tenth man
* Is bought & sold & in dim night my Word shall be their law
* [ page 22( I 504-44) ]
* Luvah replied Dictate to thy Equals. am not I
* The Prince of all the hosts of Men nor Equal know in Heaven
* If I arise into the Zenith leaving thee to watch
* The Emanation & her Sons the Satan & the Anak
* 5 Sihon and Og. wilt thou not rebel to my laws remain
* In darkness building thy strong throne & in my ancient night
* Daring my power wilt arm my sons against me in the Atlantict
* My deep My night which thou assuming hast assumed my Crown
* 10 I will remain as well as thou & here with hands of blood
* Smite this dark sleeper in his tent then try my strength with thee
* While thus he spoke his fires reddend oer the holy tent
* Urizen cast deep darkness round him silent brooding death
* Eternal death to Luvah. raging Luvah pourd
* The Lances of Urizen from chariots. round the holy tent
* 15 Discord began & yells & cries shook the wide firmament
* Beside his anvil stood Urthona dark. a mass of iron
* Glowd furious on the anvil prepard for spades & coulters All
* His sons fled from his side to join the conflict pale he heard
* The Eternal voice he stood the sweat chilld on his mighty limbs
* 20 He dropd his hammer. dividing from his aking bosom fled
* A portion of his life shrieking upon the wind she fled
* And Tharmas took her in pitying Then Enion in jealous fear
* Murderd her & hid her in her bosom embalming her for fear
* She should arise again to life Embalmd in Enions bosom
* 25 Enitharmon remains a corse such thing was never known
* In Eden that one died a death never to be revivd
* Urthona stood in terror but not long his spectre fled
* To Enion & his body fell. Tharmas beheld him fall
* Endlong a raging serpent rolling round the holy tent
* 30 The sons of war astonishd at the Glittring monster drove
* Him far into the world of Tharmas into a cavernd rock
* But Urizen with darkness overspreading all the armies
* Sent round his heralds secretly commanding to depart
* Into the north Sudden with thunders sound his multitudes
* 35 Retreat from the fierce conflict all the sons of Urizen at once
* Mustring together in thick clouds leaving the rage of Luvah
* To pour its fury on himself & on the Eternal Man
* Sudden down fell they all together into an unknown Space
* Deep horrible without End. Separated from Beulah far beneath
* 40 The Mans exteriors are become indefinite opend to pain
* In a fierce hungring void & none can visit his regions
* [ page 21 [19] (I 545-59) ]
* Jerusalem his Emanation is become a ruint
* Her little ones are slain on the top of every streett
* And she herself le[d] captive & scatterd into the indefinite
* Gird on thy sword O thou most mighty in glory & majesty
* 5 Destroy these opressors of Jerusalem & those who ruin Shiloh
* So spoke the Messengers of Beulah. Silently removing
* The Family Divine drew up the Universal tent
* Above High Snowdon & closd the Messengers in clouds aroundt
* Till the time of the End. Then they Elected Seven. called the Seven
* 10Eyes of God & the Seven lamps of the Almighty
* The Seven are one within the other the Seventh is named Jesus
* The Lamb of God blessed for ever & he followd the Man
* Who wanderd in mount Ephraim seeking a Sepulcher
* His inward eyes closing from the Divine vision & all
* 15His children wandering outside from his bosom fleeing away
* [ page 22 [20] I 560-74) ]
* The Daughters of Beulah beheld the Emanation they pitiedt
* They wept before the Inner gates of Enitharmons bosom
* And of her fine wrought brain & of her bowels within her loins
* Three gates within Glorious & bright open into Beulah
* 5 From Enitharmons inward parts but the bright female terror
* Refusd to open the bright gates she closd and barrd them fast
* Lest Los should enter into Beulah thro her beautiful gates
* The Emanation stood before the Gates of Enitharmont
* Weeping. the Daughters of Beulah silent in the Porches
* 10 Spread her a couch unknown to Enitharmon here reposd
* Jerusalem in slumbers soft lulld into silent rest
* Terrific ragd the Eternal Wheels of intellect terrific ragd
* The living creatures of the wheels in the Wars of Eternal life
* But perverse rolld the wheels of Urizen & Luvah back reversd
* 15 Downwards & outwards consuming in the wars of Eternal Death
* [ page 21 [19] ]
* End of The First Night

## Notes

* ↑ Title: “On a separate sheet (on the back of a drawing): “The Bible of Hell, Nocturnal Visions collected. Vol. I. Lambeth” (as reported by Ellis and Yeats).
* ↑ Contemporary spelling: ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν ἡμῖν ἡ πάλη πρὸς αἷμα καὶ σάρκα, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὰς ἀρχάς, πρὸς τὰς ἐξουσίας, πρὸς τοὺς κοσμοκράτορας τοῦ σκότους τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου, πρὸς τὰ πνευματικὰ τῆς πονηρίας ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις. “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” (Ephesians, 6:12, King James version)
* ↑ The 1st version of introductory stanza was as follows (lines were numbered 1 2 3 6 7 4 5) : 1 This is the [Dirge]<Song> of [Eno]<Enitharmon> which shook the heavens with wrath 2 And thus beginneth the Book of Vala which Whosoever reads 3 If with his Intellect be comprehend the terrible Sentence 6 The heavens [shall] quake: the earth [shall move][moves]<was moved> & [shudder][shudders]<shudderd> & the mountains 7 With all their woods, the streams & valleys: [wail ]<waild> in dismal fear 4 [To hear]< Hearing> the [Sound]<march> of Long resounding strong heroic verse 5 Marshalld in order for the day of intellectual battle
* ↑ And he dwelt among us.
This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.
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