The Star in the West

THE VIRGIN 63 The god has fallen , the god is caught , caught and bound in the lusts of the manhood he assumed . No Galilean is he to be crucified for his own or others ' sins , and he wins his freedom at the price of Charicles ' liberty. Nature breaks into a welcome chant of joy , the lovers are reunited , the men's praise is for Archais , and the eyes of the maidens are fixed on Charicles . The tale is nearly ended , the lovers wend their way through the joyous throng midst song and chorus , then from the lips of Archais rises : Light and dark are wed together Into golden weather : Sun and moon have kissed , and built Palaces star -gilt Whence a crystal stream of joy, love's eternal wine , is spilt. ' Such is one of the most pleasing of Aleister Crowley's poems ; touched by the genuine breath of adoration for the beautiful , a jewel set in fiery gold , a crimson sash embroidered with the pearls of the glowing orient ; Archais is one of the tenderest and most touching of women , wholly pure , not like Molly Tyson , who afterwards fell to the lot of a worldly old lecher. The rosy couch of her first fiery experience soon withered to a thorny briar bed , as it has for most of us . Her curse was a god's , Molly's Society's -poor Molly ! Charicles ' love was the love of the hurricane , which carries all before it, typhoonic ; he knew no fears , no bonds , he cursed the god who had defrauded him of his loved one ; and plunged un daunted into the ocean of adversity ; to win back their former state he sacrificed himself . He was no Sir Percy , flatulent with wind , who could not tell a harlot 1 The Tale of Archais , vol . i, p . 24 .