The Fatal Force

Aleister Crowley

Description

This early work by Aleister Crowley was originally published in 1899. Born in Royal Leamington Spa, England in 1875, Crowley was raised by Christian fundamentalist parents. He attended Trinity College at Cambridge University, but left before graduating. After leaving the college, he devoted his time to studying the occult, and travelled extensively throughout the world in persuit of its secret knowledge. He went on to become a prolific writer, producing essays, prose and poetry on a wide range of subjects. To this day he remains a highly influential figure, both in occult circles and popular culture. Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900's and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions.

Sujets

• Aeon (Thelema)

Informations

• Publié par: Read Books Ltd.
• Date de parution: 21 octobre 2015
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781473377219
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

THE FATAL FORCE
By
ALEISTER CROWLEY

First published in 1899



Copyright © 2021 Obscure Press
This edition is published by Obscure Press, an imprint of Read & Co.
This book is copyright and may not be reproduced or copied in any way without the express permission of the publisher in writing.
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
Read & Co. is part of Read Books Ltd. For more information visit www.readandcobooks.co.uk


Contents
Aleis ter Crowley
THE FATAL FORCE
PEOPLE
THE FATAL FORCE




Aleister Crowley
Aleister Crowley was born in Royal Leamington Spa, England in 1875. Raised by Christian fundamentalist parents, he attended Trinity College at Cambridge University, but left before graduating. Upon leaving the college, he devoted his life to the occult, studying magic, qabalah, alchemy, tarot, and astrology. From 1900 onwards, Crowley travelled extensively, mainly in India and China. In 1904, while in Egypt, he produced one of his most popular works, The Book of the Law, and three years later he founded his ma gical order.
Throughout the rest of his life, Crowley was a prolific writer, producing essays, prose and poetry on a wide range of subjects. In 1913, he published Magick (Book 4), a lengthy examination of his belief system which draws on a vast range of sources and is regarded by many as his magnum opus. In his later years, Crowley became addicted to heroin and struggled with bankruptcy. He died in Hastings, England, aged 72. To this day he remains a highly influential figure, both in occult circles and popu lar culture.


THE FATAL FORCE [ 1 ]


1 This play deals with the effect of shattering all the solid bases of a young man's mind. Here we find him strong enough to win through. In the “Mother’s Tragedy” is a similar case with a weaker nature. It is well to note that in the former play the mother is evil; in the latter good. Hence also in part the tragedy. For a good mother is an affliction against which none by the strongest may strive. It is fortu nately rare.


“She In the habilments of the goddess Isis That day appeared.”
— Anthony and Cleopatra , i ii, 6, 16 , Shakespeare


“Stoop not down, for a precipice lieth beneath the earth, reached by a descending ladder which hath Seven Steps, and therein is established the throne of an evil and fatal force.”
— Psell. , 6; Pletho , 2, Zoroaster


PEOPLE
Ratoum , Queen of Egypt .
The Leper , her divorced husband .
Khomsu , their son (dead) .
S’afi, son of Khomsu and Ratoum.
The King of Syria.
Amenhatep, High Priest.
Chorus of Priests.
Soldiers of Egypt.
Syrian Troops.


THE FATAL FORCE
S’AFI.
WHY is thy back made stiff, unright eous priest,
Thy knee reluctant? Thine old eyes, grown blind,
Stare into silence, and b ehold no god
Longer. Thy forehead knows no reverence
Nor sign of worship. Or sits mutiny
Blasphemous on thy brows? For i n thine eyes
I see full knowledge, and some gli ttering fire
Lurks in the rheumy corners; ye a, some fire
Malignant, terrible — na y, pitiable,
Thou poor fool stricken wi th senility,
How spurred to passion? Yet beho ld thy god,
Horus, lest anger tak e benignancy
From his left hand and smite thee with h is strength.
Thou hearest? Nay, thou piti ful old man,
For I have loved thee. yet my godhead must
Get Worship. Anger not the god , but stoop,
My faithful priest, and worship at my feet.
AMENHATEP.
I am most miserable. But tru th must leap
In this tremendous moment f rom my lips,
Its long-shut barrier. For I pity thee
With my old heart’s whole pity. Tho u art young,
And beautiful, and proud, and dear to me,
Whom I have served thy life through. N ow that love
Demands a deadlier service — to speak truth.
Thou art not Horus, but a man as I.
CHORUS.
Thou art not Horus, but a m an. Thy life
Is not of the immortals, b ut, as ours,
Stands at the summons of the ho oded death.
S’AFI.
Speak! I have this much of a