Post Lucum Part III

ϝάναξ and The Great Secret

J. Wayne Shaw

Nov 22, 2024

ϝάναξ1

When She had made an end to oracling

And to Herself retired, I awoke;2

The vision closed itself at length and I

Was left upon the solemn scene to muse.3

A’wond’ring at the brilliant personage

Of the most heav’nly potentate by Whom

I had been sprinkled over, I recalled

The course of Her divine commands to me.4

Enrapt’d in such a state I quiet stood;

What utterance and whence exordium

Should first of all I speak or seize upon?

‘Pon what discourse with tongue afloat to take?

What thanks and how shall I the goddess sing?5

Suspense entire did hold my staring mind

As motionless, intent, and fixed throughout.6

On me as such broke amber hue as fire.7

Like fire unquenched, like flame ascending up,

Fore’er and e’er, did anguish, pain, and guilt

Fill up my breast: at my own guilt alive.

Such gave me cause to shrink at His approach.8

Yea, I saw Him Who cannot be denied;9

To witness His advent is to behold

The final day upon you bearing down

As with a measured step, and this is He:

“This is my name: ‘tis Man of holiness,10

Apart from thee, and quite above, I stand.

And endless and eternal is my name,11

Ere thee was I and I know more than thee.12

‘Tis I thou shalt not test.13 But, if ye must,

Then make a trial of Me that ye may know14

By how much more intelligent I am;15

For Man of counsel is my name.”16 And I:

“O wherefore has She not remained with me

And my right hand to clasp in Hers as one

For truths to hear and voices to exchange?”17

He told of when She first had heard my cry:

“She hath not Thy behest forgot to Me;

For at my knee and chin She gave thy cause,18

‘If I be thy delight’ said She to Me,

Would thou honor my son who dureth not.’”19

“Think ye that She Her sucking child forgot?

That one, born of Her womb, She would forget?

And I as well can never thee forget-20

Thou hast sure place by fasten’d nail21 engraved

In filial palms22 of One besmeared upon.

As thou like Him becomes thou dost repent,

And claim on thee hath She, with Me appeased;

For I must exercise all My demands.”23

Then I: “If every pow’r is giv’n to you;

If all things with you are made possible,24

What then for suffering? What then for pain?

Or can ye not this bitter cup remove25

And draw us, as it were, by golden chain

To sit in your kingdom, and ne’er go out,26

And spare experience that giveth light?

I know you can do everything.”27 Then He:

“Would thou hear now what ardor stirs in Me:28

Ye ask if by a golden chain from heav’n,

With thou and all the world clinging thereto,

If I, when should I want and minded so,

Could draw the world to Me and thou as well?29

If yea, thou wouldst preclude experience,

And next sustain thy misery thereby;30

Why would ye seek out Justice yet unclean?”

“Thy Mother, Who was first to visit thee,

Woe’s come to She and pained and weary too

Over the wickedness in Her children.

Could She find rest and cleansing from that filth31

If I should thee bring forth before thy time?

Condemned art thou, by words and, yea, by works;

Darest thou now, in awful spotted state,

To look on Me without thy Mother’s claim?”32

“And stand ye must before my judgment bar

And for thy self be judged, if thou hast learned.”

Thus, feeling now ashamed eternally,

Acknowledging the justness of my judge,33

I fain would have a mountain on me fall.34

When next He called on me, as was His plan:

“Thy Mother’s claim is thine through One besmeared;35

As Him thou must become and this by Me.”

“For He is just, the One besmeared upon;

Tis by His sufferings thy way to Me

Is just; by His experience may thou

Thy Mother know and succor of Her claim.

Some falls, it must needs be, are means to rise

The happier;36 thus sight of misery,

With which th’ accuser threatened thee, long ye

To see, for necessary happiness.”37

And thus I saw that we, of godly breed,

T’avoid great errors, must the less commit.38

So confident but curious the more,

I sought of Him to know the cause of things,

And count myself felicitous thereby.39

“Tell me,” said I, “of Her and mine accuser.

And how shall I become as One besmeared?”

“Tis She,” said He, “by whom I know all things,”40

“And ‘tis by Her in Me I thee command:

Show not unto the world of thine accuser;41

A combination most abom’nable

And wicked in my sight formed he of old42

For naught but lust for gain.”43 “But who?” said I;

Then He: “Th’ accuser joined with Cain of whom

‘Twas said with wrath I loathe the suppliant.”

But, lo, this vision write before its end.44

The Great Secret

‘Twas Abel’s vanity th’ accuser saw:

“’Tis thee I always see, thou adamson,45

Seeking for favor on thyself from high;

And now ye search before and round the tents

Of he whose shepherd offspring dwell therein;46

Seek now ye him within whose sword’s asweat?47

So tell thy heart and learn from one who knows.”48

Then breathed the second son: “Is Cain within?”

“Whoe’er it is has rightly me discerned,49

Encircling now the path50 of one o’erborne,

Who has done so a grievous thing tonight,51

Thus willing have I yoked myself to know:

Why recently were found our slaughtered kine?”52

“Tis Cain ye think?” th’ accuser asked. Abel:

“His sword, yet crimson dight,53 did give him mark.”

Th’ accuser ‘gain: “It did and will again.”

With start did Abel seek: “And do you know

What’s gone before as well as what will be?54

‘Tis godly voice that pours from one unseen?”55

The hissed reply: “’Twas I who bent his wrath

And turned it ‘gainst thy flocks and herds.56 ‘Twas thee

He would have killed if not for me. ‘Pon him,

For this, is laid the guilt by everyone,57

The weight of which will drive the blood from him.”

That dismal prophecy did Abel prompt:

“What ill λόγος did force his hand to this,58

That made him ‘pon the flocks, or me, a curse?”59

And then th’ accuser gave: “His wrath at thee

Is simple jealousy; he sees thy days,

As idle with thy flocks, as riotous,

And of paternal substance but a waste.60

Thy offering, not his, was giv’n respect.”61

“Dost thou now see, thou second adamson?

Dost thou now see, in this, how great my strength?”62

Then Abel: “Yea, I see, but pity him;63

Although ‘twas I he meant to die tis he,

As men die most by other than mere death,64

And thou has married him to evil haze65

And made him less than real, a fleeting shade.”66

At this th’ accuser took a new effect:

“Hence never should ye overstep thy bounds,67

Lest thou upon the nauseous mind68 of Cain

Should look and share therein! Remember this:

A single day can sprawl or elevate

The lot of man.”69 With that th’ accuser fled.

And Abel knew: “’Twas not the heart of Cain

Alone that led him down the left hand path

But sickness by a god upon him sent.”70

Apart from all was Cain, within his tent.

His garments, once as snow, were scarlet shot71

With residue from taurine throat poured out;

Thereby, he thought, his self and kin aton’d72

For offering the fruit of Adam’s curse,73

Per spoken word74 from lighted messenger.75

Before his tent, as well as in his heart,

The LORD lay dead and sin was wandering.76

Within the veil, where blood his seat did spot,77

Did Cain pronounce a name: “O Light bearer,

O child of Justice, lone begot, do you

Yet stand by me?78 Again I call for you;

Is there no care for your confederate?”79

Th’ accuser came: “I hear; thou hast, I trust,

Thy self and sword in blood rebaptizéd?”80

He had, which marked his second covenant.

Th’ original compact was struck when Cain

Beheld to Abel, as to Adam, ‘ppeared

A heav’nly messenger.81 For many days

The herald spake of One besmeared by whom

Our penitence is consecrate for gain.82

To Cain th’ accuser came in masquerade

Of light83 and said, ‘believe it not,’ and Cain

Believed it not and loved him, not Justice.84

To Cain had said th’ accuser, “Thy father,

Yea, Justice gave the earth and for thy sake

The ground He blessed and thou must not withhold.85

As none shall kill in all His holy mount,86

Which He shall rear in latter days, I thee

Command: bear Him thy fruit as Adam did;

Not meet for penitence, but evidence,

That thou, as He, would learn of good and ill.”

When none of Justice’ love that offr’ing won

Cain to his god returned for further light:

Was by th’ accuser Cain would be endued;

Through blood he would put on his master’s mien.

So ‘gainst his brother’s flocks he put his sword;

Some throats he cut, some sides he tore.87 As well

As blows he evil speaking hurled, taught him

By one at once beyond and less than man.88

When Cain, within his tent, that name pronounced

And saw th’ accuser come, he thus replied:

“By taurine throat my sword and I are born;

See, my garments know thy blood.” Th’ accuser:

“Supposeth ye thou art my child?89 Behold,

There yet is water purer still, if thou

Desire’st yet to come into my fold,

And mine be called and make my burden light.”90

Then Cain: “You know that I love you.”91 Th’ accuser:

“Then swear thou by thy throat and tell it not,

Lest in the day ye do ye surely die!”92

Cain sware and sought: “From my own throat my blood

Ye would that I should spill?” Th’ accuser spake:

“Yea, thine own blood from other throat; I would

That not thy younger brother o’er us rule.93

I will that thou deliver Abel’s head.”94

Now, learn of me, as I from Justice learnt:

T’was at the peak of night, with lamps unlit,

Cain sought a serpent’s step and bore along

A sword with double edge, his serpent mouth.

Against those teeth She cast: “What dost thou seek?

Unbidden thou, at no angelic hest?”95

But Cain: “If, mother, you bore order to

The silence, may it order bear to you.”96

At this did Mercy cry: “Most miserable

Am I, that thus a man should speak to me

As he would never have before.97 Respect

Thine earthy parents and the gods above.

I now thee as a suppliant implore,

In Justice’ name and mine: betray Us not.”98

Then Cain: “No more to gods am I in debt;99

Behold, my father’s business I’m about.”100

And then She sought of him: “Why art thou wroth?

Tell, what has turned thy countenance from up?

In doing well be well-received; If not,

Then comes th’accuser who desireth thee.

If mine ye will not be then be thou his;

Be thou his king and by him lies beget.

Yea, be thou lost, who wast before the world.

Behold thy curse or choose ye penitence.”101

And Cain was wroth:102 “Now, darkness is my light!

The deepest pit is radiant to me!

So Take me, take me; be to me as home!

That goddess bears me torment unto death.”103

So Cain would walk no more in Mercy’s light.

He said: “If Abel, as the One besmeared,

Would be a Son Ahman, Mahan am I;104

For by his blood my gain is consecrate.”

There in the field where Cain did Abel slay,105

He gloried in the deed, said: “I am free;

And surely all is mine that once was his.”106

Then Justice spake to Cain: “Tell, what is this

That thou hast done? The blood of Abel cries

To me from Her ‘pon whom thou poured it out.107

Thus from Her I thee curse108 to never know

Her strength.”109 And, headlong Cain did fall and gush:110

“O how, unhappy goddess, is it so?

This message come to me? Am I the cause?111

By heav’n above and by thy throne therein,

And by the earth ‘pon which you rest your feet,

By sacred cities ruled by sacred kings,

And by my head and throat I swear,112 O Queen:

Unwillingly I left your light! A god

Constrained me then, as well now! Quem fugis?113

Sorely plead Cain with words that flowed and dropt:

“Will you now loathe a suppliant?” From such

She turned away and set her eyes aground,

Her face no longer changing at his cant;114

Herself She tore away and from him fled

Wither her consort, wherein Justice, was.115

To Justice Cain: “O’ermuch you punish me;116

O Eloi, why have you forsaken me?”117

“’Tis you,” said Cain, “who drives me from Her face!118

I, who once might have been your son belov’d;

Who might have shown my name significant?119

I am קַיִן120; by you said Eve:121‘קָנִ֥יתִי’.

A played on Word,122 no more, was I to you;

I will escape the goddess’ grievous wrath.123

I will go wither none are able to,124

And bury up deep my sword125 in curséd place.”

Apart from all was Cain, driven about

By guilt from everyone upon him cast;

Unto a place he came for pressing out

What kingly sonship might be smeared on him;

He sat, then went again and yonder prayed;126

Exceeding was his soul with sorrow full,

Still none would tarry there and watch with him.127

His sword he’d fixed in petrine earth, head down.

And thus we see, as Justice told to me,

The end of Cain who was th’ accuser’s child.128

Upon the sign by which he conquered not,

He forward went and fell upon his face;129

With fullest force th’ adamantine tooth

Bore through his chest and rose from out his back.130

With three days’ time he freed himself and rose;

And thus there was a mark upon him set.131

Then out from Cain went up a song ne’er heard,

As strange and fallen as its source, a weep;

Th’ accuser’s child bewailed132 his bleeding eye:

“O Queenly mother of us all, and You,

Who cannot be denied, see me, a god,

Now Paschal-made133 by You! Behold, ‘tis true,

By suffering alone are gods begot,

And weakness is the womb in which they grow.”

“’Twas not a two-edged sword that clave me thus,

‘Twas you, more sharp, and quick and powerful,

Who sundered me in joints and marrow both!”134

Then Mercy did to Justice turn and speak:

“’Tis clear he did it to himself; the sword

He fixed in earth and fell upon convicts.135

Let him not hence be seen but covered o’er,

That none behold the wound he gave himself.”136

And so spake Mercy from her golden seat,

And Cain was covered as by sooty cloud,

And livid, froze in ice that bares disgrace.137

And thus can plainly we discern138 that things

Most sweet by far turn sourest by their deeds;

That fester’d lilies smell far worse than weeds.139

As Justice spake of Cain and mine accuser;

So next I sought from Him to know of Her:

J. Wayne Shaw is a husband, father, latin teacher and veteran.

Artwork by Hannah Craig.

Post Lucum Part IV

J. Wayne Shaw

Nov 22

Read full story

Greek: “wa-nocks.” A title signifying lordship for gods or men.

Apul. Met. 11.7

William Wordsworth, Poetical Works 146

Apul. Met. 11.7

Apul. Met. 11.14

Dante, Paradiso 33:97-8

Ezek. 1:27

Mosiah 2:38

Jacob 6:10

Moses 7:35

Homer, Iliad 13:355

Luke 4:12; Deut. 6:16

Homer, Iliad 8:18

Abr. 3:19

Moses 7:35

Vergil, Aeneid 1:408-9

Homer, Iliad 1:500-1

Homer, Iliad 1:505-6

Isa. 49:15

Isa. 22:23

Isa. 49:16

Alma 42:24

Matt. 19:26, Mark 14:36

Mark 14:36

Alma 34:36

Job 42:2

Homer, Iliad 8:5-6

Homer, Iliad 8:19, 23-4

Alma 12:26

Moses 7:48

Alma 12:14

Alma 12:15

Alma 12:14

Alma 12:33

William Shakespeare, Cymbeline Act 4, Sc. 2

Samuel Johnson, Rasselas pg. 8

Alexander Pope, Essay on Criticism, 259-60

Vergil, Georgics, 2:490

2 Ne. 2:24

D&C 19:21

Ether 8:18

Ether 8:16

D&C 76:49

Sophocles, Ajax 1

Gen. 4:20

Sophocles, Ajax 10

Sophocles, Ajax 12-3

Sophocles, Ajax 18

Sophocles, Ajax 19

Sophocles, Ajax 21-2

Sophocles, Ajax 24-6

Sophocles, Ajax 29-30

Sophocles, Ajax 34-5

Sophocles, Ajax 15

Sophocles, Ajax 53

Sophocles, Ajax 28

Sophocles, Ajax 40

Sophocles, Ajax 42

Luke 15:12-3

Gen. 4:4

Sophocles, Ajax 118

Sophocles, Ajax 121

Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Aurora Leigh, p. 78

Sophocles, Ajax 123

Sophocles, Ajax 126

Sophocles, Ajax 127-8

Sophocles, Ajax 6

Sophocles, Ajax 131-2

Sophocles, Ajax 182-5

Isa. 1:18

Lev. 16:6; Moses 5:29

Gen. 3:17-9

D&C 129:8

2 Ne. 9:9

Lev. 16:9-10

Lev. 16:14

Sophocles, Ajax 91-2

Sophocles, Ajax 89-90

Sophocles, Ajax 94-5

Moses 5:6

2 Ne. 2:2

2 Cor. 11:14

Moses 5:13

Gen. 3:17

Isa. 11:9

Sophocles, Ajax 235-6

Sophocles, Ajax 243-4

Alma 54:11

Mosiah 18:8

John 21:15

Moses 5:29

1 Ne. 18:10

Mark 6:25

Sophocles, Ajax 284-90

Sophocles, Ajax 293

Sophocles, Ajax 410-1

Sophocles, Ajax 588

Sophocles, Ajax 589-90

Luke 2:49

Moses 5:22-25

Moses 5:26

Sophocles, Ajax 395-403

104

D&C 78:20; Moses 5:31

105

Gen. 4:8; Moses 5:32

106

Moses 5:33

107

Gen. 4:10; Moses 5:35

108

Gen. 4:11; Moses 5:36

109

Gen. 4:12; Moses 5:37

110

Acts 1:18

111

Vergil, Aeneid 6:456-8

112

Matt. 5:34-6

113

Vergil, Aeneid 6:460-3, 466. Latin: “kwem foo-gis.” “Whom do you flee?”

114

Vergil, Aeneid 6:469-70

115

Vergil, Aeneid 6:472-3

Gen. 4:13

Mark 15:34

Gen. 4:14

Sophocles, Ajax 430-1

120

Hebrew: “kai-yin.” Hebrew for Cain.

121

Gen. 4:1. Hebrew: “ka-nee-tee.” “I have gotten.”

122

John 1:1

123

Sophocles, Ajax 656

John 13:36

Alma 24:17

Matt. 26:36

Matt. 26:38

Alma 30:66

Matt. 26:39

Aeschylus, Prometheus Bound 64-5

131

Alma 3:10

132

Beowulf 782-8

133

Aeschylus, Prometheus Bound 90-2

134

D&C 6:2, 11:2, 12:2, 14:2, 33:1

135

Sophocles, Ajax 909-10

136

Sophocles, Ajax 915-6, 920

137

Dante, Inferno 32:34

138

Alma 24:30

139

William Shakespeare, Sonnet 94.13-4

Post Lucum Part III

ϝάναξ and The Great Secret

ϝάναξ1

The Great Secret

Post Lucum Part IV

Discussion about this post