Garments

We may suppose that the Eternals are naked. Falling down the right path

they are provided with a garment as shown in The Arlington Tempera






This picture is more or less 'the whole deal:

In the case of the nymphs they have diaphanous clothing; after descending to the Sea they receive their worldly garments at the hands of the 'writhing group' (Digby's term) busy with their spinning and weaving. You might call the garment they provide your personhood.




(George W. Digby with his Symbol and Image in WB has an extended discussion of the Arlington Tempera. It shows much clearer than my posts the relationship of spinning and weaving to Garments.)


Four Zoas Erdman 302:

Wondring she saw her woof begin to animate. & not

As Garments woven subservient to her hands but having a will

Of its own perverse & wayward Enion lovd & wept

Nine days she labourd at her work. & nine dark sleepless nights"

"Terrified & drinking tears of woe

Shuddring she wove--nine days & nights

Sleepless her food was tears





Milton "PLATE 18 [20]

......

And thus the Shadowy Female howls in articulate howlings

I will lament over Milton in the lamentations of the afflicted

My Garments shall be woven of sighs & heart broken lamentations

The misery of unhappy Families shall be drawn out into its border

Wrought with the needle with dire sufferings poverty pain & woe

.......................

For I will put on the Human Form & take the Image of God

Even Pity & Humanity but my Clothing shall be Cruelty

And I will put on Holiness as a breastplate & as a helmet

And all my ornaments shall be of the gold of broken hearts

And the precious stones of anxiety & care & desperation & death

And repentance for sin & sorrow & punishment & fear

To defend me from thy terrors O Orc! my only beloved!


Ephesians 6:

[14] Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

[15] And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

[16] Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

[17] And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:


Milton Plate 18 (Erdman 111-12):

"Orc answerd. Take not the Human Form O loveliest.

........

Wherefore dost thou Create & Weave this Satan for a Covering[?]

When thou attemptest to put on the Human Form, my wrath

Burns to the top of heaven against thee in Jealousy & Fear.

Then I rend thee asunder, then I howl over thy clay & ashes

When wilt thou put on the Female Form as in times of old

With a Garment of Pity & Compassion like the Garment of God

His garments are long sufferings for the Children of Men

Jerusalem is his Garment & not thy Covering Cherub O lovely

Shadow of my delight who wanderest seeking for the prey.

So spoke Orc"


PLATE 26 [28] of Milton

These are the Sons of Los, & these the Labourers of the Vintage

Thou seest the gorgeous clothed Flies that dance & sport in

summer

Upon the sunny brooks & meadows: every one the dance

Knows in its intricate mazes of delight artful to weave:

Each one to sound his instruments of music in the dance,

To touch each other & recede; to cross & change & return

These are the Children of Los; thou seest the Trees on mountains

The wind blows heavy, loud they thunder thro' the darksom sky

Uttering prophecies & speaking instructive words to the sons

Of men: These are the Sons of Los! These the Visions of Eternity

But we see only as it were the hem of their garments

When with our vegetable eyes we view these wond'rous Visions

(Erdman 123)


Matthew 14:

32] And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.

[33] Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.

[34] And when they were gone over, they came into the land of Gennesaret.

[35] And when the men of that place had knowledge of him, they sent out into all that country round about, and brought unto him all that were diseased;

[36] And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole.


Jerusalem Plate 66:

The Daughters of Albion clothed in garments of needle work

Strip them off from their shoulders and bosoms, they lay aside

Their garments; they sit naked upon the Stone of trial.

Los beheld in terror: he pour 'd his loud storms on the Furnaces:

(Erdman 218)