My number is 11, as all their numbers who are of us My colour is black to the blind, but the blue and gold are seen of the seeing Also, I have a secret glory for them that love me But to love me is better than all things If under the night stars in the desert thou presently burnest mine incense before me Invoking me with a pure heart, and the serpent flame therein Thou shalt come a little to lie in my bosom For one kiss wilt thou then be willing to give all But whoso gives one particle of dust shall lose all in that hour Ye shall wear rich jewels Ye shall exceed the nations of the Earth in spendour and pride But always in the love of me, and so ye shall come to my joy I love you! I yearn to you! Pale or purple, veiled or voluptuous I who am all pleasure and purple, and drunkenness of the innermost sense Desire you Put on the wings, and arouse the coiled splendour within you: Come unto me! I am the snake that giveth knowledge and delight and bright glory And stir the hearts of men with drunkenness To worship me take wine and strange drugs whereof I will tell my prophet And be drunk thereof! They shall not harm ye at all. It is a lie, this folly against self The exposure of innocence is a lie Be strong, o man! Lust, enjoy all things of sense and rapture Fear not that any God shall deny thee for this Let the scarlet woman beware! If pity and compassion and tenderness visit her heart If she leave my work to toy with old sweetnesses Then shall my vengeance be known I will slay me her child I will alienate her heart I will cast her out from men As a shrinking and despised harlot shall she crawl through dusk wet streets And die cold and an-hungered But let her raise herself in pride! Let her follow me in my way! Let her work the work of wickedness! Let her kill her heart! Let her be loud and adulterous! Let her be covered with jewels, and rich garments And let her be shameless before all men! Then will I lift her to pinnacles of power Then will I breed from her a child mightier