(8) And there arose much godlessness, and they committed fornication, and they were led astray, and became corrupt in all their ways. Semjâzâ taught enchantments, and root-cuttings, Armârôs the resolving of enchantments, Barâqîjâl, (taught) astrology, Kôkabêl the constellations, Ezêqêêl the knowledge of the clouds, 〈Araqiêl the signs of the earth, Shamsiêl the signs of the sun〉, and Sariêl the course of the moon. And as men perished, they cried, and their cry went up to heaven . . .

(15) And though Moses has written very rightly, that they should govern the Day and the Night, and should separate the Light from the Darkness, and make Times and Seasons, Years and Days, yet it is not plain enough to be understood by the desirous Reader. For there is found a very high Thing in the Virtue and Power of the Stars; [which is,] that every Life, Growth, Colour, and Virtue, Thickness, and Thinness, Smallness, and Greatness, Good, and Evil, is moved and stirred by their Power. For this Cause the wise Heathens relied upon them, and honoured them as Gods. Therefore I will write something of their Original, as far as is permitted to me at this Time, for their Sakes that seek and desire the Pearl. But I have written nothing for the Swine, and other bestial Men, who trample the Pearl into the Dirt, and scorn and contemn the Spirit of Knowledge; such as they may, with the first World, expect a Deluge, or Flood of Fire; and seeing they will bear no angelical Image, therefore they must bear the Images of Lions, Dragons, and other evil Beasts, and Worms, [or creeping Things.] And if they will not admit of good Counsel that God may help them, then they must look to find by Experience, Whether the Scriptures of Prophesy lie to them or no.

(12) And they arose in the night and sought to save their gods from the midst of the fire.

(3) 'But they who living in a village practise (a life of) sacrifices, works of public utility, and alms, they go to the smoke, from smoke to night, from night to the dark half of the moon, from the dark half of the moon to the six months when the sun goes to the south. But they do not reach the year.

(6) Those who know this, and those too who in the forest truly worship (ujasate) faith (traddka), pass into the flame [of the cremation-fire]; from the flame, into the day; from the day, into the half month of the waxing moon; from the half month of the waxing moon, into the six months during which the sun moves northward; from these months, into the world of the gods (deva-loka); from the world of the gods, into the sun -^ from the sun, into the lightning-fire. A Peison (puntsd) consisting of mind (manasa) goes to those regions of lightning and conducts them to the Brahma-worlds. In those Brahma- worlds they dwell for long extents. Of these there is no return. 1 6. But they who by sacrificial offering, charity, and austerity conquer the worlds, pass into the smoke [of the cremation-fire]; from the smoke, into the night; from the night, into the half month of the waning moon; from the half month of the waning moon, into the six months during which the sun moves southward; from those months, into the world of the fathers; from the world of the fathers, into the moon. Reaching the moon, they become food. There the gods—as they say to King Sotna, " Increase! Decrease!"_even so feed upon them there. When that passes away for them, then they pass forth into this space; from space, into air; from air, into rain; from rain, into the earth. On reaching the earth they become food. Again they are offered in the fire of man. Thence they are born in the fire of woman. Rising up into the world, they cycle round again thus. But those who know not these two ways, become crawling and flying insects and whatever there is here that bites/

(5) Again, I say, by Zaratûst were begotten three sons and three daughters; one son was Isadvâstar, one Aûrvatad-nar, and one Khûrshêd-kîhar; as Isadvâstar was chief of the priests he became the Môbad of Môbads, and passed away in the hundredth year of the religion; Aûrvatad-nar was an agriculturist, and the chief of the enclosure formed by Yim, which is below the earth; Khûrshêd-kîhar was a warrior, commander of the army of Pêshyôtanû, son of Vistâsp, and dwells in Kangdez; and of the three daughters the name of one was Frên, of one Srît, and of one Pôrukîst.

(1) While on the brink thus one before the other We went upon our way, oft the good Master Said: "Take thou heed! suffice it that I warn thee." On the right shoulder smote me now the sun, That, raying out, already the whole west Changed from its azure aspect into white. And with my shadow did I make the flame Appear more red; and even to such a sign Shades saw I many, as they went, give heed. This was the cause that gave them a beginning To speak of me; and to themselves began they To say: "That seems not a factitious body!" Then towards me, as far as they could come, Came certain of them, always with regard Not to step forth where they would not be burned. "O thou who goest, not from being slower But reverent perhaps, behind the others, Answer me, who in thirst and fire am burning. Nor to me only is thine answer needful; For all of these have greater thirst for it Than for cold water Ethiop or Indian. Tell us how is it that thou makest thyself A wall unto the sun, as if thou hadst not Entered as yet into the net of death."

(6) It is doubtful whether many of the initiates themselves understood the mystic meaning of this allegory, for most of them apparently believed that it referred solely to the succession of the seasons. It is difficult to obtain satisfactory information concerning the Mysteries, for the candidates were bound by inviolable oaths never to reveal their inner secrets to the profane. At the beginning of the ceremony of initiation, the candidate stood upon the skins of animals sacrificed for the purpose, and vowed that death should seal his lips before he would divulge the sacred truths which were about to be communicated to him. Through indirect channels, however, some of their secrets have been preserved. The teachings given to the neophytes were substantially as follows:

(5) ¶When the day began to wear away, then came the twelve and said, This is a desert place: send the multitude away, that they may go into the towns and villages round about, and lodge, and buy themselves victuals: for they have nothing to eat. Jesus answered,

(10) And they had gone thirty days without food, covered with clothing of herbage (giyâh); and after the thirty days they went forth into the wilderness, came to a white-haired goat, and milked the milk from the udder with their mouths.

(9) And they said one to another: 'The earth made †without inhabitant cries the voice of their crying† up to the gates of heaven. 3 ⌈⌈And now to you, the holy ones of heaven⌉⌉, the souls of men make their suit, saying, "Bring our cause before the Most High.".'

(7) Afterwards the pillar of fire, which accompanied them (for it went before them as a guide), conducted the Hebrews by night through an untrodden region, training and bracing them, by toils and hardships, to manliness and endurance, that after their experience of what appeared formidable difficulties, the benefits of the land, to which from the trackless desert he was conducting them, might become apparent. Furthermore, he put to flight and slew the hostile occupants of the land, falling upon them from a desert and rugged line of march (such was the excellence of his generalship). For the taking of the land of those hostile tribes was a work of skill and strategy.

(29) And some of them with jests upon their lips departed [from me], abandoning themselves unto the Way of Death; others entreated to be taught, casting themselves before my feet. But I made them arise, and I became a leader of the Race towards home, teaching the words (logoi), how and in what way they shall be saved. I sowed in them the words (logoi) of wisdom; of Deathless Water were they given to drink. And when even was come and all sun's beams began to set, I bade them all give thanks to God. And when they had brought to an end the giving of their thanks, each man returned to his own resting place.

(11) Therefore, after the cessation [of the dawning] of the Peaceful and the Knowledge-Holding Deities, who come to welcome one, the fifty-eight flame-enhaloed, wrathful, blood-drinking deities come to dawn, who are only the former Peaceful Deities in changed aspect-according to the place [or psychic- centre of the Bardo-body of the deceased whence they proceed]; nevertheless, they will not resemble them.

(518) 1193 Further, to say: O 'Iw, ferryman of the Marsh of Offerings, 1193 bring for N. this (boat); N. goes, N. should come, 1194 the son of the Morning Boat whom she bore before the earth, his happy birth, 1194 whereby the Two Lands live, on the right side of Osiris. 1195 N. is the annual messenger of Osiris. 1195 Behold, he is come with a message from thy father Geb: 1195 "If the year's yield is welcome, how welcome is the year's yield; the year's yield is good, how good is the year's yield!" 1196 N. has descended with the Two Enneads in b.w; 1196 N. is the measuring line of the Two Enneads, 1196 by which the Marsh of Offerings is established. 1197 N. found the gods standing, 1197 wrapped in their garments, 1197 their white sandals on their feet. 1197 Then they threw their white sandals on the ground, 1197 they cast off their garments. 1198 "Our heart was not joyful until thou didst descend," say they; 1198 "may that which was said of you be that which you now are." 11199a. Stand up, Osiris, 1199 commend N. to those who are on "m is joyous" north of the Marsh of Offerings, 1199 like as thou didst commend Horus to Isis the day that thou didst impregnate her, 1200 that they may give food to N. in the fields, 1200 and that he may drink at the sources 1200 in the Marsh of Offerings.

(6) c Yonder world, verily, is a sacrificial fire, O Gautama. The sun, in truth, is its fuel; the light-rays, the smoke; the day, the flame; the quarters of heaven, the coals; the inter- mediate quarters, the sparks. In this fire the gods offer faith (smddha). From this oblation King Soma arises.

(5) 'Now (if one who knows this, dies), whether people perform obsequies for him or no, he goes to light (arkis) , from light to day, from day to the light half of the moon, from the light half of the moon to the six months during which the sun goes to the north, from the months to the year, from the year to the sun, from the sun to the moon, from the moon to the lightning. There is a person not human,

(3) And now I stand, and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers: unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope's sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews.

(34) Since the last day is approaching to reveal all things." Now you will not find Zaid, for he is fled, He sprang from the place where the shoes were left, If you had been Zaid, you too would have been lost, As a star is lost when tho sun shines on it; For then you see no trace or sign of it, Our senses and our endless discourses Our senses and our reason within us Are as waves on waves "assembled before us." When night returns and 'tis the time of the sky's levee, The people of the world lie unconscious,

(45) With veils drawn over their faces, and asleep; But when the morn shall burst forth and the sun arise Every creature will raise its head from its couch; To the unconscious God will restore consciousness; They will stand in rings as slaves with rings in ears; Dancing and clapping hands with songs of praise, Singing with joy, "Our Lord hath restored us to life!" Shedding their old skins and bones, All pressing on from Not-being to Being, On the last day, as well the thankful as the unthankful.