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The 'fountain' of Ahania's living thought is limited to the finite. Thus it is "a mournful stream." The 'flow' of her visionary thought "wets" her "bright hair" with "tears." Urizen seems to her to be an omnipotent power at the centre of a circle of light. The ''heavens', the "morning stars," are his "obedient Sons" and "bow their bright heads" at Urizen's "voice." They "fly in their stations" in their planetary cycles and "return their light" at Urizen's will. Ruler of the "immortal Atmospheres," Urizen sits "in glory/Surrounded by the ever changing Daughters of the Light." But, fallen, Urizen's Pythagorean universe is subject to the causality of Divine will.

The knowledge of this "futurity" is "dark'ning" Urizen's "present joy," for the "stream" of Ahania's thought that, so to speak, `flows' into Urizen's mental energies and from him into light is mundane and cannot extend into knowledge of the infinite. Hence, Urizen is surrounded by the darkness of his ignorance; his "light" is "obscur'd & the splendours of his crown" are "Infolded in thick clouds." Out of the darkness of Urizen's morally blind contemplation of "futurity" comes his decree that Vala and Luvah be reborn. Like Zeus contemplating the prophetic knowledge of Prometheus in Prometheus Unbound, Urizen is part of causality greater than his autonomous will:

"0 bright Ahania [shadow del.l, a Boy is born of

the dark Ocean

15 "Whom Urizen doth serve, with Light replenishing

his darkness.

"I am set here a King of trouble, commanded here

to serve

"And do my ministry to those who eat of my wide

table.

"All this is mine, yet I must serve, & that Prophetic

boy

"Must grow up to command his Prince; [& all my

Kingly power del.] but hear my determin'd decree: