--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: OLYMPAS: There is one doubt. When souls…" description: "\"“ OLYMPAS: There is one doubt. When souls attain Such an unimagined gain Shall not others mark them, wise Beyond mere mortal destinies? MARSYAS: Such a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/960/aleister-crowley-1100_1910_olympas-there-is-one-doubt-when-souls-at_2651071.png" --- # OLYMPAS: There is one doubt. When souls attain Such an… ![“OLYMPAS: There is one doubt. When souls attain Such an unimagined gain Shall not others mark them, wise Beyond mere mortal destinies? MARSYAS: Such are not the perfect saints. While the imagination faints Before their truth, they veil it close As amid the utmost snows The tallest peaks most…” quote by Aleister Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/960/aleister-crowley-1100_1910_olympas-there-is-one-doubt-when-souls-at_2651071.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/960/aleister-crowley-1100_1910_olympas-there-is-one-doubt-when-souls-at_2651071.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/960/aleister-crowley-1100_1910_olympas-there-is-one-doubt-when-souls-at_2651071.png) > ““ OLYMPAS: There is one doubt. When souls attain Such an unimagined gain Shall not others mark them, wise Beyond mere mortal destinies? MARSYAS: Such are not the perfect saints. While the imagination faints Before their truth, they veil it close As amid the utmost snows The tallest peaks most straitly hide With clouds their lofty heads. Divide The planes! Be ever as you can A simple honest gentleman! Body and manners be at ease. Not bloat with blazoned sanctities! Who fights as fights the soldier-saint? And see the artist-adept paint! Weak are those souls that fear the stress Of earth upon their holiness! The fast, they eat fantastic food, They prate of beans and brotherhood, Wear sandals, and long hair, and spats, And think that makes them Arhats! How shall man still his spirit-storm? Rational Dress and Food Reform! OLYMPAS: I know such saints. MARSYAS: An easy vice: So wondrous well they advertise! O their mean souls are satisfied With wind of spiritual pride. They're all negation. "Do not eat; What poison to the soul is meat! Drink not; smoke not; deny the will! Wine and tobacco make us ill." Magic is life; the Will to Live Is one supreme Affirmative. These things that flinch from Life are worth No more to Heaven than to Earth. Affirm the everlasting Yes! OLYMPAS: Those saints at least score one success: Perfection of their priggishness! MARSYAS: Enough. The soul is subtlier fed With meditation's wine and bread. Forget their failings and our own; Fix all our thoughts on Love alone!”” [Aleister Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleister-crowley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The dialogue satirizes rigid spiritual asceticism, urging balance between discipline and life's vitality. **In simple terms:** Blind asceticism limits life; embrace balanced living. Key Takeaway Seek harmony, not extreme denial. Themes spirituality balance critique Mood critical thought‑provoking Type philosophical satirical When to use this quote - religious practice - personal health - creative expression - social critique Key Concepts philosophy religion satire Questions to Reflect On - How can we practice spirituality without denying life? - What balance feels healthy for you? A Different Perspective Extremes can alienate and ignore human needs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Asceticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asceticism/) [Austerity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/austerity/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love Alone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-alone/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Saints](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saints/) [Spiritual pride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual-pride/) [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) [Thelema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thelema/) ## Related quotes > [“MARSYAS:        Beware! Easily trips the big word "dare." 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I'm not convinced that's the case.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/some-souls-attain-enlightenment-no-one-knows-why-you-could-say-it-is/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“It was not...a woman's fancy that drove them to it, but an eruption of a long-smolering volcano, an overflow of suffering, abuse and exhaustion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theresa-s-malkiel/it-was-not-a-woman-s-fancy-that-drove-them-to-it-but-an-eruption-of-a/) Theresa S. Malkiel ## More by Aleister Crowley > [“Remember that which is written: "Moderate strength rings the bell: great strength returns the penny." 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In presenting this book to the world, I must then explain and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleister-crowley/i-must-make-magick-the-essential-factor-in-the-life-of-all-in/) [Aleister Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleister-crowley/) > [What is it in absinthe that makes it a separate cult? The effects of its abuse are totally distinct from those of other stimulants.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleister-crowley/what-is-it-in-absinthe-that-makes-it-a-separate-cult-the-effects-of/) [Aleister Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleister-crowley/) > [“Indubitably, Magick is one of the subtlest and most difficult of the sciences and arts. There is more opportunity for errors of comprehension, judgement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleister-crowley/indubitably-magick-is-one-of-the-subtlest-and-most-difficult-of-the/) [Aleister Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleister-crowley/) > [Every one interprets everything in terms of his own experience. 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Malkiel Browse all 4 1910 quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“ OLYMPAS: There is one doubt. When souls attain Such an unimagined gain Shall not others mark them, wise Beyond mere mortal destinies? MARSYAS: Such are not the perfect saints. While the imagination faints Before their truth, they veil it close As amid the utmost snows The tallest peaks most straitly hide With clouds their lofty heads. Divide The planes! Be ever as you can A simple honest gentleman! Body and manners be at ease. Not bloat with blazoned sanctities! Who fights as fights the soldier-saint? And see the artist-adept paint! Weak are those souls that fear the stress Of earth upon their holiness! The fast, they eat fantastic food, They prate of beans and brotherhood, Wear sandals, and long hair, and spats, And think that makes them Arhats! How shall man still his spirit-storm? Rational Dress and Food Reform! OLYMPAS: I know such saints. 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