Oracles

IN THE GREAT PYRAMID OF GHIZEH I67 mere nothing. But in me arose a peace profounder than Himalayan snows cooped in their crystalline ravines. I saw the ultimation of the one wise law. I stood in the King’s Chamber, by the tomb of slain Osiris, in the Pyramid and looked down the Great Gallery, deep, deep into the hollow of earth ; grand gloom burned royally therein ; I was well hid in the shadow ; here I realized myself to be in that sepulchral sleep wherein were mirrored all these things of mystery. So the long passage steeply sliding ever up to my feet where I stood in the emptiness ; at last a sure abiding only in absolute ceasing of all sense, and all perceived or understood or knowable ; thus, purple and intense, I beheld the past that leads to peace, from royal heights of mastery to sleep, from self-control imperial to an end, therefore I shaped the seven tiers of the ascending corridor into seven strokes of wisdom, seven harvests fair to reap from seven bitter sowings. Here ascend the armies of life’s universal war chasing the pious pilgrim. First, his sight grew adamant, sun-bright, so that he saw aright. Second, his heart was noble, that he would live ever unto good. Third, in his speech stood tokens of this will, so pitiful and pure he spake, nor ever from him brake woe-wingèd words, nor slaver of the snake. Fourth, in each noble act of life he taught crystalline vigour of thought, so in each deed he was aright ; well-wrought all the man’s work ; and fifth, this hero strife grew one with his whole life, so harmonized to the one after-end his every conscious and unconscious strain, his peace and pleasure and pain, his reflex life, his deepest-seated