Passages similar to: Egyptian Book of the Dead — Chapter CLXXXIII
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Ancient Egyptian
Egyptian Book of the Dead
Chapter CLXXXIII (11.)
All the lands praise thy beauties like Rā when he rises every morning; thou art crowned like him who is high on his pedestal, thy beauties are exalted, thy strides are lengthened; thou hast received the royal power of Seb, thy father who creates thy beauties; thy mother gave existence to thy limbs, Nut who bare the gods bare thee to be the chief of the five gods. The white crown of the South is placed on thy head; thou seizest the hook and the flail. When thou wast still in the womb, before thou didst appear on earth, thou wast crowned to be lord of the two earths, the atef crown of Rā was on thy head
Thereafter they remained there in my sight, 'Regina coeli' singing with such sweetness, That ne'er from me has the delight departed. O, what exuberanc...
(6) And as a little child, that towards its mother Stretches its arms, when it the milk has taken, Through impulse kindled into outward flame, Each of those gleams of whiteness upward reached So with its summit, that the deep affection They had for Mary was revealed to me. Thereafter they remained there in my sight, 'Regina coeli' singing with such sweetness, That ne'er from me has the delight departed. O, what exuberance is garnered up Within those richest coffers, which had been Good husbandmen for sowing here below! There they enjoy and live upon the treasure Which was acquired while weeping in the exile Of Babylon, wherein the gold was left. There triumpheth, beneath the exalted Son Of God and Mary, in his victory, Both with the ancient council and the new, He who doth keep the keys of such a glory.
Texts Of Miscellaneous Contents, Utterances 535-538 (537)
To say: O N., arise, sit thou on the throne of Osiris; 1298 thy flesh is complete like (that of) Atum; thy face like (that of) a jackal. 1299 Give tho...
(537) 11298a. To say: O N., arise, sit thou on the throne of Osiris; 1298 thy flesh is complete like (that of) Atum; thy face like (that of) a jackal. 1299 Give thou thy mouth to R`. 1299 He congratulates thee on what thou hast said; he praises thy words. 1299 Arise; thou ceasest not to be; thou perishest not. 1300 Live, N., thy mother Nut lays hold of thee, she unites her. self with thee; 1300 Geb seizes thine arm. "Thou comest in peace," say thy fathers. 1300 Thou art possessed of thy body; thou art clothed in thy body. 1301 Thou ascendest like Horus of the D.t, chief of the imperishable stars; 1301 thou sittest upon thy firm throne at the head of thy canal of b.w; 1301 thou livest as the coleoptera (lives); thou endurest as the dd, eternally.
A Series Of Old Heliopolitan Texts Partly Osirianized, Utterances 213-222 (221)
196 To say: O N.t (Crown of Lower Egypt), O 'Inw (Crown of Lower Egypt), O Great One (Crown of Lower Egypt), 196 O Great-in-magic (Crown of Lower...
(221) 196 To say: O N.t (Crown of Lower Egypt), O 'Inw (Crown of Lower Egypt), O Great One (Crown of Lower Egypt), 196 O Great-in-magic (Crown of Lower Egypt), O Nsr.t (Uraeus), 197 make thou the terror of N. to be like the terror of thee; 197 make thou the awe of N. to be like the awe of thee; 197 make thou the respect for N. to be like the respect for thee; 197 make thou the love for N. to be like the love for thee; 197 make thou that his `b-sceptre be at the head of the living; make thou that his m-sceptre be at the head of the spirits; 197 make thou that his blade be firm against his enemies. 198 O 'Inw-Crown, thou has come forth from him as he came forth from thee. 198 The great 'I.t has given birth to thee, the 'I.t-wt.t has adorned thee; 198 the 'I.t-wt.t has given birth to thee, the great 'I.t has adorned thee, 198 for as for thee, thou art like Horus, who fought in protection of his eye.
A Series Of Old Heliopolitan Texts Partly Osirianized, Utterances 213-222 (220)
I 94 He has come to thee, N.t (Crown of Lower Egypt); he has come to thee, Nsr.t (Uraeus); 194 he has, come to thee, Great One; he has come to thee, G...
(220) 194 The two doors of the horizon are open; its bolts slide. I 94 He has come to thee, N.t (Crown of Lower Egypt); he has come to thee, Nsr.t (Uraeus); 194 he has, come to thee, Great One; he has come to thee, Great-inmagic (Crown of Lower Egypt). 194 He is pure for thee; he is in awe of thee. 195 Mayest thou be satisfied with him; mayest thou be satisfied with his purity; 195 mayest thou be satisfied with his word, which he speaks to thee: 195 "How beautiful is thy face, when it is peaceful, new, young, for a god, father of the gods, has begotten thee!" 195 He has come to thee, Great-in-magic (Crown of Lower Egypt). 195 It is Horus, who has fought in protection of his eye, Great-inmagic.
886 To say: O R` concerning these things which thou hast said (about it), R`, "O that I had a son," as thou wast king, R`, 886 "who is (spiritually)...
(467) 886 To say: O R` concerning these things which thou hast said (about it), R`, "O that I had a son," as thou wast king, R`, 886 "who is (spiritually) mighty, (physically) mighty, honoured, 886 with carrying arms, with wide stride." 887 Behold N., R`, N. is thy son; 887 N. is (spiritually) mighty, N. is honoured, N. is, (physically) mighty; 887 the arms of N. are carrying, the stride of N. is long. 888 N. shines in the East like R`; 888 he goes in the West like Khepri. 888 N. lives on that which Horus, lord of heaven, lives, by the command of Horus, lord of heaven. 888 N. purifies R`; 889 N. mounts upon his throne; 889 N. takes his helm (oar). 889 N. sails (rows) R`, as him who strides over the sky, 889 the d-star of gold, the adornment of the bull of light, 889 the bifork (brother) of gold, the companion of him who strides over the sky. 890 He flies, who flies; N. also flies away from you, O men. 890 He belongs not to the earth; N. belongs to heaven. 891 O thou his city-god, may the ka of N. be at thy fingers. 891 N. has flown as a cloud to heaven like the heron; 891 N. has kissed the sky like a falcon; 891 N. has reached the sky as the grasshopper, which makes the sun invisible. 892 N. has not reviled the king, 892 he has not respected Bastet. 892 There is not an 'ihb.w, which N. has done as chief of the sedanchairmen. 893 If it is the son of R`, for whom he will prepare his place, then will he prepare a place for N.; 893 if it is the son of R` who will be well, then N. will be well, 893 who will hunger, then N. will hunger.
Thou, Huracán; Thou, Heart of Heaven and of Earth! Thou, giver of richness, and giver of the daughters and the sons! Turn toward us your power and you...
(6) "Oh, Thou, beauty of the day! Thou, Huracán; Thou, Heart of Heaven and of Earth! Thou, giver of richness, and giver of the daughters and the sons! Turn toward us your power and your riches; grant life and growth unto my sons and vassals; let those who must maintain and nourish Thee multiply and increase; those who invoke Thee on the roads, in the fields, on the banks of the rivers, in the ravines, under the trees, under the vines.
Chapter 13: Of the terrible, doleful, and lamentable, miserable Fall of the Kingdom of Lucifer. (117)
Behold, thou murderous and lying spirit! here I will describe thy royal birth, how thou wert in thy creation, how God created thee, and how thou...
(117) Behold, thou murderous and lying spirit! here I will describe thy royal birth, how thou wert in thy creation, how God created thee, and how thou becamest so beautiful, and to what end God created thee.
In this figure the pagan naturalists represent all the vital powers of the three kingdoms and families of sublunary nature-mineral, plant, and animal...
(28) In this figure the pagan naturalists represent all the vital powers of the three kingdoms and families of sublunary nature-mineral, plant, and animal (man considered as an animal). At one of her ears was the moon and at the other the sun, to indicate that these two were the agent and patient, or father and mother principles of all natural objects; and that Isis, or Nature, makes use of these two luminaries to communicate her powers to the whole empire of animals, vegetables, and minerals. On the back of her neck were the characters of the planets and the signs of the zodiac which assisted the planets in their functions. This signified that the heavenly influences directed the destinies of the principles and sperms of all things, because they were the governors of all sublunary bodies, which they transformed into little worlds made in the image of the greater universe.
Modern science has proved that forms ranging in magnitude from solar systems to atoms are composed of positive, radiant nuclei surrounded by negative...
(8) Modern science has proved that forms ranging in magnitude from solar systems to atoms are composed of positive, radiant nuclei surrounded by negative bodies that exist upon the emanations of the central life. From this allegory we have the story of Solomon and his wives, for Solomon is the sun and his wives and concubines are the planets, moons, asteroids, and other receptive bodies within his house--the solar mansion. Isis, represented in the Song of Solomon by the dark maid of Jerusalem, is symbolic of receptive Nature--the watery, maternal principle which creates all things out of herself after impregnation has been achieved by the virility of the sun.
Appeared before me with its wings outspread The beautiful image that in sweet fruition Made jubilant the interwoven souls; Appeared a little ruby...
(1) Appeared before me with its wings outspread The beautiful image that in sweet fruition Made jubilant the interwoven souls; Appeared a little ruby each, wherein Ray of the sun was burning so enkindled That each into mine eyes refracted it. And what it now behoves me to retrace Nor voice has e'er reported, nor ink written, Nor was by fantasy e'er comprehended; For speak I saw, and likewise heard, the beak, And utter with its voice both 'I' and 'My,' When in conception it was 'We' and 'Our.' And it began: "Being just and merciful Am I exalted here unto that glory Which cannot be exceeded by desire; And upon earth I left my memory Such, that the evil-minded people there Commend it, but continue not the story." So doth a single heat from many embers Make itself felt, even as from many loves Issued a single sound from out that image. Whence I thereafter: "O perpetual flowers Of the eternal joy, that only one Make me perceive your odours manifold,
Apuleius describes her as follows: "In the first place, then, her most copious and long hairs, being gradually intorted, and promiscuously scattered...
(21) Apuleius describes her as follows: "In the first place, then, her most copious and long hairs, being gradually intorted, and promiscuously scattered on her divine neck, were softly defluous. A multiform crown, consisting of various flowers, bound the sublime summit of her head. And in the middle of the crown, just on her forehead, there was a smooth orb resembling a mirror, or rather a white refulgent light, which indicated that she was the moon. Vipers rising up after the manner of furrows, environed the crown on the right hand and on the left, and Cerealian ears of corn were also extended from above. Her garment was of many colours, and woven from the finest flax, and was at one time lucid with a white splendour, at another yellow from the flower of crocus, and at another flaming with a rosy redness. But that which most excessively dazzled my sight, was a very black robe, fulgid with a dark splendour, and which, spreading round and passing under her right side, and ascending to her left shoulder, there rose protuberant like the center of a shield, the dependent part of the robe falling in many folds, and having small knots of fringe, gracefully flowing in its extremities. Glittering stars were dispersed through the embroidered border of the robe, and through the whole of its surface: and the full moon, shining in the middle of the stars, breathed forth flaming fires. Nevertheless, a crown, wholly consisting of flowers and fruits of every kind, adhered with indivisible connexion to the border of that conspicuous robe, in all its undulating motions. What she carried in her hands also consisted of things of a very different nature. For her right hand, indeed, bore a brazen rattle [sistrum] through the narrow lamina of which bent like a belt, certain rods passing, produced a sharp triple sound, through the vibrating motion of her arm. An oblong vessel, in the shape of a boat, depended from her left hand, on the handle of which, in that part in which it was conspicuous, an asp raised its erect head and largely swelling neck. And shoes woven from the leaves of the victorious palm tree covered her immortal feet."
Rabi'ah, although a woman, was the crown of men. She once spent eight years making a pilgrimage to the Ka'aba by measuring her length on the ground....
(3) Rabi'ah, although a woman, was the crown of men. She once spent eight years making a pilgrimage to the Ka'aba by measuring her length on the ground. When at last she reached the door of the sacred temple she thought: ' Now at last, have I performed my task.' On the consecrated day, when she was to go in to the Ka'aba, her women deserted her. So Rabi'ah retraced her steps and said: 'O God, possessor of glory, for eight years I have measured the way with the length of my body, and now, when the longed-for day has come in answer to my prayers, you put thorns in my way!'
To understand the importance of such an incident it is necessary to discover a lover of God like Rabi'ah. So long as you float on the deep ocean of the world its waves will receive and repel you, turn by tura At times you will be admitted into the Ka'aba, sometimes you will sigh in a pagoda. If you succeed in withdrawing from the attachments of the world you will enjoy felicity; but if you
(50
remain attached your head will turn like the grindstone of a mill. Not for a moment will you be tranquil; you will be upset by a single fly.
HEAV'NLY, illustrious, laughter-loving queen, Sea-born, night-loving, of an awful mien; Crafty, from whom necessity first came, Producing, nightly,...
HEAV'NLY, illustrious, laughter-loving queen, Sea-born, night-loving, of an awful mien; Crafty, from whom necessity first came, Producing, nightly, all-connecting dame: 'Tis thine the world with harmony to join, For all things spring from thee, O pow'r divine. The triple Fates are rul'd by thy decree, And all productions yield alike to thee: Whate'er the heav'ns, encircling all contain, Earth fruit-producing, and the stormy main, Thy sway confesses, and obeys thy nod, Awful attendant of the brumal God: Goddess of marriage, charming to the sight, Mother of Loves, whom banquetings delight; Source of persuasion, secret, fav'ring queen, Illustrious born, apparent and unseen: Spousal, lupercal, and to men inclin'd, Prolific, most-desir'd, life-giving., kind: Great sceptre-bearer of the Gods, 'tis thine, Mortals in necessary bands to join; And ev'ry tribe of savage monsters dire In magic chains to bind, thro' mad desire. Come, Cyprus-born, and to my pray'r incline, Whether exalted in the heav'ns you shine, Or pleas'd in Syria's temple to preside, Or o'er th' Egyptian plains thy car to guide, Fashion'd of gold; and near its sacred flood, Fertile and fam'd to fix thy blest abode; Or if rejoicing in the azure shores, Near where the sea with foaming billows roars, The circling choirs of mortals, thy delight, Or beauteous nymphs, with eyes cerulean bright, Pleas'd by the dusty banks renown'd of old, To drive thy rapid, two-yok'd car of gold; Or if in Cyprus with thy mother fair, Where married females praise thee ev'ry year, And beauteous virgins in the chorus join, Adonis pure to sing and thee divine; Come, all-attractive to my pray'r inclin'd, For thee, I call, with holy, reverent mind.
Texts Of Miscellaneous Contents, Utterances 671-675 (674)
1994 To say: I have come to thee, I am thy son; I have come to thee, I am Horus; 1994 I give to thee thy mdw-staff before the spirits and thy...
(674) 1994 To say: I have come to thee, I am thy son; I have come to thee, I am Horus; 1994 I give to thee thy mdw-staff before the spirits and thy nb.tsceptre before the imperishable stars. 1995 [I have found thee assembled], [thy (lit. his) face] like (that of) a jackal, thy (lit. his) seat like (that of) b.wt; 1995 she refreshes thy heart in thy body, in the house of her (lit. thy) father Anubis. 1996 Be pure and sit at the head of those greater than thou. 1996 Thou art seated on thy firm throne, on the throne of the First of the Westerners; 1996 thy tis.w, they are young. 1997. mnt.t salutes thee, like Isis; Hn.t acclaims thee like Nephthys. 1998 Thou standest at the head of the n.wt, of the double palace, like Min; 1998 thou standest at the head of Egyptians (km.tiw), like api; 1998 thou standest at Pdw-s, like Seker. 1999 Thou standest before the Rd-wr-lake. 1999 Thou hast thy 'b-sceptre, thy wire, thy fingernails; which are at hand (lit. "at thy fingers"); 1999 those who are before Thot are slain with the knife, coming from Set. 1999 Thou givest thine arm to the dead, to the spirits, who will take thine arm to the First of the Westerners.
Unto the canticle divine responded From every part the court beatified, So that each sight became serener for it. "O holy father, who for me endurest...
(5) Unto the canticle divine responded From every part the court beatified, So that each sight became serener for it. "O holy father, who for me endurest To be below here, leaving the sweet place In which thou sittest by eternal lot, Who is the Angel that with so much joy Into the eyes is looking of our Queen, Enamoured so that he seems made of fire?" Thus I again recourse had to the teaching Of that one who delighted him in Mary As doth the star of morning in the sun. And he to me: "Such gallantry and grace As there can be in Angel and in soul, All is in him; and thus we fain would have it; Because he is the one who bore the palm Down unto Mary, when the Son of God To take our burden on himself decreed. But now come onward with thine eyes, as I Speaking shall go, and note the great patricians Of this most just and merciful of empires. Those two that sit above there most enrapture As being very near unto Augusta, Are as it were the two roots of this Rose.
910 To say: N. knows his mother; N. forgets not his mother; 910 the white crown, the shining, the broad, which dwells in el-K�b, the lady of the...
(470) 910 To say: N. knows his mother; N. forgets not his mother; 910 the white crown, the shining, the broad, which dwells in el-K�b, the lady of the great house, 910 the lady of the land worthy of honour, the lady of the secret land, 910 the lady of the marsh of fishermen, the lady of the valley of tp.tiw, 911 the red-coloured, the red crown, the lady of the lands of Buto. 911 "Mother of N.," so said I, 911 "give thy breast to N., that N. may suck therewith." 912 "(My) son N.," so said she, "take to thee my breast; that thou mayest suck it" said she, 912 "that thou mayest live again," so said she, "that thou mayest be (again) small," so said she. 913 "Thou shalt ascend to heaven as a falcon, 913 thy feathers shall be as those of a goose," so said she. 913 Hdhd, bring this to N.; 913 he is the great wild-bull. 914 "Bull of offerings, bow thy horn, 914 let N. pass by; it is N." 914 "Where goest thou?" "N. goes to heaven, in possession of life and joy, 915 that N. may see his, father; that N. may see R`." 915 "Thou are on the way to the high places, to the places of Set." 916 The high places will put him on the places of Set; 916 (even) on that high sycamore cast of the sky, it having bent down, on which the gods sit; 917 for N. is indeed the living falcon, who has explored b.w; 917 for N. is indeed the great helmsman, who has voyaged over the two t-parts of heaven; 917 for N. is indeed he of the great foot, with long stride. 918 N. purifies himself in the Marsh of Reeds; 918 N. dresses himself in the field of Khepri; 918 N. finds R` there. 919 If R` comes forth in the East, he finds N. in the horizon; 919 if R` comes to the West, he finds N. in the possession of life and endurance; 919 every beautiful place where R` goes, he finds N. there.
Texts Of Miscellaneous Contents, Utterances 588-600 (593)
1627 To say: Stand up, give thine arm to Horus; he causes thee to stand up. 1627 Geb has wiped thy mouth for thee. 1628 The Great Ennead avenged...
(593) 1627 To say: Stand up, give thine arm to Horus; he causes thee to stand up. 1627 Geb has wiped thy mouth for thee. 1628 The Great Ennead avenged thee; 1628 they placed Set under thee, that he may serve under thee; 1628 they prevented his spittle from spilling on thee. 1629 Nut throws herself upon her son, who is in thee; she protects thee; 1629 she defends thee; she embraces thee; she raises thee up, 162 91 for thou art the greatest among her children. 1630 Two sisters, Isis and Nephthys, come to thee; 1630 they hasten to the place in which thou art. 1630 Thy sister Isis laid hold of thee, when she found thee 1630 complete and great, in thy name of "Great black." 1631 Encircle all things in thine arms, in thy name of "Circle which encircles the nb.wt"; 1631 thou art great, in thy name of "Great circle which sets." 1632 Horus has brought Set to thee; he has given him to thee; he bends (him) under thee; 1632 thy strength is greater than his. 1632 Horus has caused thee to encircle all the gods, in thine arms. 1633 Horus has loved his father, in thee; Horus has not suffered thee to go away; 1633 Horus has not gone away from thee; Horus has avenged his father, in thee. 1633 Thou livest as the coleoptera (lives); thou endures, in Mendes. 1634 Isis and Nephthys protected thee in Si�t, 1634 even their lord in thee, in thy name of "Lord of Si�t"; 1634 even their god in thee, in thy name of "Divine canal"; 1635 they adored thee, so that thou shalt not (again) withdraw from them. 1635 Isis comes to thee rejoicing for love of thee; 1636 thy semen goes into her, while it is pointed like Sothis. 1636 Horus the pointed has come forth from thee, in his name of "Horus who was in Sothis." 1637 Thou art pleased with him, in his name of "Spirit who was in the dndr.w-boat"; 1637 Horus has avenged thee, in his name of "Horus, the son, who avenges his father."
Texts Of Miscellaneous Contents, Utterances 691-704 (697)
2169 To say: O N., the mouth of the earth opens for thee; Geb speaks to thee: 2169 "Thou art great like a king; thou art mighty like R`. 2170 Thou...
(697) 2169 To say: O N., the mouth of the earth opens for thee; Geb speaks to thee: 2169 "Thou art great like a king; thou art mighty like R`. 2170 Thou purifiest thyself in the lake of the jackal; thou cleansest thyself in the lake of the Dt." 2170 "Come in peace," say the Two Enneads to thee. 2170 The eastern door of heaven is open for thee by 'Imn-km. 2171a . Nut has given her arms to thee, N., she of the long hair, she of the hanging breasts; 2171 she lifts thee high to herself to heaven; she did not cast N. down to the earth. 2172 She gives thee birth, N., like S'h; 2172 she makes thee remain as chief of the two 'itr.t-palaces." 21 72 N. descends into the boat like R`, on the shores, of the Winding Watercourse. 2173 N. is transported by the indefatigables; 2173 N. commands the imperishable stars; 2173 N. is transported on the nti-ocean; 2173 N. takes the helm to the fields of . 2174 Thy messengers go; thy runners hasten. 2174 They say to R`: "Behold, N. is come; behold, N. is come in peace." 2175 Do not go by these water-courses of the west; 2175 those who go there, they do not come back. 2175 Go thou, N., by these water-courses of the east, 2175 among the Followers of [R`] 2175 ------ him who lifts up the arm in the east. 2175 -----------------------------------
The Sixth Valley the Valley of Astonishment and Bewilderment (2)
A king, whose empire stretched to the far horizons, had a daughter as beautiful as the moon. Before her loveliness even the fairies were abashed. Her...
(2) A king, whose empire stretched to the far horizons, had a daughter as beautiful as the moon. Before her loveliness even the fairies were abashed. Her dimpled chin resembled the well of Joseph, and the locks of her hair wounded a hundred hearts. Her eyebrows were twin bows, and when she loosed their arrows the space between sang her praise. Her eyes, languorous as the narcissus, threw thorns of her eyelashes in the path of the wise. Her face was as the sun when he took the moon's virginity. The Angel Gabriel could not tear his eyes from the pearls and rubies of her mouth. A smile of her
lips dried up the water of life in the beholder, who yet begged alms from these same lips. Whoever glanced at her chin fell headlong into a spring of bubbling water.
The king also had a slave, a youth, so handsome that the sun grew pale and the light of the moon diminished. When he walked in the streets and market-place crowds stopped to gaze at him.
By chance one day the princess saw this slave, and in a moment her heart slipped from her hand. Reason forsook her and love took possession. Her soul, sweet as Shirin, turned bitter. Withdrawing from her companions she mused, and musing and reflecting, began to burn. Then she called her ten young maids of honour. They were excellent musicians and played on the shawms and pipes; their voices wxre those of nightingales, and their singing, which tore the soul, was worthy of David. Gathering them around her she told them about her state, saying that she was ready to sacrifice her name, her honour, and her life for the love of this youth; for when one is deep in love one is good for nothing else. 'But,' she said, 'if I tell him of my love no doubt he will do something rash. If it becomes known that I have been intimate with a slave both he and I will suffer. On the other hand, if he does not possess me, I shall die lamenting behind the curtain of the harem. I have read a hundred books on patience and still I am without it. What can I do! I must find a way to enjoy the love of this slender cypress, so that the desire of my body shall accord with the longing of my soul - and this must be done without his knowing.'
Then the sweet-voiced maids said: 'Do not grieve. Tonight we will bring him here unknown to anyone, and even he will know nothing about it.'
Soon, one of the young girls went in secret to the slave and asked him, as if to play with him, to bring two cups of wine. Into one cup she threw a drug, contriving that he should drink it. He at once fell asleep, so that she was able
to carry out her plan, and the youth of the silver breast remained without news of the two worlds.
When night came the maids of honour went softly to where he lay and put him on a litter and carried him to the princess. Then they sat him on a golden throne and placed a coronet of pearls on his head. At midnight, still a little drugged, he opened his eyes and saw a palace as fair as paradise, and around him were golden seats. The place was lighted by ten great candles perfumed with amber, and sweet aloe wood burned in pans. The maidens began to sing, but in such sweet strains that reason bade farewell to the spirit, and the soul to the body. Then the sun of wine went round to the light of the candles. Bewildered with the joy of his surroundings and dazzled by the beauty of the princess, the youth lost his wits. He was no longer really in this world nor was he in the other. With a heart full of love, and a body possessed with desire, amid these delights he fell into a state of ecstasy. His eyes were fastened on her beauty and his ears to the sound of the reed pipes. His nostrils took in the perfume of amber and the wine in his mouth became like liquid fire. The princess kissed him, and he shed tears of joy while she mingled hers with his. Sometimes she pressed sweet kisses on his mouth, sometimes they were tinged with salt; sometimes she ruffled his long hair, sometimes she lost herself in his eyes. He possessed her; and so they passed the time until the dawn appeared in the East. When morning Zephyr breathed the young slave became sad; but they sent him to sleep again and took him back to his quarters.
When he of the silver breast came to himself, without knowing why, he began to weep. One might say the thing was finished, so what was the good of crying out. He tore his clothes, pulled his hair and put earth on his head. Those about him asked why he was doing this, and what had happened. He said: Ht is impossible to describe what I have
I
seen, no one else can ever see it except in a dream, for what has happened to me can never have happened to anyone before. Never was there a more astonishing mystery.'
Another said: 'Wake up, and tell us at least one of the hundred things that happened.' He replied: 'lam in a tumult because what I have seen has happened to me in another body. While hearing nothing I have heard everything, while seeing nothing I have seen everything.'
Another said: 'Have you lost your wits or have you just been dreaming?' 'Ah,' he said, 'I don't know if I was drunk or sober. What can be more puzzling than something which is neither revealed nor hidden. What I have seen I can never forget, yet I have no idea where it happened. For one whole night I revelled with a beauty who is without equal. Who and what she is I do not know. Only love remains, and that is all. But God knows the truth.'