,,the ,,temptation    ,,of    ,,st4     
,,antony     ,,or1     ,a ,,revelation  
,,of ,,the ,,soul     ,,by    ,,gustave 
,,flaubert     ,,volume ,,vii4          
,,simon ,p4 ,,magee    ,,publisher      
,,chicago1 ,,ill4        ,,copyright1   
#aijd1 ,,by    ,m4 ,,walter ,,dunne     
,entered at ,stationers' ,hall1 ,london 
,,contents     ,,the ,,temptation ,,of  
,,st4 ,,antony      ,,chapter ,i4       
,,page     ,a ,,holy ,,saint            
#a     ,,chapter ,,ii4     ,,the        
,,temptation ,,of ,,love ,,and ,,power  
#af     ,,chapter ,,iii4     ,,the      
,,disciple1 ,,hilarion                  
#dj     ,,chapter ,,iv4     ,,the       
,,fiery ,,trial                         
#dh     ,,chapter ,v4     ,,all ,,gods1 
,,all ,,religions                       
#ii     ,,chapter ,,vi4     ,,the       
,,mystery ,,of ,,space                  
#adc     ,,chapter ,,vii4     ,,the     
,,chimera ,,and ,,the ,,sphinx          
#aea        ,,illustrations             
,,temptation ,,of ,,saint ,,antony      

,,facing ,,page     ,,do ,,not ,,resist1
 ,i ,,am ,,omnipotent6 7,see page #aeg7 
,frontispiece     ,,he ,,lets ,,go ,,the
 ,,torch ,,in ,,order ,,to ,,embrace    
,,the ,,heap                  #bf       
,the ,temptation of ,saint ,antony      
,illustration     ,,chapter ,i4  ,a     
,,holy ,,saint4   ,it is in the         
,thebaid1 on the heights of a mountain1 
where a platform1 shaped like a         
crescent1 is surrounded by huge stones4 
,the ,hermit's cell occupies the        
background4 ,it is built of mud and     
reeds1 flat-roofed and doorless4 ,inside
 are seen a pitcher and a loaf of black 
bread2 in the centre1 on a wooden       
support1 a large book2 on the ground1   
here and there1 bits of rush-work1 a mat
 or two1 a basket and a knife4  ,some   
ten paces or so from the cell a tall    
cross is planted in the ground2 and1 at 
the other end of the platform1 a gnarled
 old palm-tree leans over the abyss1 for
 the side of the mountain is scarped2   
and at the bottom of the cliff the ,nile

 swells1 as it were1 into a lake4  ,to  
right and left1 the view is bounded by  
the enclosing rocks2 but1 on the side of
 the desert1 immense undulations of a   
yellowish ash-colour rise1 one above and
 one beyond the other1 like the lines of
 a sea-coast2 while1 far off1 beyond the
 sands1 the mountains of the ,libyan    
range form a wall of chalk-like         
whiteness faintly shaded with violet    
haze4 ,in front1 the sun is going down4 
,towards the north1 the sky has a       
pearl-grey tint2 while1 at the zenith1  
purple clouds1 like the tufts of a      
gigantic mane1 stretch over the blue    
vault4 ,these purple streaks grow       
browner2 the patches of blue assume the 
paleness of mother-of-pearl4 ,the       
bushes1 the pebbles1 the earth1 now wear
 the hard colour of bronze1 and through 
space floats a golden dust so fine that 
it is scarcely distinguishable from the 
vibrations of light4  ,saint ,antony1   
who has a long beard1 unshorn locks1 and
 a tunic of goatskin1 is seated1        

cross-legged1 engaged in making mats4   
,no sooner has the sun disappeared than 
he heaves a deep sigh1 and gazing       
towards the horizon3  ,another day6     
,another day gone6 ,i was not so        
miserable in former times as ,i am now6 
,before the night was over1 ,i used to  
begin my prayers2 then ,i would go down 
to the river to fetch water1 and would  
reascend the rough mountain pathway1    
singing a hymn1 with the water-bottle on
 my shoulder4 ,after that1 ,i used to   
amuse myself by arranging everything in 
my cell4 ,i used to take up my tools1   
and examine the mats1 to see whether    
they were evenly cut1 and the baskets1  
to see whether they were light2 for it  
seemed to me then that even my most     
trifling acts were duties which ,i      
performed with ease4 ,at regulated hours
 ,i left off my work and prayed1 with my
 two arms extended4 ,i felt as if a     
fountain of mercy were flowing from     
,heaven above into my heart4 ,but now it
 is dried up4 ,why is this8 444  ,he    

proceeds slowly into the rocky          
enclosure4  ,when ,i left home1 everyone
 found fault with me4 ,my mother sank   
into a dying state2 my sister1 from a   
distance1 made signs to me to come back2
 and the other one wept1 ,ammonaria1    
that child whom ,i used to meet every   
evening1 beside the cistern1 as she was 
leading away her cattle4 ,she ran after 
me4 ,the rings on her feet glittered in 
the dust1 and her tunic1 open at the    
hips1 fluttered in the wind4 ,the old   
ascetic who hurried me from the spot    
addressed her1 as we fled1 in loud and  
menacing tones4 ,then our two camels    
kept galloping continuously1 till at    
length every familiar object had        
vanished from my sight4  ,at first1 ,i  
selected for my abode the tomb of one of
 the ,pharaohs4 ,but some enchantment   
surrounds those subterranean palaces1   
amid whose gloom the air is stifled with
 the decayed odour of aromatics4 ,from  
the depths of the sarcophagi ,i heard a 
mournful voice arise1 that called me by 

name--or rather1 as it seemed to me1 all
 the fearful pictures on the walls      
started into hideous life4 ,then ,i fled
 to the borders of the ,red ,sea into a 
citadel in ruins4 ,there ,i had for     
companions the scorpions that crawled   
amongst the stones1 and1 overhead1 the  
eagles who were continually whirling    
across the azure sky4 ,at night1 ,i was 
torn by talons1 bitten by beaks1 or     
brushed with light wings2 and horrible  
demons1 yelling in my ears1 hurled me to
 the earth4 ,at last1 the drivers of a  
caravan1 which was journeying towards   
,alexandria1 rescued me1 and carried me 
along with them4  ,after this1 ,i became
 a pupil of the venerable ,didymus4     
,though he was blind1 no one equalled   
him in knowledge of the ,scriptures4    
,when our lesson was ended1 he used to  
take my arm1 and1 with my aid1 ascend   
the ,panium1 from whose summit could be 
seen the ,pharos and the open sea4 ,then
 we would return home1 passing along the
 quays1 where we brushed against men of 

every nation1 including the ,cimmerians1
 clad in bearskin1 and the              
,gymnosophists of the ,ganges1 who smear
 their bodies with cow-dung4 ,there were
 continual conflicts in the streets1    
some of which were caused by the ,jews' 
refusal to pay taxes1 and others by the 
attempts of the seditious to drive out  
the ,romans4 ,besides1 the city is      
filled with heretics1 the followers of  
,manes1 of ,valentinus1 of ,basilides1  
and of ,arius1 all of them eagerly      
striving to discuss with you points of  
doctrine and to convert you to their    
views4  ,their discourses sometimes come
 back to my memory2 and1 though ,i try  
not to dwell upon them1 they haunt my   
thoughts4  ,i next took refuge in       
,colzin1 and1 when ,i had undergone a   
severe penance1 ,i no longer feared the 
wrath of ,god4 ,many persons gathered   
around me1 offering to become           
anchorites4 ,i imposed on them a rule of
 life in antagonism to the vagaries of  
,gnosticism and the sophistries of the  

philosophers4 ,communications now       
reached me from every quarter1 and      
people came a great distance to see me4 
,meanwhile1 the populace continued to   
torture the confessors2 and ,i was led  
back to ,alexandria by an ardent thirst 
for martyrdom4 ,i found on my arrival   
that the persecution had ceased three   
days before4 ,just as ,i was returning1 
my path was blocked by a great crowd in 
front of the ,temple of ,serapis4 ,i was
 told that the ,governor was about to   
make one final example4 ,in the centre  
of the portico1 in the broad light of   
day1 a naked woman was fastened to a    
pillar1 while two soldiers were         
scourging her4 ,at each stroke her      
entire frame writhed4 ,suddenly1 she    
cast a wild look around1 her trembling  
lips parted2 and1 above the heads of the
 multitude1 her figure wrapped1 as it   
were1 in her flowing hair1 methought ,i 
recognised ,ammonaria4 444 ,yet this one
 was taller--and beautiful1 exceedingly6
  ,he draws his hand across his brow4   

,no6 no6 ,i must not think upon it6  ,on
 another occasion1 ,athanasius asked me 
to assist him against the ,arians4 ,at  
that time1 they had confined themselves 
to attacking him with invectives and    
ridicule4 ,since then1 however1 he has  
been calumniated1 deprived of his see1  
and banished4 ,where is he now8 ,i know 
not6 ,people concern themselves so      
little about bringing me any news6 ,all 
my disciples have abandoned me1         
,hilarion like the rest4  ,he was1      
perhaps1 fifteen years of age when he   
came to me1 and his mind was so much    
filled with curiosity that every moment 
he was asking me questions4 ,then he    
would listen with a pensive air2 and1   
without a murmur1 he would run to fetch 
whatever ,i wanted--more nimble than a  
kid1 and gay enough1 moreover1 to make  
even a patriarch laugh4 ,he was a son to
 me6  ,the sky is red2 the earth        
completely dark4 ,agitated by the wind1 
clouds of sand rise1 like               
winding-sheets1 and then fall again4    

,all at once1 in a clear space in the   
heavens1 a flock of birds flits by1     
forming a kind of triangular battalion1 
resembling a piece of metal with its    
edges alone vibrating4  ,antony glances 
at them4  ,ah6 how ,i should like to    
follow them6 ,how often1 too1 have ,i   
not wistfully gazed at the long boats   
with their sails resembling wings1      
especially when they bore away those who
 had been my guests6 ,what happy times  
,i used to have with them6 ,what        
outpourings6 ,none of them interested me
 more than ,ammon4 ,he described to me  
his journey to ,rome1 the ,catacombs1   
the ,coliseum1 the piety of illustrious 
women1 and a thousand other things4 ,and
 yet ,i was unwilling to go away with   
him6 ,how came ,i to be so obstinate in 
clinging to this solitary life8 ,it     
might have been better for me had ,i    
stayed with the monks of ,nitria when   
they besought me to do so4 ,they occupy 
separate cells1 and yet communicate with
 one another4 ,on ,sunday the trumpet   

calls them to the church1 where you may 
see three whips hung up1 which are      
reserved for the punishment of thieves  
and intruders1 for they maintain very   
severe discipline4  ,nevertheless1 they 
do not stand in need of gifts1 for the  
faithful bring them eggs1 fruit1 and    
even instruments for removing thorns    
from their feet4 ,there are vineyards   
around ,pisperi1 and those of ,pabenum  
have a raft1 in which they go forth to  
seek provisions4  ,but ,i should have   
served my brethren more effectually by  
being a simple priest4 ,i might succour 
the poor1 administer the sacraments1 and
 guard the purity of domestic life4     
,besides1 all the laity are not lost1   
and there was nothing to prevent me from
 being1 for example1 a grammarian or a  
philosopher4 ,i should have had in my   
room a sphere made of reeds1 tablets    
always in my hand1 young people around  
me1 and a crown of laurel suspended as  
an emblem over my door4  ,but there is  
too much pride in such triumphs6 ,better

 be a soldier4 ,i was strong and        
courageous enough to manage engines of  
war1 to traverse gloomy forests1 or1    
with helmet on head1 to enter smoking   
cities4 ,more than this1 there would be 
nothing to hinder me from purchasing    
with my earnings the office of          
toll-keeper of some bridge1 and         
travellers would relate to me their     
histories1 pointing out to me heaps of  
curious objects which they had stowed   
away in their baggage4  ,on festival    
days the merchants of ,alexandria sail  
along the ,canopic branch of the ,nile  
and drink wine from cups of lotus1 to   
the sound of tambourines1 which make all
 the taverns near the river shake4      
,beyond1 trees1 cut cone-fashion1       
protect the peaceful farmsteads against 
the south wind4 ,the roof of each house 
rests on slender columns running close  
to one another1 like the framework of a 
lattice1 and1 through these spaces1 the 
owner1 stretched on a long seat1 can    
gaze out upon his grounds and watch his 

servants thrashing corn or gathering in 
the vintage1 and the cattle trampling on
 the straw4 ,his children play along the
 grass2 his wife bends forward to kiss  
him4  ,through the deepening shadows of 
the night pointed snouts reveal         
themselves here and there with ears     
erect and glittering eyes4 ,antony      
advances towards them4 ,scattering the  
wind in their wild rush1 the animals    
take flight4 ,it was a troop of jackals4
  ,one of them remains behind1 and1     
resting on two paws1 with his body bent 
and his head on one side1 he places     
himself in an attitude of defiance4     
,how pretty he looks6 ,i should like to 
pass my hand softly over his back4      
,antony whistles to make him come near4 
,the jackal disappears4  ,ah6 he is gone
 to join his fellows4 ,oh6 this         
solitude6 this weariness6  ,laughing    
bitterly3  ,this is such a delightful   
life--to twist palm branches in the fire
 to make shepherds' crooks1 to turn out 
baskets and fasten mats together1 and   

then to exchange all this handiwork with
 the ,nomads for bread that breaks your 
teeth6 ,ah6 wretched me6 will there     
never be an end of this8 ,but1 indeed1  
death would be better6 ,i can bear it no
 longer6 ,enough6 ,enough6  ,he stamps  
his foot1 and makes his way through the 
rocks with rapid step1 then stops1 out  
of breath1 bursts into sobs1 and flings 
himself upon the ground4  ,the night is 
calm2 millions of stars are trembling in
 the sky4 ,no sound is heard save the   
chattering of the tarantula4  ,the two  
arms of the cross cast a shadow on the  
sand4 ,antony1 who is weeping1 perceives
 it4  ,am ,i so weak1 my ,god8 ,courage6
 ,let us arise6  ,he enters his cell1   
finds there the embers of a fire1 lights
 a torch1 and places it on the wooden   
stand1 so as to illumine the big book4  
,suppose ,i take--the ',acts of the     
,apostles'--yes1 no matter where6  ',he 
saw the sky opened with a great linen   
sheet which was let down by its four    
corners1 wherein were all kinds of      

terrestrial animals and wild beasts1    
reptiles and birds4 ,and a voice said to
 him3 ,arise1 ,peter6 ,kill and eat6'   
,so1 then1 the ,lord wished that ,his   
apostle should eat every kind of food8  
444 whilst ,i 444  ,antony lets his chin
 sink on his breast4 ,the rustling of   
the pages1 which the wind scatters1     
causes him to lift his head1 and he     
reads3  ',the ,jews slew all their      
enemies with swords1 and made a great   
carnage of them1 so that they disposed  
at will of those whom they hated4'      
,there follows the enumeration of the   
people slain by them--seventy-five      
thousand4 ,they had endured so much6    
,besides1 their enemies were the enemies
 of the true ,god4 ,and how they must   
have enjoyed their vengeance1 completely
 slaughtering the idolaters6 ,no doubt  
the city was gorged with the dead6 ,they
 must have been at the garden gates1 on 
the staircases1 and packed so closely   
together in the various rooms that the  
doors could not be closed6 ,but here am 

,i plunging into thoughts of murder and 
bloodshed6  ,he opens the book at       
another passage4  ',nebuchadnezzar      
prostrated himself with his face on the 
ground and adored ,daniel4'  ,ah6 that  
is good6 ,the ,most ,high exalts ,his   
prophets above kings4 ,this monarch     
spent his life in feasting1 always      
intoxicated with sensuality and pride4  
,but ,god1 to punish him1 changed him   
into a beast1 and he walked on four     
paws6  ,antony begins to laugh2 and1    
while stretching out his arms1          
disarranges the leaves of the book with 
the tips of his fingers4 ,then his eyes 
fall on these words3  ',ezechias felt   
great joy in coming to them4 ,he showed 
them his perfumes1 his gold and silver1 
all his aromatics1 his sweet-smelling   
oils1 all his precious vases1 and the   
things that were in his treasures4'  ,i 
can imagine how they beheld1 heaped up  
to the very ceiling1 gems1 diamonds1    
darics4 ,a man who possesses such an    
accumulation of these things is not the 

same as others4 ,while handling them1 he
 assumes that he holds the result of    
innumerable exertions1 and that he has  
absorbed1 and can again diffuse1 the    
very life of the people4 ,this is a     
useful precaution for kings4 ,the wisest
 of them all was not wanting in it4 ,his
 fleets brought him ivory--and apes4    
,where is this8 ,it is----  ,he rapidly 
turns over the leaves4  ,ah6 this is the
 place3  ',the ,queen of ,sheba1 being  
aware of the glory of ,solomon1 came to 
tempt him1 propounding enigmas4'  ,how  
did she hope to tempt him8 ,the ,devil  
was very desirous to tempt ,jesus4 ,but 
,jesus triumphed because ,he was ,god1  
and ,solomon owing1 perhaps1 to his     
magical science4 ,it is sublime1 this   
science2 for--as a philosopher has      
explained to me--the world forms a      
whole1 all whose parts have an influence
 on one another1 like the different     
organs of a single body4 ,it is         
interesting to understand the affinities
 and antipathies implanted in everything

 by ,nature1 and then to put them into  
play4 ,in this way one might be able to 
modify laws that appear to be           
unchangeable4  ,at this point the two   
shadows traced behind him by the arms of
 the cross project themselves in front  
of him4 ,they form1 as it were1 two     
great horns4 ,antony exclaims3  ,help1  
my ,god6  ,the shadows resume their     
former position4  ,ah6 it was an        
illusion--nothing more4 ,it is useless  
for me to torment my soul1 ,i have no   
need to do so--absolutely no need6  ,he 
sits down and crosses his arms4  ,and   
yet methought ,i felt the approach 444  
,but why should he come8 ,besides1 do ,i
 not know his artifices8 ,i have        
repelled the monstrous anchorite who1   
with a laugh1 offered me little hot     
loaves2 the centaur who tried to take me
 on his back2 and that vision of a      
beautiful dusky maid amid the sands1    
which revealed itself to me as the      
spirit of voluptuousness4  ,antony walks
 up and down rapidly4  ,it is by my     

direction that all these holy retreats  
have been built1 full of monks wearing  
hair-cloths beneath their goatskins1 and
 numerous enough to furnish forth an    
army4 ,i have healed diseases at a      
distance4 ,i have banished demons4 ,i   
have waded through the river in the     
midst of crocodiles4 ,the ,emperor      
,constantine has written me three       
letters2 and ,balacius1 who treated with
 contempt the letter ,i sent him1 has   
been torn by his own horses4 ,the people
 of ,alexandria1 whenever ,i reappeared 
amongst them1 fought to get a glimpse of
 me2 and ,athanasius was my guide when  
,i took my departure4 ,but what toils1  
too1 ,i have had to undergo6 ,here1 for 
more than thirty years1 have ,i been    
constantly groaning in the desert6 ,i   
have carried on my loins eighty pounds  
of bronze1 like ,eusebius2 ,i have      
exposed my body to the stings of        
insects1 like ,macarius2 ,i have        
remained fifty-three nights without     
closing an eye1 like ,pachomius2 and    

those who are decapitated1 torn with    
pincers1 or burnt1 possess less virtue1 
perhaps1 inasmuch as my life is a       
continual martyrdom6  ,antony slackens  
his pace4  ,certainly there is no one   
who undergoes so much mortification4    
,charitable hearts are growing fewer1   
and people never give me anything now4  
,my cloak is worn out1 and ,i have no   
sandals1 nor even a porringer2 for ,i   
gave all my goods and chattels to the   
poor and my own family1 without keeping 
a single obolus for myself4 ,should ,i  
not need a little money to get the tools
 that are indispensable for my work8    
,oh6 not much--a little sum6 444 ,i     
would husband it4  ,the ,fathers of     
,nicaea were ranged in purple robes on  
thrones along the wall1 like the ,magi2 
and they were entertained at a banquet1 
while honours were heaped upon them1    
especially on ,paphnutius1 merely       
because he has lost an eye and is lame  
since ,dioclesian's persecution6 ,many a
 time the ,emperor has kissed his       

injured eye4 ,what folly6 ,moreover1 the
 ,council had such worthless members6   
,theophilus1 a bishop of ,scythia2      
,john1 another1 in ,persia2 ,spiridion1 
a cattle-drover4 ,alexander was too old4
 ,athanasius ought to have made himself 
more agreeable to the ,arians in order  
to get concessions from them6  ,how is  
it they dealt with me8 ,they would not  
even give me a hearing6 ,he who spoke   
against me--a tall young man with a     
curling beard--coolly launched out      
captious objections2 and while ,i was   
trying to find words to reply to him1   
they kept looking at me with malignant  
glances1 barking at me like hyenas4 ,ah6
 if ,i could only get them all sent into
 exile by the ,emperor1 or rather smite 
them1 crush them1 behold them suffering4
 ,i have much to suffer myself6  ,he    
sinks swooning against the wall of his  
cell4  ,this is what it is to have      
fasted overmuch6 ,my strength is going4 
,if ,i had eaten1 only once1 a morsel of
 meat6  ,he half-closes his eyes        

languidly4  ,ah6 for some red flesh 444 
a bunch of grapes to nibble1 some curds 
that would quiver on a plate6  ,but what
 ails me now8 ,what ails me now8 ,i feel
 my heart dilating like the sea when it 
swells before the storm4 ,an            
overwhelming weakness bows me down1 and 
the warm atmosphere seems to waft       
towards me the odour of hair4 ,still1   
there is no trace of a woman here4  ,he 
turns towards the little pathway amid   
the rocks4  ,this is the way they come1 
poised in their litters on the black    
arms of eunuchs4 ,they descend1 and1    
joining together their hands1 laden with
 rings1 they kneel down4 ,they tell me  
their troubles4 ,the need of a          
superhuman voluptuousness tortures them4
 ,they would like to die2 in their      
dreams they have seen gods who called   
them by name2 and the edges of their    
robes fall round my feet4 ,i repel them4
 ',oh6 no1' they say to me1 'not yet6   
,what must ,i do8' ,any penance will    
appear easy to them4 ,they ask me for   

the most severe3 to share in my own1 to 
live with me4  ,it is a long time now   
since ,i have seen any of them6         
,perhaps1 though1 this is what is about 
to happen8 ,and why not8 ,if suddenly ,i
 were to hear the mule-bells ringing in 
the mountains4 ,it seems to me 444      
,antony climbs upon a rock1 at the      
entrance of the path1 and bends forward1
 darting his eyes into the darkness4    
,yes6 down there1 at the very end1 there
 is a moving mass1 like people who are  
trying to pick their way4 ,here it is6  
,they are making a mistake4  ,calling   
out3  ,on this side6 ,come6 ,come6  ,the
 echo repeats3  ,come6 ,come6  ,he lets 
his arms fall down1 quite dazed4  ,what 
a shame6 ,ah6 poor ,antony6  ,and       
immediately he hears a whisper3  ,poor  
,antony4  ,is that anyone8 ,answer6  ,it
 is the wind passing through the spaces 
between the rocks that causes these     
intonations1 and in their confused      
sonorities he distinguishes voices1 as  
if the air were speaking4 ,they are low 

and insinuating1 a kind of sibilant     
utterance3  ,the first--,do you wish for
 women8  ,the second--,nay2 rather great
 piles of money4  ,the third--,a shining
 sword4  ,the others--,all the people   
admire you4  ,go to sleep4  ,you will   
cut their throats4 ,yes6 you will cut   
their throats4  ,at the same time1      
visible objects undergo a               
transformation4 ,on the edge of the     
cliff1 the old palm-tree1 with its      
cluster of yellow leaves1 becomes the   
torso of a woman leaning over the abyss1
 and poised by her mass of hair4        
,antony re-enters his cell1 and the     
stool which sustains the big book1 with 
its pages filled with black letters1    
seems to him a bush covered with        
swallows4  ,without doubt1 it is the    
torch that is making this play of light4
 ,let us put it out6  ,he puts it out1  
and finds himself in profound darkness4 
,and1 suddenly1 through the midst of the
 air1 passes first1 a pool of water1    
then a prostitute1 the corner of a      

temple1 a figure of a soldier1 and a    
chariot with two white horses prancing4 
,these images make their appearance     
abruptly1 in successive shocks1 standing
 out from the darkness like pictures of 
scarlet above a background of ebony4    
,their motion becomes more rapid2 they  
pass in a dizzy fashion4 ,at other times
 they stop1 and1 growing pale by        
degrees1 dissolve--or1 rather1 they fly 
away1 and instantly others arrive in    
their stead4  ,antony droops his        
eyelids4  ,they multiply1 surround1     
besiege him4 ,an unspeakable terror     
seizes hold of him1 and he no longer has
 any sensation but that of a burning    
contraction in the epigastrium4 ,in     
spite of the confusion of his brain1 he 
is conscious of a tremendous silence    
which separates him from all the world4 
,he tries to speak2 impossible6 ,it is  
as if the link that bound him to        
existence was snapped2 and1 making no   
further resistance1 ,antony falls upon  
the mat4     ,,chapter ,,ii4  ,,the     

,,temptation ,,of ,,love ,,and ,,power4 
,then1 a great shadow--more subtle than 
an ordinary shadow1 from whose borders  
other shadows hang in festoons--traces  
itself upon the ground4  ,it is the     
,devil1 resting against the roof of the 
cell and carrying under his wings--like 
a gigantic bat that is suckling its     
young--the ,seven ,deadly ,sins1 whose  
grinning heads disclose themselves      
confusedly4  ,antony1 his eyes still    
closed1 remains languidly passive1 and  
stretches his limbs upon the mat1 which 
seems to him to grow softer every       
moment1 until it swells out and becomes 
a bed2 then the bed becomes a shallop1  
with water rippling against its sides4  
,to right and left rise up two necks of 
black soil that tower above the         
cultivated plains1 with a sycamore here 
and there4 ,a noise of bells1 drums1 and
 singers resounds at a distance4 ,these 
are caused by people who are going down 
from ,canopus to sleep at the ,temple of
 ,serapis4 ,antony is aware of this1 and

 he glides1 driven by the wind1 between 
the two banks of the canal4 ,the leaves 
of the papyrus and the red blossoms of  
the water-lilies1 larger than a man1    
bend over him4 ,he lies extended at the 
bottom of the vessel4 ,an oar from      
behind drags through the water4 ,from   
time to time rises a hot breath of air  
that shakes the thin reeds4 ,the murmur 
of the tiny waves grows fainter4 ,a     
drowsiness takes possession of him4 ,he 
dreams that he is an ,egyptian          
,solitary4  ,then he starts up all of a 
sudden4  ,have ,i been dreaming8 ,it was
 so pleasant that ,i doubted its        
reality4 ,my tongue is burning6 ,i am   
thirsty6  ,he enters his cell and       
searches about everywhere at random4    
,the ground is wet6 ,has it been        
raining8 ,stop6 ,scraps of food6 ,my    
pitcher broken6 ,but the water-bottle8  
,he finds it4  ,empty1 completely empty6
 ,in order to get down to the river1 ,i 
should need three hours at least1 and   
the night is so dark ,i could not see   

well enough to find my way there4 ,my   
entrails are writhing4 ,where is the    
bread8  ,after searching for some time  
he picks up a crust smaller than an egg4
  ,how is this8 ,the jackals must have  
taken it1 curse them6  ,and he flings   
the bread furiously upon the ground4    
,this movement is scarcely completed    
when a table presents itself to view1   
covered with all kinds of dainties4 ,the
 table-cloth of byssus1 striated like   
the fillets of sphinxes1 seems to unfold
 itself in luminous undulations4 ,upon  
it there are enormous quarters of       
flesh-meat1 huge fishes1 birds with     
their feathers1 quadrupeds with their   
hair1 fruits with an almost natural     
colouring2 and pieces of white ice and  
flagons of violet crystal shed glowing  
reflections4 ,in the middle of the table
 ,antony observes a wild boar smoking   
from all its pores1 its paws beneath its
 belly1 its eyes half-closed--and the   
idea of being able to eat this          
formidable animal rejoices his heart    

exceedingly4 ,then1 there are things he 
had never seen before--black hashes1    
jellies of the colour of gold1 ragouts1 
in which mushrooms float like           
water-lilies on the surface of a pool1  
whipped creams1 so light that they      
resemble clouds4  ,and the aroma of all 
this brings to him the odour of the     
ocean1 the coolness of fountains1 the   
mighty perfume of woods4 ,he dilates his
 nostrils as much as possible2 he       
drivels1 saying to himself that there is
 enough there to last for a year1 for   
ten years1 for his whole life6  ,in     
proportion as he fixes his wide-opened  
eyes upon the dishes1 others accumulate1
 forming a pyramid1 whose angles turn   
downwards4 ,the wines begin to flow1 the
 fishes to palpitate2 the blood in the  
dishes bubbles up2 the pulp of the      
fruits draws nearer1 like amorous lips2 
and the table rises to his breast1 to   
his very chin--with only one seat and   
one cover1 which are exactly in front of
 him4  ,he is about to seize the loaf of

 bread4 ,other loaves make their        
appearance4  ,for me6 444 all6 but----  
,antony draws back4  ,in the place of   
the one which was there1 here are       
others6 ,it is a miracle1 then1 exactly 
like that the ,lord performed6 444 ,with
 what object8 ,nay1 all the rest of it  
is not less incomprehensible6 ,ah6      
demon1 begone6 begone6  ,he gives a kick
 to the table4 ,it disappears4  ,nothing
 more8 ,no6  ,he draws a long breath4   
,ah6 the temptation was strong4 ,but    
what an escape ,i have had6  ,he raises 
up his head1 and stumbles against an    
object which emits a sound4  ,what can  
this be8  ,antony stoops down4  ,hold6  
,a cup6 ,someone must have lost it while
 travelling--nothing extraordinary6---- 
,he wets his finger and rubs4  ,it      
glitters6 ,precious metal6 ,however1 ,i 
cannot distinguish----  ,he lights his  
torch and examines the cup4  ,it is made
 of silver1 adorned with ovolos at its  
rim1 with a medal at the bottom4  ,he   
makes the medal resound with a touch of 

his finger-nail4  ,it is a piece of     
money which is worth from seven to eight
 drachmas--not more4 ,no matter6 ,i can 
easily with that sum get myself a       
sheepskin4  ,the torch's reflection     
lights up the cup4  ,it is not possible6
 ,gold6 yes1 all gold6  ,he finds       
another piece1 larger than the first1 at
 the bottom1 and1 underneath that many  
others4  ,why1 here's a sum large enough
 to buy three cows--a little field6     
,the cup is now filled with gold pieces4
  ,come1 then6 a hundred slaves1        
soldiers1 a heap wherewith to buy----   
,here the granulations of the cup's rim1
 detaching themselves1 form a pearl     
necklace4  ,with this jewel here1 one   
might even win the ,emperor's wife6     
,with a shake ,antony makes the necklace
 slip over his wrist4 ,he holds the cup 
in his left hand1 and with his right arm
 raises the torch to shed more light    
upon it4 ,like water trickling down from
 a basin1 it pours itself out in        
continuous waves1 so as to make a       

hillock on the sand--diamonds1          
carbuncles1 and sapphires mingled with  
huge pieces of gold bearing the effigies
 of kings4  ,what8 ,what8 ,staters1     
shekels1 darics1 aryandics6 ,alexander1 
,demetrius1 the ,ptolemies1 ,caesar6    
,but each of them had not as much6      
,nothing impossible in it6 ,more to     
come6 ,and those rays which dazzle me6  
,ah6 my heart overflows6 ,how good this 
is6 ,yes6 444 ,yes6 444 more6 ,never    
enough6 ,it did not matter even if ,i   
kept flinging it into the sea2 more     
would remain4 ,why lose any of it8 ,i   
will keep it all1 without telling anyone
 about it4 ,i will dig myself a chamber 
in the rock1 the interior of which will 
be lined with strips of bronze2 and     
thither will ,i come to feel the piles  
of gold sinking under my heels4 ,i will 
plunge my arms into it as if into sacks 
of corn4 ,i would like to anoint my face
 with it--to sleep on top of it6  ,he   
lets go the torch in order to embrace   
the heap1 and falls to the ground on his

 breast4 ,he gets up again4 ,the place  
is perfectly empty6  ,what have ,i done8
 ,if ,i died during that brief space of 
time1 the result would have been        
,hell--irrevocable ,hell6  ,a shudder   
runs through his frame4  ,so1 then1 ,i  
am accursed8 ,ah6 no1 this is all my own
 fault6 ,i let myself be caught in every
 trap4 ,there is no one more idiotic or 
more infamous4 ,i would like to beat    
myself1 or1 rather1 to tear myself out  
of my body4 ,i have restrained myself   
too long4 ,i need to avenge myself1 to  
strike1 to kill6 ,it is as if ,i had a  
troop of wild beasts in my soul4 ,i     
would like1 with a stroke of a hatchet  
in the midst of a crowd----,ah6 a       
dagger6 444  ,he flings himself upon his
 knife1 which he has just seen4 ,the    
knife slips from his hand1 and ,antony  
remains propped against the wall of his 
cell1 his mouth wide open1              
motionless--like one in a trance4  ,all 
the surroundings have disappeared4  ,he 
finds himself in ,alexandria on the     

,panium--an artificial mound raised in  
the centre of the city1 with corkscrew  
stairs on the outside4  ,in front of it 
stretches ,lake ,mareotis1 with the sea 
to the right and the open plain to the  
left1 and1 directly under his eyes1 an  
irregular succession of flat roofs1     
traversed from north to south and from  
east to west by two streets1 which cross
 each other1 and which form1 in their   
entire length1 a row of porticoes with  
,corinthian capitals4 ,the houses       
overhanging this double colonnade have  
stained-glass windows4 ,some have       
enormous wooden cages outside of them1  
in which the air from without is        
swallowed up4  ,monuments in various    
styles of architecture are piled close  
to one another4 ,egyptian pylons rise   
above ,greek temples4 ,obelisks exhibit 
themselves like spears between          
battlements of red brick4 ,in the       
centres of squares there are statues of 
,hermes with pointed ears1 and of       
,anubis with dogs' heads4 ,antony       

notices the mosaics in the court-yards1 
and the tapestries hung from the        
cross-beams of the ceiling4  ,with a    
single glance he takes in the two ports 
7the ,grand ,port and the ,eunostus71   
both round like two circles1 and        
separated by a mole joining ,alexandria 
to the rocky island1 on which stands the
 tower of the ,pharos1 quadrangular1    
five hundred cubits high and in nine    
storys1 with a heap of black charcoal   
flaming on its summit4  ,small ports    
nearer to the shore intersect the       
principal ports4 ,the mole is terminated
 at each end by a bridge built on marble
 columns fixed in the sea4 ,vessels pass
 beneath1 and pleasure-boats inlaid with
 ivory1 gondolas covered with awnings1  
triremes and biremes1 all kinds of      
shipping1 move up and down or remain at 
anchor along the quays4  ,around the    
,grand ,port there is an uninterrupted  
succession of ,royal structures3 the    
palace of the ,ptolemies1 the ,museum1  
the ,posideion1 the ,caesarium1 the     

,timonium where ,mark ,antony took      
refuge1 and the ,soma which contains the
 tomb of ,alexander2 while at the other 
extremity of the city1 close to the     
,eunostus1 might be seen glass1 perfume1
 and paper factories4  ,itinerant       
vendors1 porters1 and ass-drivers rush  
to and fro1 jostling against one        
another4 ,here and there a priest of    
,osiris with a panther's skin on his    
shoulders1 a ,roman soldier1 or a group 
of negroes1 may be observed4 ,women stop
 in front of stalls where artisans are  
at work1 and the grinding of            
chariot-wheels frightens away some birds
 who are picking up from the ground the 
sweepings of the shambles and the       
remnants of fish4 ,over the uniformity  
of white houses the plan of the streets 
casts1 as it were1 a black network4 ,the
 markets1 filled with herbage1 exhibit  
green bouquets1 the drying-sheds of the 
dyers1 plates of colours1 and the gold  
ornaments on the pediments of temples1  
luminous points--all this contained     

within the oval enclosure of the greyish
 walls1 under the vault of the blue     
heavens1 hard by the motionless sea4    
,but the crowd stops and looks towards  
the eastern side1 from which enormous   
whirlwinds of dust are advancing4  ,it  
is the monks of the ,thebaid who are    
coming1 clad in goats' skins1 armed with
 clubs1 and howling forth a canticle of 
war and of religion with this refrain3  
,where are they8 ,where are they8       
,antony comprehends that they have come 
to kill the ,arians4  ,all at once1 the 
streets are deserted1 and one sees no   
longer anything but running feet4  ,and 
now the ,solitaries are in the city4    
,their formidable cudgels1 studded with 
nails1 whirl around like monstrances of 
steel4 ,one can hear the crash of things
 being broken in the houses4 ,intervals 
of silence follow1 and then the loud    
cries burst forth again4 ,from one end  
of the streets to the other there is a  
continuous eddying of people in a state 
of terror4 ,several are armed with      

pikes4 ,sometimes two groups meet and   
form into one2 and this multitude1 after
 rushing along the pavements1 separates1
 and those composing it proceed to knock
 one another down4 ,but the men with    
long hair always reappear4  ,thin       
wreaths of smoke escape from the corners
 of buildings4 ,the leaves of the doors 
burst asunder2 the skirts of the walls  
fall in2 the architraves topple over4   
,antony meets all his enemies one after 
another4 ,he recognises people whom he  
had forgotten4 ,before killing them1 he 
outrages them4 ,he rips them open1 cuts 
their throats1 knocks them down1 drags  
the old men by their beards1 runs over  
children1 and beats those who are       
wounded4 ,people revenge themselves on  
luxury4 ,those who cannot read1 tear the
 books to pieces2 others smash and      
destroy the statues1 the paintings1 the 
furniture1 the cabinets--a thousand     
dainty objects whose use they are       
ignorant of1 and which1 for that very   
reason1 exasperate them4 ,from time to  

time they stop1 out of breath1 and then 
begin again4 ,the inhabitants1 taking   
refuge in the court-yards1 utter        
lamentations4 ,the women lift their eyes
 to ,heaven1 weeping1 with their arms   
bare4 ,in order to move the ,solitaries 
they embrace their knees2 but the latter
 only dash them aside1 and the blood    
gushes up to the ceiling1 falls back on 
the linen clothes that line the walls1  
streams from the trunks of decapitated  
corpses1 fills the aqueducts1 and rolls 
in great red pools along the ground4    
,antony is steeped in it up to his      
middle4 ,he steps into it1 sucks it up  
with his lips1 and quivers with joy at  
feeling it on his limbs and under his   
hair1 which is quite wet with it4  ,the 
night falls4 ,the terrible clamour      
abates4  ,the ,solitaries have          
disappeared4  ,suddenly1 on the outer   
galleries lining the nine stages of the 
,pharos1 ,antony perceives thick black  
lines1 as if a flock of crows had       
alighted there4 ,he hastens thither1 and

 soon finds himself on the summit4  ,a  
huge copper mirror turned towards the   
sea reflects the ships in the offing4   
,antony amuses himself by looking at    
them2 and as he continues looking at    
them1 their number increases4  ,they are
 gathered in a gulf formed like a       
crescent4 ,behind1 upon a promontory1   
stretches a new city built in the ,roman
 style of architecture1 with cupolas of 
stone1 conical roofs1 marble work in red
 and blue1 and a profusion of bronze    
attached to the volutes of capitals1 to 
the tops of houses1 and to the angles of
 cornices4 ,a wood1 formed of           
cypress-trees1 overhangs it4 ,the colour
 of the sea is greener2 the air is      
colder4 ,on the mountains at the horizon
 there is snow4  ,antony is about to    
pursue his way when a man accosts him1  
and says3  ,come6 they are waiting for  
you6  ,he traverses a forum1 enters a   
court-yard1 stoops under a gate1 and he 
arrives before the front of the palace1 
adorned with a group in wax representing

 the ,emperor ,constantine hurling the  
dragon to the earth4 ,a porphyry basin  
supports in its centre a golden conch   
filled with pistachio-nuts4 ,his guide  
informs him that he may take some of    
them4 ,he does so4  ,then he loses      
himself1 as it were1 in a succession of 
apartments4  ,along the walls may be    
seen1 in mosaic1 generals offering      
conquered cities to the ,emperor on the 
palms of their hands4 ,and on every side
 are columns of basalt1 gratings of     
silver filigree1 seats of ivory1 and    
tapestries embroidered with pearls4 ,the
 light falls from the vaulted roof1 and 
,antony proceeds on his way4 ,tepid     
exhalations spread around2 occasionally 
he hears the modest patter of a sandal4 
,posted in the ante-chambers1 the       
custodians--who resemble                
automatons--bear on their shoulders     
vermilion-coloured truncheons4  ,at     
last1 he finds himself in the lower part
 of a hall with hyacinth curtains at its
 extreme end4 ,they divide1 and reveal  

the ,emperor seated upon a throne1      
attired in a violet tunic and red       
buskins with black bands4  ,a diadem of 
pearls is wreathed around his hair1     
which is arranged in symmetrical rolls4 
,he has drooping eyelids1 a straight    
nose1 and a heavy and cunning expression
 of countenance4 ,at the corners of the 
dais1 extended above his head1 are      
placed four golden doves1 and1 at the   
foot of the throne1 two enamelled lions 
are squatted4 ,the doves begin to coo1  
the lions to roar4 ,the ,emperor rolls  
his eyes2 ,antony steps forward2 and    
directly1 without preamble1 they proceed
 with a narrative of events4            
,illustration  ,in the cities of        
,antioch1 ,ephesus1 and ,alexandria1 the
 temples have been pillaged1 and the    
statues of the gods converted into pots 
and porridge-pans4  ,the ,emperor laughs
 heartily at this4 ,antony reproaches   
him for his tolerance towards the       
,novatians4 ,but the ,emperor flies into
 a passion4 ,novatians1 ,arians1        

,meletians--he is sick of them all6     
,however1 he admires the episcopacy1 for
 the ,christians create bishops1 who    
depend on five or six personages1 and it
 is his interest to gain over the latter
 in order to have the rest on his side4 
,moreover1 he has not failed to furnish 
them with considerable sums4 ,but he    
detests the fathers of the ,council of  
,nicaea4 ,come1 let us have a look at   
them4  ,antony follows him4 ,and they   
are found on the same floor under a     
terrace which commands a view of a      
hippodrome full of people1 and          
surmounted by porticoes wherein the rest
 of the crowd are walking to and fro4   
,in the centre of the course there is a 
narrow platform on which stands a       
miniature temple of ,mercury1 a statue  
of ,constantine1 and three bronze       
serpents intertwined with each other2   
while at one end there are three huge   
wooden eggs1 and at the other seven     
dolphins with their tails in the air4   
,behind the ,imperial pavilion1 the     

prefects of the chambers1 the lords of  
the household1 and the ,patricians are  
placed at intervals as far as the first 
story of a church1 all whose windows are
 lined with women4 ,at the right is the 
gallery of the ,blue faction1 at the    
left that of the ,green1 while below    
there is a picket of soldiers1 and1 on a
 level with the arena1 a row of         
,corinthian pillars1 forming the        
entrance to the stalls4  ,the races are 
about to begin2 the horses fall into    
line4 ,tall plumes fixed between their  
ears sway in the wind like trees2 and in
 their leaps they shake the chariots in 
the form of shells1 driven by coachmen  
wearing a kind of many-coloured cuirass 
with sleeves narrow at the wrists and   
wide in the arms1 with legs uncovered1  
full beard1 and hair shaven above the   
forehead after the fashion of the ,huns4
  ,antony is deafened by the murmuring  
of voices4 ,above and below he perceives
 nothing but painted faces1 motley      
garments1 and plates of worked gold2 and

 the sand of the arena1 perfectly white1
 shines like a mirror4  ,the ,emperor   
converses with him1 confides to him some
 important secrets1 informs him of the  
assassination of his own son ,crispus1  
and goes so far as to consult ,antony   
about his health4  ,meanwhile1 ,antony  
perceives slaves at the end of the      
stalls4 ,they are the fathers of the    
,council of ,nicaea1 in rags1 abject4   
,the martyr ,paphnutius is brushing a   
horse's mane2 ,theophilus is scrubbing  
the legs of another2 ,john is painting  
the hoofs of a third2 while ,alexander  
is picking up their droppings in a      
basket4  ,antony passes among them4     
,they salaam to him1 beg of him to      
intercede for them1 and kiss his hands4 
,the entire crowd hoots at them2 and he 
rejoices in their degradation           
immeasurably4 ,and now he has become one
 of the great ones of the ,court1 the   
,emperor's confidant1 first minister6   
,constantine places the diadem on his   
forehead1 and ,antony keeps it1 as if   

this honour were quite natural to him4  
,and presently is disclosed1 beneath the
 darkness1 an immense hall1 lighted up  
by candelabra of gold4  ,columns1 half  
lost in shadow so tall are they1 run in 
a row behind the tables1 which stretch  
to the horizon1 where appear1 in a      
luminous haze1 staircases placed one    
above another1 successions of archways1 
colossi1 towers2 and1 in the background1
 an unoccupied wing of the palace1 which
 cedars overtop1 making blacker masses  
above the darkness4  ,the guests1       
crowned with violets1 lean upon their   
elbows on low-lying couches4 ,beside    
each one are placed amphorae1 from which
 they pour out wine2 and1 at the very   
end1 by himself1 adorned with the tiara 
and covered with carbuncles1 ,king      
,nebuchadnezzar is eating and drinking4 
,to right and left of him1 two theories 
of priests1 with peaked caps1 are       
swinging censers4 ,upon the ground are  
crawling captive kings1 without feet or 
hands1 to whom he flings bones to pick4 

,further down stand his brothers1 with  
shades over their eyes1 for they are    
perfectly blind4  ,a constant           
lamentation ascends from the depths of  
the ergastula4 ,the soft and monotonous 
sounds of a hydraulic organ alternate   
with the chorus of voices2 and one feels
 as if all around the hall there was an 
immense city1 an ocean of humanity1     
whose waves were beating against the    
walls4  ,the slaves rush forward        
carrying plates4 ,women run about       
offering drink to the guests4 ,the      
baskets groan under the load of bread1  
and a dromedary1 laden with leathern    
bottles1 passes to and fro1 letting     
vervain trickle over the floor in order 
to cool it4  ,belluarii lead forth      
lions2 dancing-girls1 with their hair in
 ringlets1 turn somersaults1 while      
squirting fire through their nostrils2  
negro-jugglers perform tricks2 naked    
children fling snowballs1 which1 in     
falling1 crash against the shining      
silver plate4 ,the clamour is so        

dreadful that it might be described as a
 tempest1 and the steam of the viands1  
as well as the respirations of the      
guests1 spreads1 as it were1 a cloud    
over the feast4 ,now and then1 flakes   
from the huge torches1 snatched away by 
the wind1 traverse the night like flying
 stars4  ,the ,king wipes off the       
perfumes from his visage with his hand4 
,he eats from the sacred vessels1 and   
then breaks them1 and he enumerates1    
mentally1 his fleets1 his armies1 his   
peoples4 ,presently1 through a whim1 he 
will burn his palace1 along with his    
guests4 ,he calculates on rebuilding the
 ,tower of ,babel1 and dethroning ,god4 
,antony reads1 at a distance1 on his    
forehead1 all his thoughts4 ,they take  
possession of himself--and he becomes   
,nebuchadnezzar4  ,immediately1 he is   
satiated with conquests and             
exterminations2 and a longing seizes him
 to plunge into every kind of vileness4 
,moreover1 the degradation wherewith men
 are terrified is an outrage done to    

their souls1 a means still more of      
stupefying them2 and1 as nothing is     
lower than a brute beast1 ,antony falls 
upon four paws on the table1 and bellows
 like a bull4  ,he feels a pain in his  
hand--a pebble1 as it happened1 has hurt
 him--and he again finds himself in his 
cell4  ,the rocky enclosure is empty4   
,the stars are shining4 ,all is silence4
  ,once more ,i have been deceived4 ,why
 these things8 ,they arise from the     
revolts of the flesh6 ,ah6 miserable man
 that ,i am6  ,he dashes into his cell1 
takes out of it a bundle of cords1 with 
iron nails at the ends of them1 strips  
himself to the waist1 and raising his   
eyes towards ,heaven3  ,accept my       
penance1 ,o my ,god6 ,do not despise it 
on account of its insufficiency4 ,make  
it sharp1 prolonged1 excessive4 ,it is  
time6 ,to work6  ,he proceeds to lash   
himself vigorously4  ,ah6 no6 no6 ,no   
pity6  ,he begins again4  ,oh6 ,oh6 ,oh6
 ,each stroke tears my skin1 cuts my    
limbs4 ,this smarts horribly6 ,ah6 it is

 not so terrible6 ,one gets used to it4 
,it seems to me even 444  ,antony stops4
  ,come on1 then1 coward6 ,come on1     
then6 ,good6 good6 ,on the arms1 on the 
back1 on the breast1 against the belly1 
everywhere6 ,hiss1 thongs6 bite me6 tear
 me6 ,i would like the drops of my blood
 to gush forth to the stars1 to break my
 back1 to strip my nerves bare6         
,pincers6 wooden horses6 molten lead6   
,the martyrs bore more than that6 ,is   
that not so1 ,ammonaria8  ,the shadows  
of the ,devil's horns reappear4  ,i     
might have been fastened to the pillar  
next to yours1 face to face with you1   
under your very eyes1 responding to your
 shrieks with my sighs1 and our griefs  
would blend into one1 and our souls     
would commingle4  ,he flogs himself     
furiously4  ,hold6 hold6 for your sake6 
once more6 444 ,but this is a mere      
tickling that passes through my frame4  
,what torture6 ,what delight6 ,those are
 like kisses4 ,my marrow is melting6 ,i 
am dying6  ,and in front of him he sees 

three cavaliers1 mounted on wild asses1 
clad in green garments1 holding lilies  
in their hands1 and all resembling one  
another in figure4  ,antony turns back1 
and sees three other cavaliers of the   
same kind1 mounted on similar wild      
asses1 in the same attitude4  ,he draws 
back4 ,then the wild asses1 all at the  
same time1 step forward a pace or two1  
and rub their snouts against him1 trying
 to bite his garment4 ,voices exclaim1  
,this way6 this way6 ,here is the place6
 ,and banners appear between the clefts 
of the mountain1 with camels' heads in  
halters of red silk1 mules laden with   
baggage1 and women covered with yellow  
veils1 mounted astride on piebald       
horses4  ,the panting animals lie down2 
the slaves fling themselves on the bales
 of goods1 roll out the variegated      
carpets1 and strew the ground with      
glittering objects4  ,a white elephant1 
caparisoned with a fillet of gold1 runs 
along1 shaking the bouquet of ostrich   
feathers attached to his head-band4  ,on

 his back1 lying on cushions of blue    
wool1 cross-legged1 with eyelids        
half-closed and well-poised head1 is a  
woman so magnificently attired that she 
emits rays around her4 ,the attendants  
prostrate themselves1 the elephant bends
 his knees1 and the ,queen of ,sheba1   
gliding down by his shoulder1 steps     
lightly on the carpet and advances      
towards ,antony4 ,her robe of gold      
brocade1 regularly divided by furbelows 
of pearls1 jet and sapphires1 is drawn  
tightly round her waist by a            
close-fitting corsage1 set off with a   
variety of colours representing the     
twelve signs of the ,zodiac4 ,she wears 
high-heeled pattens1 one of which is    
black and strewn with silver stars and a
 crescent1 whilst the other is white and
 is covered with drops of gold1 with a  
sun in their midst4  ,her loose sleeves1
 garnished with emeralds and birds'     
plumes1 exposes to view her little1     
rounded arms1 adorned at the wrists with
 bracelets of ebony2 and her hands1     

covered with rings1 are terminated by   
nails so pointed that the ends of her   
fingers are almost like needles4  ,a    
chain of plate gold1 passing under her  
chin1 runs along her cheeks till it     
twists itself in spiral fashion around  
her head1 over which blue powder is     
scattered2 then1 descending1 it slips   
over her shoulders and is fastened above
 her bosom by a diamond scorpion1 which 
stretches out its tongue between her    
breasts4 ,from her ears hang two great  
white pearls4 ,the edges of her eyelids 
are painted black4 ,on her left         
cheek-bone she has a natural brown spot1
 and when she opens her mouth she       
breathes with difficulty1 as if her     
bodice distressed her4  ,as she comes   
forward1 she swings a green parasol with
 an ivory handle surrounded by vermilion
 bells2 and twelve curly negro boys     
carry the long train of her robe1 the   
end of which is held by an ape1 who     
raises it every now and then4  ,she     
says3  ,ah6 handsome hermit6 handsome   

hermit6 ,my heart is faint6 ,by dint of 
stamping with impatience my heels have  
grown hard1 and ,i have split one of my 
toe-nails4 ,i sent out shepherds1 who   
posted themselves on the mountains1 with
 their bands stretched over their eyes1 
and searchers1 who cried out your name  
in the woods1 and scouts1 who ran along 
the different roads1 saying to each     
passer-by3 ',have you seen him8'  ,at   
night ,i shed tears with my face turned 
to the wall4 ,my tears1 in the long run1
 made two little holes in the           
mosaic-work--like pools of water in     
rocks--for ,i love you6 ,oh6 yes2 very  
much6  ,she catches his beard4  ,smile  
on me1 then1 handsome hermit6 ,smile on 
me1 then6 ,you will find ,i am very gay6
 ,i play on the lyre1 ,i dance like a   
bee1 and ,i can tell many stories1 each 
one more diverting than the last4  ,you 
cannot imagine what a long journey we   
have made4 ,look at the wild asses of   
the green-clad couriers--dead through   
fatigue6  ,the wild asses are stretched 

motionless on the ground4  ,for three   
great moons they have journeyed at an   
even pace1 with pebbles in their teeth  
to cut the wind1 their tails always     
erect1 their hams always bent1 and      
always in full gallop4 ,you will not    
find their equals4 ,they came to me from
 my maternal grandfather1 the ,emperor  
,saharil1 son of ,jakhschab1 son of     
,jaarab1 son of ,kastan4 ,ah6 if they   
were still living1 we would put them    
under a litter in order to get home     
quickly4 ,but 444 how now8 444 ,what are
 you thinking of8  ,she inspects him4   
,ah6 when you are my husband1 ,i will   
clothe you1 ,i will fling perfumes over 
you1 ,i will pick out your hairs4       
,antony remains motionless1 stiffer than
 a stake1 pale as a corpse4  ,you have a
 melancholy air3 is it at quitting your 
cell8 ,why1 ,i have given up everything 
for your sake--even ,king ,solomon1 who 
has1 no doubt1 much wisdom1 twenty      
thousand war-chariots1 and a lovely     
beard6 ,i have brought you my wedding   

presents4 ,choose4  ,she walks up and   
down between the row of slaves and the  
merchandise4  ,here is balsam of        
,genesareth1 incense from ,cape         
,gardefan1 ladanum1 cinnamon and        
silphium1 a good thing to put into      
sauces4 ,there are within ,assyrian     
embroideries1 ivories from the ,ganges1 
and the purple cloth of ,elissa2 and    
this case of snow contains a bottle of  
,chalybon1 a wine reserved for the      
,kings of ,assyria1 which is drunk pure 
out of the horn of a unicorn4 ,here are 
collars1 clasps1 fillets1 parasols1 gold
 dust from ,baasa1 tin from ,tartessus1 
blue wood from ,pandion1 white furs from
 ,issidonia1 carbuncles from the island 
of ,palaesimundum1 and tooth-picks made 
with the hair of the tachas--an extinct 
animal found under the earth4 ,these    
cushions are from ,emathia1 and these   
mantle-fringes from ,palmyra4 ,under    
this ,babylonian carpet there are 444   
but come1 then6 ,come1 then6  ,she pulls
 ,saint ,antony along by the beard4 ,he 

resists4 ,she goes on3  ,this light     
tissue1 which crackles under the fingers
 with the noise of sparks1 is the famous
 yellow linen brought by the merchants  
from ,bactriana4 ,they required no less 
than forty-three interpreters during    
their voyage4 ,i will make garments of  
it for you1 which you will put on at    
home4  ,press the fastenings of that    
sycamore box1 and give me the ivory     
casket in my elephant's packing-case6   
,they draw out of a box some round      
objects covered with a veil1 and bring  
her a little case covered with carvings4
  ,would you like the buckler of        
,dgian-ben-,dgian1 the builder of the   
,pyramids8 ,here it is6 ,it is composed 
of seven dragons' skins placed one above
 another1 joined by diamond screws1 and 
tanned in the bile of a parricide4 ,it  
represents1 on one side1 all the wars   
which have taken place since the        
invention of arms1 and1 on the other1   
all the wars that will take place till  
the end of the world4 ,above1 the       

thunderbolt rebounds like a ball of     
cork4 ,i am going to put it on your arm1
 and you will carry it to the chase4    
,but if you knew what ,i have in my     
little case6 ,try to open it6 ,nobody   
has succeeded in doing that4 ,embrace   
me1 and ,i will tell you4  ,she takes   
,saint ,antony by the two cheeks4 ,he   
repels her with outstretched arms4  ,it 
was one night when ,king ,solomon had   
lost his head4 ,at length1 we had       
concluded a bargain4 ,he arose1 and1    
going out with the stride of a wolf 444 
,she dances a pirouette4  ,ah6 ah6      
handsome hermit6 you shall not know it6 
you shall not know it6  ,she shakes her 
parasol1 and all the little bells begin 
to ring4  ,i have many other things     
besides--there1 now6 ,i have treasures  
shut up in galleries1 where they are    
lost as in a wood4 ,i have summer       
palaces of lattice-reeds1 and winter    
palaces of black marble4 ,in the midst  
of great lakes1 like seas1 ,i have      
islands round as pieces of silver all   

covered with mother-of-pearl1 whose     
shores make music with the beating of   
the liquid waves that roll over the     
sand4 ,the slaves of my kitchen catch   
birds in my aviaries1 and angle for fish
 in my ponds4 ,i have engravers         
continually sitting to stamp my likeness
 on hard stones1 panting workers in     
bronze who cast my statues1 and         
perfumers who mix the juice of plants   
with vinegar and beat up pastes4 ,i have
 dressmakers who cut out stuffs for me1 
goldsmiths who make jewels for me1 women
 whose duty it is to select head-dresses
 for me1 and attentive house-painters   
pouring over my panellings boiling      
resin1 which they cool with fans4 ,i    
have attendants for my harem1 eunuchs   
enough to make an army4 ,and then ,i    
have armies1 subjects6 ,i have in my    
vestibule a guard of dwarfs1 carrying on
 their backs ivory trumpets4  ,antony   
sighs4  ,i have teams of gazelles1      
quadrigae of elephants1 hundreds of     
camels1 and mares with such long manes  

that their feet get entangled with them 
when they are galloping1 and flocks with
 such huge horns that the woods are torn
 down in front of them when they are    
pasturing4 ,i have giraffes who walk in 
my gardens1 and who raise their heads   
over the edge of my roof when ,i am     
taking the air after dinner4 ,seated in 
a shell1 and drawn by dolphins1 ,i go up
 and down the grottoes1 listening to the
 water flowing from the stalactites4 ,i 
journey to the diamond country1 where my
 friends the magicians allow me to      
choose the most beautiful2 then ,i      
ascend to earth once more1 and return   
home4  ,she gives a piercing whistle1   
and a large bird1 descending from the   
sky1 alights on the top of her          
head-dress1 from which he scatters the  
blue powder4 ,his plumage1 of orange    
colour1 seems composed of metallic      
scales4 ,his dainty head1 adorned with a
 silver tuft1 exhibits a human visage4  
,he has four wings1 a vulture's claws1  
and an immense peacock's tail1 which he 

displays in a ring behind him4 ,he      
seizes in his beak the ,queen's parasol1
 staggers a little before he finds his  
equilibrium1 then erects all his        
feathers1 and remains motionless4       
,thanks1 fair ,simorg-anka6 ,you who    
have brought me to the place where the  
lover is concealed6 ,thanks6 thanks6    
messenger of my heart6 ,he flies like   
desire4 ,he travels all over the world4 
,in the evening he returns2 he lies down
 at the foot of my couch2 he tells me   
what he has seen1 the seas he has flown 
over1 with their fishes and their ships1
 the great empty deserts which he has   
looked down upon from his airy height in
 the skies1 all the harvests bending in 
the fields1 and the plants that shoot up
 on the walls of abandoned cities4  ,she
 twists her arms with a languishing air4
  ,oh6 if you were willing6 if you were 
only willing6 444 ,i have a pavilion on 
a promontory1 in the midst of an isthmus
 between two oceans4 ,it is wainscotted 
with plates of glass1 floored with      

tortoise-shells1 and is open to the four
 winds of ,heaven4 ,from above1 ,i watch
 the return of my fleets and the people 
who ascend the hill with loads on their 
shoulders4 ,we should sleep on down     
softer than clouds2 we should drink cool
 draughts out of the rinds of fruit1 and
 we gaze at the sun through a canopy of 
emeralds4 ,come6  ,antony recoils4 ,she 
draws close to him1 and1 in a tone of   
irritation3  ,how so8 ,rich1 coquettish1
 and in love8--is not that enough for   
you1 eh8 ,but must she be lascivious1   
gross1 with a hoarse voice1 a head of   
hair like fire1 and rebounding flesh8   
,do you prefer a body cold as a         
serpent's skin1 or1 perchance1 great    
black eyes more sombre than mysterious  
caverns8 ,look at these eyes of mine1   
then6  ,antony gazes at them1 in spite  
of himself4  ,all the women you ever    
have met1 from the daughter of the      
cross-roads singing beneath her lantern 
to the fair patrician scattering leaves 
from the top of her litter1 all the     

forms you have caught a glimpse of1 all 
the imaginings of your desire1 ask for  
them6 ,i am not a woman--,i am a world4 
,my garments have but to fall1 and you  
shall discover upon my person a         
succession of mysteries4  ,antony's     
teeth chattered4  ,if you placed your   
finger on my shoulder1 it would be like 
a stream of fire in your veins4 ,the    
possession of the least part of my body 
will fill you with a joy more vehement  
than the conquest of an empire4 ,bring  
your lips near6 ,my kisses have the     
taste of fruit which would melt in your 
heart4 ,ah6 how you will lose yourself  
in my tresses1 caress my breasts1 marvel
 at my limbs1 and be scorched by my     
eyes1 between my arms1 in a             
whirlwind----  ,antony makes the sign of
 the ,cross4  ,so1 then1 you disdain me6
 ,farewell6  ,she turns away weeping2   
then she returns4  ,are you quite sure8 
,so lovely a woman8  ,she laughs1 and   
the ape who holds the end of her robe   
lifts it up4  ,you will repent1 my fine 

hermit6 you will groan2 you will be sick
 of life6 but ,i will mock at you6 la6  
la6 la6 oh6 oh6 oh6  ,she goes off with 
her hands on her waist1 skipping on one 
foot4  ,the slaves file off before      
,saint ,antony's face1 together with the
 horses1 the dromedaries1 the elephant1 
the attendants1 the mules1 once more    
covered with their loads1 the negro     
boys1 the ape1 and the green-clad       
couriers holding their broken lilies in 
their hands--and the ,queen of ,sheba   
departs1 with a spasmodic utterance     
which might be either a sob or a        
chuckle4   ,illustration      ,,chapter 
,,iii4  ,,the ,,disciple1 ,,hilarion4   
,when she has disappeared1 ,antony      
perceives a child on the threshold of   
his cell4  ,it is one of the ,queen's   
servants1 he thinks4  ,this child is    
small1 like a dwarf1 and yet thickset1  
like one of the ,cabiri1 distorted1 and 
with a miserable aspect4 ,white hair    
covers his prodigiously large head1 and 
he shivers under a sorry tunic1 while he

 grasps in his hand a roll of papyrus4  
,the light of the moon1 across which a  
cloud is passing1 falls upon him4       
,antony observes him from a distance1   
and is afraid of him4  ,who are you8    
,the child replies3  ,your former       
disciple1 ,hilarion4  ,antony--,you lie6
 ,hilarion has been living for many     
years in ,palestine4  ,hilarion--,i have
 returned from it6 ,it is ,i1 in good   
sooth6  ,antony1 draws closer and       
inspects him--,why1 his figure was      
bright as the dawn1 open1 joyous4 ,this 
one is quite sombre1 and has an aged    
look4  ,hilarion--,i am worn out with   
constant toiling4  ,antony--,the voice1 
too1 is different4 ,it has a tone that  
chills you4  ,hilarion--,that is because
 ,i nourish myself on bitter fare4      
,antony--,and those white locks8        
,hilarion--,i have had so many griefs4  
,antony1 aside--,can it be possible8 444
  ,hilarion--,i was not so far away as  
you imagined4 ,the hermit1 ,paul1 paid  
you a visit this year during the month  

of ,schebar4 ,it is just twenty days    
since the nomads brought you bread4 ,you
 told a sailor the day before yesterday 
to send you three bodkins4  ,antony--,he
 knows everything6  ,hilarion--,learn1  
too1 that ,i have never left you4 ,but  
you spend long intervals without        
perceiving me4  ,antony--,how is that8  
,no doubt my head is troubled6 ,to-night
 especially 444  ,hilarion--,all the    
deadly sins have arrived4 ,but their    
miserable snares are of no avail against
 a saint like you6  ,antony--,oh6 no6   
no6 ,every minute ,i give way6 ,would   
that ,i were one of those whose souls   
are always intrepid and their minds     
firm--like the great ,athanasius1 for   
example6  ,hilarion--,he was unlawfully 
ordained by seven bishops6              
,antony--,what does it matter8 ,if his  
virtue 444  ,hilarion--,come1 now6 ,a   
haughty1 cruel man1 always mixed up in  
intrigues1 and finally exiled for being 
a monopolist4  ,antony--,calumny6       
,hilarion--,you will not deny that he   

tried to corrupt ,eustatius1 the        
treasurer of the bounties8  ,antony--,so
 it is stated1 and ,i admit it4         
,hilarion--,he burned1 for revenge1 the 
house of ,arsenius4  ,antony--,alas6    
,hilarion--,at the ,council of ,nicaea1 
he said1 speaking of ,jesus1 ',the man  
of the ,lord4'  ,antony--,ah6 that is a 
blasphemy6  ,hilarion--,so limited is   
he1 too1 that he acknowledges he knows  
nothing as to the nature of the ,word4  
,antony1 smiling with pleasure--,in     
fact1 he has not a very lofty intellect4
  ,hilarion--,if they had put you in his
 place1 it would have been a great      
satisfaction for your brethren1 as well 
as yourself4 ,this life1 apart from     
others1 is a bad thing4  ,antony--,on   
the contrary6 ,man1 being a spirit1     
should withdraw himself from perishable 
things4 ,all action degrades him4 ,i    
would like not to cling to the          
earth--even with the soles of my feet4  
,hilarion--,hypocrite6 who plunges      
himself into solitude to free himself   

the better from the outbreaks of his    
lusts6 ,you deprive yourself of meat1 of
 wine1 of stoves1 of slaves1 and of     
honours2 but how you let your           
imagination offer you banquets1         
perfumes1 naked women1 and applauding   
crowds6 ,your chastity is but a more    
subtle kind of corruption1 and your     
contempt for the world is but the       
impotence of your hatred against it6    
,this is the reason that persons like   
you are so lugubrious1 or perhaps it is 
because they lack faith4 ,the possession
 of the truth gives joy4 ,was ,jesus    
sad8 ,he used to go about surrounded by 
friends2 ,he rested under the shade of  
the olive1 entered the house of the     
publican1 multiplied the cups1 pardoned 
the fallen woman1 healing all sorrows4  
,as for you1 you have no pity1 save for 
your own wretchedness4 ,you are so much 
swayed by a kind of remorse1 and by a   
ferocious insanity1 that you would repel
 the caress of a dog or the smile of a  
child4  ,antony1 bursts out             

sobbing--,enough6 ,enough6 ,you move my 
heart too much4  ,hilarion--,shake off  
the vermin from your rags6 ,get rid of  
your filth6 ,your ,god is not a ,moloch 
who requires flesh as a sacrifice6      
,antony--,still1 suffering is blessed4  
,the cherubim bend down to receive the  
blood of confessors4  ,hilarion--,then  
admire the ,montanists6 ,they surpass   
all the rest4  ,antony--,but it is the  
truth of the doctrine that makes the    
martyr4  ,hilarion--,how can he prove   
its excellence1 seeing that he testifies
 equally on behalf of error8            
,antony--,be silent1 viper6             
,hilarion--,it is not perhaps so        
difficult4 ,the exhortations of friends1
 the pleasure of outraging popular      
feeling1 the oath they take1 a certain  
giddy excitement--a thousand things1 in 
fact1 go to help them4  ,antony draws   
away from ,hilarion4 ,hilarion follows  
him--,besides1 this style of dying      
introduces great disorders4 ,dionysius1 
,cyprian1 and ,gregory avoided it4      

,peter of ,alexandria has disapproved of
 it2 and the ,council of ,elvira 444    
,antony1 stops his ears--,i will listen 
to no more6  ,hilarion1 raising his     
voice--,here you are again falling into 
your habitual sin--laziness4 ,ignorance 
is the froth of pride4 ,you say1 ',my   
conviction is formed2 why discuss the   
matter8' and you despise the doctors1   
the philosophers1 tradition1 and even   
the text of the law1 of which you know  
nothing4 ,do you think you hold wisdom  
in your hand8  ,antony--,i am always    
hearing him6 ,his noisy words fill my   
head4  ,hilarion--,the endeavours to    
comprehend ,god are better than your    
mortifications for the purpose of moving
 him4 ,we have no merit save our thirst 
for truth4 ,religion alone does not     
explain everything2 and the solution of 
the problems which you have ignored     
might render it more unassailable and   
more sublime4 ,therefore1 it is         
essential for each man's salvation that 
he should hold intercourse with his     

brethren--otherwise the ,church1 the    
assembly of the faithful1 would be only 
a word--and that he should listen to    
every argument1 and not disdain         
anything1 or anyone4 ,balaam the        
soothsayer1 ,a,eschylus the poet1 and   
the sybil of ,cumae1 announced the      
,saviour4 ,dionysius the ,alexandrian   
received from ,heaven a command to read 
every book4 ,saint ,clement enjoins us  
to study ,greek literature4 ,hermas was 
converted by the illusion of a woman    
that he loved6  ,antony--,what an air of
 authority6 ,it appears to me that you  
are growing taller 444  ,in fact1       
,hilarion's height has progressively    
increased2 and1 in order not to see him1
 ,antony closes his eyes4               
,hilarion--,make your mind easy1 good   
hermit4 ,let us sit down here1 on this  
big stone1 as of yore1 when1 at the     
break of day1 ,i used to salute you1    
addressing you as ',bright morning      
star'2 and you at once began to give me 
instruction4 ,it is not finished yet4   

,the moon affords us sufficient light4  
,i am all attention4  ,he has drawn     
forth a calamus from his girdle1 and1   
cross-legged on the ground1 with his    
roll of papyrus in his hand1 he raises  
his head towards ,antony1 who1 seated   
beside him1 keeps his forehead bent4    
,is not the word of ,god confirmed for  
us by the miracles8 ,and yet the        
sorcerers of ,pharaoh worked miracles4  
,other impostors could do the same2 so  
here we may be deceived4 ,what1 then1 is
 a miracle8 ,an occurrence which seems  
to us outside the limits of ,nature4    
,but do we know all ,nature's powers8   
,and1 from the mere fact that a thing   
ordinarily does not astonish us1 does it
 follow that we comprehend it8          
,antony--,it matters little2 we must    
believe in the ,scripture4              
,hilarion--,saint ,paul1 ,origen1 and   
some others did not interpret it        
literally2 but1 if we explain it        
allegorically1 it becomes the heritage  
of a limited number of people1 and the  

evidence of its truth vanishes4 ,what   
are we to do1 then8  ,antony--,leave it 
to the ,church4  ,hilarion--,then the   
,scripture is useless8  ,antony--,not at
 all4 ,although the ,old ,testament1 ,i 
admit1 has--well1 obscurities 444 ,but  
the ,new shines forth with a pure light4
  ,hilarion--,and yet the ,angel of the 
,annunciation1 in ,matthew1 appears to  
,joseph1 whilst in ,luke it is to ,mary4
 ,the anointing of ,jesus by a woman    
comes to pass1 according to the ,first  
,gospel1 at the beginning of his public 
life1 but according to the three others1
 a few days before his death4 ,the drink
 which they offer him on the ,cross is1 
in ,matthew1 vinegar and gall1 in ,mark1
 wine and myrrh4 ,if we follow ,luke and
 ,matthew1 the ,apostles ought to take  
neither money nor bag--in fact1 not even
 sandals or a staff2 while in ,mark1 on 
the contrary1 ,jesus forbids them to    
carry with them anything except sandals 
and a staff4 ,here is where ,i get lost 
444  ,antony1 in amazement--,in fact 444

 in fact 444  ,hilarion--,at the contact
 of the woman with the issue of blood1  
,jesus turned round1 and said1 ',who has
 touched me8' ,so1 then1 ,he did not    
know who touched ,him8 ,that is opposed 
to the omniscience of ,jesus4 ,if the   
tomb was watched by guards1 the women   
had not to worry themselves about an    
assistant to lift up the stone from the 
tomb4 ,therefore1 there were no guards  
there--or rather1 the holy women were   
not there at all4 ,at ,emmaues1 ,he eats
 with ,his disciples1 and makes them    
feel ,his wounds4 ,it is a human body1 a
 material object1 which can be weighed1 
and which1 nevertheless1 passes through 
stone walls4 ,is this possible8         
,antony--,it would take a good deal of  
time to answer you4  ,hilarion--,why did
 ,he receive the ,holy ,ghost1 although 
,he was the ,son8 ,what need had ,he of 
baptism1 if ,he were the ,word8 ,how    
could the ,devil tempt ,him--,god8      
,have these thoughts never occurred to  
you8  ,antony--,yes6 often6 ,torpid or  

frantic1 they dwell in my conscience4 ,i
 crush them out2 they spring up again1  
they stifle me2 and sometimes ,i believe
 that ,i am accursed4  ,hilarion--,then 
you have nothing to do but to serve     
,god8  ,antony--,i have always need to  
adore ,him4  ,after a prolonged silence1
 ,hilarion resumes3  ,but apart from    
dogma1 entire liberty of research is    
permitted us4 ,do you wish to become    
acquainted with the hierarchy of        
,angels1 the virtue of ,numbers1 the    
explanation of germs and metamorphoses8 
,antony--,yes6 yes6 ,my mind is         
struggling to escape from its prison4   
,it seems to me that1 by gathering my   
forces1 ,i shall be able to effect this4
 ,sometimes--even for an interval brief 
as a lightning-flash--,i feel myself1 as
 it were1 suspended in mid-air2 then ,i 
fall back again6  ,hilarion--,the secret
 which you are anxious to possess is    
guarded by sages4 ,they live in a       
distant country1 sitting under gigantic 
trees1 robed in white1 and calm as gods4

 ,a warm atmosphere nourishes them4 ,all
 around leopards stride through the     
plains4 ,the murmuring of fountains     
mingles with the neighing of unicorns4  
,you shall hear them2 and the face of   
the ,unknown shall be unveiled6         
,antony1 sighing--,the road is long and 
,i am old6  ,hilarion--,oh6 oh6 men of  
learning are not rare6 ,there are some  
of them even very close to you here6    
,let us enter6      ,,chapter ,,iv4     
,,the ,,fiery ,,trial4   ,and ,antony   
sees in front of him an immense         
basilica4 ,the light projects itself    
from the lower end with the magical     
effect of a many-coloured sun4 ,it      
lights up the innumerable heads of the  
multitude which fills the nave and      
surges between the columns towards the  
side-aisles1 where one can distinguish  
in the wooden compartments altars1 beds1
 chainlets of little blue stones1 and   
constellations painted on the walls4    
,in the midst of the crowd groups are   
stationed here and there2 men standing  

on stools are discoursing with lifted   
fingers2 others are praying with arms   
crossed1 or lying down on the ground1 or
 singing hymns1 or drinking wine4       
,around a table the faithful are        
carrying on the love-feasts2 martyrs are
 unswathing their limbs to show their   
wounds2 old men1 leaning on their       
staffs1 are relating their travels4     
,amongst them are people from the       
country of the ,germans1 from ,thrace1  
,gaul1 ,scythia and the ,indies--with   
snow on their beards1 feathers in their 
hair1 thorns in the fringes of their    
garments1 sandals covered with dust1 and
 skins burnt by the sun4 ,all costumes  
are mingled--mantles of purple and robes
 of linen1 embroidered dalmatics1       
woollen jackets1 sailors' caps and      
bishops' mitres4 ,their eyes gleam      
strangely4 ,they have the appearance of 
executioners or of eunuchs4  ,hilarion  
advances among them4 ,antony1 pressing  
against his shoulder1 observes them4 ,he
 notices a great many women4 ,several of

 them are dressed like men1 with their  
hair cut short4 ,he is afraid of them4  
,hilarion--,these are the ,christian    
women who have converted their husbands4
 ,besides1 the women are always for     
,jesus--even the idolaters--as witness  
,procula1 the wife of ,pilate1 and      
,poppaea1 the concubine of ,nero4 ,don't
 tremble any more6 ,come on6  ,there are
 fresh arrivals every moment4  ,they    
multiply2 they separate1 swift as       
shadows1 all the time making a great    
uproar1 or intermingling yells of rage1 
exclamations of love1 canticles1 and    
upbraidings4  ,antony1 in a low         
tone--,what do they want8               
,hilarion--,the ,lord said1 ',i may     
still have to speak to you about many   
things4' ,they possess those things4    
,and he pushes him towards a throne of  
gold1 five paces off1 where1 surrounded 
by ninety-five disciples1 all anointed  
with oil1 pale and emaciated1 sits the  
prophet ,manes--beautiful as an         
archangel1 motionless as a              

statue--wearing an ,indian robe1 with   
carbuncles in his plaited hair1 a book  
of coloured pictures in his left hand1  
and a globe under his right4 ,the       
pictures represent the creatures who are
 slumbering in chaos4 ,antony bends     
forward to see him4 ,then ,manes makes  
his globe revolve1 and1 attuning his    
words to the music of a lyre1 from which
 bursts forth crystalline sounds1 he    
says3  ,the celestial earth is at the   
upper extremity1 the mortal earth at the
 lower4 ,it is supported by two angels1 
the ,splenditenens and the ,omophorus1  
with six faces4  ,at the summit of      
,heaven1 the ,impassible ,divinity      
occupies the highest seat2 underneath1  
face to face1 are the ,son of ,god and  
the ,prince of ,darkness4  ,the darkness
 having made its way into ,his kingdom1 
,god extracted from ,his essence a      
virtue which produced the first man2 and
 ,he surrounded him with five elements4 
,but the demons of darkness deprived him
 of one part1 and that part is the soul4

  ,there is but one soul1 spread through
 the universe1 like the water of a      
stream divided into many channels4 ,this
 it is that sighs in the wind1 grinds in
 the marble which is sawn1 howls in the 
voice of the sea2 and it sheds milky    
tears when the leaves are torn off the  
fig-tree4  ,the souls that leave this   
world emigrate towards the stars1 which 
are animated beings4  ,antony begins to 
laugh3  ,ah6 ah6 what an absurd         
hallucination6  ,a man1 beardless1 and  
of austere aspect--,why8  ,antony is    
about to reply4 ,but ,hilarion tells him
 in an undertone1 that this man is the  
mighty ,origen2 and ,manes resumes3  ,at
 first1 they stay in the moon1 where    
they are purified4 ,after that1 they    
ascend to the sun4  ,antony1 slowly--,i 
know nothing to prevent us from         
believing it4  ,manes--,the end of every
 creature is the liberation of the      
celestial ray shut up in matter4 ,it    
makes its escape more easily through    
perfumes1 spices1 the aroma of old wine1

 the light substances that resemble     
thought4 ,but the actions of daily life 
withhold it4 ,the murderer will be born 
again in the body of a eunuch2 he who   
slays an animal will become that animal4
 ,if you plant a vine-tree1 you will be 
fastened in its branches4 ,food absorbs 
those who use it4 ,therefore1 mortify   
yourselves6 fast6  ,hilarion--,they are 
temperate1 as you see6  ,manes--,there  
is a great deal of it in flesh-meats1   
less in herbs4 ,besides1 the ,pure1 by  
the force of their merits1 despoil      
vegetables of that luminous spark1 and  
it flies towards its source4 ,the       
animals1 by generation1 imprison it in  
the flesh4 ,therefore1 avoid women6     
,hilarion--,admire their countenance6   
,manes--,or1 rather1 act so well that   
they may not be prolific4 ,it is better 
for the soul to sink on the earth than  
to languish in carnal fetters4          
,antony--,ah6 abomination6              
,hilarion--,what matters the hierarchy  
of iniquities8 ,the ,church has done    

well to make marriage a sacrament6      
,saturninus1 in ,syrian costume--,he    
propagates a dismal order of things6    
,the ,father1 in order to punish the    
rebel angels1 commanded them to create  
the world4 ,christ came in order that   
the ,god of the ,jews1 who was one of   
those angels----  ,antony--,an angel8   
,he6 the ,creator8  ,gerdon--,did ,he   
not desire to kill ,moses and deceive   
the prophets8 and did ,he not lead the  
people astray1 spreading lying and      
idolatry8  ,marcion--,certainly1 the    
,creator is not the true ,god6  ,saint  
,clement of ,alexandria--,matter is     
eternal6  ,bardesanes1 as one of the    
,babylonian ,magi--,it was formed by the
 seven planetary spirits4  ,the         
,hernians--,the angels have made the    
souls6  ,the ,priscillianists--,the     
world was made by the ,devil4  ,antony1 
falls backward--,horror6  ,hilarion1    
holding him up--,you drive yourself to  
despair too quickly6 ,you don't rightly 
comprehend their doctrine4 ,here is one 

who has received his from ,theodas1 the 
friend of ,saint ,paul4 ,hearken to him6
  ,and1 at a signal from ,hilarion1     
,valentinus1 in a tunic of silver cloth1
 with a hissing voice and a pointed     
skull1 cries3  ,the world is the work of
 a delirious ,god6  ,antony1 hangs down 
his head--,the work of a delirious ,god6
  ,after a long silence3  ,how is that8 
,valentinus--,the most perfect of the   
,a,eons1 the ,abysm1 reposed on the     
bosom of ,profundity together with      
,thought4 ,from their union sprang      
,intelligence1 who had for his consort  
,truth4  ,intelligence and ,truth       
engendered the ,word and ,life1 which in
 their turn engendered ,man and the     
,church2 and this makes eight ,a,eons4  
,he reckons on his fingers3  ,the ,word 
and ,truth produced ten other ,a,eons1  
that is to say1 five couples4 ,man and  
the ,church produced twelve others1     
amongst whom were the ,paraclete and    
,faith1 ,hope and ,charity1 ,perfection 
and ,wisdom1 ,sophia4  ,the entire of   

those thirty ,a,eons constitutes the    
,pleroma1 or ,universality of ,god4     
,thus1 like the echoes of a voice that  
is dying away1 like the exhalations of a
 perfume that is evaporating1 like the  
fires of a sun that is setting1 the     
,powers that have emanated from the     
,highest ,powers are always growing     
feeble4  ,but ,sophia1 desirous of      
knowing the ,father1 rushed out of the  
,pleroma2 and the ,word then made       
another pair1 ,christ and the ,holy     
,ghost1 who bound together all the      
,a,eons1 and all together they formed   
,jesus1 the flower of the ,pleroma4     
,meanwhile1 the effort of ,sophia to    
escape had left in the void an image of 
her1 an evil substance1 ,acharamoth4    
,the ,saviour took pity on her1 and     
delivered her from her passions2 and    
from the smile of ,acharamoth on being  
set free ,light was born2 her tears made
 the waters1 and her sadness engendered 
gloomy ,matter4 ,from ,acharamoth sprang
 the ,demiurge1 the fabricator of the   

worlds1 the heavens1 and the ,devil4 ,he
 dwells much lower down than the        
,pleroma1 without even beholding it1 so 
that he imagines he is the true ,god1   
and repeats through the mouths of his   
prophets3 ',besides me there is no      
,god4' ,then he made man1 and cast into 
his soul the immaterial seed1 which was 
the ,church1 the reflection of the other
 ,church placed in the ,pleroma4        
,acharamoth1 one day1 having reached the
 highest region1 shall unite with the   
,saviour2 the fire hidden in the world  
shall annihilate all matter1 shall then 
consume itself1 and men1 having become  
pure spirits1 shall espouse the angels6 
,origen--,then the ,demon shall be      
conquered1 and the reign of ,god shall  
begin6  ,antony represses an            
exclamation1 and immediately ,basilides1
 catching him by the elbow3  ,the       
,supreme ,being1 with his infinite      
emanations1 is called ,abraxas1 and the 
,saviour with all his virtues1          
,kaulakau1 otherwise rank-upon-rank1    

rectitude-upon-rectitude4 ,the power of 
,kaulakau is obtained by the aid of     
certain words inscribed on this         
calcedony to facilitate memory4  ,and he
 shows on his neck a little stone on    
which fantastic lines are engraved4     
,then you shall be transported into the 
invisible2 and1 unfettered by law1 you  
shall despise everything1 including     
virtue itself4 ,as for us1 the ,pure1 we
 must avoid sorrow1 after the example of
 ,kaulakau4  ,antony--,what6 and the    
,cross8  ,the ,elkhesaites1 in          
hyacinthine robes1 reply to him3  ,the  
sadness1 the vileness1 the condemnation1
 and the oppression of my fathers are   
effaced1 thanks to the new ,gospel4 ,we 
may deny the inferior ,christ1 the      
man-,jesus2 but we must adore the other 
,christ generated in his person under   
the wing of the ,dove4 ,honour marriage6
 ,the ,holy ,spirit is feminine6        
,hilarion has disappeared2 and ,antony1 
pressed forward by the crowd1 finds     
himself facing the ,carpocratians1      

stretched with women upon scarlet       
cushions3  ,before re-entering the      
centre of unity1 you will have to pass  
through a series of conditions and      
actions4 ,in order to free yourself from
 the ,powers of ,darkness1 do their     
works for the present6 ,the husband goes
 to his wife and says1 ',act with       
charity towards your brother1' and she  
will kiss you4  ,the ,nicolaites1       
assembled around a smoking dish3  ,this 
is meat offered to idols2 let us take   
it6 ,apostacy is permitted when the     
heart is pure4 ,glut your flesh with    
what it asks for4 ,try to destroy it by 
means of debaucheries4 ,prounikos1 the  
mother of ,heaven1 wallows in iniquity4 
,the ,marcosians1 with rings of gold and
 dripping with balsam3  ,come to us1 in 
order to be united with the ,spirit6    
,come to us1 in order to drink          
immortality6  ,and one of them points   
out to him1 behind some tapestry1 the   
body of a man with an ass's head4 ,this 
represents ,sabaoth1 the father of the  

,devil4 ,as a mark of hatred he spits   
upon it4  ,another discloses a very low 
bed strewn with flowers1 saying as he   
does so3  ,the spiritual nuptials are   
about to be consummated4  ,a third holds
 forth a goblet of glass while he utters
 an invocation4 ,blood appears in it3   
,ah6 there it is6 there it is6 the blood
 of ,christ6  ,antony turns aside2 but  
he is splashed by the water1 which leaps
 out of a tub4  ,the ,helvidians cast   
themselves into it head foremost1       
muttering3  ,man regenerated by baptism 
is incapable of sin6  ,then he passes   
close to a great fire1 where the        
,adamites are warming themselves        
completely naked to imitate the purity  
of ,paradise2 and he jostles up against 
the ,messalians wallowing on the stone  
floor half-asleep1 stupid3  ,oh6 run    
over us1 if you like2 we shall not      
budge6 ,work is a sin2 all occupation is
 evil6  ,behind those1 the abject       
,paternians1 men1 women1 and children1  
pell-mell1 on a heap of filth1 lift up  

their hideous faces1 besmeared with     
wine3  ,the inferior parts of the body1 
having been made by the ,devil1 belong  
to him4 ,let us eat1 drink1 and enjoy6  
,a,etius--,crimes come from the need    
here below of the love of ,god6  ,but   
all at once a man1 clad in a            
,carthaginian mantle1 jumps among them1 
with a bundle of thongs in his hand2 and
 striking at random to right and left of
 him violently3  ,ah6 imposters1        
brigands1 simoniacs1 heretics1 and      
demons6 the vermin of the schools6 the  
dregs of ,hell6 ,this fellow here1      
,marcion1 is a sailor from ,sinope      
excommunicated for incest4 ,carpocras   
has been banished as a magician2        
,a,etius has stolen his concubine2      
,nicolas prostituted his own wife2 and  
,manes1 who describes himself as the    
,buddha1 and whose name is ,cubricus1   
was flayed with the sharp end of a cane1
 so that his tanned skin swings at the  
gates of ,ctesiphon4  ,antony has       
recognised ,tertullian1 and rushes      

forward to meet him4  ,help1 master6    
help6  ,tertullian1 continuing--,break  
the images6 ,veil the virgins6 ,pray1   
fast1 weep1 mortify yourselves6 ,no     
philosophy6 no books6 ,after ,jesus1    
science is useless6  ,all have fled2 and
 ,antony sees1 instead of ,tertullian1 a
 woman seated on a stone bench4 ,she    
sobs1 her head resting against a pillar1
 her hair hanging down1 and her body    
wrapped in a long brown simar4  ,then   
they find themselves close to each other
 far from the crowd2 and a silence1 an  
extraordinary peacefulness1 ensues1 such
 as one feels in a wood when the wind   
ceases and the leaves flutter no longer4
 ,this woman is very beautiful1 though  
faded and pale as death4 ,they stare at 
each other1 and their eyes mutually     
exchange a flood of thoughts1 as it     
were1 a thousand memories of the past1  
bewildering and profound4 ,at last      
,priscilla begins to speak3  ,i was in  
the lowest chamber of the baths1 and ,i 
was lulled to sleep by the confused     

murmurs that reached me from the        
streets4 ,all at once ,i heard loud     
exclamations4 ,the people cried1 ',it is
 a magician6 it is the ,devil6' ,and the
 crowd stopped in front of our house    
opposite to the ,temple of              
,a,esculapius4 ,i raised myself with my 
wrists to the height of the air-hole4   
,on the peristyle of the temple was a   
man with an iron collar around his neck4
 ,he placed lighted coals on a          
chafing-dish1 and with them made large  
furrows on his breast1 calling out1     
',jesus6 ,jesus6' ,the people said1     
',that is not lawful6 let us stone him6'
 ,but he did not desist4 ,the things    
that were occurring were unheard of1    
astounding4 ,flowers1 large as the sun1 
turned around before my eyes1 and ,i    
heard a harp of gold vibrating in       
mid-air4 ,the day sank to its close4 ,my
 arms let go the iron bars2 my strength 
was exhausted2 and when he bore me away 
to his house--  ,antony--,whom are you  
talking about8  ,priscilla--,why1 of    

,montanus6  ,antony--,but ,montanus is  
dead4  ,priscilla--,that is not true4   
,a voice--,no1 ,montanus is not dead6   
,antony comes back2 and near him1 on the
 other side upon a bench1 a second woman
 is seated--this one being fair1 and    
paler still1 with swellings under her   
eyelids1 as if she had been a long time 
weeping4 ,without waiting for him to    
question her1 she says3  ,maximilla--,we
 were returning from ,tarsus by the     
mountains1 when1 at a turn of the road1 
we saw a man under a fig-tree4 ,he cried
 from a distance1 ',stop6' and he sprang
 forward1 pouring out abuse on us4 ,the 
slaves rushed up to protect us4 ,he     
burst out laughing4 ,the horses pranced4
 ,the mastiffs all began to howl4 ,he   
was standing up4 ,the perspiration fell 
down his face4 ,the wind made his cloak 
flap4  ,while addressing us by name1 he 
reproached us for the vanity of our     
actions1 the impurity of our bodies2 and
 he raised his fist towards the         
dromedaries on account of the silver    

bells which they wore under their jaws4 
,his fury filled my very entrails with  
terror2 nevertheless1 it was a          
voluptuous sensation1 which soothed1    
intoxicated me4 ,at first1 the slaves   
drew near4 ',master1' said they1 'our   
beasts are fatigued'2 then there were   
the women3 ',we are frightened'2 and the
 slaves ran away4 ,after that1 the      
children began to cry1 ',we are hungry4'
 ,and1 as no answer was given to the    
women1 they disappeared4 ,and now he    
began to speak4 ,i perceived that there 
was some one close beside me4 ,it was my
 husband3 ,i listened to the other4 ,the
 first crawled between the stones1      
exclaiming1 ',do you abandon me8' and ,i
 replied1 ',yes6 begone6' in order to   
accompany ,montanus4  ,antony--,a       
eunuch6  ,priscilla--,ah6 coarse heart1 
you are astonished at this6 ,yet        
,magdalen1 ,jane1 ,martha and ,susanna  
did not enter the couch of the ,saviour4
 ,souls can be madly embraced more      
easily than bodies4 ,in order to retain 

,eustolia with impunity1 the ,bishop    
,leontius mutilated himself--cherishing 
his love more than his virility4 ,and1  
then1 it is not my own fault4 ,a spirit 
compels me to do it2 ,eotas cannot cure 
me4 ,nevertheless1 he is cruel4 ,what   
does it matter8 ,i am the last of the   
prophetesses2 and1 after me1 the end of 
the world will come4  ,maximilla--,he   
has loaded me with his gifts4 ,none of  
the others loved me so much1 nor is any 
of them better loved4  ,priscilla--,you 
lie6 ,i am the person he loves6         
,maximilla--,no3 it is ,i6  ,they fight4
  ,between their shoulders appears a    
negro's head4  ,montanus1 covered with a
 black cloak1 fastened by two dead men's
 bones3  ,be quiet1 my doves6 ,incapable
 of terrestrial happiness1 we by this   
union attain to spiritual plenitude4    
,after the age of the ,father1 the age  
of the ,son2 and ,i inaugurate the      
third1 that of the ,paraclete4 ,his     
light came to me during the forty nights
 when the heavenly ,jerusalem shone in  

the firmament above my house at ,pepuza4
  ,ah6 how you cry out with anguish when
 the thongs flagellate you6 ,how your   
aching limbs offer themselves to my     
burning caresses6 ,how you languish upon
 my breast with an inconceivable love6  
,it is so strong that it has revealed   
new worlds to you1 and you can now      
behold spirits with your mortal eyes4   
,antony makes a gesture of astonishment4
  ,tertullian1 coming up close to       
,montanus--,no doubt1 since the soul has
 a body1 that which has no body exists  
not4  ,montanus--,in order to render it 
less material ,i have introduced        
numerous mortifications--three ,lents   
every year1 and1 for each night1        
prayers1 in saying which the mouth is   
kept closed1 for fear the breath1 in    
escaping1 should sully the mental act4  
,it is necessary to abstain from second 
marriages--or1 rather1 from marriage    
altogether6 ,the angels sinned with     
women4  ,the ,archontics1 in            
hair-shirts3  ,the ,saviour said1 ',i   

came to destroy the work of the woman4' 
,the ,tatianists1 in hair-cloths of     
rushes3  ,she is the tree of evil6 ,our 
bodies are the garments of skin4  ,and1 
ever advancing on the same side1 ,antony
 encounters the ,valesians1 stretched on
 the ground1 with red plates below their
 stomachs1 beneath their tunics4  ,they 
present to him a knife4  ,do like       
,origen and like us6 ,is it the pain you
 fear1 coward8 ,is it the love of your  
flesh that restrains you1 hypocrite8    
,and while he watches them struggling1  
extended on their backs swimming in     
their own blood1 the ,cainites1 with    
their hair fastened by vipers1 pass     
close to him1 shouting in his ears3     
,glory to ,cain6 ,glory to ,sodom6      
,glory to ,judas6  ,cain begot the race 
of the strong2 ,sodom terrified the     
earth with its chastisement1 and it is  
through ,judas that ,god saved the      
world6 ,yes1 ,judas6 without him no     
death and no ,redemption6  ,they pass   
out through the band of ,circoncellions1

 clad in wolf-skin1 crowned with thorns1
 and carrying iron clubs4  ,crush the   
fruit6 ,attack the fountain-head6 ,drown
 the child6 ,plunder the rich man who is
 happy1 and who eats overmuch6 ,strike  
down the poor man who casts an envious  
glance at the ass's saddle-cloth1 the   
dog's meal1 the bird's nest1 and who is 
grieved at not seeing others as         
miserable as himself4  ,as for us--the  
,saints--in order to hasten the end of  
the world1 we poison1 burn1 massacre4   
,the only salvation is in martyrdom4 ,we
 give ourselves up to martyrdom4 ,we    
take off with pincers the skin of our   
heads2 we spread our limbs under the    
ploughs2 we cast ourselves into the     
mouths of furnaces4 ,shame on baptism6  
,shame on the ,eucharist6 ,shame on     
marriage6 ,universal damnation6  ,then1 
throughout the basilica1 there is a     
fresh accession of frenzy4 ,the ,audians
 draw arrows against the ,devil2 the    
,collyridians fling blue veils to the   
ceiling2 the ,ascitians prostrate       

themselves before a wineskin2 the       
,marcionites baptise a corpse with oil4 
,close beside ,appelles1 a woman1 the   
better to explain her idea1 shows a     
round loaf of bread in a bottle2        
another1 surrounded by the ,sampsians1  
distributes like a host the dust of her 
sandals4 ,on the bed of the ,marcosians1
 strewn with roses1 two lovers embrace  
each other4 ,the ,circoncellions cut one
 another's throats2 the ,velesians make 
a rattling sound2 ,bardesanes sings2    
,carpocras dances2 ,maximilla and       
,priscilla utter loud groans2 and the   
false prophetess of ,cappadocia1 quite  
naked1 resting on a lion and brandishing
 three torches1 yells forth the         
,terrible ,invocation4  ,the pillars are
 poised like trunks of trees2 the       
amulets round the necks of the          
,heresiarchs have lines of flame        
crossing each other2 the constellations 
in the chapels move to and fro1 and the 
walls recede under the alternate motion 
of the crowd1 in which every head is a  

wave which leaps and roars4  ,meanwhile1
 from the very depths of the uproar     
rises a song with bursts of laughter1 in
 which the name of ,jesus recurs4 ,these
 outbursts come from the common people1 
who all clap their hands in order to    
keep time with the music4 ,in the midst 
of them is ,arius1 in the dress of a    
deacon3  ,the fools who declaim against 
me pretend to explain the absurd2 and1  
in order to destroy them entirely1 ,i   
have composed little poems so comical   
that they are known by heart in the     
mills1 the taverns1 and the ports4  ,a  
thousand times no6 the ,son is not      
co-eternal with the ,father1 nor of the 
same substance4 ,otherwise ,he would not
 have said1 ',father1 remove from ,me   
this chalice6 ,why do ye call ,me good8 
,god alone is good6 ,i go to my ,god1 to
 your ,god6' and other expressions1     
proving that ,he was a created being4   
,it is demonstrated to us besides by all
 ,his names3 lamb1 shepherd1 fountain1  
wisdom1 ,son of ,man1 prophet1 good way1

 corner-stone4  ,sabellius--,as for me1 
,i maintain that both are identical4    
,arius--,the ,council of ,antioch has   
decided the other way4  ,antony--,who1  
then1 is the ,word8 ,who was ,jesus8    
,the ,valentinians--,he was the husband 
of ,acharamoth when she had repented6   
,the ,sethianians--,he was ,sem1 son of 
,noah6  ,the ,theodotians--,he was      
,melchisidech6  ,the ,merinthians--,he  
was nothing but a man6  ,the            
,apollonarists--,he assumed the         
appearance of one6 ,he simulated the    
,passion6  ,marcellus of ,ancyra--,he is
 a development of the ,father6  ,pope   
,calixtus--,father and ,son are the two 
forms of a single ,god6  ,methadius--,he
 was first in ,adam1 and then in man6   
,cerinthus--,and ,he will come back to  
life again6                             
,valentinus--,impossible--,his body is  
celestial4  ,paul of ,samosta--,he is   
,god only since ,his baptism4           
,hermogenes--,he dwells in the sun4     
,and all the heresiarchs form a circle  

around ,antony1 who weeps1 with his head
 in his hands4  ,a ,jew1 with red beard1
 and his skin spotted with leprosy1     
advances close to him1 and chuckling    
horribly3  ,his soul was the soul of    
,esau4 ,he suffered from the disease of 
,bellerophon2 and his mother1 the woman 
who sold perfumes1 surrendered herself  
to ,pantherus1 a ,roman soldier1 under  
the corn-sheaves1 one harvest evening4  
,antony eagerly lifts up his head1 and  
gazes at them without uttering a word2  
then1 treading right over them3         
,doctors1 magicians1 bishops and        
deacons1 men and phantoms1 back6 back6  
,ye are all lies6  ,the                 
,heresiarchs--,we have martyrs1 more    
martyrs than yours1 prayers more        
difficult1 higher outbursts of love1 and
 ecstasies quite as protracted4         
,antony--,but no revelation4 ,no proofs4
  ,then all brandish in the air rolls of
 papyrus1 tablets of wood1 pieces of    
leather2 and strips of cloth2 and       
pushing them one before the other3  ,the

 ,corinthians--,here is the ,gospel of  
the ,hebrews6  ,the ,marcionites--,the  
,gospel of the ,lord6 ,the ,gospel of   
,eve6  ,the ,encratites--,the ,gospel of
 ,thomas6  ,the ,cainites--,the ,gospel 
of ,judas6  ,basilides--,the treatise of
 the spirit that has come6  ,manes--,the
 prophecy of ,barcouf6  ,antony makes a 
struggle and escapes them1 and he       
perceives1 in a corner filled with      
shadows1 the old ,ebionites1 dried up   
like mummies1 their glances dull1 their 
eyebrows white4  ,they speak in a       
quavering tone3  ,we have known1 we     
ourselves have known1 the carpenter's   
son4 ,we were of his own age2 we lived  
in his street4 ,he used to amuse himself
 by modelling little birds with mud2    
without being afraid of cutting the     
benches1 he assisted his father in his  
work1 or rolled up1 for his mother1     
balls of dyed wool4 ,then he made a     
journey into ,egypt1 whence he brought  
back wonderful secrets4 ,we were in     
,jericho when he discovered the eater of

 grasshoppers4 ,they talked together in 
a low tone1 without anyone being able to
 hear them4 ,but it was since that      
occurrence that he made a noise in      
,galilee and that many stories have been
 circulated concerning him4  ,they      
repeat1 tremulously3  ,we have known1 we
 ourselves2 we have known him4          
,antony--,one moment6 ,tell me6 pray    
tell me1 what was his face like8        
,tertullian--,fierce and repulsive in   
its aspect2 for he was laden with all   
the crimes1 all the sorrows1 and all the
 deformities of the world4              
,antony--,oh6 no6 no6 ,i imagine1 on the
 contrary1 that there was about his     
entire person a superhuman beauty4      
,eusebius of ,caesarea--,there is at    
,paneadae1 close to an old ruin1 in the 
midst of a rank growth of weeds1 a      
statue of stone1 raised1 as it is       
pretended1 by the woman with the issue  
of blood4 ,but time has gnawed away the 
face1 and the rain has obliterated the  
inscription4  ,a woman comes forth from 

the group of ,carpocratians4            
,marcellina--,i was formerly a deaconess
 in a little church at ,rome1 where ,i  
used to show the faithful images1 in    
silver1 of ,st4 ,paul1 ,homer1          
,pythagoras and ,jesus ,christ4  ,i have
 kept only his4  ,she draws aside the   
folds of her cloak4  ,do you wish it8   
,a voice--,he reappears himself when we 
invoke him4 ,it is the hour4 ,come6     
,and ,antony feels a brutal hand laid on
 him1 which drags him along4  ,he       
ascends a staircase in complete         
darkness1 and1 after proceeding for some
 time1 arrives in front of a door4 ,then
 his guide 7is it ,hilarion8 he cannot  
tell7 says in the ear of a third person1
 ,the ,lord is about to come1--and they 
are introduced into an apartment with a 
low ceiling and no furniture4 ,what     
strikes him at first is1 opposite him1 a
 long chrysalis of the colour of blood1 
with a man's head1 from which rays      
escape1 and the word ,knouphis written  
in ,greek all around4 ,it rises above a 

shaft of a column placed in the midst of
 a pedestal4 ,on the other walls of the 
apartment1 medallions of polished brass 
represent heads of animals--that of an  
ox1 of a lion1 of an eagle1 of a dog1   
and again1 an ass's head6 ,the argil    
lamps1 suspended below these images1    
shed a flickering light4 ,antony1       
through a hole in the wall1 perceives   
the moon1 which shines far away on the  
waves1 and he can even distinguish their
 monotonous ripple1 with the dull sound 
of a ship's keel striking against the   
stones of a pier4  ,men1 squatting on   
the ground1 their faces hidden beneath  
their cloaks1 give vent at intervals to 
a kind of stifled barking4 ,women are   
sleeping1 with their foreheads clasped  
by both arms1 which are supported by    
their knees1 so completely shrouded by  
their veils that one would say they were
 heaps of clothes arranged along the    
wall4 ,beside them1 children1           
half-naked1 and half devoured with      
vermin1 watch the lamps burning1 with an

 idiotic air2--and they are doing       
nothing2 they are awaiting something4   
,they speak in low voices about their   
families1 or communicate to one another 
remedies for their diseases4 ,many of   
them are going to embark at the end of  
the day1 the persecution having become  
too severe4 ,the ,pagans1 however1 are  
not hard to deceive4 ,they believe1 the 
fools1 that we adore ,knouphis6  ,but   
one of the brethren1 suddenly inspired1 
places himself in front of the column1  
where they have laid a loaf of bread1   
which is on the top of a basket full of 
fennel and hartwort4  ,the others have  
taken their places1 forming1 as they    
stand1 three parallel lines4  ,the      
inspired one unrolls a paper covered    
with cylinders joined together1 and then
 begins3  ,upon the darkness the ray of 
the ,word descended1 and a violent cry  
burst forth1 which seemed like the voice
 of light4  ,all responding1 while they 
sway their bodies to and fro3  ,kyrie   
eleison6  ,the inspired one--,man1 then1

 was created by the infamous ,god of    
,israel1 with the assistance of those   
here1--pointing towards the             
medallions--,aristophaios1 ,oraios1     
,sabaoth1 ,adonai1 ,eloi and ,iao6  ,and
 he lay on the mud1 hideous1 feeble1    
shapeless1 without the power of thought4
  ,all1 in a plaintive tone3  ,kyrie    
eleison6  ,the inspired one--,but       
,sophia1 taking pity on him1 quickened  
him with a portion of her spirit4 ,then1
 seeing man so beautiful1 ,god was      
seized with anger1 and imprisoned him in
 ,his kingdom1 interdicting him from the
 tree of knowledge4 ,still1 once more1  
the other one came to his aid4 ,she sent
 the serpent1 who1 with its sinuous     
advances1 prevailed on him to disobey   
this law of hate4 ,and man1 when he had 
tasted knowledge1 understood heavenly   
matters4  ,all1 with energy3  ,kyrie    
eleison6  ,the inspired one--,but       
,jaldalaoth1 in order to be revenged1   
plunged man into matter1 and the serpent
 along with him6  ,all1 in very low     

tones3  ,kyrie eleison6  ,they close    
their mouths and then become silent4    
,the odours of the harbour mingle in the
 warm air with the smoke of the lamps4  
,their wicks1 spluttering1 are on the   
point of being extinguished1 and long   
mosquitoes flutter around them4 ,antony 
gasps with anguish4 ,he has the feeling 
that some monstrosity is floating around
 him--the horror of a crime about to be 
perpetrated4  ,but the inspired one1    
stamping with his feet1 snapping his    
fingers1 tossing his head1 sings a      
psalm1 with a wild refrain1 to the sound
 of cymbals and of a shrill flute3      
,come6 come6 come6 come forth from thy  
cavern6  ,swift ,one1 that runs without 
feet1 captor that takes without hands6  
,sinuous as the waves1 round as the sun1
 darkened with spots of gold2 like the  
firmament1 strewn with stars6 like the  
twistings of the vine-tree and the      
windings of entrails6  ,unbegotten6     
earth-devourer6 ever young6             
perspicacious6 honoured at ,epidaurus6  

good for men6 who cured ,king ,ptolemy1 
the soldiers of ,moses1 and ,glaucus1   
son of ,minos6  ,come6 come6 come6 come 
forth from thy cavern6  ,all repeat3    
,come6 come6 come6 come forth from thy  
cavern6  ,however1 there is no          
manifestation4  ,why1 what is the matter
 with him8  ,they proceed to deliberate1
 and to make suggestions4 ,one old man  
offers a clump of grass4 ,then there is 
a rising in the basket4 ,the green herbs
 are agitated2 the flowers fall1 and the
 head of a python appears4  ,he passes  
slowly over the edge of the loaf1 like a
 circle turning round a motionless disc2
 then he develops1 lengthens2 he becomes
 of enormous weight4 ,to prevent him    
from grazing the ground1 the men support
 him with their breasts1 the women with 
their heads1 and the children with the  
tips of their fingers2 and his tail1    
emerging through the hole in the wall1  
stretches out indefinitely1 even to the 
depths of the sea4 ,his rings unfold    
themselves1 and fill the apartment4     

,they wind themselves round ,antony4    
,the ,faithful1 pressing their mouths   
against his skin1 snatch the bread which
 he has nibbled4  ,it is thou6 it is    
thou6  ,raised at first by ,moses1      
crushed by ,ezechias1 re-established by 
the ,messiah4 ,he drank thee in the     
waters of baptism2 but thou didst quit  
him in the ,garden of ,olives1 and then 
he felt all his weakness4  ,writhing on 
the bar of the ,cross1 and higher than  
his head1 slavering above the crown of  
thorns1 thou didst behold him dying2 for
 thou art ,jesus6 yes1 thou art the     
,word6 thou art the ,christ6  ,antony   
swoons in horror1 and falls in his cell1
 upon the splinters of wood1 where the  
torch1 which had slipped from his hand1 
is burning mildly4 ,this commotion      
causes him to half-open his eyes2 and he
 perceives the ,nile1 undulating and    
clear1 under the light of the moon1 like
 a great serpent in the midst of the    
sands--so much so that the hallucination
 again takes possession of him4 ,he has 

not quitted the ,ophites2 they surround 
him1 address him by name1 carry off     
baggages1 and descend towards the port4 
,he embarks along with them4  ,a brief  
period of time flows by4 ,then the vault
 of a prison encircles him4 ,in front of
 him1 iron bars make black lines upon a 
background of blue2 and at its sides1 in
 the shade1 are people weeping and      
praying1 surrounded by others who are   
exhorting and consoling them4  ,without1
 one is attracted by the murmuring of a 
crowd1 as well as by the splendour of a 
summer's day4 ,shrill voices are crying 
out watermelons1 water1 iced drinks1 and
 cushions of grass to sit down on4 ,from
 time to time1 shouts of applause burst 
forth4 ,he observes people walking on   
their heads4  ,suddenly1 comes a        
continuous roaring1 strong and          
cavernous1 like the noise of water in an
 aqueduct3 and1 opposite him1 he        
perceives1 behind the bars of another   
cage1 a lion1 who is walking up and     
down2 then a row of sandals1 of naked   

legs1 and of purple fringes4  ,overhead1
 groups of people1 ranged symmetrically1
 widen out from the lowest circle1 which
 encloses the arena1 to the highest1    
where masts have been raised to support 
a veil of hyacinth hung in the air on   
ropes4 ,staircases1 which radiate       
towards the centre1 intersect1 at equal 
distances1 those great circles of stone4
 ,their steps disappear from view1 owing
 to the vast audience seated            
there--knights1 senators1 soldiers1     
common people1 vestals and courtesans1  
in woollen hoods1 in silk maniples1 in  
tawny tunics with aigrettes of precious 
stones1 tufts of feathers and lictors'  
rods2 and all this assemblage1          
muttering1 exclaiming1 tumultuous and   
frantic1 stuns him like an immense tub  
boiling over4 ,in the midst of the      
arena1 upon an altar1 smokes a vessel of
 incense4  ,the people who surround him 
are ,christians1 delivered up to the    
wild beasts4 ,the men wear the red cloak
 of the high-priests of ,saturn1 the    

women the fillets of ,ceres4 ,their     
friends distribute fragments of their   
garments and rings4 ,in order to gain   
admittance into the prison1 they        
require1 they say1 a great deal of      
money2 but what does it matter8 ,they   
will remain till the end4  ,amongst     
these consolers ,antony observes a bald 
man in a black tunic1 a portion of whose
 face is plainly visible4 ,he discourses
 with them on the nothingness of the    
world1 and the happiness of the ,elect4 
,antony is filled with transports of    
,divine love4 ,he longs for the         
opportunity of sacrificing his life for 
the ,saviour1 not knowing whether he is 
himself one of these martyrs4 ,but1 save
 a ,phrygian1 with long hair1 who keeps 
his arms raised1 they all have a        
melancholy aspect4 ,an old man is       
sobbing on a bench1 and a young man1 who
 is standing1 is musing with downcast   
eyes4  ,the old man has refused to pay  
tribute at the angle of a cross-road1   
before a statue of ,minerva2 and he     

regards his companions with a look which
 signifies3  ,you ought to succour me6  
,communities sometimes make arrangements
 by which they might be left in peace4  
,many amongst you have even obtained    
letters falsely declaring that you have 
offered sacrifice to idols4  ,he asks3  
,is it not ,peter of ,alexandria who has
 regulated what one ought to do when one
 is overcome by tortures8  ,then1 to    
himself3  ,ah6 this is very hard at my  
age6 my infirmities render me so feeble6
 ,perchance1 ,i might have lived to     
another winter6  ,the recollection of   
his little garden moves him to tears2   
and he contemplates the side of the     
altar4  ,the young man1 who had         
disturbed by violence a feast of        
,apollo1 murmurs3  ,my only chance was  
to fly to the mountains6  ,the soldiers 
would have caught you1 says one of the  
brethren4  ,oh6 ,i could have done like 
,cyprian2 ,i should have come back2 and 
the second time ,i should have had more 
strength1 you may be sure6  ,then he    

thinks of the countless days he should  
have lived1 with all the pleasures which
 he will not have known2--and he1       
likewise1 contemplates the side of the  
altar4  ,but the man in the black tunic 
rushes up to him3  ,how scandalous6     
,what8 ,you a victim of election8 ,think
 of all these women who are looking at  
you6 ,and then1 ,god sometimes performs 
a miracle4 ,pionius benumbed the hands  
of his executioners2 and the blood of   
,polycarp extinguished the flames of his
 funeral-pile4  ,he turns towards the   
old man4 ,father1 father6 ,you ought to 
edify us by your death4 ,by deferring   
it1 you will1 without doubt1 commit some
 bad action which will destroy the fruit
 of your good deeds4 ,besides1 the power
 of ,god is infinite4 ,perhaps your     
example will convert the entire people4 
,and1 in the den opposite1 the lions    
stride up and down1 without stopping1   
rapidly1 with a continuous movement4    
,the largest of them all at once fixes  
his eyes on ,antony and emits a roar1   

and a mass of vapour issues from his    
jaws4  ,the women are jammed up against 
the men4  ,the consoler goes from one to
 another3  ,what would ye say--what     
would any of you say--if they burned you
 with plates of iron2 if horses tore you
 asunder2 if your body1 coated with     
honey1 was devoured by insects8 ,you    
will have only the death of a hunter who
 is surprised in a wood4  ,antony would 
much prefer all this than the horrible  
wild beasts2 he imagines he feels their 
teeth and their talons1 and that he     
hears his back cracking under their     
jaws4  ,a belluarius enters the dungeon2
 the martyrs tremble4 ,one alone amongst
 them is unmoved--the ,phrygian1 who has
 gone into a corner to pray4 ,he had    
burned three temples4 ,he now advances  
with lifted arms1 open mouth1 and his   
head towards ,heaven1 without seeing    
anything1 like a somnambulist4  ,the    
consoler exclaims3  ,keep back6 ,keep   
back6 ,the ,spirit of ,montanus will    
destroy ye6  ,all fall back1            

vociferating3  ,damnation to the        
,montanist6  ,they insult him1 spit upon
 him1 would like to strike him4 ,the    
lions1 prancing1 bite one another's     
manes4 ,the people yell3  ,to the       
beasts6 ,to the beasts6  ,the martyrs1  
bursting into sobs1 catch hold of one   
another4 ,a cup of narcotic wine is     
offered to them4 ,they quickly pass it  
from hand to hand4  ,near the door of   
the den another belluarius awaits the   
signal4 ,it opens2 a lion comes out4    
,he crosses the arena with great        
irregular strides4 ,behind him in a row 
appear the other lions1 then a bear1    
three panthers1 and leopards4 ,they     
scatter like a flock in a prairie4  ,the
 cracking of a whip is heard4 ,the      
,christians stagger1 and1 in order to   
make an end of it1 their brethren push  
them forward4  ,antony closes his eyes4 
99       99       99       99       99  
,he opens them again4 ,but darkness     
envelops him4 ,ere long1 it grows bright
 once more2 and he is able to trace the 

outlines of a plain1 arid and covered   
with knolls1 such as may be seen around 
a deserted quarry4 ,here and there a    
clump of shrubs lifts itself in the     
midst of the slabs1 which are on a level
 with the soil1 and above which white   
forms are bending1 more undefined than  
clouds4 ,others rapidly make their      
appearance4 ,eyes shine through the     
openings of long veils4 ,by their       
indolent gait and the perfumes which    
exhale from them1 ,antony knows they are
 ladies of patrician rank4 ,there are   
also men1 but of inferior condition1 for
 they have visages at the same time     
simple and coarse4  ,one of the women1  
with a long breath3  ,ah6 how pleasant  
is the air of the chilly night in the   
midst of sepulchres6 ,i am so fatigued  
with the softness of couches1 the noise 
of day1 and the oppressiveness of the   
sun6  ,a woman1 panting--,ah6 at last1  
here ,i am6 ,but how irksome to have    
wedded an idolater6  ,another--,the     
visits to the prisons1 the conversations

 with our brethren1 all excite the      
suspicions of our husbands6 ,and we must
 even hide ourselves from them when     
making the sign of the ,cross2 they     
would take it for a magical conjuration4
  ,another--,with mine1 there was       
nothing but quarrelling all day long4 ,i
 did not like to submit to the abuses to
 which he subjected my person2 and1 for 
revenge1 he had me persecuted as a      
,christian4  ,another--,recall to your  
memory that young man of such striking  
beauty who was dragged by the heels     
behind a chariot1 like ,hector1 from the
 ,esquiline ,gate to the ,mountains of  
,tibur2 and his blood stained the bushes
 on both sides of the road4 ,i collected
 the drops--here they are6  ,she draws  
from her bosom a sponge perfectly black1
 covers it with kisses1 and then flings 
herself upon the slab1 crying3  ,ah6 my 
friend6 my friend6  ,a man--,it is just 
three years to-day since ,domitilla's   
death4 ,she was stoned at the bottom of 
the ,wood of ,proserpine4 ,i gathered   

her bones1 which shone like glow-worms  
in the grass4 ,the earth now covers     
them4  ,he flings himself upon a        
tombstone4  ,o my betrothed6 my         
betrothed6  ,and all the others1        
scattered through the plain3  ,o my     
sister6 ,o my brother6 ,o my daughter6  
,o my mother6  ,they are on their knees1
 their foreheads clasped with their     
hands1 or their bodies lying flat with  
both arms extended2 and the sobs which  
they repress make their bosoms swell    
almost to bursting4 ,they gaze up at the
 sky1 saying3  ,have pity on her soul1  
,o my ,god6 ,she is languishing in the  
abode of shadows4 ,deign to admit her   
into the ,resurrection1 so that she may 
rejoice in ,thy light6  ,or1 with eyes  
fixed on the flagstones1 they murmur3   
,be at rest--suffer no more6 ,i have    
brought thee wine and meat6  ,a         
widow--,here is pudding1 made by me1    
according to his taste1 with many eggs1 
and a double measure of flour4 ,we are  
going to eat together as of yore1 is not

 that so8  ,she puts a little of it on  
her lips1 and suddenly begins to laugh  
in an extravagant fashion1 frantically4 
,the others1 like her1 nibble a morsel  
and drink a mouthful2 they tell one     
another the history of their martyrs2   
their sorrow becomes vehement2 their    
libations increase2 their eyes1 swimming
 with tears1 are fixed on one another2  
they stammer with inebriety and         
desolation4 ,gradually their hands      
touch2 their lips meet2 their veils are 
torn away1 and they embrace one another 
upon the tombs in the midst of the cups 
and the torches4  ,the sky begins to    
brighten4 ,the mist soaks their         
garments2 and1 as if they were strangers
 to one another1 they take their        
departure by different roads into the   
country4  ,the sun shines forth4 ,the   
grass has grown taller2 the plain has   
become transformed4 ,across the bamboos1
 ,antony sees a forest of columns of a  
bluish-grey colour4 ,those are trunks of
 trees springing from a single trunk4   

,from each of its branches descend other
 branches which penetrate into the soil2
 and the whole of those horizontal and  
perpendicular lines1 indefinitely       
multiplied1 might be compared to a      
gigantic framework were it not that here
 and there appears a little fig-tree    
with a dark foliage like that of a      
sycamore4 ,between the branches he      
distinguishes bunches of yellow flowers 
and violets1 and ferns as large as      
birds' feathers4 ,under the lowest      
branches may be seen at different points
 the horns of a buffalo1 or the         
glittering eyes of an antelope4 ,parrots
 sit perched1 butterflies flutter1      
lizards crawl upon the ground1 flies    
buzz2 and one can hear1 as it were1 in  
the midst of the silence1 the           
palpitation of an all-permeating life4  
,at the entrance of the wood1 on a kind 
of pile1 is a strange sight--a man      
coated over with cows' dung1 completely 
naked1 more dried-up than a mummy4 ,his 
joints form knots at the extremities of 

his bones1 which are like sticks4 ,he   
has clusters of shells in his ears1 his 
face is very long1 and his nose is like 
a vulture's beak4 ,his left arm is held 
erect in the air1 crooked1 and stiff as 
a stake2 and he has remained there so   
long that birds have made a nest in his 
hair4  ,at the four corners of his pile 
four fires are blazing4 ,the sun is     
right in his face4 ,he gazes at it with 
great open eyes1 and without looking at 
,antony4  ,brahmin of the banks of the  
,nile1 what sayest thou8  ,flames start 
out on every side through the partings  
of the beams2 and the gymnosophist      
resumes3  ,like a rhinoceros1 ,i am     
plunged in solitude4 ,i dwelt in the    
tree that was behind me4  ,in fact1 the 
large fig-tree presents in its flutings 
a natural excavation of the shape of a  
man4  ,and ,i fed myself on flowers and 
fruits with such an observance of       
precepts that not even a dog has seen me
 eat4  ,as existence proceeds from      
corruption1 corruption from desire1     

desire from sensation1 and sensation    
from contact1 ,i have avoided every kind
 of action1 every kind of contact1      
and--without stirring any more than the 
pillar of a tombstone--exhaling my      
breath through my two nostrils1 fixing  
my glances upon my nose2 and1 observing 
the ether in my spirit1 the world in my 
limbs1 the moon in my heart1 ,i pondered
 on the essence of the great soul1      
whence continually escape1 like sparks  
of fire1 the principles of life4 ,i     
have1 at last1 grasped the supreme soul 
in all beings1 all beings in the supreme
 soul2 and ,i have succeeded in making  
my soul penetrate the place into which  
my senses used to penetrate4  ,i receive
 knowledge directly from ,heaven1 like  
the bird ,tchataka1 who quenches his    
thirst only in the droppings of the     
rain4 ,from the very fact of my having  
knowledge of things1 things no longer   
exist4 ,for me now there is no hope and 
no anguish1 no goodness1 no virtue1     
neither day nor night1 neither thou nor 

,i--absolutely nothing4  ,my frightful  
austerities have made me superior to the
 ,powers4 ,a contraction of my brain can
 kill a hundred kings' sons1 dethrone   
gods1 overrun the world4  ,he utters all
 this in a monotonous voice4 ,the leaves
 all around him are withered4 ,the rats 
fly over the ground4  ,he slowly lowers 
his eyes towards the flames1 which are  
rising1 then adds3  ,i have become      
disgusted with form1 disgusted with     
perception1 disgusted even with         
knowledge itself--for thought does not  
outlive the transitory fact that gives  
rise to it2 and the spirit1 like the    
rest1 is but an illusion4  ,everything  
that is born will perish2 everything    
that is dead will come to life again4   
,the beings that have actually          
disappeared will sojourn in wombs not   
yet formed1 and will come back to earth 
to serve with sorrow other creatures4   
,but1 as ,i have resolved through an    
infinite number of existences1 under the
 guise of gods1 men1 and animals1 ,i    

give up travelling1 and no longer wish  
for this fatigue4 ,i abandon the dirty  
inn of my body1 walled in with flesh1   
reddened with blood1 covered with       
hideous skin1 full of uncleanness2 and1 
for my reward1 ,i shall1 finally1 sleep 
in the very depths of the absolute1 in  
annihilation4  ,the flames rise to his  
breast1 then envelop him4 ,his head     
stretches across as if through the hole 
of a wall4 ,his eyes are perpetually    
fixed in a vacant stare4  ,antony gets  
up again4 ,the torch on the ground has  
set fire to the splinters of wood1 and  
the flames have singed his beard4       
,bursting into an exclamation1 ,antony  
tramples on the fire2 and1 when only a  
heap of cinders is left3  ,where1 then1 
is ,hilarion8 ,he was here just now4 ,i 
saw him6 ,ah6 no2 it is impossible6 ,i  
am mistaken6 ,how is this8 ,my cell1    
those stones1 the sand1 have not1       
perhaps1 any more reality4 ,i must be   
going mad4 ,stay6 where was ,i8 ,what   
was happening here8  ,ah6 the           

gymnosophist6 ,this death is common     
amongst the ,indian sages4 ,kalanos     
burned himself before ,alexander2       
another did the same in the time of     
,augustus4 ,what hatred of life they    
must have had6--unless1 indeed1 pride   
drove them to it4 ,no matter1 it is the 
intrepidity of martyrs6 ,as to the      
others1 ,i now believe all that has been
 told me of the excesses they have      
occasioned4  ,and before this8 ,yes1 ,i 
recollect6 the crowd of heresiarchs 444 
,what shrieks6 what eyes6 ,but why so   
many outbreaks of the flesh and         
wanderings of the spirit8  ,it is       
towards ,god they pretend to direct     
their thoughts in all these different   
ways4 ,what right have ,i to curse them1
 ,i who stumble in my own path8 ,when   
they have disappeared1 ,i shall1        
perhaps1 learn more4 ,this one rushed   
away too quickly2 ,i had not time to    
reply to him4 ,just now it is as if ,i  
had in my intellect more space and more 
light4 ,i am tranquil4 ,i feel myself   

capable 444 ,but what is this now8 ,i   
thought ,i had extinguished the fire4   
,a flame flutters between the rocks2    
and1 speedily1 a jerky voice makes      
itself heard from the mountains in the  
distance4  ,are those the barkings of a 
hyena1 or the lamentations of some lost 
traveller8  ,antony listens4 ,the flame 
draws nearer4         99       99       
99       99       99  ,and he sees      
approaching a woman who is weeping1     
resting on the shoulder of a man with a 
white beard4 ,she is covered with a     
purple garment all in rags4 ,he1 like   
her1 is bare-headed1 with a tunic of the
 same colour1 and carries a bronze vase1
 whence arises a small blue flame4      
,antony is filled with fear1--and yet he
 would fain know who this woman is4     
,the stranger 7,simon7--,this is a young
 girl1 a poor child1 whom ,i take       
everywhere with me4  ,he raises the     
bronze vase4 ,antony inspects her by the
 light of this flickering flame4 ,she   
has on her face marks of bites1 and     

traces of blows along her arms4 ,her    
scattered hair is entangled in the rents
 of her rags2 her eyes appear insensible
 to the light4  ,simon--,sometimes she  
remains thus a long time without        
speaking or eating1 and utters          
marvellous things4  ,antony--,really8   
,simon--,eunoia6 ,eunoia6 relate what   
you have to say6  ,she turns around her 
eyeballs1 as if awakening from a dream1 
passes her fingers slowly across her two
 lids1 and in a mournful voice3  ,helena
 7,eunoia7--,i have a recollection of a 
distant region1 of the colour of        
emerald4 ,there is only a single tree   
there4  ,antony gives a start4  ,at each
 step of its huge branches a pair of    
spirits stand4 ,the branches around them
 cross each other1 like the veins of a  
body1 and they watch the eternal life   
circulating from the roots1 where it is 
lost in shadow up to the summit1 which  
reaches beyond the sun4 ,i1 on the      
second branch1 illumined with my face   
the summer nights4  ,antony1 touching   

his forehead--,ah6 ah6 ,i understand6   
the head6  ,simon1 with his finger on   
his lips--,hush6 ,hush6  ,helena--,the  
vessel remained convex3 her keel clave  
the foam4 ,he said to me1 ',what does it
 matter if ,i disturb my country1 if ,i 
lose my kingdom6 ,you will be mine1 in  
my own house6'  ,how pleasant was the   
upper chamber of his palace6 ,he would  
lie down upon the ivory bed1 and1       
smoothing my hair1 would sing in an     
amorous strain4 ,at the end of the day1 
,i could see the two camps and the      
lanterns which they were lighting2      
,ulysses at the edge of his tent2       
,achilles1 armed from head to foot1     
driving a chariot along the seashore4   
,antony--,why1 she is quite mad6        
,wherefore8 444  ,simon--,hush6 ,hush6  
,helena--,they rubbed me with unguents1 
and sold me to the people to amuse them4
 ,one evening1 standing with the sistrum
 in my hand1 ,i was coaxing ,greek      
sailors to dance4 ,the rain1 like a     
cataract1 fell upon the tavern1 and the 

cups of hot wine were smoking4 ,a man   
entered without the door having been    
opened4  ,simon--,it was ,i6 ,i found   
you4 ,here she is1 ,antony2 she who is  
called ,sigeh1 ,eunoia1 ,barbelo1       
,prounikos6 ,the ,spirits who govern the
 world were jealous of her1 and they    
bound her in the body of a woman4 ,she  
was the ,helen of the ,trojans1 whose   
memory the poet ,stesichorus had        
rendered infamous4 ,she has been        
,lucretia1 the patrician lady violated  
by the kings4 ,she was ,delilah1 who cut
 off the hair of ,samson4 ,she was that 
daughter of ,israel who surrendered     
herself to he-goats4 ,she has loved     
adultery1 idolatry1 lying and folly4    
,she was prostituted by every nation4   
,she has sung in all the cross-ways4    
,she has kissed every face4 ,at ,tyre1  
she1 the ,syrian1 was the mistress of   
thieves4 ,she drank with them during the
 nights1 and she concealed assassins    
amid the vermin of her tepid bed4       
,antony--,ah6 what is coming over me8   

,simon1 with a furious air--  ,i have   
redeemed her1 ,i tell you1 and          
re-established her in all her splendour1
 such as ,caius ,caesar ,agricola became
 enamoured of when he desired to sleep  
with the ,moon6  ,antony---,well6 well6 
,simon--,but she really is the ,moon6   
,has not ,pope ,clement written that she
 was imprisoned in a tower8 ,three      
hundred persons came to surround the    
tower2 and on each of the murderers1 at 
the same time1 the moon was seen to     
appear1--though there are not many moons
 in the world1 or many ,eunoias6        
,antony--,yes6 444 ,i think ,i recollect
 444  ,and he falls into a reverie4     
,simon--,innocent as ,christ1 who died  
for men1 she has devoted herself to     
women4 ,for the powerlessness of        
,jehovah is demonstrated by the         
transgression of ,adam1 and we must     
shake off the old law1 opposed1 as it   
is1 to the order of things4 ,i have     
preached the new ,gospel in ,ephraim and
 in ,issachar1 along the torrent of     

,bizor1 behind the lake of ,houleh1 in  
the valley of ,mageddo1 and beyond the  
mountains1 at ,bostra and at ,damas4    
,let those who are covered with         
wine-dregs1 those who are covered with  
dirt1 those who are covered with blood1 
come to me2 and ,i will wash out their  
defilement with the ,holy ,spirit1      
called by the ,greeks1 ,minerva4 ,she is
 ,minerva6 ,she is the ,holy ,spirit6 ,i
 am ,jupiter ,apollo1 the ,christ1 the  
,paraclete1 the great power of ,god     
incarnated in the person of ,simon6     
,antony--,ah6 it is you6 444 it is you6 
,but ,i know your crimes6 ,you were born
 at ,gittha on the borders of ,samaria4 
,dositheus1 your first master1 dismissed
 you6 ,you execrate ,saint ,paul for    
having converted one of your women2 and1
 vanquished by ,saint ,peter1 in your   
rage and terror1 you flung into the     
waves the bag which contained your      
magical instruments6  ,simon--,do you   
desire them8  ,antony looks at him1 and 
an inner voice murmurs in his breast1   

,why not8  ,simon resumes3  ,he who     
understands the powers of ,nature and   
the substance of spirits ought to       
perform miracles4 ,it is the dream of   
all sages--and the desire of which gnaws
 you2 confess it6  ,amongst the ,romans 
,i flew so high in the circus that they 
saw me no more4 ,nero ordered me to be  
decapitated2 but it was a sheep's head  
that fell to the ground instead of mine4
 ,finally1 they buried me alive2 but ,i 
came back to life on the third day4 ,the
 proof of it is that ,i am here6  ,he   
gives him his hands to smell4 ,they have
 the odour of a corpse4 ,antony recoils4
  ,i can make bronze serpents move1     
marble statues laugh1 and dogs speak4 ,i
 will show you an immense quantity of   
gold1 ,i will set up kings1 you shall   
see nations adoring me4 ,i can walk on  
the clouds and on the waves2 pass       
through mountains2 assume the appearance
 of a young man1 or of an old man2 of a 
tiger1 or of an ant2 take your face1    
give you mine2 and drive the            

thunderbolt4 ,do you hear8  ,the thunder
 rolls1 followed by flashes of          
lightning4  ,it is the voice of the     
,most ,high1 'for the ,eternal1 thy     
,god1 is a fire1' and all creations     
operate by the emanations of this       
central fire4 ,you are about to receive 
the baptism of it--that second baptism1 
announced by ,jesus1 which fell on the  
,apostles one stormy day when the window
 was open6  ,and all the while stirring 
the flame with his hand1 slowly1 as if  
to sprinkle ,antony with it3  ,mother of
 ,mercies1 thou who discoverest secrets 
in order that we may have rest in the   
eighth house 444  ,antony exclaims3     
,ah6 if ,i had holy water6  ,the flame  
goes out1 producing much smoke4  ,eunoia
 and ,simon have disappeared4         99
       99       99       99       99    
,an extremely cold fog1 opaque and      
foetid1 fills the atmosphere4  ,antony1 
extending his arms like a blind man--   
,where am ,i8 444 ,i am afraid of       
falling into the abyss4 ,and the cross1 

no doubt1 is too far away from me4 ,ah6 
what a night6 what a night6  ,a sudden  
gust of wind cleaves the fog asunder2   
and he perceives two men covered with   
long white tunics4 ,the first is of tall
 stature1 with a sweet expression of    
countenance and grave deportment4 ,his  
white hair1 parted like that of ,christ1
 descends regularly over his shoulders4 
,he has thrown down a wand which he was 
carrying in his hand1 and which his     
companion has taken up1 making a        
respectful bow after the fashion of     
,orientals4 ,the other is small1        
coarse-looking1 flat-nosed1 with a thick
 neck1 curly hair1 and an air of        
simplicity4 ,both of them are           
bare-footed1 bare-headed1 and covered   
with dust1 like people who have come on 
a long journey4  ,antony1 with a        
start--,what do ye seek8 ,speak6 ,go on6
  ,damis--,he is the little man--  ,la1 
la6 444 worthy hermit6 what do you say8 
,i know nothing about it4 ,here is the  
,master6  ,he sits down2 the other      

remains standing4 ,silence4  ,antony1   
resumes--,ye come in this fashion8 444  
,damis--,oh6 a great distance--a very   
great distance6  ,antony--,and ye are   
going8 444  ,damis1 pointing at his     
companion--,wherever he wishes4         
,antony--,who1 then1 is he8             
,damis--,look at him4  ,antony--,he has 
the appearance of a saint4 ,if ,i dared 
444  ,the fog by this time is quite     
gone4 ,the atmosphere has become        
perfectly clear4 ,the moon shines out4  
,damis--,what are you thinking of now   
that you say nothing more8  ,antony--,i 
am thinking of----,oh6 nothing4  ,damis 
draws close to ,apollonius1 makes many  
turns round him1 with his figure bent1  
and without moving his head4  ,master1  
this is a ,galilean hermit who wishes to
 know the sources of your wisdom4       
,apollonius--,let him approach4  ,antony
 hesitates4  ,damis--,approach6         
,apollonius1 in a voice of thunder--    
,approach6 ,you would like to know who  
,i am1 what ,i have done1 what ,i am    

thinking of8 ,is that not so1 child8    
,antony-- 444 ,if at the same time those
 things contribute to my salvation4     
,apollonius--,rejoice6 ,i am about to   
tell them to you6  ,damis1 in a low tone
 to ,antony--  ,is it possible8 ,he must
 have1 at the first glance1 recognised  
your extraordinary inclinations for     
philosophy6 ,i shall profit by it also  
myself4  ,apollonius--,i will first     
describe to you the long road ,i        
travelled to gain doctrine2 and1 if you 
find in all my life one bad action1 you 
will stop me--for he must scandalise by 
his words who has offended by his       
actions4  ,damis to ,antony3  ,what a   
just man6 eh8  ,antony--,decidedly1 ,i  
believe he is sincere4                  
,apollonius--,the night of my birth1 my 
mother thought she saw herself gathering
 flowers on the border of a lake4 ,a    
flash of lightning appeared2 and she    
brought me into the world amid the cries
 of swans who were singing in her dream4
 ,up to my fifteenth year1 they plunged 

me three times a day into the fountain  
,asbadeus1 whose waters render perjurers
 dropsical2 and they rubbed my body with
 leaves of cnyza1 to make me chaste4 ,a 
princess from ,palmyra sought me out1   
one evening1 and offered me treasures1  
which she knew were hidden in tombs4 ,a 
priest of the temple of ,diana cut his  
throat in despair with the sacrificial  
knife2 and the ,governor of ,cilicia1   
after repeated promises1 declared before
 my family that he would put me to      
death2 but it was he who died three days
 after1 assassinated by the ,romans4    
,damis1 to ,antony1 striking him on the 
elbow--,eh8 ,just as ,i told you6 ,what 
a man6  ,apollonius--,i have for four   
years in succession observed the        
complete silence of the ,pythagoreans4  
,the most unforeseen calamity did not   
draw one sigh from me2 and1 at the      
theatre1 when ,i entered1 they turned   
aside from me as from a phantom4        
,damis--,would you have done that--you8 
,apollonius--,the time of my ordeal     

ended1 ,i undertook to instruct the     
priests who had lost the tradition4     
,antony--,what tradition8  ,damis--,let 
him continue4 ,be silent6               
,apollonius--,i have conversed with the 
,samaneans of the ,ganges1 with the     
astrologers of ,chaldea1 with the magi  
of ,babylon1 with the ,gaulish druids1  
with the priests of the negroes4 ,i have
 climbed the fourteen ,olympi2 ,i have  
sounded the ,lakes of ,sythia2 ,i have  
measured the vastness of the desert6    
,damis--,all this is undoubtedly true4  
,i was there myself6  ,apollonius--,at  
first1 ,i went as far as the ,hyrcanian 
,sea4 ,i have gone all round it1 and    
through the country of the ,baraomatae1 
where ,bucephalus is buried4 ,i have    
gone down to ,nineveh4 ,at the gates of 
the city a man came up to me4           
,damis--,i6 ,i6 my good ,master6 ,i     
loved you from the very beginning4 ,you 
were sweeter than a girl1 and more      
beautiful than a god6  ,appollonius1    
without listening to him--,he wished to 

accompany me1 in order to act as an     
interpreter for me4  ,damis--,but you   
replied that you understood every       
language1 and that you divined all      
thoughts4 ,then ,i kissed the end of    
your mantle1 and ,i walked behind you4  
,apollonius--,after ,ctesiphon1 we      
entered into the land of ,babylon4      
,damis--,and the satrap uttered an      
exclamation on seeing a man so pale4    
,antony1 to himself--,which             
signifies----8  ,apollonius--,the ,king 
received me standing near a throne of   
silver1 in a circular hall studded with 
stars1 and from a cupola hung1 from     
unseen threads1 four great golden birds1
 with both wings extended4  ,antony1    
musing--,are there such things on the   
earth8  ,damis--,that is1 indeed1 a     
city--,babylon6 ,everyone is rich there6
 ,the houses1 painted blue1 have gates  
of bronze1 with staircases that lead    
down to the river4  ,making a sketch    
with his stick on the ground3  ,like    
that1 do you see8 ,and then there are   

temples1 squares1 baths1 aqueducts6 ,the
 palaces are covered with copper6 and   
then the interior1 if you only saw it6  
,apollonius--,on the northern wall rises
 a tower1 which supports a second1 a    
third1 a fourth1 a fifth2 and there are 
three others besides6 ,the eighth is a  
chapel with a bed in it4 ,nobody enters 
there but the woman chosen by the       
priests for the ,god ,belus4 ,the ,king 
of ,babylon made me take up my quarters 
in it4  ,damis--,they scarcely paid any 
heed to me4 ,i was left1 too1 to walk   
about the streets by myself4 ,i enquired
 into the customs of the people2 ,i     
visited the workshops2 ,i examined the  
huge machines which bring water into the
 gardens4 ,but it annoyed me to be      
separated from the ,master4             
,apollonius--,at last1 we left ,babylon2
 and1 by the light of the moon1 we      
suddenly saw a wild mare4  ,damis--,yes1
 indeed6 she sprang forth on her iron   
hoofs2 she neighed like an ass2 she     
galloped amongst the rocks4 ,he burst   

into angry abuse of her2 and she        
disappeared4  ,antony1 aside--,where can
 they have come from8  ,apollonius--,at 
,taxilla1 capital of five thousand      
fortresses1 ,phraortes1 ,king of the    
,ganges1 showed us his guard of tall    
black men1 five cubits high1 and in the 
gardens of his palace1 under a pavilion 
of green brocade1 an enormous elephant1 
whom the queens used to amuse themselves
 in perfuming4 ,this was the elephant of
 ,porus1 who fled after the death of    
,alexander4  ,damis--,and which was     
found again in a forest4  ,antony--,they
 talk a great deal1 like drunken people4
  ,apollonius--,phraortes made us sit   
down at his table4  ,damis--,what an odd
 country6 ,the noblemen1 while drinking1
 amuse themselves by flinging arrows    
under the feet of a child who is        
dancing4 ,but ,i do not approve 444     
,apollonius--,when ,i was ready to      
depart1 the ,king gave me a parasol1 and
 said to me3 ',i have1 on the ,indus1 a 
stud of white camels4 ,when you do not  

want them any longer1 blow into their   
ears1 and they will return4' ,we        
proceeded along the river1 walking in   
the night by the gleaming of the        
glow-worms1 who emitted their radiance  
through the bamboos4 ,the slave whistled
 an air to keep off the serpents2 and   
our camels bent the reins while passing 
under the trees1 as if under doors that 
were too low4 ,one day1 a black child1  
who held in his hand a caduceus of gold1
 conducted us to the ,college of ,sages4
 ,iarchas1 their chief1 spoke to me of  
my ancestors1 of all my thoughts1 of all
 my actions1 and all my existences4 ,he 
had been the river ,indus1 and he       
recalled to my mind that ,i had         
conducted the boats on the ,nile in the 
time of ,king ,sesostris4  ,damis--,as  
for me1 they told me nothing1 so that ,i
 do not know what ,i was4               
,antony--,they have the unsubstantial   
air of shadows4  ,apollonius--,we met on
 the seashore the cynocephali1 glutted  
with milk1 who were returning from their

 expedition in the ,island of           
,taprobane4 ,the tepid waves pushed     
white pearls before us4 ,the amber      
cracked under our footsteps4 ,whales'   
skeletons were bleaching in the crevices
 of the cliffs4 ,in short1 the earth    
grew more contracted than a             
sandal2--and1 after casting towards the 
sun drops from the ocean1 we turned to  
the right to go back4 ,we returned      
through the region of the ,aromatae1    
through the country of the ,gangaridae1 
the promontory of ,comaria1 the land of 
the ,sachalitae1 of the ,aramitae1 and  
the ,homeritae2 then across the         
,cassanian mountains1 the ,red ,sea1 and
 the ,island of ,topazes1 we penetrated 
into ,ethiopia1 through the kingdom of  
the ,pygmaei4  ,antony1 aside--,how     
large the earth is6  ,damis--,and when  
we got home again1 all those whom we had
 known in former days were dead4        
,antony hangs his head4 ,silence4       
,apollonius goes on3  ,then they began  
talking about me in the world4 ,the     

plague ravaged ,ephesus2 ,i made them   
stone an old mendicant4  ,damis--,and   
the plague was gone6  ,antony--,what6   
,he banishes diseases8  ,apollonius--,at
 ,cnidus1 ,i cured the lover of ,venus4 
,damis--,yes1 a madman1 who had even    
promised to marry her4 ,to love a woman 
is bad enough2 but a statue--what       
idiocy6 ,the ,master placed his hand on 
this man's heart1 and immediately the   
love was extinguished4  ,antony--,what6 
,he drives out demons8  ,apollonius--,at
 ,tarentum1 they brought to the stake a 
young girl who was dead4  ,damis--,the  
,master touched her lips2 and she arose1
 calling on her mother4  ,antony--,can  
it be8 ,he brings the dead back to life8
  ,apollonius--,i foretold that         
,vespasian would be ,emperor4           
,antony--,what6 ,he divines the future8 
,damis--,there was at ,corinth----      
,apollonius--,while ,i was supping with 
him at the waters of ,baia----          
,antony--,excuse me1 strangers2 it is   
late6  ,damis------,a young man named   

,menippus4  ,antony--,no6 no6 go away6  
,apollonius------,a dog entered1        
carrying in its mouth a hand that had   
been cut off4  ,damis------,one evening1
 in one of the suburbs1 he met a woman4 
,antony--,you do not hear me4 ,take     
yourselves off6  ,damis------,he prowled
 vacantly around the couches4           
,antony--,enough6                       
,apollonius------,they wanted to drive  
him away4  ,damis------,menippus1 then1 
surrendered himself to her2 and they    
became lovers4  ,apollonius------,and1  
beating the mosaic floor with his tail1 
he deposited this hand on the knees of  
,flavius4  ,damis------,but1 in the     
morning1 at the school-lectures1        
,menippus was pale4  ,antony1 with a    
bound--,still at it6 ,well1 let them go 
on1 since there is not 444  ,damis--,the
 ,master said to him3 ',o beautiful     
young man1 you are caressing a serpent2 
and a serpent is caressing you4 ,for how
 long are these nuptials8' ,every one of
 us went to the wedding4  ,antony--,i am

 doing wrong1 surely1 in listening to   
this6  ,damis--,servants were busily    
engaged at the vestibule2 the doors flew
 open2 nevertheless1 one could hear     
neither the noise of footsteps1 nor the 
sound of opening doors4 ,the ,master    
seated himself beside ,menippus4        
,immediately1 the bride was seized with 
anger against the philosophers4 ,but the
 vessels of gold1 the cup-bearers1 the  
cooks1 the attendants1 disappeared2 the 
roof flew away2 the walls fell in2 and  
,apollonius remained alone1 standing    
with this woman all in tears at his     
feet4 ,it was a vampire1 who satisfied  
the handsome young men in order to      
devour their flesh--because nothing is  
better for phantoms of this kind than   
the blood of lovers4  ,apollonius--,if  
you wish to know the art----            
,antony--,i wish to know nothing4       
,apollonius--,on the evening of our     
arrival at the gates of ,rome----       
,antony--,oh6 yes1 tell me about the    
,city of the ,popes4                    

,apollonius------,a drunken man accosted
 us who sang with a sweet voice4 ,it was
 an epithalamium of ,nero2 and he had   
the power of causing the death of anyone
 who heard him with indifference4 ,he   
carried on his back in a box a string   
taken from the cithara of the ,emperor4 
,i shrugged my shoulders4 ,he threw mud 
in our faces4 ,then ,i unfastened my    
girdle and placed it in his hands4      
,damis--,in this instance you were quite
 wrong6  ,apollonius--,the ,emperor1    
during the night1 made me call at his   
residence4 ,he played at ossicles with  
,sporus1 leaning with his left arm on a 
table of agate4 ,he turned round1 and1  
knitting his fair brows3 ',why are you  
not afraid of me8' he asked4 ',because  
the ,god who made you terrible has made 
me intrepid1' ,i replied4  ,antony1 to  
himself--,something unaccountable fills 
me with fear4  ,silence4  ,damis        
resumes1 in a shrill voice--,all ,asia1 
moreover1 could tell you 444  ,antony1  
starting up--,i am sick4 ,leave me6     

,damis--,listen now4 ,at ,ephesus1 he   
witnessed the death of ,domitian1 who   
was at ,rome4  ,antony making an effort 
to laugh--,is this possible8            
,damis--,yes1 at the theatre1 in broad  
daylight1 on the fourteenth of the      
,kalends of ,october1 he suddenly       
exclaimed3 ',they are murdering         
,caesar6' and he added1 every now and   
then1 ',he rolls on the ground6 ,oh6 how
 he struggles6 ,he gets up again2 he    
attempts to fly2 the gates are shut4    
,ah6 it is finished4 ,he is dead6' ,and 
that very day1 in fact1 ,titus ,flavius 
,domitianus was assassinated1 as you are
 aware4  ,antony--,without the aid of   
the ,devil 444 ,no doubt 444            
,apollonius--,he wished to put me to    
death1 this ,domitian4 ,damis fled by my
 direction1 and ,i remained alone in my 
prison4  ,damis--,it was a terrible bit 
of daring1 ,i must confess6             
,apollonius--,about the fifth hour1 the 
soldiers led me to the tribunal4 ,i had 
my speech quite ready1 which ,i kept    

under my cloak4  ,damis--,the rest of us
 were on the bank of ,puzzoli6 ,we saw  
you die2 we wept2 when1 towards the     
sixth hour1 all at once1 you appeared1  
and said to us1 ',it is ,i4'  ,antony1  
aside--,just like ,him6  ,damis1 very   
loudly--,absolutely6  ,antony--,oh1 no6 
you are lying1 are you not8 ,you are    
lying6  ,apollonius--,he came down from 
,heaven--,i ascend there1 thanks to my  
virtue1 which has raised me even to the 
height of the ,most ,high6              
,damis--,tyana1 his native city1 has    
erected a temple with priests in his    
honour6  ,apollonius draws close to     
,antony1 and1 bending towards his ear1  
says3  ,the truth is1 ,i know all the   
gods1 all the rites1 all the prayers1   
all the oracles4 ,i have penetrated into
 the cavern of ,trophonius1 the son of  
,apollo4 ,i have moulded for the        
,syracusans the cakes which they use on 
the mountains4 ,i have undergone the    
eighty tests of ,mithra4 ,i have pressed
 against my heart the serpent of        

,sabacius4 ,i have received the scarf of
 the ,cabiri4 ,i have bathed ,cybele in 
the waves of the ,campanian ,gulf2 and  
,i have passed three moons in the       
caverns of ,samothrace6  ,damis1        
laughing stupidly--,ah6 ah6 ah6 at the  
mysteries of the ,bona ,dea6            
,apollonius--,and now we are renewing   
our pilgrimage4 ,we are going to the    
,north1 the side of the swans and the   
snows4 ,on the white plain the blind    
hippopodes break with the ends of their 
feet the ultramarine plant4             
,damis--,come6 it is morning6 ,the cock 
has crowed2 the horse has neighed2 the  
ship is ready4  ,antony--,the cock has  
not crowed4 ,i hear the cricket in the  
sands1 and ,i see the moon1 which       
remains in its place4  ,apollonius--,we 
are going to the ,south1 behind the     
mountains and the huge waves1 to seek in
 the perfumes for the cause of love4    
,you shall inhale the odour of          
myrrhodion1 which makes the weak die4   
,you shall bathe your body in the lake  

of pink oil of the ,island of ,juno4    
,you shall see sleeping under the       
primroses the lizard who awakens all the
 centuries when at his maturity the     
carbuncle falls from his forehead4 ,the 
stars glitter like eyes1 the cascades   
sing like lyres1 an intoxicating        
fragrance arises from the opening       
flowers4 ,your spirit shall expand in   
this atmosphere1 and it will show itself
 in your heart as well as in your face4 
,damis--,master1 it is time6 ,the wind  
is about to rise2 the swallows are      
awakening2 the myrtle-leaf is shed4     
,apollonius--,yes1 let us go6           
,antony--,no--not ,i6 ,i remain6        
,apollonius--,do you wish me to show you
 the plant ,balis1 which resuscitates   
the dead8  ,damis--,ask him rather for  
the bloodstone1 which attracts silver1  
iron and bronze6  ,antony--,oh6 how sick
 ,i feel6 how sick ,i feel6             
,damis--,you shall understand the voices
 of all creatures1 the roarings1 the    
cooings6  ,apollonius--,i will make you 

mount the unicorns1 the dragons1 and the
 dolphins6  ,antony1 weeps--,oh6 oh6 oh6
  ,apollonius--,you shall know the      
demons who dwell in the caverns1 those  
who speak in the woods1 those who move  
about in the waves1 those who drive the 
clouds4  ,damis--,fasten your girdle6   
tie your sandals6  ,apollonius--,i will 
explain to you the reasons for the      
shapes of divinities2 why it is that    
,apollo is upright1 ,jupiter sitting    
down1 ,venus black at ,corinth1 square  
at ,athens1 conical at ,paphos4         
,antony1 clasping his hands--,i wish    
they would go away6 ,i wish they would  
go away6  ,apollonius--,i will snatch   
off before your eyes the armour of the  
,gods2 we shall force the sanctuaries2  
,i will make you violate the pythoness6 
,antony--,help1 ,lord6  ,he flings      
himself against the cross4              
,apollonius--,what is your desire8 your 
dream8 ,there's barely time to think of 
it 444  ,antony--,jesus1 ,jesus1 come to
 my aid6  ,apollonius--,do you wish me  

to make ,jesus appear8  ,antony--,what8 
,how8  ,apollonius--,it shall be        
,he--and no other6 ,he shall cast off   
,his crown1 and we shall speak together 
face to face6  ,damis1 in a low         
tone--,say what you wish for most6 ,say 
what you wish for most6  ,antony1 at the
 foot of the cross1 murmurs prayers4    
,damis continues to run around him with 
wheedling gestures4  ,see1 worthy       
hermit1 dear ,saint ,antony6 pure man1  
illustrious man6 man who cannot be      
sufficiently praised6 ,do not be        
alarmed2 this is an exaggerated style of
 speaking1 borrowed from the ,orientals4
 ,it in no way prevents--               
,apollonius--,let him alone1 ,damis6 ,he
 believes1 like a brute1 in the reality 
of things4 ,the fear which he has of the
 gods prevents him from comprehending   
them2 and he eats his own words1 just   
like a jealous king6 ,but you1 my son1  
quit me not6  ,he steps back to the     
verge of the cliffs1 passes over it and 
remains there1 hanging in mid-air3      

,above all forms1 farther than the      
earth1 beyond the skies1 dwells the     
,world of ,ideas1 entirely filled with  
the ,word4 ,with one bound we leap      
across ,space1 and you shall grasp in   
its infinity the ,eternal1 the ,absolute
 ,being6 ,come6 give me your hand4 ,let 
us go6  ,the pair1 side by side1 rise   
softly into the air4  ,antony1 embracing
 the cross1 watches them ascending4     
,they disappear4     ,,chapter ,v4      
,,all ,,gods1 ,,all ,,religions4        
,antony1 walking slowly--,that was      
really ,hell6  ,nebuchadnezzar did not  
dazzle me so much4 ,the ,queen of ,sheba
 did not bewitch me so thoroughly4 ,the 
way in which he spoke about the gods    
filled me with a longing to know them4  
,i recollect having seen hundreds of    
them at a time1 in the ,island of       
,elephantinum1 in the reign of          
,dioclesian4 ,the ,emperor had given up 
to the nomads a large territory1 on     
condition that they should protect the  
frontiers2 and the treaty was concluded 

in the name of the invisible ,powers4   
,for the gods of every people were      
ignorant about other people4 ,the       
,barbarians had brought forward theirs4 
,they occupied the hillocks of sand     
which line the river4 ,one could see    
them holding their idols between their  
arms1 like great paralytic children1 or 
else1 sailing amid cataracts on trunks  
of palm-trees1 they pointed out from a  
distance the amulets on their necks and 
the tattooings on their breasts2 and    
that is not more criminal than the      
religion of the ,greeks1 the ,asiatics1 
and the ,romans4  ,when ,i dwelt in the 
,temple of ,heliopolis1 ,i used often to
 contemplate all the objects on the     
walls3 vultures carrying sceptres1      
crocodiles playing on lyres1 men's faces
 joined to serpents' bodies1 women with 
cows' heads prostrated before the       
ithyphallic deities2 and their          
supernatural forms carried me away into 
other worlds4 ,i wished to know what    
those calm eyes were gazing at4 ,in     

order that matter should have so much   
power1 it should contain a spirit4 ,the 
souls of the gods are attached to their 
images4 ,those who possess external     
beauty may fascinate us2 but the others1
 who are abject or terrible 444 how to  
believe in them8 444  ,and he sees      
moving past1 close to the ground1       
leaves1 stones1 shells1 branches of     
trees1 vague representations of animals1
 then a species of dropsical dwarfs4    
,these are gods4 ,he bursts out         
laughing4  ,behind him1 he hears another
 outburst of laughter2 and ,hilarion    
presents himself1 dressed like a hermit1
 much bigger than before--in fact1      
colossal4  ,antony is not surprised at  
seeing him again4  ,what a brute one    
must be to adore a thing like that6     
,hilarion--,oh6 yes2 very much of a     
brute6  ,then advance before them1 one  
by one1 idols of all nations and all    
ages1 in wood1 in metal1 in granite1 in 
feathers1 and in skins sewn together4   
,the oldest of them1 anterior to the    

,deluge1 are lost to view beneath the   
seaweed which hangs from them like hair4
 ,some1 too long for their lower        
portions1 crack in their joints and     
break their loins while walking4 ,others
 allow sand to flow out through holes in
 their bellies4  ,antony and ,hilarion  
are prodigiously amused4 ,they hold     
their sides from sheer laughter4  ,after
 this1 idols pass with faces like sheep4
 ,they stagger on their bandy legs1 open
 wide their eyelids1 and bleat out1 like
 dumb animals3 ,ba6 ba6 ba6  ,in        
proportion as they approach the human   
type1 they irritate ,antony the more4   
,he strikes them with his fist1 kicks   
them1 rushes madly upon them4 ,they     
begin to present a horrible aspect1 with
 high tufts1 eyes like bulls1 arms      
terminated with claws1 and the jaws of a
 shark4 ,and1 before these gods1 men are
 slaughtered on altars of stone1 while  
others are pounded in vats1 crushed     
under chariot-wheels1 or nailed to      
trees4 ,there is one of them1 all in    

red-hot iron1 with the horns of a bull1 
who devours children4  ,antony--,horror6
  ,hilarion--,but the gods always demand
 sufferings4 ,your own1 even1 has       
wished--  ,antony1 weeping--,say no     
more--hold your tongue6  ,the enclosure 
of rocks changes into a valley4 ,a herd 
of oxen pastures there on the shorn     
grass4 ,the shepherd who has charge of  
them perceives a cloud2 and in a sharp  
voice pierces the air with words of     
urgent entreaty4  ,hilarion--,as he     
wants rain1 he tries1 by his strains1 to
 coerce the ,king of ,heaven to open the
 fruitful cloud4  ,antony1              
laughing--,this is too silly a form of  
presumption6  ,hilarion--,why1 then1 do 
you perform exorcisms8  ,the valley     
becomes a sea of milk1 motionless and   
illimitable4  ,in the midst of it floats
 a long cradle1 formed by the coils of a
 serpent1 all whose heads1 bending      
forward at the same time1 overshadow a  
god who lies there asleep4 ,he is young1
 beardless1 more beautiful than a girl1 

and covered with diaphanous veils4 ,the 
pearls of his tiara shine softly1 like  
moons2 a chaplet of stars winds itself  
many times above his breast1 and1 with  
one hand under his head and the other   
arm extended1 he reposes with a dreamy  
and intoxicated air4 ,a woman squatted  
before his feet awaits his awakening4   
,hilarion--,this is the primordial      
duality of the ,brahmans--the absolute  
not expressing itself by any form4      
,upon the navel of the god a stalk of   
lotus has grown2 and in its calyx       
appears another god with three faces4   
,antony--,hold6 what an invention6      
,hilarion--,father1 ,son and ,holy      
,ghost1 in the same way make only one   
person6  ,the three heads are turned    
aside1 and three immense gods appear4   
,the first1 who is of a rosy hue1 bites 
the end of his toe4 ,the second1 who is 
blue1 tosses four arms about4 ,the      
third1 who is green1 weaves a necklace  
of human skulls4 ,immediately in front  
of them rise three goddesses1 one       

wrapped in a net1 another offering a    
cup1 and the third brandishing a bow4   
,and these gods1 these goddesses        
multiply1 become tenfold4 ,on their     
shoulders rise arms1 and at the ends of 
their arms are hands holding banners1   
axes1 bucklers1 swords1 parasols and    
drums4 ,fountains spring from their     
heads1 grass hangs from their nostrils4 
,riding on birds1 cradled on palanquins1
 throned on seats of gold1 standing in  
niches of ivory1 they dream1 travel1    
command1 drink wine and inhale flowers4 
,dancing-girls whirl around2 giants     
pursue monsters2 at the entrances to the
 grottoes1 solitaries meditate4 ,myriads
 of stars and clouds of streamers mingle
 in an indistinguishable throng4        
,peacocks drink from the streams of     
golden dust4 ,the embroidery of the     
pavilions blends with the spots of the  
leopards4 ,coloured rays cross one      
another in the blue air1 amid the flying
 of arrows and the swinging of censers4 
,and all this unfolds itself1 like a    

lofty frieze1 leaning with its base on  
the rocks and mounting to the very sky4 
,antony1 dazzled--,what a number of them
 there are6 ,what do they wish8         
,hilarion--,the one who is scratching   
his abdomen with his elephant's trunk is
 the solar god1 the inspirer of wisdom4 
,that other1 whose six heads carry      
towers and fourteen handles of javelins1
 is the prince of armies1 the           
fire-devourer4 ,the old man riding on a 
crocodile is going to bathe the souls of
 the dead on the seashore4 ,they will be
 tormented by this black woman with     
rotten teeth1 the governess of hell4    
,the chariot drawn by red mares1 which a
 legless coachman is driving1 is        
carrying about in broad daylight the    
master of the sun4 ,the moon-god        
accompanies him in a litter drawn by    
three gazelles4 ,on her knees1 on the   
back of a parrot1 the goddess of beauty 
is presenting her round breast to ,love1
 her son4 ,here she is farther on2 she  
leaps with joy in the prairies4 ,look6  

look6 ,with a radiant mitre on her head1
 she runs over the cornfields1 over the 
waves1 mounts into the air1 and exhibits
 herself everywhere4 ,between these gods
 sit the genii of the winds1 of the     
planets1 of the months1 of the days1 and
 a hundred thousand others6 ,and their  
aspects are multiplied1 their           
transformations rapid4 ,here is one who 
from a fish has become a tortoise1 he   
assumes the head of a wild boar1 the    
stature of a dwarf6  ,antony--,for what 
purpose8  ,hilarion--,to establish      
equilibrium1 to combat evil4 ,life is   
exhausted1 its forms are used up2 and it
 is necessary to progress by            
metamorphoses of them4  ,suddenly a     
naked man appears1 seated in the middle 
of the sand with his legs crossed4 ,a   
large circle vibrates1 suspended behind 
him4 ,the little curls of his black     
hair1 deepening into an azure tint1     
twist symmetrically around a            
protuberance at the top of his head4    
,his arms1 of great length1 fall        

straight down his sides4 ,his two hands1
 with open palms1 rest evenly on his    
thighs4 ,the lower portions of his feet 
present the figures of two suns2 and he 
remains completely motionless in front  
of ,antony and ,hilarion1 with all the  
gods around him placed at intervals upon
 the rocks1 as if on the seats of a     
circus4 ,his lips open1 and in a deep   
voice he says3  ,i am the master of the 
great charity1 the help of creatures1   
and ,i expound the law to believers and 
to the profane alike4 ,to save the world
 ,i wished to be born amongst men2 the  
gods wept when ,i went away4 ,at first1 
,i sought a woman suitable for the      
purpose--of warlike race1 the spouse of 
a king1 exceedingly virtuous and        
beautiful1 with a deep navel1 a body    
firm as a diamond2 and at the time of   
the full moon1 without the intervention 
of any male1 ,i entered her womb4 ,i    
came out through her right side4 ,then  
the stars stopped in their motions4     
,hilarion murmurs between his teeth3    

',and when they saw the stars stop1 they
 conceived a great joy6'  ,antony looks 
more attentively at the ,buddha1 who    
resumes3  ,from the bottom of the       
,himalaya1 a religious centenarian set  
forth to see me4  ,hilarion--',a man    
called ,simeon1 who was not to die      
before he had seen the ,christ6'  ,the  
,buddha--,they brought me to the        
schools4 ,i knew more than the doctors4 
,hilarion-- 444 ',in the midst of the   
doctors2 and all those who heard him    
were ravished by his wisdom4'  ,antony  
makes a sign to ,hilarion to keep       
silent4  ,the ,buddha--,i went          
continually to meditate in the gardens4 
,the shadows of the trees used to move2 
but the shadow of the one that sheltered
 me did not move4 ,no one could equal me
 in the knowledge of the ,sacred        
,writings1 the enumeration of atoms1 the
 management of elephants1 waxworks1     
astronomy1 poetry1 boxing1 all exercises
 and all arts4 ,in compliance with      
custom1 ,i took a wife2 and ,i passed   

the days in my royal palace1 arrayed in 
pearls1 under a shower of perfumes1     
fanned by the fly-flappers of           
thirty-three thousand women1 and gazing 
at my people from the tops of my        
terraces adorned with resounding bells4 
,but the sight of the world's miseries  
made me turn aside from pleasures4 ,i   
fled4 ,i went a-begging on high-ways1   
covered with rags collected in the      
sepulchres2 and1 as there was a very    
learned hermit1 ,i offered myself as his
 servant4 ,i guarded his door2 ,i washed
 his feet4 ,all sensation1 all joy1 all 
languor1 were annihilated4 ,then1       
concentrating my thoughts on a larger   
field of meditation1 ,i came to know the
 essence of things1 the illusion of     
forms4 ,i speedily abandoned the science
 of the ,brakhmans4 ,they are eaten up  
with lusts beneath their austere        
exterior2 they anoint themselves with   
filth1 and sleep upon thorns1 believing 
that they arrive at happiness through   
the path of death6                      

,hilarion--,pharisees1 hypocrites1      
whited sepulchres1 race of vipers6  ,the
 ,buddha--,i1 too1 have done astonishing
 things--eating for a day only a single 
grain of rice--and at that time grains  
of rice were not bigger than they are   
now--my hair fell off2 my body became   
black2 my eyes1 sunken in their sockets1
 seemed like stars seen at the bottom of
 a well4 ,for six years ,i never moved1 
remaining exposed to flies1 to lions1   
and to serpents2 and ,i subjected myself
 to burning suns1 heavy showers1 snow1  
lightning1 hail1 and tempest1 without   
even shielding myself with my hand4 ,the
 travellers who passed1 assuming that ,i
 was dead1 flung clods of earth at me   
from a distance4  ,there only remained  
for me to be tempted by the ,devil4  ,i 
invoked him4  ,his sons came--hideous1  
covered with scales1 nauseous as        
charcoal1 howling1 hissing1 bellowing1  
flinging at each other armour and dead  
men's bones4 ,some of them spirted out  
flames through their nostrils2 others   

spread around darkness with their wings2
 others carried chaplets of fingers that
 had been cut off2 others drank the     
venom of serpents out of the hollows of 
their hands4 ,they have the heads of    
pigs1 rhinoceroses1 or toads--all kinds 
of figures calculated to inspire respect
 or terror4  ,antony1 aside--,i endured 
that myself in former times4  ,the      
,buddha--,then he sent me his           
daughters--beautiful1 well-attired with 
golden girdles1 teeth white as the      
jasmine1 and limbs round as an          
elephant's trunk4 ,some of them         
stretched up their arms when they yawned
 to display the dimples in their elbows2
 others blinked their eyes2 others began
 to laugh and others unfastened one     
another's garments4 ,amongst them were  
blushing virgins1 matrons full of pride1
 and queens with great trains of baggage
 and attendants4  ,antony1 aside--,ah6  
that also6  ,the ,buddha--,having       
vanquished the demon4 ,i passed twelve  
years in nourishing myself exclusively  

on perfumes1--and1 as ,i had acquired   
the five virtues1 the five faculties1   
the ten forces1 the eighteen substances 
and penetrated into the four spheres of 
the invisible world1 the ,intelligence  
was mine1 and ,i became the ,buddha6    
,all the gods bow down1 those who have  
many heads lower them all at the same   
time4 ,he raises his hand on high in the
 air1 and resumes3  ,in view of the     
deliverance of beings1 ,i have made     
hundreds of thousands of sacrifices2 ,i 
have given to the poor robes of silk1   
beds1 chariots1 houses1 heaps of gold   
and diamonds4 ,i have given my hands to 
the one-handed1 my legs to the lame1 my 
eyes to the blind2 ,i have cut off my   
head for the decapitated4 ,at the time  
when ,i was king1 ,i distributed the    
provinces2 at the time when ,i was      
,brakhman1 ,i despised nobody4 ,when ,i 
was a solitary ,i spoke words of        
tenderness to the thief who tried to cut
 my throat4 ,when ,i was a tiger1 ,i let
 myself die of hunger4 ,and in this     

final stage of existence1 having        
preached the law1 ,i have nothing more  
to do4 ,the great period is             
accomplished4 ,the men1 the animals1 the
 gods1 the bamboos1 the oceans1 the     
mountains1 the grains of sand of the    
,ganges1 with the myriads of myriads of 
stars1 everything1 must perish2 and1    
until the new births1 a flame will dance
 on the ruins of a world's overthrow4   
,then a vertigo seizes the gods4 ,they  
stagger1 fall into convulsions1 and     
vomit forth their existences4 ,their    
crowns break to pieces2 their standards 
fly away4 ,they get rid of their        
attributes and their sexes1 fling over  
their shoulders the cups from which they
 drink immortality1 strangle themselves 
with their serpents1 and vanish in      
smoke2 and1 when they have all          
disappeared3  ,hilarion1 slowly--,you   
have just seen the creed of many        
hundreds of millions of men6  ,antony is
 on the earth1 his face in his hands4   
,standing close to him1 and turning his 

back to the cross1 ,hilarion watches    
him4  ,a rather lengthened period       
elapses4  ,then a singular being        
appears1 with the head of a man and the 
body of a fish4 ,he advances straight   
through the air1 tossing the sand with  
his tail2 and his patriarchal face and  
his little arms make ,antony laugh4     
,oannes1 in a plaintive voice--,treat me
 with respect6 ,i am the contemporary of
 the beginning of things4  ,i have dwelt
 in the shapeless world1 where slumbered
 hermaphrodite animals1 under the weight
 of an opaque atmosphere1 in the depths 
of gloomy waves--when the fingers1 the  
fins1 and the wings were confounded1 and
 eyes without heads floated like        
molluscs amongst human-faced bulls and  
dog-footed serpents4  ,over the whole of
 those beings ,omoroca1 bent like a     
hoop1 stretched her woman's body4 ,but  
,belus cut her clean in two halves1 made
 the earth with one1 and the heavens    
with another2 and the two worlds alike  
mutually contemplate each other4 ,i1 the

 first consciousness of chaos1 ,i have  
arisen from the abyss to harden matter1 
to regulate forms2 and ,i have taught   
men fishing1 the sowing of seed1 the    
scripture1 and the history of the gods4 
,since then1 ,i live in the ponds that  
remained after the ,deluge4 ,but the    
desert grows larger around them2 the    
wind flings sand into them2 the sun     
consumes them2 and ,i expire on my bed  
of lemon while gazing across the water  
at the stars4 ,thither am ,i returning4 
,he makes a plunge and disappears in the
 ,nile4  ,hilarion--,this is an ancient 
god of the ,chaldeans6  ,antony1        
ironically--,who1 then1 were the gods of
 ,babylon8  ,hilarion--,you can see     
them6  ,and they find themselves upon   
the platform of a quadrangular tower    
rising above other towers1 which1       
growing narrower in proportion as they  
rise1 form a monstrous pyramid4 ,you may
 distinguish below a great1 black       
mass--the city1 without                 
doubt--stretching along the plain4 ,the 

air is cold2 the sky is of a sombre     
blue2 the multitudinous stars palpitate4
  ,in the middle of the platform stands 
a column of white stone4 ,priests in    
linen robes pass and return all round1  
so as to describe in their evolutions a 
moving circle1 and1 with heads raised1  
they contemplate the stars4  ,hilarion  
points out several of them to ,saint    
,antony3  ,there are thirty chief       
priests4 ,fifteen gaze upon the region  
above the earth1 and fifteen on the     
region below it4 ,at regular intervals  
one of them rushes from the upper       
regions to the lower1 whilst another    
abandons the lower to mount towards the 
empyrean4  ,of the seven planets1 two   
are benevolent1 two malevolent1 and     
three ambiguous2 everything in the world
 depends on these eternal fires4        
,according to their position and their  
movements1 one may draw                 
prognostications1 and you are now       
treading on the most sacred spot on     
earth4 ,there ,pythagoras and ,zoroaster

 may be met4 ,two thousand years have   
these men been observing the sky1 the   
better to comprehend the gods4          
,antony--,the stars are not gods6       
,hilarion--,yes6 say they2 for1 while   
things are continually passing around   
us1 the sky1 like eternity1 remains     
unchangeable6  ,antony--,nevertheless1  
it has a master4  ,hilarion1 pointing at
 the column--,that is ,belus1 the first 
ray1 the sun1 the male6--the other1     
which is fruitful1 is under him6        
,antony observes a garden lighted up    
with lamps4 ,he is in the midst of the  
crowd in an avenue of cypress-trees4 ,to
 right and left little paths lead       
towards huts erected in a wood of       
pomegranate-trees1 which protect        
lattices of reeds4 ,the men1 for the    
most part1 have pointed caps with laced 
robes1 like the plumage of peacocks4    
,there are people from the ,north clad  
in bearskins2 nomads in brown woollen   
cloaks2 pale ,gangarides with long      
ear-rings2 and the classes1 like the    

nationalities1 appear to be confused1   
for sailors and stone-cutters jostle    
against princes wearing tiaras of       
carbuncles and carrying large           
walking-sticks with carved heads4 ,all  
hurry forward with dilated nostrils1    
filled with the same desire4  ,from time
 to time they got out of the way1 in    
order to allow a long1 covered chariot1 
drawn by oxen1 to pass1 or perhaps it is
 an ass jolting on his back a woman     
closely veiled1 who also disappears in  
the direction of the huts4  ,antony is  
frightened4 ,he desires to turn back4   
,however1 an inexpressible curiosity    
leads him on4  ,beneath the             
cypress-trees women are squatted in rows
 upon deerskins1 each of them having for
 a diadem a plait of cords4 ,some of    
them1 magnificently attired1 address the
 passers-by in loud tones4 ,the more    
timid keep their features hidden between
 their hands1 whilst1 from behind1 a    
matron--no doubt1 their                 
mother--encourages them4 ,others1 with  

heads enveloped in black shawls1 and the
 rest of their bodies quite nude1 seem1 
at a distance1 like statues of flesh4   
,as soon as a man flings money on their 
knees1 they rise4 ,and one can hear     
kisses amid the foliage1 and sometimes a
 great1 bitter cry4  ,hilarion--,those  
are the virgins of ,babylon who         
prostitute themselves to the goddess4   
,antony--,what goddess8                 
,hilarion--,there she is6  ,and he shows
 ,antony1 at the very end of the avenue1
 on the threshold of an illuminated     
grotto1 a block of stone representing a 
woman4  ,antony--,infamy6 ,what an      
abomination to give a sex to ,god6      
,hilarion--,you conceive ,him1 surely1  
as a living person6  ,once more ,antony 
finds himself in darkness4  ,he         
perceives in the air a luminous circle  
placed on horizontal wings4 ,this       
species of ring surrounds1 like a girdle
 that is too loose1 the figure of a     
small man with a mitre on his head and a
 crown in his hand1 the lower part of   

whose body is shut out from view by the 
huge feathers exhibited in his kilt4    
,this is ,ormuz1 the ,god of the        
,persians4 ,he flutters while he        
exclaims3  ,i am terrified6 ,i catch a  
glimpse of his mouth4 ,i have vanquished
 thee1 ,ahriman6 ,but thou art beginning
 again6  ,at first1 revolting against   
me1 thou didst destroy the eldest of    
creatures1 ,kaiomortz1 the man-bull4    
,then1 thou didst seduce the first human
 pair1 ,meschia and ,meschiana1 and     
didst fill their hearts with darkness1  
and press forward thy battalions towards
 ,heaven4  ,i had my own1 the           
inhabitants of the stars1 and ,i gazed  
down from my throne on all the planets  
in their different spheres4  ,mithra1 my
 son1 dwelt in an inaccessible spot4    
,there he received souls1 and sent them 
forth1 and1 each morning he arose to    
pour out his riches4  ,the splendour of 
the firmament was reflected by the      
earth4 ,the fire shone on the           
mountains--image of the other fire with 

which ,i have created all beings4 ,to   
secure it from defilement1 they did not 
burn the dead1 who were transported to  
,heaven on the beaks of birds4  ,i have 
regulated pasturages1 labours1 the wood 
of sacrifice1 the forms of cups1 the    
words that must be uttered in insomnia2 
and my priests prayed continually in    
order that their worship should         
correspond to the eternity of ,god4     
,they purified themselves with water2   
they offered up loaves on the altars2   
they confessed their sins in loud tones4
  ,homa gave himself to men to drink in 
order to communicate his strength to    
them4  ,while the genii of ,heaven were 
fighting the demons1 the children of    
,iran chased the serpents4 ,the ,king1  
whom a countless train of courtiers     
served on bended knees1 was attired so  
as to resemble me in person1 and wore my
 head-dress4 ,his gardens had the       
magnificence of a celestial earth2 and  
his tomb represented him slaying a      
monster--emblem of the good which       

exterminates evil4 ,for1 one day1 it    
came to pass--thanks to the endless     
course of time--that ,i triumphed over  
,ahriman4 ,but the interval that        
separates us is disappearing2 the night 
is rising6 ,help1 ,amschaspands1        
,irzeds1 ,ferouers6 ,come to my         
assistance1 ,mithra6 take thy sword6    
,caosyac1 who must come back to save the
 world1 defend me6 ,how is this8 444 ,no
 one6  ,ah6 ,i am dying6 ,ahriman1 thou 
art the master6  ,hilarion1 behind      
,antony1 restrains an exclamation of    
joy1 and ,ormuz plunges into the        
darkness4  ,then appears the great      
,diana of ,ephesus1 black1 with         
enamelled eyes1 elbows at her sides1    
forearms turned out1 and hands open4    
,lions crouch upon her shoulders2       
fruits1 flowers and stars cross one     
another upon her chest2 further down    
three rows of breasts exhibit           
themselves1 and from the belly to the   
feet she is caught in a close sheath1   
from which sprout forth1 in the centre  

of her body1 bulls1 stags1 griffins and 
bees4 ,she is seen in the white gleaming
 caused by a disc of silver1 round as   
the full moon1 placed behind her head4  
,where is my temple8 ,where are my      
amazons8 ,how is it with me--me1 the    
incorruptible--that ,i find myself so   
impotent8  ,her flowers wither2 her     
fruits1 over-ripe1 hang loose2 the lions
 and the bulls bow down their necks2 the
 stags1 exhausted1 begin to pant2 the   
bees1 with a faint buzzing1 fall dying  
upon the ground4 ,she presses her       
breasts one after the other4 ,they are  
empty6 ,but1 yielding to a desperate    
pressure1 her sheath bursts open4 ,she  
clutches the end of it1 like the skirt  
of a dress1 flings into it her animals  
and her flower-wreaths1 then goes back  
into the darkness2 and in the distance  
voices murmur1 grumble1 roar1 cry1 or   
bellow4 ,the density of the night is    
increased by the winds4 ,a warm shower  
begins to fall in heavy drops4          
,antony--,how pleasant is this odour of 

palm-trees1 this rustling of green      
leaves1 this transparency of fountains6 
,i would like to lie down flat upon the 
ground1 in order to feel it close to my 
heart1 and my life would be renewed in  
eternal youth6  ,he hears the sound of  
castanets and cymbals1 and1 in the midst
 of a rustic crowd1 men clad in white   
tunics1 with red bands1 lead out an ass1
 richly harnessed1 his tail adorned with
 ribands and his hoofs painted4 ,a box1 
covered with a saddle-cloth of yellow   
linen1 sways to and fro upon his back1  
between two baskets1 one of which       
receives the offerings deposited        
there--eggs1 grapes1 pears1 cheeses1    
poultry1 and small coins--while the     
second is full of roses1 which the      
drivers of the ass scatter before him as
 they move along4 ,the latter wear      
pendants in their ears1 large cloaks1   
plaited tresses1 and have their cheeks  
painted4 ,each of them has an olive     
crown fastened around his forehead by a 
figured medallion4 ,they carry daggers  

in their girdles1 and flourish whips    
with ebony handles1 each having three   
thongs mounted with ossicles4 ,the last 
in the procession fix in the ground     
erect1 as a chandelier1 a huge          
pine-tree1 whose summit is on fire1 and 
the lowest branches of which overshadow 
a little sheep4  ,the ass stops4 ,the   
saddle-cloth is removed2 and underneath 
appears a second covering of black felt4
 ,then one of the men in a white tunic  
begins to dance1 while playing upon     
castanets2 while another1 on his knees  
before the box1 beats a tambourine2 and 
the oldest of the band commences3  ,here
 is the ,bona ,dea1 the divinity of the 
mountains1 the great mother of ,syria6  
,draw hither1 honest people6 ,she       
procures joy1 heals the sick1 bestows   
fortunes1 and satisfies lovers4 ,it is  
we who bring her out to walk in the     
country in fine weather and bad weather4
 ,we often sleep in the open air1 and we
 have not a well-served table every day4
 ,the thieves dwell in the woods4 ,the  

beasts rush forth from their dens4      
,slippery paths line the precipices4    
,look here6 look here6  ,they raise the 
coverlet and disclose a box incrusted   
with little pebbles4  ,higher than the  
cedar-trees she hovers in the blue      
ether4 ,more circumambient than the     
winds1 she surrounds the world4 ,her    
respiration is exhaled through the      
nostrils of tigers2 her voice growls    
beneath the volcanoes2 her anger is the 
storm2 and the pallor of her face has   
made the moon white4 ,she ripens the    
harvests2 she swells out the rinds2 she 
makes the beard grow4 ,give her         
something1 for she hates the avaricious6
  ,the box flies open2 and beneath an   
awning of blue silk is seen a little    
image of ,cybele1 glittering with       
spangles1 crowned with towers1 and      
seated on a chariot of red stone1 drawn 
by two lions with raised paws4  ,the    
crowd presses forward to see4  ,the     
archi-gallus continues3  ,she loves the 
sounds of dulcimers1 the stamping of    

feet1 the howling of wolves1 the echoing
 mountains and the deep gorges1 the     
flower of the almond-tree1 the          
pomegranate and the green figs1 the     
whirling dance1 the high-sounding flute1
 the sweet sap1 the salt tear1--blood6  
,help6 help6 ,mother of mountains6      
,they flagellate themselves with their  
whips1 and the strokes resound on their 
breasts4 ,the skins of the tambourines  
vibrate till they almost burst4 ,they   
seize their knives and inflict gashes on
 their arms3  ,she is sad3 let us be    
sad6 ,he who is doomed to suffer must   
weep6 ,in that way your sins will be    
remitted4 ,blood washes out everything3 
shed drops of it around1 then1 like     
flowers4 ,she demands that of           
another--of one who is pure6  ,the      
archi-gallus raises his knife above the 
sheep1  ,antony1 seized with            
horror--,don't slaughter the lamb6  ,a  
purple flood gushes forth4 ,the priests 
sprinkle the crowd with it2 and         
all--including ,antony and              

,hilarion--ranged around the burning    
tree1 silently watch the last           
palpitations of the victim4 ,from the   
midst of the priests comes a woman1     
exactly like the image enclosed in the  
little box4 ,she stops on seeing a young
 man in a ,phrygian cap4  ,his thighs   
are covered with tight-fitting breeches 
opened here and there by lozenges which 
are fastened with coloured bows4 ,he    
rests his elbows against one of the     
branches of the tree1 holding a flute in
 his hand1 in a languishing attitude4   
,cybele1 encircling his figure with her 
arms--  ,to rejoin thee ,i have         
travelled through every region--and     
famine ravaged the fields4 ,thou hast   
deceived me6 ,no matter1--,i love thee6 
,warm my body6 ,let us unite6           
,atys--,the spring-time will return no  
more1 ,o eternal ,mother6 ,despite my   
love1 it is not possible to penetrate   
thy essence4 ,i should like to cover    
myself with a coloured robe like thine4 
,i envy thy breasts1 swollen with milk1 

the length of thy tresses1 thy mighty   
sides from which spring living          
creatures4 ,would that ,i were like     
thee6 ,would that ,i were woman6 ,but   
no6 that can never be6 ,my virility     
fills me with horror6  ,with a sharp    
stone he mutilates himself2 then he     
begins to run madly around4  ,the       
priests imitate the god2 the faithful1  
the priests4 ,men and women exchange    
their garments and embrace one another2 
and this whirlwind of blood-stained     
flesh hurries away1 whilst the voices1  
ever continuing1 become more clamorous  
and shrill1 like those one hears at     
funerals4  ,a great catafalque hung with
 purple carries on its summit a bed of  
ebony1 surrounded by torches and baskets
 of silver filigree1 in which are       
contained green lettuces1 mallows1 and  
fennel4 ,upon the seats1 above and      
below1 are seated women1 all attired in 
black1 with girdles undone and naked    
feet1 and holding with a melancholy air 
huge bouquets of flowers4  ,on the      

ground1 at the corners of the platform1 
alabaster urns filled with myrrh are    
sending up light wreaths of smoke4 ,on  
the bed may be seen the corpse of a man4
 ,blood trickles from his thigh4 ,his   
arm is hanging down1 and a dog1 who is  
howling1 licks his nails4 ,the line of  
torches placed too close to one another 
prevents his figure from being          
completely visible4 ,antony is seized   
with anguish4 ,he is afraid of seeing   
the face of some one he knew4  ,the     
women cease their sobbing2 and1 after an
 interval of silence1 all1 at the same  
time1 burst into a psalm3  ,beautiful6  
beautiful6 he is beautiful6 ,enough of  
sleep--raise his head6 ,up6 ,inhale our 
bouquets6 ,these are narcissi and       
anemones gathered in thy gardens to     
please thee4 ,return to life6 thou      
fillest us with fear6  ,speak6 ,what    
dost thou require8 ,dost thou wish to   
drink wine8 ,dost thou wish to sleep in 
our beds8 ,dost thou wish to eat the    
honey-cakes which have the form of      

little birds8  ,let us press close to   
his hips6 let us kiss his breast6 ,hold6
 hold6 feel thou our fingers covered    
with rings which are stealing over thy  
body1 and our lips which are seeking thy
 mouth1 and our hair which is sweeping  
thy legs1 insensible god1 deaf to our   
prayers6  ,they burst into shrieks1     
tearing their faces with their nails1   
then become silent2 and only the howling
 of the dog is heard4  ,alas6 alas6 ,the
 dark blood rushes over his snowy flesh4
 ,see how his knees writhe1 how his     
sides give way6 ,the flowers upon his   
face have soaked the gore4 ,he is dead6 
,let us weep6 let us lament6  ,they come
 all in a row to fling down between the 
torches their flowing locks1 resembling 
at a distance black or yellow serpents2 
and the catafalque is softly lowered to 
the level of a cave--a gloomy sepulchre1
 which is yawning in the background4    
,then a woman bends over the corpse4    
,her hair1 which never has been cut1    
covers her from head to foot4 ,she sheds

 so many tears that her grief does not  
seem to be like that of others1 but     
superhuman1 infinite4  ,antony thinks of
 the mother of ,jesus4  ,she says3      
,thou didst escape from the ,east1 and  
thou didst press me in thy arms all     
quivering with dew1 ,o sun6 ,doves      
fluttered above the azure of thy mantle1
 our kisses caused breezes amid the     
foliage1 and ,i abandoned myself to thy 
love1 delighting in the exquisite       
sensation of my own weakness4  ,alas6   
alas6 ,why art thou about to rush away  
over the mountains8 ,at the autumnal    
equinox a wild boar wounded thee6 ,thou 
art dead1 and the fountains weep and the
 trees droop1 and the winter wind is    
whistling through the leafless branches4
  ,my eyes are about to close1 seeing   
that darkness is covering thee4 ,by this
 time thou art dwelling on the other    
side of the world1 near my more powerful
 rival4  ,o ,persephone1 all that is    
beautiful goes down to thee and returns 
no more6  ,while she has been speaking1 

her companions have taken the dead body 
to lower it into the sepulchre4 ,it     
remains in their hands4 ,it was only a  
corpse of wax6  ,antony experiences a   
kind of relief4 ,the whole scene        
vanishes1 and the cell1 the rocks1 and  
the cross reappear6 ,and now he         
distinguishes on the other side of the  
,nile a woman standing in the middle of 
the desert4 ,she holds with her hand the
 end of a long black veil1 which        
conceals her figure2 while she carries  
on her left arm a little child1 which   
she is suckling4 ,at her side a huge ape
 is squatted on the sand4 ,she lifts her
 head towards the sky1 and1 in spite of 
the distance1 her voice can be heard4   
,isis--,o ,neith1 beginning of things6  
,ammon1 lord of eternity6 ,ptha1        
demiurgus6 ,thoth1 his intelligence6    
,gods of ,amenthi6 ,special ,triads of  
the ,nomes6 ,sparrow-hawks in the azure6
 ,sphinxes on the outsides of temples6  
,ibises standing between the horns of   
oxen6 ,planets6 ,constellations6        

,river-banks6 ,murmurs of wind6         
,reflections of light6 ,tell me where to
 find ,osiris6  ,i have sought for him  
through all the water-courses and all   
the lakes1 and1 farther still1 in the   
,phoenician ,byblos4 ,anubis1 with ears 
erect1 jumped round me1 barking1 and    
with his nose scenting out the clumps of
 tamarind4 ,thanks1 good ,cynocephalus1 
thanks6  ,she gives the ape two or three
 friendly little slaps on the head4     
,the hideous red-haired ,typhon killed  
him and tore him to pieces4 ,we have    
found all his members4 ,but ,i have not 
got that which made me fruitful6  ,she  
utters bitter lamentations4  ,antony is 
seized with rage4 ,he casts pebbles at  
her insultingly3  ,impure one6 begone1  
begone6  ,hilarion--,respect her6 ,this 
is the religion of your ancestors6 ,you 
have worn her amulets in your cradle6   
,isis--,in former times1 when the summer
 returned1 the inundation drove to the  
desert the impure beasts4 ,the dykes    
flew open2 the boats dashed against one 

another2 the panting earth drank the    
stream till it was glutted4 ,o god6 with
 horns of bull1 thou didst stretch      
thyself upon my breast1 and the lowing  
of the eternal cow was heard6  ,the     
new-sown crops1 the harvests1 the       
thrashing of corn1 and the vintages     
succeeded each other regularly in unison
 with the changes of the seasons4 ,in   
the nights1 ever clear1 the great stars 
shed forth their beams4 ,the days were  
steeped in an unchanging splendour4 ,the
 sun and the moon were seen like a royal
 pair on either side of the horizon4    
,we were enthroned in a world more      
sublime--twin monarchs1 spouses from the
 bosom of eternity2 he holding a sceptre
 with the head of a conchoupha1 and ,i a
 sceptre with a lotus-flower1 we stood  
with hands joined2--and the crash of    
empires did not change our attitude4    
,egypt lay stretched beneath us1        
monumental and solemn1 long1 like the   
corridor of a temple1 with obelisks at  
the right1 pyramids at the left1 its    

labyrinth in the middle2 and everywhere 
avenues of monsters1 forests of columns1
 massive archways flanking gates which  
have for their summit the earth's sphere
 between two wings4  ,the animals of her
 zodiac found their counterparts in her 
plains1 and with their forms and colours
 filled her mysterious writings4        
,divided into twelve regions1 as the    
year is into twelve months--each month1 
each day1 having its god--she reproduced
 the immutable order of the heavens2 and
 man1 though he died1 did not lose his  
lineaments1 but1 saturated with perfumes
 and becoming imperishable1 he went to  
sleep for three thousand years in a     
silent ,egypt4  ,the latter1 greater    
than the other1 spread out beneath the  
earth4 ,thither one descended by means  
of staircases leading to halls where    
were reproduced the joys of the good1   
the tortures of the wicked1 everything  
that takes place in the third invisible 
world4 ,ranged along the walls1 the     
dead1 in painted coffins1 awaited each  

their turn2 and the soul1 free from     
migrations1 continued its sleep till it 
awakened in another life4  ,meanwhile1  
,osiris sometimes came back to see me4  
,his shade made me the mother of        
,harpocrates4  ,she gazes on the child3 
,it is he6 ,those are his eyes2 those   
are his tresses1 curling like a ram's   
horns4 ,thou shalt begin his works over 
again4 ,we shall bloom afresh1 like the 
lotus4 ,i am always the great ,isis6    
,nobody has ever yet lifted my veil6 ,my
 offspring is the sun6  ,sun of spring1 
let the clouds obscure thy face6 ,the   
breath of ,typhon devours the pyramids4 
,just now ,i have seen the ,sphinx fly  
away4 ,he galloped off like a jackal4   
,i am seeking for my priests--my priests
 in their linen robes1 with great harps1
 carrying along a mystic skiff          
ornamented with paterae of silver4 ,no  
more feasts on the lakes6 no more       
illuminations in my ,delta6 no more cups
 of milk at ,philae6 ,for a long time   
,apis has not reappeared4  ,egypt6      

,egypt6 ,thy great immovable gods have  
their shoulders whitened by the dung of 
birds1 and the wind1 as it passes along 
the desert1 carries with it the ashes of
 the dead6--,anubis1 protector of       
shadows1 do not leave me6  ,the         
,cynocephalus vanishes4  ,she gives her 
child a shaking4  ,but what aileth thee8
 444 thy hands are cold1 thy head fallen
 back6  ,harpocrates has just died4     
,then she utters a cry so bitter1       
mournful1 and heartrending1 that ,antony
 replies to it by another cry1 while he 
opens his arms to support her4  ,she is 
no longer there4 ,he hangs his head1    
overwhelmed with shame4  ,all that he   
has just seen becomes confused in his   
mind4 ,it is like the stunning effect of
 a voyage1 the uncomfortable sensation  
of drunkenness4 ,fain would he hate2 and
 yet a vague pity softens his heart4 ,he
 begins to weep abundantly4             
,hilarion--,what is it now that makes   
you sad8  ,antony1 after questioning    
himself for a long time--,i am thinking 

of all the souls lost through these     
false gods6  ,hilarion--,do you not find
 that they have--in some                
respects--resemblances to the true8     
,antony--,this is a trick of the ,devil 
the better to seduce the faithful4 ,he  
attacks the strong through the spirit1  
and the others through the flesh4       
,hilarion--,but lust1 in its furies1    
possesses the disinterestedness of      
penitence4 ,the frantic love of the body
 accelerates its destruction--and by its
 weakness proclaims the extent of the   
impossible4  ,antony--,how is it that   
this affects me8 ,my heart revolts with 
disgust against those brutish gods1     
always occupied with carnage and incest4
  ,hilarion--,recall to yourself in the 
,scriptures all the things that         
scandalise you because you cannot       
understand them4 ,in the same way1 these
 gods1 under the outward form of        
criminals1 may contain the truth4 ,there
 are some of them left to see4 ,turn    
aside6  ,antony--,no6 no6 it is a peril6

  ,hilarion--,a moment ago you wished to
 make their acquaintance4 ,do falsehoods
 make your faith totter8 ,what do you   
fear8  ,the rocks in front of ,antony   
have become a mountain4  ,a range of    
clouds intersects it half-way from the  
top2 and overhead appears another       
mountain1 enormous1 quite green1 which  
hollows out the valley unevenly1 having 
on its summit1 in a wood of laurels1 a  
palace of bronze1 with tiles of gold and
 ivory capitals4  ,in the midst of the  
peristyle1 upon a throne1 ,jupiter1     
colossal1 and with a naked torso1 holds 
victory in one hand1 and the thunderbolt
 in the other2 and his eagle1 between   
his legs1 erects its head4  ,juno1 close
 to him1 rolls her great eyes1          
surmounted by a diadem1 from which      
escapes1 like a vapour1 a veil floating 
in the wind4  ,behind1 ,minerva1        
standing on a pedestal1 leans upon her  
spear4 ,the ,gorgon's skin covers her   
breast1 and a linen peplum descends in  
regular folds even to her toe-nails4    

,her grey eyes1 which shine beneath her 
vizor1 gaze intently into the distance4 
,at the right of the palace the aged    
,neptune is riding on a dolphin beating 
with its fins a vast expanse of azure1  
which is the sky or the sea1 for the    
perspective of the ocean prolongs the   
blue ether2 the two elements become     
mingled in one4  ,on the other side1    
,pluto1 fierce1 in a mantle black as    
night1 with a tiara of diamonds and a   
sceptre of ebony1 is in the midst of an 
isle enclosed by the windings of the    
,styx2--and this ghostly stream rushes  
into the darkness1 which forms under the
 cliff a great black gap1 a shapeless   
abyss4  ,mars1 clad in bronze1          
brandishes1 with an air of fury1 his    
huge sword and shield4  ,hercules1      
standing lower1 gazes up at him1 leaning
 on his club4  ,apollo1 with radiant    
face1 is driving1 with his right arm    
extended1 four white horses at a gallop2
 and ,ceres1 in a chariot drawn by oxen1
 is advancing towards him with a sickle 

in her hand4  ,bacchus goes before her  
on a very low car slowly drawn along by 
lynxes4 ,erect1 beardless1 with         
vine-branches over his forehead1 he     
passes1 holding a goblet from which wine
 is flowing4 ,silenus1 at his side1 is  
dangling upon an ass4 ,pan1 with pointed
 ears1 is blowing his pipe2 the         
,mimallones beat drums2 ,maenads scatter
 flowers2 the ,bacchantes throw back    
their heads with hair dishevelled4      
,diana1 with her tunic tucked up1 sets  
out from the wood with her nymphs4  ,at 
the bottom of a cavern1 ,vulcan is      
hammering the iron between the ,cabiri2 
here and there1 the old river-gods1     
resting upon green stones1 water their  
urns2 and the ,muses1 standing up1 are  
singing in the dales4  ,the ,hours1 of  
equal height1 hold each other by the    
hand2 and ,mercury is placed in a       
slanting posture1 upon a rainbow1 with  
his magic wand1 his winged sandals and  
his broad-brimmed hat4  ,but at the top 
of the staircase of the gods1 amid      

clouds soft as feathers1 whose folds as 
they wind around let fall roses1 ,venus 
,anadyomene is gazing at her image in a 
mirror2 her pupils cast languishing     
glances underneath her rather heavy     
eyelashes4 ,she has long1 fair tresses1 
which spread out over her shoulders1 her
 dainty breasts1 her slender figure1 her
 hips widening like the curves of a     
lyre1 her two rounded thighs1 the       
dimples around her knees1 and her       
delicate feet4 ,not far from her mouth a
 butterfly is fluttering4 ,the splendour
 of her body sheds around her a halo of 
brilliant mother-of-pearl2 and all the  
rest of ,olympus is bathed in a rosy    
dawn1 which1 by insensible degrees1     
reaches the heights of the azure sky4   
,antony--,ah6 my bosom dilates4 ,a joy1 
which ,i cannot analyse1 descends into  
the depths of my soul4 ,how beautiful it
 is6 how beautiful it is6               
,hilarion--,they stooped down from the  
height of the clouds to direct the      
swords4 ,you might meet them on the     

roadsides4 ,you kept them in your home2 
and this familiarity made life divine4  
,her only aim was to be free and        
beautiful4 ,her ample robes rendered her
 movements more graceful4 ,the orator's 
voice1 exercised beside the sea1 struck 
the marble porticoes in unison with the 
sonorous waves4 ,the stripling1 rubbed  
with oil1 wrestled1 quite naked1 in the 
full light of day4 ,the most religious  
action was to expose pure forms4  ,those
 men1 too1 respected spouses1 the aged  
and suppliants4 ,behind the ,temple of  
,hercules1 an altar was raised to ,pity4
  ,they used to immolate victims with   
flowers around their fingers4 ,memory   
was not even troubled by the decay of   
the dead1 for there remained of them    
only a handful of ashes4 ,the soul1     
mingled with the boundless ether1       
ascended to the gods6  ,bending towards 
,antony's ear3  ,and they live for ever6
 ,the ,emperor ,constantine adores      
,apollo4 ,you will find the ,trinity in 
the mysteries of ,samothrace1 baptism in

 the case of ,isis1 the redemption in   
that of ,mithra1 the martyrdom of a god 
in the feasts of ,bacchus4 ,proserpine  
is the ,virgin2 ,aristaeus1 ,jesus6     
,antony keeps his eyes cast down2 then  
all at once he repeats the creed of     
,jerusalem--as he recollects            
it--emitting1 after each phrase1 a long 
sigh3  ',i believe in one only ,god1 the
 ,father2--and in one only ,lord1 ,jesus
 ,christ1 first-born son of ,god1 who   
became incarnate and was made man2 who  
was crucified and buried2 who ascended  
into ,heaven2 who will come to judge the
 living and the dead2 whose kingdom will
 have no end2--and in one only ,holy    
,ghost2--and in one only baptism of     
repentance2--and in one holy ,catholic  
,church2--and in the resurrection of the
 flesh2--and in the life everlasting6'  
,immediately the cross becomes larger1  
and1 piercing the clouds1 it casts a    
shadow over the heaven of the gods4     
,they all grow dim4 ,olympus vanishes4  
,antony distinguishes near its base1    

half lost in the caverns1 or supporting 
the stones on their shoulders1 huge     
bodies chained4 ,these are the ,titans1 
the ,giants1 the ,hecatonchires1 and the
 ,cyclops4  ,a voice rises1 indistinct  
and formidable1--like the murmur of the 
waves1 like the sound heard in woods    
during a storm1 like the roaring of the 
wind down a precipice3  ,we knew it1 we 
of all others6 ,the gods were doomed to 
die4 ,uranus was mutilated by ,saturn1  
and ,saturn by ,jupiter4 ,he will be    
himself annihilated4 ,each in its turn4 
,it is destiny6  ,and1 by degrees1 they 
plunge into the mountain1 and disappear4
  ,meanwhile1 the roof of the palace of 
gold flies away4  ,jupiter descends from
 his throne4 ,the thunder at his feet   
smokes like a brand that is almost      
extinguished2 and the eagle1 stretching 
its neck1 gathers with its beak its     
falling plumes4  ,so1 then1 ,i am no    
longer the master of things1 all-good1  
all-powerful1 god of the phratriae and  
of the ,greek peoples1 ancestor of all  

the kings1 the ,agamemnon of ,heaven6   
,eagle of the apotheoses1 what breath of
 ,erebus has driven thee to me8 or1     
flying from the ,campus ,martius1 dost  
thou bring to me the soul of the last of
 the ,emperors8  ,i no longer desire    
those of men6 ,let the earth guard them1
 and let them be moved on a level with  
its baseness4 ,they now have hearts of  
slaves2 they forget injuries1 ancestors1
 oaths2 and everywhere the folly of     
mobs1 the mediocrity of the individual1 
and the hideousness of races reign      
supreme6  ,his respiration makes his    
sides swell even to bursting1 and he    
writhes with his hands4 ,hebe in tears  
presents a cup to him4 ,he seizes it3   
,no6 no6 ,as long as there will be1 no  
matter where1 a head enclosing thought  
which hates disorder and realises the   
idea of ,law1 the spirit of ,jupiter    
will live6  ,but the cup is empty4 ,he  
turns it around slowly on his           
finger-nail4  ,not a drop6 ,when        
ambrosia fails1 there is an end of the  

,immortals6  ,it slips out of his hand1 
and he leans against a pillar1 feeling  
that he is dying4  ,juno--,there was no 
need of so many loves6 ,eagle1 bull1    
swan1 golden shower1 cloud and flame1   
thou hast assumed every form1 scattered 
thy light in every element1 hidden thy  
head on every couch6 ,this time the     
divorce is irrevocable--and our sway1   
our very existence1 is dissolved6  ,she 
rushes away into the air6  ,minerva no  
longer has her spear2 and the ravens1   
which nestled in the sculptures of the  
frieze1 whirl round her1 and bite at her
 helmet4  ,let me see whether my        
vessels1 cleaving the shining sea1 have 
returned into my three ports1 wherefore 
the fields are deserted1 and what the   
daughters of ,athens are now doing4  ,in
 the month of ,hecatombaeon1 all my     
people came to me led by their          
magistrates and priests4 ,then1 in white
 robes1 with chitons of gold1 the long  
files of virgins advanced1 holding cups1
 baskets1 and parasols2 then1 the three 

hundred oxen for the sacrifice1 old men 
shaking green boughs1 soldiers clashing 
their armour against each other1 youths 
singing hymns1 players on the flute and 
on the lyre1 rhapsodists and            
dancing-girls--and finally1 on the mast 
of a trireme1 supported by coils of     
rope1 my great veil embroidered by      
virgins1 who1 for the space of a year1  
had been nourished in a particular      
fashion2 and1 when it had been shown in 
every street1 in every square1 and      
before every temple1 in the midst of a  
procession continually chanting1 it     
ascended to the ,acropolis1 brushed     
passed the ,propylaeum1 and entered the 
,parthenon4  ,but a difficulty faces    
me--me1 the ingenious one6 ,what6 what6 
not a single idea6 ,here am ,i more     
terrified than a woman4  ,she perceives 
behind her a ruin1 utters a cry1 and1   
struck on the forehead1 falls backward  
to the ground4  ,hercules has cast off  
his lion's skin1 and1 resting on his    
feet1 bending his back1 and biting his  

lips1 he makes desperate efforts to     
sustain ,olympus1 which is toppling     
down4  ,i have vanquished the ,cercopes1
 the ,amazons1 and the ,centaurs4 ,i    
have slain many kings1 ,i have broken   
the horn of ,achelous1 a great river4 ,i
 have cut through mountains2 ,i have    
brought oceans together4 ,i have        
liberated enslaved nations2 ,i have     
peopled uninhabited countries4 ,i have  
travelled over ,gaul4 ,i have traversed 
the desert where one feels thirst4 ,i   
have defended the gods1 and ,i have     
freed myself from ,omphale4 ,but        
,olympus is too heavy4 ,my arms are     
growing feeble4 ,i am dying6  ,he is    
crushed beneath the ruins4  ,pluto--,it 
is thine own fault1 ,amphitrionades6    
,why didst thou descend into my realms8 
,the vulture who devours the entrails of
 ,tityus has raised its head2 ,tantalus 
has had his lips moistened2 and ,ixion's
 wheel is stopped4  ,meanwhile1 the     
,keres stretch forth their nails to     
detain the souls2 the ,furies in despair

 twist the serpents in their locks2 and 
,cerberus1 fastened by thee with a      
chain1 has a rattling in the throat1    
while he slavers from his three mouths4 
,thou didst leave the gate ajar4 ,others
 have come4 ,the light of human day has 
penetrated ,tartarus6  ,he sinks into   
the darkness4  ,neptune--,my trident no 
longer raises tempests4 ,the monsters   
who caused terror have rotted at the    
bottom of the sea4  ,amphitrite1 whose  
white feet rushed over the foam2 the    
green nereids1 who could be seen on the 
horizon2 the scaly sirens1 who used to  
stop the ships to tell stories2 and the 
old tritons1 who used to blow into      
shells1 all are dead6 ,the gaiety of the
 sea has vanished6  ,i will not survive 
it6 ,let the vast ocean cover me4  ,he  
disappears into the azure4  ,diana1     
attired in black1 among her dogs1 who   
have become wolves--  ,the freedom of   
great woods intoxicated me with its     
odour of deer and exhalations of swamps4
 ,the women1 over whose pregnancy ,i    

watched1 bring dead children into the   
world4 ,the moon trembles under the     
incantations of sorcerers4 ,i am filled 
with violent and boundless desires4 ,i  
long to drink poisons1 to lose myself in
 vapours or in dreams6 444  ,and a      
passing cloud bears her away4  ,mars1   
bare-headed and blood-stained--  ,at    
first1 ,i fought single-handed1         
provoking by insults an entire army1    
indifferent to countries1 and for the   
pleasure of carnage4 ,then1 ,i had      
companions4 ,they marched to the sound  
of flutes1 in good order1 with even     
step1 breathing upon their bucklers1    
with lofty plume and slanting spear4 ,we
 flung ourselves into the battle with   
loud cries like those of eagles4 ,war   
was as joyous as a feast4 ,three hundred
 men withstood all ,asia4  ,but they    
returned1 those barbarians6 and in tens 
of thousands1 nay1 in millions6 ,since  
numbers1 war-engines1 and strategy are  
more powerful1 it is better to make an  
end of it1 like a brave man6  ,he kills 

himself4  ,vulcan1 wiping the sweat from
 his limbs with a sponge--  ,the world  
is getting cold4 ,it is necessary to    
heat the springs1 the volcanoes1 and the
 rivers1 which run from metals under the
 earth6--,strike harder6 with vigorous  
arm6 with all your strength6  ,the      
,cabiri hurt themselves with their      
hammers1 blind themselves with the      
sparks1 and1 groping their way along1   
are lost in the shadow4  ,ceres1        
standing in her chariot which is drawn  
by wheels having wings in their         
naves--,stop6 ,stop6  ,they had good    
reason to exclude the strangers1 the    
atheists1 the epicureans1 and the       
,christians6 ,the mystery of the basket 
is unveiled1 the sanctuary profaned--all
 is lost6  ,she descends with a rapid   
fall--bursting into exclamation of      
despair1 and dragging back the horses4  
,ah6 falsehood6 ,daira is not given up  
to me4 ,the brazen bell calls me to the 
dead4 ,it is another kind of ,tartarus4 
,there is no returning from it4 ,horror6

  ,the abyss swallows her up4  ,bacchus1
 laughing frantically3  ,what does it   
matter6 ,the wife of ,archontes is my   
spouse6 ,even the law goes down before  
drunkenness4 ,for me the new song and   
the multiplied forms6  ,the fire which  
consumed my mother runs in my veins4    
,let it burn the stronger1 even though  
,i perish6  ,male and female1 good for  
both1 ,i deliver myself to ye1          
,bacchantes6 ,i deliver myself to ye1   
,bacchantes6 and the vine will twist    
around the trunks of trees6 ,howl6      
dance6 writhe6 ,unbind the tiger and the
 slave6 bite the flesh with ferocious   
teeth6  ,and ,pan1 ,silenus1 the        
,satyrs1 the ,bacchantes1 the           
,mimallones1 and the ,maenades1 with    
their serpents1 their torches1 and their
 black masks1 scatter flowers1 then     
shake their dulcimers1 strike their     
thyrsi1 pelt each other with shells1    
crunch grapes1 strangle a he-goat1 and  
rend ,bacchus4  ,apollo1 lashing his    
coursers1 whose glistening hairs fly    

off--  ,i have left behind me ,delos the
 stony1 so empty that everything there  
now seems dead2 and ,i am striving to   
reach the ,delphian oracle before its   
inspiring vapour should be completely   
lost4 ,the mules browse on its laurel4  
,the pythoness1 gone astray1 is found   
there no longer4  ,by a stronger        
concentration1 ,i will have sublime     
poems1 eternal monuments2 and all matter
 will be penetrated with the vibrations 
of my cithara4  ,he fingers its chords4 
,they break and snap against his face4  
,he flings down the instrument1 and     
driving his four-horse chariot          
furiously3  ,no6 enough of forms6       
,farther still--to the very summit--to  
the world of pure thought6  ,but the    
horses1 falling back1 begin to prance so
 that the chariot is smashed2 and1      
entangled in the fragments of the pole  
and the knottings of the horses1 he     
falls head-foremost into the abyss4     
,the sky is darkened4 ,venus1 blue as a 
violet from the cold1 shivers4  ,i      

covered with my girdle the entire       
horizon of ,hellas4 ,its fields shone   
with the roses of my cheeks2 its shores 
were cut according to the form of my    
lips2 and its mountains1 whiter than my 
doves1 palpitated under the hands of the
 sculptors4 ,my spirit showed itself in 
the order of festivities1 the           
arrangements of head-dresses1 the       
dialogues of philosophers1 and the      
constitution of republics4 ,but ,i have 
loved men too much4 ,it is ,love that   
has dishonoured me6  ,she falls back in 
tears4  ,the world is abominable4 ,my   
bosom feels the lack of air4  ,o        
,mercury1 inventor of the lyre1 and     
conductor of souls1 bear me away6  ,she 
places a finger upon her mouth1 and1    
describing an immense parabola1 topples 
over into the abyss4  ,and now nothing  
can be seen4 ,the darkness is complete4 
,in the meantime two red arrows seem to 
escape from the pupils of ,hilarion4    
,antony at length notices his high      
stature3  ,many times already1 while you

 were speaking1 you appeared to me to be
 growing tall2 and it was not an        
illusion4 ,how is this8 ,explain it to  
me4 ,your appearance appals me6  ,steps 
draw nigh4  ,what is this now8          
,hilarion stretches forth his arms3     
,look6  ,then1 under a pale ray of the  
moon1 ,antony distinguishes an          
interminable caravan which defiles over 
the crest of the rocks2 and each        
passenger1 one after another1 falls from
 the cliff into the gulf4  ,first1 there
 are the three great gods of            
,samothrace--,axieros1 ,axiokeros1 and  
,axiokersa--joined in a cluster1 with   
purple masks1 and their hands raised4   
,a,esculapius advances with a melancholy
 air1 without even seeing ,samos and    
,telesphorus1 who question him with     
anguish4 ,sosipolis1 the ,elean1 with   
the form of a python1 rolls out his     
rings towards the abyss4 ,doespoena1    
through vertigo1 flings herself in there
 of her own accord4 ,britomartis1       
shrieking with fear1 clasps the folds of

 her fillet4 ,the ,centaurs arrive with 
a great galloping1 and dash1 pell-mell1 
into the black hole4  ,limping behind   
them come the sad group of nymphs4      
,those of the meadows are covered with  
dust2 those of the woods groan and      
bleed1 wounded by the woodcutters' axes4
  ,the ,gelludae1 the ,stryges1 the     
,empusae1 all the infernal goddesses    
intermingling their hooks1 their        
torches1 and their snakes1 form a       
pyramid2 and at the summit1 upon a      
vulture's skin1 ,eurynomus1 bluish like 
flesh-flies1 devours his own arms4      
,then in a whirlwind disappears at the  
same time1 ,orthia the sanguinary1      
,hymnia of ,orchomena1 the ,saphria of  
the ,patraeans1 ,aphia of ,a,egina1     
,bendis of ,thrace1 and ,stymphalia with
 the leg of a bird4 ,triopas1 in place  
of three eyeballs1 has nothing more than
 three orbits4 ,erichthonius1 with      
spindle-shanks1 crawls like a cripple on
 his wrists4  ,hilarion--,what          
happiness1 is it not1 to see all of them

 in a state of abjectness and agony8    
,mount with me on this stone1 and you   
will be like ,xerxes reviewing his army4
  ,yonder1 at a great distance1 in the  
midst of fogs1 do you perceive that     
giant with yellow beard who lets fall a 
sword red with blood8 ,he is the        
,scythian ,zalmoxis between two         
planets--,artimpasa1 ,venus2 and        
,orsiloche1 the ,moon4  ,farther off1   
emerging out of the pale clouds1 are the
 gods who are adored by the ,cimmerians1
 beyond even ,thule6  ,their great halls
 were warm1 and by the light of the     
naked swords that covered the vault they
 drank hydromel in horns of ivory4 ,they
 ate the liver of the whale in copper   
plates forged by the demons1 or else    
they listened to the captive sorcerers  
sweeping their hands across the harps of
 stone4 ,they are weary6 they are cold6 
,the snow wears down their bearskins1   
and their feet are exposed through the  
rents in their sandals4  ,they mourn for
 the meadows where1 upon hillocks of    

grass1 they used to recover breath in   
the battle1 the long ships whose prows  
cut through the mountains of ice1 and   
the skates they used in order to follow 
the orbit of the poles while carrying on
 the extremities of their arms the      
firmament1 which turned around with     
them4  ,a shower of hoar-frost pours    
down upon them4 ,antony lowers his      
glance to the opposite side1 and he     
perceives--outlining themselves in black
 upon a red background--strange         
personages with chin-pieces and         
gauntlets1 who throw balls at one       
another1 leap one on top of the other1  
make grimaces1 and dance frantically4   
,hilarion--,these are the gods of       
,etruria1 the innumerable ,a,esars4     
,here is ,tages1 the inventor of        
auguries4 ,he attempts with one hand to 
increase the divisions of the heavens1  
while with the other he leans upon the  
earth4 ,let him come back to it6        
,nortia is contemplating the wall into  
which she drove nails to mark the number

 of the years4 ,its surface is covered  
and its last period accomplished4 ,like 
two travellers driven about by a        
tempest1 ,kastur and ,polutuk take      
shelter under the same mantle4  ,antony1
 closes his eyes--,enough6 ,enough6     
,but now through the air with a great   
noise of wings pass all the ,victories  
of the ,capitol1 hiding their foreheads 
in their hands1 and losing the trophies 
suspended from their arms4  ,janus1     
master of the twilight1 flies away upon 
a black ram1 and of his two faces one is
 already putrefied1 while the other is  
benumbed with fatigue4  ,summanus--god  
of the gloomy sky1 who no longer has a  
head--presses against his heart an old  
cake in the form of a wheel4  ,vesta1   
under a ruined cupola1 tries to rekindle
 her extinguished lamp4  ,bellona gashes
 her cheeks without causing the blood1  
which used to purify her devotees1 to   
flow out4  ,antony--,pardon6 ,they weary
 me6  ,hilarion--,formerly they used to 
be entertaining6  ,and he points out to 

,antony1 in a grove of beech-trees a    
woman perfectly naked--with four paws   
like a beast--bestridden by a black man 
holding in each hand a torch4  ,this is 
the goddess ,aricia with the demon      
,virbius4 ,her priest1 the monarch of   
the woods1 happened to be an assassin2  
and the fugitive slaves1 the despoilers 
of corpses1 the brigands of the         
,salarian road1 the cripples of the     
,sublician bridge1 all the vermin of the
 garrets of the ,suburra1 had not dearer
 devotion6  ,the patrician ladies of    
,mark ,antony's time preferred          
,libitina4  ,and he shows him under the 
cypresses and rose-trees another woman  
clothed in gauze4 ,she smiles1 though   
she is surrounded by pickaxes1 litters1 
black hangings1 and all the utensils of 
funerals4 ,her diamonds glitter from    
afar among cobwebs4 ,the ,larvae1 like  
skeletons1 display their bones amid the 
branches1 and the ,lemures1 who are     
phantoms1 spread out their bats' wings4 
,on the side of a field the god ,terma  

is bent down1 torn asunder1 and covered 
with filth4  ,in the midst of a ridge   
the huge corpse of ,vertumnus is being  
devoured by red dogs4 ,the rustic gods  
depart weeping1 ,sartor1 ,sarrator1     
,vervactor1 ,eollina1 ,vallona1 and     
,hostilenus--all covered with little    
hooded cloaks1 and each bearing a       
mattock1 a fork1 a hurdle1 and a        
boar-spear4  ,hilarion--,it was their   
spirits that made the villa prosper with
 its dove-cotes1 its park for dormice1  
its poultry-yards protected by snares1  
and its hot stables embalmed with cedar4
  ,they protected all the wretched      
people who dragged the fetters with     
their legs over the pebbles of the      
,sabina1 those who called the hogs with 
the sound of the trumpet1 those who     
gathered the grapes on the tops of the  
elm-trees1 those who drove through the  
by-roads the asses laden with dung4 ,the
 husbandman1 while he panted over the   
handle of his plough1 prayed to them to 
strengthen his arms2 and the cow-herds1 

in the shadow of the lime-trees1 beside 
gourds of milk1 chanted their eulogies  
by turns upon flutes of reeds4  ,antony 
sighs4  ,and in the middle of a chamber1
 upon a platform1 a bed of ivory is     
revealed1 surrounded by persons lifting 
up pine-torches4  ,those are the gods of
 marriage4 ,they are awaiting the bride4
  ,domiduca has to lead her in1 ,virgo  
to undo her girdle1 ,subigo to stretch  
her upon the bed1 and ,praema to keep   
back her arms1 whispering sweet words in
 her ear4  ,but she will not come6 and  
they dismiss the others--,nona and      
,decima1 the nurses2 the three ,nixii1  
who are to deliver her2 the two         
wet-nurses1 ,educa and ,potina2 and     
,carna1 the cradle-rocker1 whose bunch  
of hawthorns drives away bad dreams from
 the infant4 ,later1 ,ossipago will have
 strengthened its knees1 ,barbatus will 
have given the beard1 ,stimula the first
 desires1 and ,volupia the first        
enjoyment2 ,fabulinus will have taught  
it how to speak1 ,numera how to count1  

,camoena how to sing1 and ,consus how to
 think4  ,the chamber is empty1 and     
there remains no longer at the side of  
the bed anyone but ,naenia--a hundred   
years old--muttering to herself the     
lament which she poured forth on the    
death of old men4  ,but soon her voice  
is lost amid bitter cries1 which come   
from the domestic lares1 squatted at the
 end of the atrium1 clad in dogs' skins1
 with flowers around their bodies1      
holding their closed hands up to their  
cheeks1 and weeping as much as they can4
  ,where is the portion of food which is
 given to us at each meal1 the good     
attentions of maid-servant1 the smile of
 the matron1 and the gaiety of the      
little boys playing with huckle-bones on
 the mosaic of the courtyard8 ,then1    
when they have grown big1 they hang over
 our breasts their gold or leather      
bullae4  ,what happiness1 when1 on the  
evening of a triumph1 the master1       
returning home1 turned towards us his   
humid eyes6 ,he told the story of his   

contests1 and the narrow house was more 
stately than a palace1 and more sacred  
than a temple4  ,how pleasant were the  
repasts of the family1 especially the   
day after the ,feralia6 ,the feeling of 
tenderness towards the dead dispelled   
all discords2 and people embraced one   
another1 drinking to the glories of the 
past1 and to the hopes of the future4   
,but the ancestors in painted wax1 shut 
up behind us1 became gradually covered  
with mouldiness4 ,the new races1 to     
punish us for their own deceptions1 have
 broken our jaws2 and under the rats'   
teeth our bodies of wood have crumbled  
away4  ,and the innumerable gods1       
watching at the doors1 in the kitchen1  
in the cellar1 and in the stoves1       
disperse on all sides1 under the        
appearance of enormous ants running     
away1 or huge butterflies on the wing4  
,then a thunderclap4  ,a voice--,i was  
the ,god of armies1 the ,lord1 the ,lord
 ,god6  ,i have unfolded on the hills   
the tents of ,jacob1 and nourished in   

the sands my fugitive people4 ,it was ,i
 who burned ,sodom6 ,it was ,i who      
engulfed the earth beneath the ,deluge6 
,it was ,i who drowned ,pharaoh1 with   
the royal princes1 the war-chariots1 and
 the charioteers4 ,a jealous ,god1 ,i   
execrated the other gods4 ,i crushed the
 impure2 ,i overthrew the proud2 and my 
desolation rushed to right and left1    
like a dromedary let loose in a field of
 maize4  ,to set ,israel free1 ,i chose 
the simple4 ,angels1 with wings of      
flame1 spoke to them in the bushes4     
,perfumed with spikenard1 cinnamon1 and 
myrrh1 with transparent robes and       
high-heeled shoes1 women of intrepid    
heart went forth to slay the captains4  
,the passing wind bore away the         
prophets4  ,i engraved my law on tablets
 of stone4 ,it shut in my people as in a
 citadel4 ,they were my people4 ,i was  
their ,god6 ,the earth was mine1 and men
 were mine1 with their thoughts1 their  
works1 the implements with which they   
tilled the soil1 and their posterity4   

,my ark rested in a triple sanctuary1   
behind purple curtains and flaming      
lamps4 ,for my ministry ,i had an entire
 tribe1 who swung the censers1 and the  
high-priest in a robe of hyacinth1 and  
wearing precious stones upon his breast 
arranged in regular order4  ,woe6 woe6  
,the ,holy of ,holies is flung open2 the
 veil is rent2 the odours of the        
holocaust are scattered to all the      
winds4 ,the jackals whine in the        
sepulchres2 my temple is destroyed2 my  
people are dispersed6  ,they have       
strangled the priests with the cords of 
their vestments4 ,the women are         
captives2 the sacred vessels are all    
melted down6  ,the voice1 dying away3   
,i was the ,god of armies1 the ,lord1   
the ,lord ,god6 ,then comes an appalling
 silence1 a profound darkness4          
,antony--,they are all gone6  ,i remain6
 says some one4  ,and1 face to face with
 him stands ,hilarion1 but              
transfigured--beautiful as an archangel1
 luminous as a sun1 and so tall that1 in

 order to see him1 ,antony lifts up his 
head--,who1 then1 are you8              
,hilarion--,my kingdom is as wide as the
 universe1 and my desire has no limits4 
,i am always going about enfranchising  
the mind and weighing the worlds1       
without hate1 without fear1 without     
love1 and without ,god4 ,i am called    
,science4  ,antony1 recoiling           
backwards--,you must be1 rather1 the    
,devil6  ,hilarion1 fixing his eyes upon
 him--,do you wish to see him8  ,antony 
no longer avoids his glance4 ,he is     
seized with curiosity concerning the    
,devil4 ,his terror increases2 his      
longing becomes measureless4  ,if ,i saw
 him1 however--if ,i saw him8 444 ,then1
 in a spasm of rage3  ,the horror that  
,i have of him will rid me of him       
forever4 ,yes6  ,a cloven foot reveals  
itself4 ,antony is filled with regret4  
,but the ,devil overshadows him with his
 horns1 and carries him off4            
,,chapter ,,vi4  ,,the ,,mystery ,,of   
,,space4   ,he flies under ,antony's    

body1 extended like a swimmer2 his two  
great wings1 outspread1 entirely        
concealing him1 resemble a cloud4       
,antony--,where am ,i going8 ,just now  
,i caught a glimpse of the form of the  
,accursed ,one4 ,no6 a cloud is carrying
 me away4 ,perhaps ,i am dead1 and am   
mounting up to ,god8 444  ,ah6 how well 
,i breathe6 ,the untainted air inflates 
my soul4 ,no more heaviness6 no more    
suffering6  ,beneath me1 the thunderbolt
 darts forth1 the horizon widens1 rivers
 cross one another4 ,that light spot is 
the desert2 that pool of water the      
ocean4 ,and other oceans appear--immense
 regions of which ,i had no knowledge4  
,there are black lands that smoke like  
live embers1 a belt of snow ever        
obscured by the mists4 ,i am trying to  
discover the mountains where each       
evening the sun goes to sleep4  ,the    
,devil--,the sun never goes to sleep6   
,antony is not startled by this voice4  
,it appears to him an echo of his       
thought--a response of his memory4      

,meanwhile1 the earth takes the form of 
a ball1 and he perceives it in the midst
 of the azure turning on its poles while
 it winds around the sun4  ,the         
,devil--,so1 then1 it is not the centre 
of the world8 ,pride of man1 humble     
thyself6  ,antony--,i can scarcely      
distinguish it now4 ,it is intermingled 
with the other fires4 ,the firmament is 
but a tissue of stars4  ,they continue  
to ascend4  ,no noise6 not even the     
crying of the eagles6 ,nothing6 444 and 
,i bend down to listen to the music of  
the spheres4  ,the ,devil--,you cannot  
hear them6 ,no longer will you see the  
antichthon of ,plato1 the focus of      
,philolaues1 the spheres of ,aristotle1 
or the seven heavens of the ,jews with  
the great waters above the vault of     
crystal6  ,antony--,from below it       
appeared as solid as a wall4 ,but now1  
on the contrary1 ,i am penetrating it2  
,i am plunging into it6  ,and he arrives
 in front of the moon--which is like a  
piece of ice1 quite round1 filled with a

 motionless light4  ,the ,devil--,this  
was formerly the abode of souls4 ,the   
good ,pythagoras had even supplied it   
with birds and magnificent flowers4     
,antony--,i see nothing there save      
desolate plains1 with extinct craters1  
under a black sky4  ,come towards those 
stars with a softer radiance1 so that we
 may gaze upon the angels who hold them 
with the ends of their arms1 like       
torches6  ,the ,devil carries him into  
the midst of the stars4  ,they attract  
one another at the same time that they  
repel one another4 ,the action of each  
has an effect on the others1 and helps  
to produce their movements--and all this
 without the medium of an auxiliary1 by 
the force of a law1 by the virtue simply
 of order4  ,antony--,yes 444 yes6 my   
intelligence grasps it6 ,it is a joy    
greater than the sweetness of affection6
 ,i pant with stupefaction before the   
immensity of ,god6  ,the ,devil--,like  
the firmament1 which rises in proportion
 as you ascend1 ,he will become greater 

according as your imagination mounts    
higher2 and you will feel your joy      
increase in proportion to the unfolding 
of the universe1 in this enlargement of 
the ,infinite4  ,antony--,ah6 higher6   
ever higher6  ,the stars multiply and   
shed around their scintillations4 ,the  
,milky ,way at the zenith spreads out   
like an immense belt1 with gaps here and
 there2 in these clefts1 amid its       
brightness1 dark tracts reveal          
themselves4 ,there are showers of stars1
 trains of golden dust1 luminous vapours
 which float and then dissolve4         
,sometimes a comet sweeps by suddenly2  
then the tranquillity of the countless  
lights is renewed4  ,antony1 with open  
arms1 leans on the ,devil's two horns1  
thus occupying the entire space covered 
by his wings4 ,he recalls with disdain  
the ignorance of former days1 the       
limitation of his ideas4 ,here1 then1   
close beside him1 were those luminous   
globes which he used to gaze at from    
below4 ,he traces the crossing of their 

paths1 the complexity of their          
directions4 ,he sees them coming from   
afar1 and1 suspended like stones in a   
sling1 describing their orbits and      
pushing forward their parabolas4  ,he   
perceives1 with a single glance1 the    
,southern ,cross and the ,great ,bear1  
the ,lynx and the ,centaur1 the nebulae 
of the ,gold-fish1 the six suns in the  
constellation of ,orion1 ,jupiter with  
his four satellites1 and the triple ring
 of the monstrous ,saturn6 all the      
planets1 all the stars which men should1
 in future days1 discover6 ,he fills his
 eyes with their light2 he overloads his
 mind with a calculation of their       
distances2--then he lets his head fall  
once more4  ,what is the object of all  
this8  ,the ,devil--,there is no object6
  ,how could ,god have had an object8   
,what experience could have enlightened 
,him1 what reflection enabled ,him to   
judge8 ,before the beginning of things1 
it would not have operated1 and now it  
would be useless4                       

,antony--,nevertheless1 ,he created the 
world1 at one period of time1 by ,his   
mere word6  ,the ,devil--,but the beings
 who inhabit the earth came there       
successively4 ,in the same way1 in the  
sky1 new stars arise--different effects 
from various causes4  ,antony--,the     
variety of causes is the will of ,god6  
,the ,devil--,but to admit in ,god      
several acts of will is to admit several
 causes1 and thus to destroy ,his unity6
  ,his will is not separable from ,his  
essence4 ,he cannot have a second will1 
inasmuch as ,he cannot have a second    
essence--and1 since ,he exists          
eternally1 ,he acts eternally4  ,look at
 the sun6 ,from its borders escape great
 flames emitting sparks which scatter   
themselves to become new worlds2 and1   
further than the last1 beyond those     
depths where only night is visible1     
other suns whirl round1 and behind these
 others again1 and others still1 to     
infinity 444  ,antony--,enough6 enough6 
,i am terrified6 ,i am about to fall    

into the abyss4  ,the ,devil stops1 and 
gently balancing himself--  ,there is no
 such thing as nothingness6 ,there is no
 vacuum6 ,everywhere there are bodies   
moving over the unchangeable realms of  
space--and1 as if it had any bounds it  
would not be space but a body1 it       
consequently has no limits6  ,antony1   
open-mouthed--,no limits6  ,the         
,devil--,ascend into the sky forever and
 ever1 and you will never reach the top6
 ,descend beneath the earth for millions
 upon millions of centuries1 and you    
will never get to the bottom--inasmuch  
as there is no bottom1 no top1 no end1  
above or below2 and space is1 in fact1  
comprised in ,god1 who is not a part of 
space1 of a magnitude that can be       
measured1 but immensity6  ,antony1      
slowly--,matter1 in that case1 would be 
part of ,god8  ,the ,devil--,why not8   
,can you tell where ,he comes to an end8
  ,antony--,on the contrary1 ,i         
prostrate myself1 ,i efface myself      
before ,his power6  ,the ,devil--,and   

you pretend to move ,him6 ,you speak to 
,him1 you even adorn ,him with          
virtues--goodness1 justice1             
clemency1--in place of recognising the  
fact that ,he possesses all perfections6
  ,to conceive anything beyond is to    
conceive ,god outside of ,god4 ,being   
outside of ,being4 ,but then ,he is the 
only ,being1 the only ,substance4  ,if  
substance could be divided1 it would    
lose its nature--it would not be itself2
 ,god would no longer exist4 ,he is1    
therefore1 indivisible as well as       
infinite1 and if ,he had a body1 ,he    
would be made up of parts4 ,he would no 
longer be one2 ,he would no longer be   
infinite4 ,therefore1 ,he is not a      
person6  ,antony--,what8 ,my prayers1 my
 sobs1 the sufferings of my flesh1 the  
transports of my zeal1 all these things 
would be no better than a lie 444 in    
space 444 uselessly--like a bird's cry1 
like a whirlwind of dead leaves6  ,he   
weeps4  ,oh6 no6 ,there is above        
everything some ,one1 a ,great ,spirit1 

a ,lord1 a ,father1 whom my heart       
adores1 and who must love me6  ,the     
,devil--,you desire that ,god should not
 be ,god2 for1 if ,he experienced love1 
anger1 or pity1 ,he would pass from ,his
 perfection to a greater or less        
perfection4 ,he cannot descend to a     
sentiment1 or be contained under a form4
  ,antony--,one day1 however1 ,i shall  
see ,him6  ,the ,devil--,with the       
,blessed1 is it not8 ,when the finite   
shall enjoy the ,infinite1 enclosing the
 ,absolute in a limited space6          
,antony--,no matter6 ,there must be a   
,paradise for the good1 as well as a    
,hell for the wicked6  ,the             
,devil--,does the exigency of your      
reason constitute the law of things8    
,without doubt1 evil is a matter of     
indifference to ,god1 seeing that the   
earth is covered with it6  ,is it from  
impotence that ,he endures it1 or from  
cruelty that ,he preserves it8  ,do you 
think that ,he can be continually       
putting the world in order like an      

imperfect work1 and that ,he watches    
over all the movements of all beings1   
from the flight of the butterfly to the 
thought of man8  ,if ,he created the    
universe ,his providence is superfluous4
 ,if ,providence exists1 creation is    
defective4  ,but good and evil only     
concern you--like day and night1        
pleasure and pain1 death and birth1     
which have relationship merely to a     
corner of space1 to a special medium1 to
 a particular interest4 ,inasmuch as    
what is infinite alone is permanent1 the
 ,infinite exists2 and that is all6     
,the ,devil has gradually extended his  
huge wings1 and now they cover space4   
,antony can no longer see4 ,he is on the
 point of fainting3  ,a horrible chill  
freezes me to the bottom of my soul4    
,this exceeds the utmost pitch of pain4 
,it is1 as it were1 a death more        
profound than death4 ,i wheel through   
the immensity of darkness4 ,it enters   
into me4 ,my consciousness is shivered  
to atoms under this expansion of        

nothingness4  ,the ,devil--,but things  
happen only through the medium of your  
mind4 ,like a concave mirror1 it        
distorts objects1 and you need every    
resource in order to verify facts4      
,never shall you understand the universe
 in its full extent2 consequently you   
cannot form an idea as to its cause1 so 
as to have a just notion of ,god1 or    
even say that the universe is infinite1 
for you should first comprehend the     
,infinite6  ,form is perhaps an error of
 your senses1 substance an illusion of  
your intellect4 ,unless it be that the  
world1 being a perpetual flux of things1
 appearances1 by a sort of              
contradiction1 would not be a test of   
truth1 and illusion would be the only   
reality4  ,but are you sure that you    
see8 ,are you sure that you live8       
,perhaps nothing at all exists6  ,the   
,devil has seized ,antony1 and1 holding 
him by the extremities of his arms1     
stares at him with open jaws ready to   
swallow him up4  ,come1 adore me6 and   

curse the phantom that you call ,god6   
,antony raises his eyes with a last     
movement of lingering hope4  ,the ,devil
 quits him4     ,,chapter ,,vii4  ,,the 
,,chimera ,,and ,,the ,,sphinx4         
,antony finds himself stretched on his  
back at the edge of the cliff4 ,the sky 
is beginning to grow white4  ,is this   
the brightness of dawn8 or is it the    
reflection of the moon8 ,he tries to    
rise1 then sinks back1 and with         
chattering teeth3  ,i feel fatigued 444 
as if all my bones were broken6  ,why8  
,ah6 it is the ,devil6 ,i remember2 and 
he even repeated to me all ,i had       
learned from old ,didymus concerning the
 opinions of ,xenophanes1 of            
,heraclitus1 of ,melissus1 and of       
,anaxagoras1 as well as concerning the  
,infinite1 the creation1 and the        
impossibility of knowing anything6  ,and
 ,i imagined that ,i could unite myself 
to ,god6  ,laughing bitterly3  ,ah6     
madness6 madness6 ,is it my fault8      
,prayer is intolerable to me6 ,my heart 

is drier than a rock6 ,formerly it      
overflowed with love6 444  ,the sand1 in
 the morning1 used to send forth        
exhalations on the horizon1 like the    
fumes of a censer4 ,at the setting of   
the sun blossoms of fire burst forth    
from the cross1 and1 in the middle of   
the night1 it often seemed to me that   
all creatures and all things1 gathered  
in the same silence1 were with me       
adoring the ,lord4 ,oh6 charm of prayer1
 bliss of ecstasy1 gifts of ,heaven1    
what has become of you8  ,i remember a  
journey ,i made with ,ammon in search of
 a solitude in which we might establish 
monasteries4 ,it was the last evening1  
and we quickened our steps1 murmuring   
hymns1 side by side1 without uttering a 
word4 ,in proportion as the sun went    
down1 the shadows of our bodies         
lengthened1 like two obelisks1 always   
enlarging and marching on in front of   
us4 ,with the pieces of our staffs we   
planted the cross here and there to mark
 the site of a cell4 ,the night came on 

slowly1 and black waves spread over the 
earth1 while an immense sheet of red    
still occupied the sky4  ,when ,i was a 
child1 ,i used to amuse myself in       
constructing hermitages with pebbles4   
,my mother1 close beside me1 used to    
watch what ,i was doing4  ,she was going
 to curse me for abandoning her1 tearing
 her white locks4 ,and her corpse       
remained stretched in the middle of the 
cell1 beneath the roof of reeds1 between
 the tottering walls4 ,through a hole1 a
 hyena1 sniffing1 thrusts forward his   
jaws6 444 ,horror6 horror6  ,he sobs4   
,no3 ,ammonaria would not have left her6
  ,where is ,ammonaria now8  ,perhaps1  
in a hot bath she is drawing off her    
garments one by one1 first her cloak1   
then her girdle1 then her outer tunic1  
then her inner one1 then the wrappings  
round her neck2 and the vapour of       
cinnamon envelops her naked limbs4 ,at  
last she sinks to sleep on the tepid    
floor4 ,her hair1 falling around her    
hips1 looks like a black fleece--and1   

almost suffocating in the overheated    
atmosphere1 she draws breath1 with her  
body bent forward and her breasts       
projecting4 ,hold6 here is my flesh     
breaking into revolt4 ,in the midst of  
anguish1 ,i am tortured by              
voluptuousness4 ,two punishments at the 
same time--it is too much6 ,i can no    
longer endure my own body6  ,he stoops  
down and gazes over the precipice4  ,the
 man who falls over that will be killed4
 ,nothing easier1 by simply rolling over
 on the left side3 it is necessary to   
take only one step6 only one6  ,then    
appears an old woman4  ,antony rises    
with a start of error4 ,he imagines that
 he sees his mother risen from the dead4
  ,but this one is much older and       
excessively emaciated4 ,a winding-sheet1
 fastened round her head1 hangs with her
 white hair down to the very extremities
 of her legs1 thin as sticks4 ,the      
brilliancy of her teeth1 which are like 
ivory1 makes her clayey skin look       
darker4 ,the sockets of her eyes are    

full of gloom1 and in their depths      
flicker two flames1 like lamps in a     
sepulchre4  ,come forward1 she says2    
what keeps you back8  ,antony1          
stammering--,i am afraid of committing a
 sin6  ,she resumes3  ,but ,king ,saul  
was slain6 ,razias1 a just man1 was     
slain6 ,saint ,pelagius of ,antioch was 
slain6 ,dominius of ,aleppo and his two 
daughters1 three more saints1 were      
slain2--and recall to your mind all the 
confessors who1 in their eagerness to   
die1 rushed to meet their executioners4 
,in order to taste death the more       
speedily1 the virgins of ,miletus       
strangled themselves with their cords4  
,the philosopher1 ,hegesias1 at         
,syracuse preached so well on the       
subject1 that people deserted the       
brothels to hang themselves in the      
fields4 ,the ,roman patricians sought   
for death as if it were a debauch4      
,antony--,yes1 it is a powerful passion6
 ,many an anchorite has yielded to it4  
,the old woman--,to do a thing which    

makes you equal to ,god--think of that6 
,he created you2 you are about to       
destroy ,his work1 you1 by your courage1
 freely4 ,the enjoyment of ,erostrates  
was not greater4 ,and then1 your body is
 thus mocked by your soul in order that 
you may avenge yourself in the end4 ,you
 will have no pain4 ,it will soon be    
over4 ,what are you afraid of8 ,a large 
black hole6 ,it is empty1 perhaps6      
,antony listens without saying anything 
in reply2--and1 on the other side1      
appears another woman1 marvellously     
young and beautiful4 ,at first1 he takes
 her for ,ammonaria4 ,but she is taller1
 fair as honey1 rather plump1 with paint
 on her cheeks1 and roses on her head4  
,her long robe1 covered with spangles1  
is studded with metallic mirrors4 ,her  
fleshly lips have a look of blood1 and  
her somewhat heavy eyelashes are so much
 bathed in languor that one would       
imagine she was blind4 ,she murmurs3    
,come1 then1 and enjoy yourself4        
,solomon recommends pleasure4 ,go where 

your heart leads you1 and according to  
the desire of your eyes4  ,antony--,to  
find what pleasure8 ,my heart is sick2  
my eyes are dim6  ,she replies3  ,hasten
 to the suburb of ,racotis2 push open a 
door painted blue2 and1 when you are in 
the atrium1 where a jet of water is     
gurgling1 a woman will present          
herself--in a peplum of white silk edged
 with gold1 her hair dishevelled1 and   
her laugh like sounds made by           
rattlesnakes4 ,she is clever4 ,in her   
caress you will taste the pride of an   
initiation1 and the satisfaction of a   
want4 ,have you pressed against your    
bosom a maiden who loved you8 ,recall to
 your mind her remorse1 which vanished  
under a flood of sweet tears4 ,you can  
imagine yourself--can you not8--walking 
through the woods beneath the light of  
the moon4 ,at the pressure of your hands
 joined with hers a shudder runs through
 both of you2 your eyes1 brought close  
together1 overflow from one to the other
 like immaterial waves1 and your heart  

is full2 it is bursting2 it is a        
delicious whirlwind1 an overpowering    
intoxication4  ,the old woman--,you need
 not experience joys to feel their      
bitterness6 ,you need only see them from
 afar1 and disgust takes possession of  
you4 ,you must needs be wearied with the
 monotony of the same actions1 the      
duration of the days1 the ugliness of   
the world1 and the stupidity of the sun6
  ,antony--,oh6 yes2 all that it shines 
upon is displeasing to me4  ,the young  
woman--,hermit6 hermit6 you shall find  
diamonds among the pebbles1 fountains   
beneath the sand1 a delight in the      
dangers which you despise2 and there are
 even places on the earth so beautiful  
that you are filled with a longing to   
embrace them4  ,the old woman--,every   
evening when you lie down to sleep on   
the earth1 you hope that it may soon    
cover you4  ,the young                  
woman--,nevertheless1 you believe in the
 resurrection of the flesh1 which is the
 transport of life into eternity4  ,the 

old woman1 while speaking1 has been     
growing more emaciated1 and1 above her  
skull1 which has no hair upon it1 a bat 
has been making circles in the air4     
,the young woman has become plumper4    
,her robe changes colour2 her nostrils  
swell2 her eyes roll softly4  ,the first
 says1 opening her arms3  ,come6 ,i am  
consolation1 rest1 oblivion1 eternal    
peace6  ,and the second offering her    
breast3  ,i am the soother1 the joy1 the
 life1 the happiness inexhaustible6     
,antony turns on his heel to fly4 ,each 
of them places a hand upon his shoulder4
  ,the winding-sheet flies open1 and    
reveals the skeleton of ,death4 ,the    
robe bursts open1 and presents to view  
the entire body of ,lust1 which has a   
slender figure1 with an enormous        
development behind1 and great1          
undulating masses of hair1 disappearing 
towards the end4  ,antony remains       
motionless between the pair1            
contemplating them4  ,death says to     
him--  ,this moment1 or a little        

later--what does it matter8 ,you belong 
to me1 like the suns1 the nations1 the  
cities1 the kings1 the snow on the      
mountains1 and the grass in the fields4 
,i fly higher than the sparrow-hawk1 ,i 
run more quickly than the gazelle2 ,i   
keep pace even with hope2 ,i have       
conquered ,god6  ,lust--,do not resist2 
,i am omnipotent4 ,the forests echo with
 my sighs2 the waves are stirred by my  
agitations4 ,virtue1 courage1 piety1 are
 dissolved in the perfume of my breath4 
,i accompany man at every step he takes2
 and on the threshold of the tomb he    
comes back to me4  ,death--,i will      
reveal to you what you tried to grasp by
 the light of torches on the features of
 the dead--or when you rambled beyond   
the ,pyramids in those vast sand-heaps  
composed of human remains4 ,from time to
 time1 a piece of skull rolled under    
your sandal4 ,you took it out of the    
dust2 you made it slip between your     
fingers2 and your mind1 becoming        
absorbed in it1 was plunged into        

nothingness4  ,lust--,mine is a deeper  
gulf6 ,marble slabs have inspired impure
 loves4 ,people rush towards meetings   
that terrify them1 and rivet the very   
chains which they curse4 ,whence comes  
the witchery of courtesans1 the         
extravagance of dreams1 the immensity of
 my sadness8  ,death--,my irony         
surpasses that of all other things4     
,there are convulsions of joy at the    
funerals of kings and at the            
extermination of peoples2 and they make 
war with music1 plumes1 flags1 golden   
harnesses1 and a display of ceremony to 
pay me the greater homage4  ,lust--,my  
anger is as strong as yours4 ,i howl1 ,i
 bite1 ,i have sweats of agony1 and     
corpse-like appearances4  ,death--,it is
 ,i who make you serious2 let us embrace
 each other6  ,death chuckles2 ,lust    
roars4 ,they seize each other's figures1
 and sing together3  ,i hasten the      
dissolution of matter4  ,i facilitate   
the scattering of germs6  ,thou         
destroyest that ,i may renew6  ,thou    

engenderest that ,i may destroy6        
,active my power6  ,fruitful my decay6  
,and their voices1 whose echoes1 rolling
 forth1 fill the horizon1 become so     
powerful that ,antony falls backward4   
,a shock1 from time to time1 causes him 
to half open his eyes2 and he perceives1
 in the midst of the darkness1 a kind of
 monster before him4  ,it is a          
death's-head with a crown of roses4 ,it 
rises above the torso of a woman white  
as mother-of-pearl4 ,beneath1 a         
winding-sheet1 starred with points of   
gold1 makes a kind of train2--and the   
entire body undulates1 like a gigantic  
worm holding itself erect4  ,the vision 
grows fainter1 and then fades away4     
,antony1 rises again--,this time1 once  
more1 it was the ,devil1 and under his  
two-fold aspect--the spirit of          
voluptuousness and the spirit of        
destruction4 ,neither terrifies me4 ,i  
thrust happiness aside1 and feel that ,i
 am eternal4  ,thus1 death is only an   
illusion1 a veil1 masking at certain    

points the continuity of life4 ,but     
substance1 being one1 why is there a    
variety of forms8 ,there must be        
somewhere primordial figures1 whose     
bodies are only images4 ,if one could   
see1 one would know the bond between    
mind and matter1 wherein ,being         
consists6  ,there are those figures     
which were painted at ,babylon on the   
wall of the temple of ,belus1 and they  
covered a mosaic in the port of         
,carthage4 ,i1 myself1 have sometimes   
seen in the sky what seemed like forms  
of spirits4 ,those who traverse the     
desert meet animals passing all         
conception 444  ,and1 opposite him1 on  
the other side of the ,nile1 lo6 the    
,sphinx appears4  ,it stretches out its 
feet1 shakes the fillets on its         
forehead1 and lies down upon its belly4 
,jumping1 flying1 spirting fire through 
its nostrils1 and striking its wings    
with its dragon's tail1 the ,chimera    
with its green eyes1 winds round1 and   
barks4 ,the curls of its head1 thrown   

back on one side1 intermingle with the  
hair on its haunches2 and on the other  
side they hang over the sand1 and move  
to and fro with the swaying of its      
entire body4  ,the ,sphinx is           
motionless1 and gazes at the ,chimera3  
,here1 ,chimera2 stop6  ,the            
,chimera--,no1 never6  ,the ,sphinx--,do
 not run so quickly2 do not fly so high2
 do not bark so loud6  ,the             
,chimera--,do not address me1 do not    
address me any more1 since you remain   
forever silent6  ,the ,sphinx--,cease   
casting your flames in my face and      
flinging your yells in my ears2 you     
shall not melt my granite6  ,the        
,chimera--,you will not get hold of me1 
terrible ,sphinx6  ,the ,sphinx--,you   
are too foolish to live with me6  ,the  
,chimera--,you are too clumsy to follow 
me6  ,the ,sphinx--,and where are you   
going that you run so quickly8  ,the    
,chimera--,i gallop into the corridors  
of the labyrinth2 ,i hover over the     
mountains2 ,i skim along the waves2 ,i  

yelp at the bottoms of precipices2 ,i   
hang by my jaws on the skirts of the    
clouds4 ,with my trailing tail ,i       
scratch the coasts1 and the hills have  
taken their curb according to the form  
of my shoulders4 ,but as for you1 ,i    
find you perpetually motionless2 or1    
rather1 with the end of your claw       
tracing letters on the sand4  ,the      
,sphinx--,that is because ,i keep my    
secret6 ,i reflect and ,i calculate4    
,the sea returns to its bed2 the blades 
of corn balance themselves in the wind2 
the caravans pass2 the dust flies off2  
the cities crumble2--but my glance1     
which nothing can turn aside1 remains   
concentrated on the objects which cover 
an inaccessible horizon4  ,the          
,chimera--,as for me1 ,i am light and   
joyous6 ,i discover in men dazzling     
perspectives1 with ,paradises in the    
clouds and distant felicities4 ,i pour  
into their souls the eternal insanities1
 projects of happiness1 plans for the   
future1 dreams of glory1 and oaths of   

love1 as well as virtuous resolutions4  
,i drive them on perilous voyages and on
 mighty enterprises4 ,i have carved with
 my claws the marvels of architecture4  
,it is ,i that hung the little bells on 
the tomb of ,porsenna1 and surrounded   
with a wall of ,corinthian brass the    
quays of the ,atlantides4  ,i seek fresh
 perfumes1 larger flowers1 pleasures    
hitherto unknown4 ,if anywhere ,i find a
 man whose soul reposes in wisdom1 ,i   
fall upon him and strangle him4  ,the   
,sphinx--,all those whom the desire of  
,god torments1 ,i have devoured4  ,the  
strongest1 in order to climb to my royal
 forehead1 mount upon the stripes of my 
fillets as on the steps of a staircase4 
,weariness takes possession of them1 and
 they fall back of their own accord4    
,antony begins to tremble4 ,he is not   
before his cell1 but in the desert1     
having at either side of him those two  
monstrous animals1 whose jaws graze his 
shoulders4  ,the ,sphinx--,o ,fantasy1  
bear me on thy wings to enliven thy     

sadness6  ,the ,chimera--,o ,unknown    
,one1 ,i am in love with thine eyes6 ,i 
turn round thee1 soliciting allayment of
 that which devours me6  ,the           
,sphinx--,my feet cannot raise          
themselves4 ,the lichen1 like a         
ringworm1 has grown over my mouth4 ,by  
dint of thinking1 ,i have no longer     
anything to say4  ,the ,chimera--,you   
lie1 hypocritical ,sphinx6 ,how is it   
that you are always addressing me and   
abjuring me8  ,the ,sphinx--,it is you1 
unmanageable caprice1 who pass and whirl
 about4  ,the ,chimera--,is that my     
fault8 ,come1 now1 just let me be6  ,it 
barks4  ,the ,sphinx--,you move away2   
you avoid me6  ,the ,sphinx grumbles4   
,the ,chimera--,let us make the attempt6
 ,you crush me6  ,the ,sphinx--,no2     
impossible6  ,and sinking1 little by    
little1 it disappears in the sand1 while
 the ,chimera1 crawling1 with its tongue
 out1 departs with a winding movement4  
,the breath issuing from its mouth has  
produced a fog4  ,in this fog ,antony   

traces masses of clouds and imperfect   
curves4 ,finally1 he distinguishes what 
appear to be human bodies4  ,and first  
advances the group of ,astomi1 like     
air-balls passing across the sun4       
,don't puff too strongly6 ,the drops of 
rain bruise us2 the false sounds        
excoriate us2 the darkness blinds us4   
,composed of breezes and of perfumes1 we
 roll1 we float--a little more than     
dreams1 not entirely beings4  ,the      
,nisnas have but one eye1 one cheek1 one
 hand1 one leg1 half a body1 and half a 
heart4 ,and they say1 in a very loud    
tone3  ,we live quite at our ease in our
 halves of houses with our halves of    
wives and our halves of children4  ,the 
,blemmyes1 absolutely bereft of heads-- 
,our shoulders are the largest2--and    
there is not an ox1 a rhinoceros1 or an 
elephant that is capable of carrying    
what we carry4  ,arrows1 and a sort of  
vague outline are imprinted on our      
breasts--that is all6 ,we reduce        
digestion to thought2 we subtilise      

secretions4 ,for us ,god floats         
peacefully in the internal chyle4  ,we  
proceed straight on our way1 passing    
through every mire1 running along the   
verge of every abyss2 and we are the    
most industrious1 happy1 and virtuous   
people4  ,the ,pygmies--,little         
good-fellows1 we swarm over the world1  
like vermin on the hump of a dromedary4 
,we are burnt1 drowned1 or run over2 but
 we always reappear more full of life   
and more numerous--terrible from the    
multitude of us that exists6  ,the      
,sciapodes--,kept on the ground by our  
flowing locks1 long as creeping plants1 
we vegetate under the shelter of our    
feet1 which are as large as parasols2   
and the light reaches us through the    
spaces between our wide heels4 ,no      
disorder and no toil6 ,to keep the head 
as low as possible--that is the secret  
of happiness6  ,their lifted thighs1    
resembling trunks of trees1 increase in 
number4 ,and now a forest appears in    
which huge apes rush along on four paws4

 ,they are men with dogs' heads4  ,the  
,cynocephali--,we leap from branch to   
branch to suck the eggs1 and we pluck   
the little birds2 then we put their     
nests upon our heads after the fashion  
of caps4  ,we do not fail to snatch away
 the worst of the cows1 and we destroy  
the lynxes' eyes4 ,tearing the flowers1 
crushing the fruits1 agitating the      
springs1 we are the masters--by the     
strength of our arms and the fierceness 
of our hearts4  ,be bold1 comrades1 and 
snap your jaws6  ,blood and milk flow   
from their lips4 ,the rain streams over 
their hairy backs4  ,antony inhales the 
freshness of green leaves which are     
agitated as the branches of the trees   
dash against each other4 ,all at once   
appears a large black stag with a bull's
 head1 carrying between his two ears a  
mass of white horns4  ,the              
,sadhuzag--,my seventy-four antlers are 
hollow like flutes4 ,when ,i turn myself
 towards the south wind1 sounds go forth
 from them that draw around me the      

ravished beasts4 ,the serpents come     
winding to my feet2 the wasps stick in  
my nostrils2 and the parrots1 the doves1
 and the ibises alight upon my branches4
 ,listen6  ,he bends back his horns1    
from which issues an unutterably sweet  
music4  ,antony presses both his hands  
above his heart4 ,it seems to him as if 
this melody were about to carry off his 
soul4  ,the ,sadhuzag--,but1 when ,i    
turn towards the north wind1 my horns1  
more bushy than a battalion of spears1  
emit a howling noise4 ,the forests      
thrill2 the rivers swell2 the husks of  
the fruit burst1 and blades of grass    
stand erect like a coward's hair4       
,listen6  ,he bows down his branches1   
from which now come forth discordant    
cries4 ,antony feels as if he were torn 
asunder1 and his horror is increased on 
seeing the ,mantichor1 a gigantic red   
lion with a human figure and three rows 
of teeth3  ,the silky texture of my     
scarlet hair mingles with the yellowness
 of the sands4 ,i breathe through my    

nostrils the terror of solitudes4 ,i    
spit forth the plague4 ,i devour armies 
when they venture into the desert4 ,my  
nails are twisted like gimlets2 my teeth
 are cut like a saw2 and my hair1       
wriggled out of shape1 bristles with    
darts which ,i scatter1 right and left1 
behind me4 ,hold6 hold6  ,the ,mantichor
 casts thorns from his tail1 which      
radiate1 like arrows1 in all directions4
 ,drops of blood flow1 spattering over  
the foliage4  ,the ,catoblepas appears1 
a black buffalo1 with a pig's head      
hanging to the earth1 and connected with
 his shoulders by a slender neck1 long  
and flabby as an empty gut4 ,he is      
wallowing on the ground2 and his feet   
disappear under the enormous mane of    
hard hairs that descend over his face3  
,fat1 melancholy1 savage1 ,i remain     
continually feeling the mire under my   
stomach4 ,my skull is so heavy that it  
is impossible for me to carry it4 ,i    
roll it around slowly2 and1 opening my  
jaws1 ,i snatch with my tongue the      

poisonous herbs that are moistened with 
my breath4 ,i once devoured my paws     
without noticing it4  ,no one1 ,antony1 
has ever seen my eyes1 or those who have
 seen them are dead4 ,if ,i but raised  
my eyelids--my eyelids red and          
swollen--that instant you would die4    
,antony--,oh6 that thing6 444 ,well6    
well6 ,as if ,i had any such longing6   
,its stupidity attracts me4 ,no6 no6 ,i 
will not6 ,he looks fixedly on the      
ground4 ,but the grass lights up1 and1  
in the twistings of the flames1 stands  
erect the ,basilisk1 a huge1 violet     
serpent1 with a trilobate crest and two 
teeth--one above1 the other below3      
,take care6 ,you are about to fall into 
my jaws6 ,i drink fire4 ,i am fire      
myself2 and from every quarter ,i suck  
it in--from clouds1 from pebbles1 from  
dead trees1 from the hair of animals1   
and from the surface of marshes4 ,my    
temperature supports the volcanoes4 ,i  
cause the lustre of precious stones and 
the colour of metals4  ,the ,griffin1 a 

lion with a vulture's beak1 white wings1
 red paws1 and blue neck--,i am the     
master of the profound splendours4 ,i   
know the secret of the tombs where the  
old kings sleep4 ,a chain1 which issues 
from the wall1 keeps their heads erect4 
,near them1 in basins of porphyry1 women
 whom they have loved float upon black  
liquids4 ,their treasures are ranged in 
halls1 in lozenges1 in hillocks1 and in 
pyramids2 and1 lower1 far below the     
tombs1 after long journeys in the midst 
of suffocating darkness1 are rivers of  
gold with forests of diamonds1 meadows  
of carbuncles1 and lakes of quicksilver4
 ,with my back against the door of the  
vault1 and my claws in the air1 ,i watch
 with my flaming eyes those who may     
think fit to come there4 ,the immense   
plain1 even to the furthest point of the
 horizon1 is quite bare and whitened    
with travellers' bones4 ,for you the    
bronze doors will open1 and you will    
inhale the vapour of the mines2 you will
 descend into the caverns 444 ,quick6   

quick6  ,he digs the earth with his     
claws1 crowing like a cock4  ,a thousand
 voices reply to him4 ,the forest       
trembles4  ,and all sorts of horrible   
beasts arise3 the ,tragelaphus1         
half-stag1 half-ox2 the ,myrmecoleo1 a  
lion in front1 an ant behind1 whose     
genitals are turned backwards2 the      
python1 ,aksar1 of sixty cubits1 who    
frightened ,moses2 the great weasel1    
,pastinaca1 which kills trees by its    
odour2 the ,presteros1 which renders    
idiotic those who touch it2 the ,mirag1 
a horned hare dwelling in the islands of
 the sea4 ,the ,copard ,phalmant bursts 
his belly by dint of howling2 the       
,senad1 a bear with three heads1 tears  
its little ones with its mouth2 the dog1
 ,cepus1 scatters on the rocks the blue 
milk of its dugs4 ,mosquitoes begin to  
buzz1 toads to jump1 and serpents to    
hiss4 ,lightnings flash2 down comes the 
hail4  ,then there are squalls1 which   
reveal anatomical marvels4 ,there are   
alligators' heads with roebucks' feet1  

owls with serpents' tails1 swine with   
tigers' muzzles1 goats with asses'      
rumps1 frogs covered with hair like     
bears1 chameleons large as hippopotami1 
calves with two heads1 one of which     
weeps while the other bellows1 four     
foetuses holding each other by the navel
 and spinning like tops1 and winged     
bellies which flutter like gnats4  ,they
 rain down from the sky2 they spring out
 of the ground2 they glide from the     
rocks4 ,everywhere eyes flash1 mouths   
roar2 the breasts bulge out2 the claws  
lengthen2 the teeth gnash2 the flesh    
quivers4 ,some of them bring forth their
 young2 others with a single bite1      
devour one another4  ,suffocating from  
their very numbers1 multiplying by their
 contact1 they climb on top of one      
another2 and they all keep stirring     
about ,antony with a regular swaying    
motion1 as if the soil were the deck of 
a vessel4  ,he feels close to his calves
 the trailing of slugs1 and on his hands
 the cold touch of vipers2 and spiders  

spinning their webs enclose him in their
 network4  ,but the circle of monsters  
begins to open2 the sky suddenly becomes
 blue1 and the unicorn makes its        
appearance3  ,off ,i gallop6 ,off ,i    
gallop6  ,i have hoofs of ivory1 teeth  
of steel1 a head coloured purple1 a body
 like snow1 and the horn on my forehead 
has the varied hues of the rainbow4  ,i 
travel from ,chaldea to the ,tartar     
desert1 on the banks of the ,ganges1 and
 into ,mesopotamia4 ,i outstrip the     
ostriches4 ,i run so rapidly that ,i    
draw the wind along with me4 ,i rub my  
back against the palm-trees2 ,i roll    
myself in the bamboos4 ,with one bound  
,i jump across the rivers4 ,doves fly   
above my head4 ,only a virgin can bridle
 me4  ,off ,i gallop6 ,off ,i gallop6   
,antony watches him flying away4  ,and1 
keeping his eyes still raised1 he       
perceives all the birds that are        
nourished by the wind3 the ,gouith1 the 
,ahuti1 the ,alphalim1 the ,jukneth from
 the mountains of ,caff1 and the ,homai 

of the ,arabs1 which are the souls of   
murdered men4 ,he hears the parrots     
utter human speech1 then the great      
web-footed ,pelasgians1 who sob like    
children or chuckle like old women4  ,a 
briny breath of air strikes his         
nostrils4 ,a seashore is now before him4
  ,at a distance rise waterspouts1      
lashed up by the whales2 and at the     
extremity of the horizon the beasts of  
the sea1 round1 like leather bottles1   
flat1 like strips of metal1 or indented1
 like saws1 advance1 crawling over the  
sand3  ,you are about to come with us   
into our unfathomable depths1 never     
penetrated by man before4 ,different    
races dwell in the country of the ocean4
 ,some are in the abode of the tempests2
 others swim openly in the transparency 
of the cold waves1 browse like oxen over
 the coral plains1 sniff in with their  
nostrils the ebbing tide1 or carry on   
their shoulders the weight of the       
ocean-springs4  ,phosphorescences flash 
from the hairs of the seals and from the

 scales of the fishes4 ,sea-hedgehogs   
turn around like wheels2 ,ammon's horns 
unroll themselves like cables2 oysters  
make sounds with the fastenings of their
 shells2 polypi spread out their        
tentacles2 medusae quiver like crystal  
balls2 sponges float2 anemones squirt   
out water2 and mosses and seaweed shoot 
up4  ,and all kinds of plants spread out
 into branches1 twist themselves into   
tendrils1 lengthen into points1 and grow
 round like fans4 ,pumpkins present the 
appearance of bosoms1 and creeping      
plants entwine themselves like serpents4
  ,the ,dedaims of ,babylon1 which are  
trees1 have as their fruits human heads2
 mandrakes sing2 and the root ,baaras   
runs into the grass4  ,and now the      
plants can no longer be distinguished   
from the animals4 ,polyparies1 which    
have the appearance of sycamores1 carry 
arms on their branches4 ,antony fancies 
he can trace a caterpillar between two  
leaves2 it is a butterfly which flits   
away4 ,he is on the point of walking    

over some shingle when up springs a grey
 grasshopper4 ,insects1 like petals of  
roses1 garnish a bush2 the remains of   
ephemera make a bed of snow upon the    
soil4         99       99       99      
99       99  ,and1 next1 the plants are 
indistinguishable from the stones4      
,pebbles bear a resemblance to brains1  
stalactites to udders1 and iron-dust to 
tapestries adorned with figures4 ,in    
pieces of ice he can trace              
efflorescences1 impressions of bushes   
and shells--so that one cannot tell     
whether they are the impressions of     
those objects or the objects themselves4
 ,diamonds glisten like eyes1 and       
minerals palpitate4  ,and he is no      
longer afraid6 ,he lies down flat on his
 face1 resting on his two elbows1 and1  
holding in his breath1 he gazes around4 
,insects without stomachs keep eating2  
dried-up ferns begin to bloom afresh2   
and limbs which were wanting sprout     
forth again4  ,finally1 he perceives    
little globular bodies as large as pins'

 heads1 and garnished all round with    
eyelashes4 ,a vibration agitates them4  
,antony1 in ecstasy--  ,o bliss6 bliss6 
,i have seen the birth of life2 ,i have 
seen the beginning of motion4 ,the blood
 beats so strongly in my veins that it  
seems about to burst them4 ,i feel a    
longing to fly1 to swim1 to bark1 to    
bellow1 to howl4 ,i would like to have  
wings1 a tortoise-shell1 a rind1 to blow
 out smoke1 to wear a trunk1 to twist my
 body1 to spread myself everywhere1 to  
be in everything1 to emanate with       
odours1 to grow like plants1 to flow    
like water1 to vibrate like sound1 to   
shine like light1 to be outlined on     
every form1 to penetrate every atom1 to 
descend to the very depths of matter--to
 be matter6  ,the dawn appears at last2 
and1 like the uplifted curtains of a    
tabernacle1 golden clouds1 wreathing    
themselves into large volutes1 reveal   
the sky4  ,in the very middle of it1 and
 in the disc of the sun itself1 shines  
the face of ,jesus ,christ4  ,antony    

makes the sign of the ,cross1 and       
resumes his prayers4