But now, from between the black and white spiders, a cloud and fire
burst and rolled through the deep, blackening all beneath so that the
nether deep grew black as a sea, and rolled with a terrible noise.
Beneath us was nothing now to be seen but a black tempest, till looking
East between the clouds and the waves, we saw a cataract of blood mixed
with fire, and not many stones' throw from us appeared and sunk again
the scaly fold of a monstrous serpent. At last to the East, distant
about three degrees, appeared a fiery crest above the waves; slowly
it reared like a ridge of golden rocks, till we discovered two globes
of crimson fire, from which the sea fled away in clouds of smoke; and
now we saw it was the head of Leviathan. His forehead was divided into
streaks of green and purple, like those on a tiger's forehead; soon we
saw his mouth and red gills hang just above the raging foam, tinging
the black deeps with beams of blood, advancing toward us with all the
fury of a spiritual existence.
My friend the Angel climbed up from his station into the mill. I
remained alone, and then this appearance was no more; but I found
myself sitting on a pleasant bank beside a river by moonlight, hearing
a harper who sung to the harp; and his theme was: "The man who never
alters his opinion is like standing water, and breeds reptiles of the
mind."
But I arose, and sought for the mill, and there I found my Angel, who,
surprised, asked me how I escaped.
I answered: "All that we saw was owing to your metaphysics; for when
you ran away, I found myself on a bank by moonlight, hearing a harper.
But now we have seen my eternal lot, shall I show you yours?" He
laughed at my proposal; but I by force suddenly caught him in my arms,
and flew Westerly through the night, till we were elevated above the
earth's shadow; then I flung myself with him directly into the body
of the sun; here I clothed myself in white, and taking in my hand
Swedenborg's volumes, sunk from the glorious clime, and passed all the
planets till we came to Saturn. Here I stayed to rest, and then leaped
into the void between Saturn and the fixed stars.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account