Equinox I (04).pdf

44
THE EQUINOX
this dying dawn to the mystic land where stood the Great Tree
upon the topmost branches of which hung the Golden Fleece.
Long was he destined to travel, past Lemnos and
Samothrace, and through Colchis and the city of Æea. There,
as a second Jason, in the Temple of Hecate, in the grove of
Diana, under the cold rays of the Moon, was he to seal that
fearful pact, that pledge of fidelity to Medea, Mistress of
Enchantments. There was he to tame the two Bulls, whose
feet were of brass, whose horns were as crescent moons in the
night, and whose nostrils belched forth mingling columns of
flame and of smoke. There was he to harness them to that
plough which is made of one great adamantine stone; and with
it was he determined to plough the two acres of ground which
had never before been tilled by the hand of man, and sow the
white dragons’ teeth, and slay the armed multitude, that black
army of unbalanced forces which obscures the light of the sun.
And then, finally, was he destined to slay with the Sword of
Flaming Light that ever watchful Serpent which writhes in
silent Wisdom about the trunk of that Tree upon which the
Christ hangs crucified.
All these great deeds did he do, as we shall see. he tamed
the bulls with ease,—the White and the Black. He ploughed
the double field,—the East and the West. He sowed the
dragons’ teeth,—the Armies of Doubt; and among them did
he cast he stone of Zoroaster given to him by Medea, Queen
of Enchantments, so that immediately they turned their
weapons one against the other, and perished. And then lastly,
on the mystic cup of Iacchus he lulled to sleep the Dragon of
the illusions of life, and taking down the Golden Fleece
accomplished the Great Work. Then once again did he set