Household Gods

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The Project Gutenberg EBook of Household Gods, by Aleister Crowley
This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it,
give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at
www.gutenberg.net
Title: Household Gods
Author: Aleister Crowley
Release Date: November 14, 2004 [EBook #14040]
Language: English
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HOUSEHOLD GODS ***
Graphics and textual content produced by Lolaness.HOUSEHOLD GODS
A Comedy By Aleister Crowley
[Privately Printed in 1912]
TO LEILA WADDELL
SCENE
THE HEARTH OF CRASSUS; AFTERWARDS THE LAWNS, THE WOODS, THE LAKE, THE ISLE.
CHARACTERS
CRASSUS, a barbarian from Britain.
ADELA, his wife, a noble Roman lady.
ALICIA, a servant in the house.
A STATUE OF PAN.
A FAUN.HOUSEHOLD GODS
THE SCENE is at the hearth of CRASSUS, where is a little bronze altar dedicated to the Lares and Penates. A pale
flame rises from the burning sandal-wood, on which CRASSUS throws benzoin and musk. He is standing in deep
dejection.
CRASSUS.
Smoke without fire!
No thrill of tongues licks up
The offerings in the cup.
Dead falls desire.
Black smoke thou art,
O altar-flame, that dost dismember,
Devour the hearth, to leave no ember
To warm this heart.
I see her still -
Adela dancing here
Till dim gods did appear
To work our will.
The delicate girl!
Diaphanous gossamer
Subtly revealing her
Brave breast of pearl ...

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• Published by: chouz
• Published: 08 December 2010
• Reads: 44
• Language: English

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The Project Gutenberg EBook of Household Gods, by Aleister Crowley

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net

Title: Household Gods

Author: Aleister Crowley

Release Date: November 14, 2004 [EBook #14040]

Language: English

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HOUSEHOLD GODS ***

Graphics and textual content produced by Lolaness.

HOUSEHOLD GODS

A Comedy By Aleister Crowley

[Privately Printed in 1912]

TO LEILA WADDELL

SCENE

THEHEARTH OFCRASSUS; AFTERWARDS THELAWNS, THEWOODS, THELAKE, THEISLE.

CHARACTERS

CRASSUS, a barbarian from Britain. ADELA, his wife, a noble Roman lady. ALICIA, a servant in the house. A STATUE OF PAN. A FAUN.

HOUSEHOLD GODS THE SCENE is at the hearth of CRASSUS, where is a little bronze altar dedicated to the Lares and Penates. A pale flame rises from the burning sandal-wood, on which CRASSUS throws benzoin and musk. He is standing in deep dejection. CRASSUS. Smoke without fire!  No thrill of tongues licks up  The offerings in the cup. Dead falls desire. Black smoke thou art,  O altar-flame, that dost dismember,  Devour the hearth, to leave no ember To warm this heart. I see her still -  Adela dancing here  Till dim gods did appear To work our will. The delicate girl!  Diaphanous gossamer  Subtly revealing her Brave breast of pearl! Now - she's withdrawn  At dusk to the wild woods,  Mystic beatitudes That dure till dawn. Let life exclaim  Against these things of spirit,  Mankind that disinherit Of love's pure flame! [He bends before the altar and begins to weep.] Ye household gods!  By these male tears I swear  That ye shall grant this prayer. All things at odds Shall be put straight -  Harmonized, reconciled  By some appointed child Of some far Fate! [A curtain has been drawn aside during this invocation, and ALICIA advances. She smiles subtly upon him; and, giving a strange gesture, makes one or two noiseless steps of dancing.] ALICIA. Master still sad? CRASSUS. These faint and fearful shores  Of time are beaten by the surge of sense,  Love worn away - by love? - to indifference. Who knows what god - or demon - she adores?  Or in what wood she shelters, or what grove  Sees her profane our sacrament of love? ALICIA. I saw her follow The stream in the hollow Where never Apollo  Abides. So thick are the trees That never the breeze

CRASSUS. What will you then?

ALICIA. No gift from men. Of my own free will I give you wit, (O man so sorely in need of it!) And happiness; and the flame that hath dwindled On this dull hearth shall be rekindled. But this you must swear: To will, and to dare, To seek the spirit and slay the sense;  And for this hour  To give me power To lead you in silent obedience, Though I bade you fall on your sword….

CRASSUS. Yet at these secrets and riddles? Behold! I can fill thy lap with a harvest of gold.

ALICIA. Yet all the gold you could give to me Would fall at my feet when I rose to be free.

 Cd.e!om

Lighter of foot  Than a sylph or a fairy,  Sinuous, wary,  I passed from the airy Lawns, where the flute  Of the winds made tremulous music for man.

I followed the ripple  Of the stream; I crept  Where the waters wept -  The floss in the foss  Gurgling across  The bosses of moss, Like a dryad's nipple  In the mouth of Pan!

CRASSUS.  Enough! I give my life as I gave my love.

CRASSUS. Freedom is thine for the skill and the will.

ALICIA. The skill is mine - but the will lies still, Still as the earth that dare not stir Till the kiss of the sun awaken her!

CRASSUS. O pearl of the house! you came to the end?

ALICIA. The dusk of the slave, the dawn of a friend?

irt s'kcted etce ILA.AIC l !Oe ovu yovehaot n ces sti doof ter av hou . Yset noe  retsu dn oY u oo.d  nothavessed gue ea juslobtound a ,nesdna vaH y ir e ingle eyen its s raa dnd  ;e uB tef is dnkbateunmoa  sih nehW gnilbmes ve ir lo you now ki e ni L gmelb srt esse Wh   m,her  oitSt sr ph i nyme     n th slo p ooh di fti yrat satitabnh ilg eht stahw ,ne .es

su tewm mo ednh o fiT infay nlurstdit  nim ruoy o swohS d assigs ptranng s i amibgn hTni eg,s d teasse ptKehe t  ,egi sane fnahc pon it, and strarig ertas ewllu  htped ylio sti n iedayPl shfie ng ahodehs  hs T , siwtroumonsome s. S eris rtS ,lbaked eune easpofw om s esstm  ydl ,na dheart coikes my   eohelva ARSS em C . tarl US. Sand ess sselnoomneddih ,oucln  i nie Th d, hg't sno elfma eof pearl. ALICIA.  ehT tabpalft ;s ohe hwltsoolo a ead  US. L RASS ud. C oy,usu t Irtno ; ou . Y IAICAL l.ir g urt ot dlob era r, have st me; oen M d  yes oy uidiv USSS o; . N etcr RA ? C lats fo eht yrc  ays T wn wts oin iu  saesd ni L drem tighmia f  oomsdiw eht rof ;dluo what We w find it  eenev rw ka,ew wef ay m dre m I eaorf ht m;evodna  otr no t eBoy aehcy we Theot wre na smle e?swey dn aw lhe t thm ro n F swt rhwo ncaorss are these shado esia ARC . SUSS yhW . a o rfpeteecprd   dnA !wonk nac uo ceraer tsehe tby  ;htihgnn toeFrang yothiis nere   ssaorht sa p ewrtpoo:ich uge th f ri.e LA rbia nno rn this, ICIA. Lea ndfie  w ise if ! Lmaerd a l ekil , - whhis e seat w senkei hwtaev r outh tgh shemeumin r thgh si T ,to s and steps thatg elma iWtnyr ,la Un ue ssle inerblg eb edliwnimmht g  him. Ths to seet ehe eyo enh sa onupd Goo  nise rehT !uoy htiw to begears f st one O t rhnrlae ett eh al oregraht ht n eterweo ru t, N st o  fudts rOm to e e smallest speck nopu dnairb eht  wow k H in sto twe  a g ers' ,hwoleb not nk Of! Hehing c mote ,u knonnwll come F that sha afnumoht mor eht olsspf leabel w eh sarcnehb dnt er-bcopphat of t ettA .AICILA .hcee anf  n O aw dhe tnd lone Here, and sa wonhtni.g LACIAI    .                      w I n sa nto  ace Ihaliits  RCSA od.m  Ink US.S not  iowt as Lt. I thgina deklaw cilfireky yl ruo f.el reSu oft n  aht eirhg !l tIi  s  me, gir Mystify !imermo eots m  edrawill  ire W ng f keliea dled esav fles dnA ,  ew  era s to that sun's nit ehs nuebmai                   SUSSARC .         . wind l Of n it upo uauti  nw ihnms'

ICIA. My   lips! AL nisga  somtu hts pior lont hasca  morruoyipaef gn t smuden impound fimeco  gaflini erevn iorpco sno r siht ni .gnats  uohts'c la mna dchaste beatitude m sthtuotni ht owoe . S od doo  yes cneieha ohertnw  SSUS . CRA l! w . Gir ht hcuoT kcalb eofh utmo te,ov L i spid maerts eh treHe A.CILIA er homfrs ye eisflesmih egdelp , ! thCome Pan. to  gnel eat hhtorgu  cOfreyp ard esch ral sehcsessdna  under Ar , Stoop; w laek detim sew                         crsee Thi  ntes'ss H . aik are ere isseno kH .s ereaergrA tmite ul s R; eslyoni  nht eowdoaldn may a man Hide h gnw  eush va;sI  godWith ripsat g srae esehT .gnas erevl ir gnot ha elw ro!dusffreba ard An in  have he ILA ? .AIC  uoynaematWho  d ASCRS.SU fierson thancer re e en hTp iosia  sehe tommos ye e niw lla  rf dnA ;e s pour Than you c ers bult eosrrwo ettehah  bven eed namaerhT . ese It i ion. e res thcn eeverc ahhtta arfes  i wedix m eht htitanicsaf  animal scent. CRSAUS.S eY!st eher rengendi n  t Iesthym eros irec fO se oo,mrod oo m elg sh i hartterA bi ILA .emufrep ni u om sise erTh A.CI oYruh to fot erse wraps yo breath  e na!reveriaht ran te gln  Iisth ra uoy O F !riaf e e!arew B S.SUASCR ob'yht etu.h som e luappl hus  res T hT .A op enosi suo e  mkia . A ss CILI est  ooyru.s iGev  cheek comes clomy, opto s Ienwh oS .SUSSARC ].doohe wer t entThey  [                      ig N.   htsuoHfo e dna ehts home,  is Pan'uB thtsi puirhg;t cneH[           sha cili Athorefeltn hisw tikaser.]ghte lau siy uo rrttu T h  o l were lost. It  ym suoy    .ht      elAdtha  tatptem ,eh ssm re A !wove t. CR phan S. Ki ASSU af sihT t la ,ruov Di A.CILI angrI d  itiate Be the uninefrao  fi  sht e  hheroie  Fofe T atrht  enoerofeht  e imm th froains er G ! eus,yb tsti It n!ioat nusuortiv O .AICILA .erup