Vala, or The Four Zoas/Night the Fourth

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But Tharmas rode on the dark Abyss. the voice of Tharmas rolld Over the heaving deluge. he saw Los & Enitharmon Emerge In strength & brightness from the Abyss his bowels yearnd over them They rose in strength above the heaving deluge. in mighty scorn Red as the Sun in the hot morning of the bloody day Tharmas beheld them his bowels yearnd over them And he said Wherefore do I feel such love & pity Ah Enion Ah Enion Ah lovely lovely Enion How is this All my hope is gone for ever fled Like a famishd Eagle Eyeless raging in the vast expanse Incessant tears are now my food. incessant rage & tears Deathless for ever now I wander seeking oblivion In torrents of despair in vain. for if I plunge beneath Stifling I live. If dashd in pieces from a rocky height I reunite in endless torment. would I had never risen From deaths cold sleep beneath the bottom of the raging Ocean And cannot those who once have lovd. ever forget their Love? Are love & rage the same passion? they are the same in me Are those who love. like those who died. risen again from death Immortal. in immortal torment. never to be deliverd Is it not possible that one risen again from Death Can die! When dark despair comes over [me] can I not Flow down into the sea & slumber in oblivion. Ah Enion

[ page 48 IV 24-52]

Deformd I see these lineaments of ungratified Desire The all powerful curse of an honest man be upon Urizen & Luvah But thou My Son Glorious in brightness comforter of Tharmas Go forth Rebuild this Universe beneath my indignant power A Universe of Death & Decay. Let Enitharmons hands Weave soft delusive forms of Man above my watry world Renew these ruind souls of Men thro Earth Sea Air & Fire To waste in endless corruption. renew thou I will destroy Perhaps Enion may resume some little semblance To ease my pangs of heart & to restore some peace to Tharmas Los answerd in his furious pride sparks issuing from his hair Hitherto shalt thou come. no further. here thy proud waves cease We have drunk up the Eternal Man by our unbounded power Beware lest we also drink up thee rough demon of the waters Our God is Urizen the King. King of the Heavenly hosts We have no other God but he thou father of worms & clay And he is falln into the Deep rough Demon of the waters And Los remains God over all, weak father of worms & clay I know I was Urthona keeper of the gates of heaven But now I am all powerful Los & Urthona is but my shadow Doubting stood Tharmas in the solemn darkness. his dim Eyest Swam in red tears. he reard his waves above the head of Los In wrath. but pitying back withdrew with many a sigh Now he resolvd to destroy Los & now his tears flowd down In scorn stood Los red sparks of blighting from his furious head Flew over the waves of Tharmas. pitying Tharmas stayd his Waves For Enitharmon shriekd amain crying O my sweet world Built by the Architect divine whose love to Los & Enitharmon Thou rash abhorred Demon in thy fury hast oerthrown

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What Sovereign Architect said Tharmas dare my will controll For if I will I urge these waters. If I will they sleep In peace beneath my awful frown my will shall be my Law So Saying in a Wave he rap'd bright Enitharmon far Apart from Los. but coverd her with softest brooding care On a broad wave in the warm west. balming her bleeding wound O how Los howld at the rending asunder all the fibres rent Where Enitharmon joind to his left side in griding pain He falling on the rocks bellowd his Dolor. till the blood Stanch'd, then in ululation waild his woes upon the wind And Tharmas calld to the Dark Spectre who upon the Shores With dislocated Limbs had falln. The Spectre rose in pain A Shadow blue obscure & dismal. like a statue of lead Bent by its fall from a high tower the dolorous shadow rose Go forth said Tharmas works of joy are thine obey & live So shall the spungy marrow issuing from thy splinterd bones Bonify. & thou shalt have rest when this thy labour is done Go forth bear Enitharmon back to the Eternal Prophet Build her a bower in the midst of all my dashing waves Make first a resting place for Los & Enitharmon. then Thou shalt have rest. If thou refusest dashd abroad on all My waves. thy limbs shall separate in stench & rotting & thou Become a prey to all my demons of despair & hope The Spectre of Urthona seeing Enitharmon writhdt His cloudy form in jealous fear & muttering thunders hoarse And casting round thick glooms. thus utterd his fierce pangs of heart Tharmas I know thee. how are we alterd our beauty decayd But still I know thee tho in this horrible ruin whelmd Thou once the mildest son of heaven art now become a Rage A terror to all living things. think not that I am ignorant That thou art risen from the dead or that my power forgot

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I slumber here in weak repose. I well remember the Day The day of terror & abhorrencet When fleeing from the battle thou fleeting like the raven Of dawn outstretching an expanse where neer expanse had been Drewst all the Sons of Beulah into thy dread vortex following Thy Eddying spirit down the hills of Beulah. All my sons Stood round me at the anvil where new heated the wedge Of iron glowd furious prepard for spades & mattocks Hearing the symphonies of war loud sounding All my sons Fled from my side then pangs smote me unknown before. I saw My loins begin to break forth into veiny pipes & writhe Before me in the wind englobing trembling with strong vibrations The bloody mass began to animate. I bending over Wept bitter tears incessant. Still beholding how the piteous form Dividing & dividing from my loins a weak & piteous Soft cloud of snow a female pale & weak I soft embracd My counter part & calld it Love I named her Enitharmon But found myself & her together issuing down the tide Which now our rivers were become delving thro caverns huge Of goary blood strugg[l]ing to be deliverd from our bonds She strove in vain not so Urthona strove for breaking forth, A shadow blue obscure & dismal from the breathing Nostrils Of Enion I issued into the air divided from Enitharmon I howld in sorrow I beheld thee rotting upon the Rocks I pitying hoverd over thee I protected thy ghastly corse From Vultures of the deep then wherefore shouldst thou rage Against me who thee guarded in the night of death from harm Tharmas replied. Art thou Urthona My friend my old companion, With whom I livd in happiness before that deadly night When Urizen gave the horses of Light into the hands of Luvah Thou knowest not what Tharmas knows. O I could tell thee tales That would enrage thee as it has Enraged me even From Death in wrath & fury. But now come bear back Thy loved Enitharmon. For thou hast her here before thine Eyes

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But my sweet Enion is vanishd & I never more Shall see her unless thou O Shadow. wilt protect this Son Of Enion & him assist. to bind the fallen King Lest he should rise again from death in all his dreary power Bind him, take Enitharmon for thy sweet reward while I	In vain am driven on false hope. hope sister of despair Groaning the terror rose & drave his solid rocks before Upon the tide till underneath the feet of Los a World Dark dreadful rose & Enitharmon lay at Los's feet The dolorous shadow joyd. weak hope appeard around his head Tharmas before Los stood & thus the Voice of Tharmas rolld Now all comes into the power of Tharmas. Urizen is falln And Luvah hidden in the Elemental forms of Life & Death Urthona is My Son O Los thou art Urthona & Tharmas Is God. The Eternal Man is seald never to be deliverd I roll my floods over his body my billows & waves pass over him The Sea encompasses him & monsters of the deep are his companions Dreamer of furious oceans cold sleeper of weeds & shells Thy Eternal form shall never renew my uncertain prevails against thee Yet tho I rage God over all. A portion of my Life That in Eternal fields in comfort wanderd with my flocks At noon & laid her head upon my wearied bosom at night She is divided She is vanishd even like Luvah & Valat O why did foul ambition sieze thee Urizen Prince of Light And thee O Luvah prince of Love till Tharmas was divided And I what can I now behold but an Eternal Death Before my Eyes & an Eternal weary work to strive Against the monstrous forms that breed among my silent waves Is this to be A God far rather would I be a Man To know sweet Science & to do with simple companions Sitting beneath a tent & viewing sheepfolds & soft pastures Take thou the hammer of Urthona rebuild these furnaces Dost thou refuse mind I the sparks that issue from thy hair

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I will compell thee to rebuild by these my furious waves Death choose or life thou strugglest in my waters, now choose life And all the Elements shall serve thee to their soothing flutes Their sweet inspiriting lyres thy labours shall administer And they to thee only remit not faint not thou my son Now thou dost know what tis to strive against the God of waters So saying Tharmas on his furious chariots of the Deep Departed far into the Unknown & left a wondrous void Round Los. afar his waters bore on all sides round. with noise Of wheels & horses hoofs & Trumpets Horns & Clarions Terrified Los beheld the ruins of Urizen beneath A horrible Chaos to his eyes. a formless unmeasurable Death Whirling up broken rocks on high into the dismal air And fluctuating all beneath in Eddies of molten fluid Then Los with terrible hands siezd on the Ruind Furnaces Of Urizen. Enormous work: he builded them anew Labour of Ages in the Darkness & the war of Tharmas And Los formd Anvils of Iron petrific. for his blows Petrify with incessant beating many a rock. many a planet But Urizen slept in a stoned stupor in the nether Abyss A dreamful horrible State in tossings on his icy bed Freezing to solid all beneath, his grey oblivious form Stretchd over the immense heaves in strong shudders. silent his voice In brooding contemplation stretching out from North to South In mighty power. Round him Los rolld furious His thunderous wheels from furnace to furnace. tending diligent The contemplative terror. frightend in his scornful sphere Frightend with cold infectious madness. in his hand the thundering Hammer of Urthona. forming under his heavy hand the hours

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The days & years. in chains of iron round the limbs of Urizen Linkd hour to hour & day to night & night to day & year to year In periods of pulsative furor. mills he formd & works Of many wheels resistless in the power of dark Urthona But Enitharmon wrapd in clouds waild loud. for as Los beat The anvils of Urthona link by link the chains of sorrow Warping upon the winds & whirling round in the dark deep Lashd on the limbs of Enitharmon & the sulphur fires Belchd from the furnaces wreathd round her. chaind in ceaseless fire The lovely female howld & Urizen beneath deep groand Deadly between the hammers beating grateful to the Ears Of Los. absorbd in dire revenge he drank with joy the cries Of Enitharmon & the groans of Urizen fuel for his wrath And for his pity secret feeding on thoughts of cruelty The Spectre wept at his dire labours when from Ladles huge He pourd the molten iron round the limbs of Enitharmon But when he pourd it round the bones of Urizen he laughd Hollow upon the hollow wind. his shadowy form obeying The voice of Los compelld he labourd round the Furnaces And thus began the binding of Urizen day & night in fear Circling round the dark Demon with howlings dismay & sharp blightings The Prophet of Eternity beat on his iron links & links of brass And as he beat round the hurtling Demon. terrified at the Shapes Enslavd humanity put on he became what he beheld Raging against Tharmas his God & uttering Ambiguous words blasphemous filld with envy firm resolvd On hate Eternal in his vast disdain he labourd beating The Links of fate link after link an endless chain of sorrows

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The Eternal Mind bounded began to roll eddies of wrath ceaseless Round & round & the sulphureous foam surgeing thick Settled a Lake bright & shining clear. White as the snow Forgetfulness dumbness necessity in chains of the mind lockd up In fetters of ice shrinking. disorganizd rent from Eternity Los beat on his fetters & heated his furnaces And pourd iron sodor & sodor of brass Restless the immortal inchaind heaving dolorous Anguished unbearable till a roof shaggy wild inclosd In an orb his fountain of thought In a horrible dreamful slumber like the linked chain A vast spine writhd in torment upon the wind Shooting paind. ribbs like a bending Cavern And bones of solidness froze over all his nerves of joy A first age passed. a state of dismal woe From the Caverns of his jointed spine down sunk with fright A red round globe. hot burning. deep deep down into the Abyss Panting Conglobing trembling Shooting out ten thousand branches Around his solid bones & a Second Age passed over In harrowing fear rolling his nervous brain shot branches On high into two little orbs hiding in two little caves Hiding carefully from the wind his eyes beheld the deep And a third age passed a State of dismal woe The pangs of hope began in heavy pain striving struggling Two Ears in close volutions from beneath his orbs of vision Shot spiring out & petrified as they grew. And a Fourtht Age passed over & a State of dismal woe In ghastly torment sick hanging upon the wind Two nostrils bent down to the deeps—

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And a fifth age passed & a state of dismal woe In ghastly torment sick. within his ribs bloated round A craving hungry cavern. Thence arose his channeld Throat. then like a red flame a tongue of hunger And thirst appeard and a sixth age passed of dismal woe Enraged,& stifled with torment he threw his right arm to the north His left arm to the south shooting out in anguish deep And his feet stampd the nether abyss in trembling howling & dismay And a seventh age passed over & a state of dismal woe The Council of God on high watching over the Body Of Man clothd in Luvahs robes of blood saw & wept Descending over Beulahs mild moon coverd regions The daughters of Beulah saw the Divine Vision they were comforted And as a Double female form loveliness & perfection of beauty They bowd the head & worshippd & with mild voice spoke these words

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Lord. Saviour if thou hadst been here our brother had not died And now we know that whatsoever thou wilt ask of God He will give it thee for we are weak women & dare not lift Our eyes to the Divine pavilions. therefore in mercy thou Appearest clothd in Luvahs garments that we may behold thee And live. Behold Eternal Death is in Beulah Behold We perish & shall not be found unless thou grant a place In which we may be hidden under the Shadow of wings For if we who are but for a time & who pass away in winter Behold these wonders of Eternity we shall consume Such were the words of Beulah of the Feminine Emanation The Empyrean groand throughout All Eden was darkend The Corse of Albion lay on the Rock the sea of Time & Spacet Beat round the Rock in mighty waves & as a Polypus That vegetates beneath the Sea the limbs of Man vegetated In monstrous forms of Death a Human polypus of Death The Saviour mild & gentle bent over the corse of Death Saying If ye will Believe your Brother shall rise again And first he found the Limit of Opacity & namd it Satan In Albions bosom for in every human bosom these limits stand And next he found the Limit of Contraction & namd it Adam While yet those beings were not born nor knew of good or Evil Then wondrously the Starry Wheels felt the divine hand. Limit Was put to Eternal Death Los felt the Limit & saw The Finger of God touch the Seventh furnace in terror And Los beheld the hand of God over his furnaces Beneath the Deeps in dismal Darkness beneath immensity [ page 55 SECOND PORTION ]

In terrors Los shrunk from his task. his great hammer Fell from his hand his fires hid their strong limbs in smoke For with noises ruinous hurtlings & clashings & groans The immortal endur'd. tho bound in a deadly sleep Pale terror siezd the Eyes of Los as he beat round The hurtling Demon. terrifid at the shapes Enslavd humanity put on he became what he beheld He became what he was doing he was himself transformd [The globe of life blood trembled Branching out into roots; Fibrous, writhing upon the winds; Fibres of blood, milk and tears; In pangs, eternity on eternity. At length in tears & cries imbodied A female form trembling and pale Waves before his deathy face] Spasms siezd his muscular fibres writhing to & fro his pallid lips Unwilling movd as Urizen howld his loins wavd like the sea At Enitharmons shriek his knees each other smote & then he lookd With stony Eyes on Urizen & then swift writhd his neckt Involuntary to the Couch where Enitharmon lay The bones of Urizen hurtle on the wind the bones of Los Twinge & his iron sinews bend like lead & fold Into unusual forms dancing & howling stamping the Abyss	35

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End of the Fourth Night