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Eureka

AN EXPOSITION OF THE APOCALYPSE
Sixth Edition, 1915
By Dr. John Thomas (first edition written 1861)

 

 

Chapter 9

Section 4 Subsection 6

Breasts Fiery and Hyacinthine


 
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But, there were characteristics pertaining to the armed equestrian myriads seen in vision by John, that Habakkuk did not see in the Chaldean hosts. He says, the horsemen "had breasts thorakas, fiery and hyacinthine and sulphurous." These were breast-works, in military phraseology; and on these were mounted "heads," in which were "mouths." They were equestrian lion-heads, very fierce and destructive; and out of these horse-lion-head mouths "burst forth fire, and smoke, and sulphur." These horses were what is now styled horse-artillery: artillery drawn by horses, without which they would be of little use in war. "The heads of the horses were as the heads of lions," because of their roaring, "and out of their mouths burst, or roared forth the fire, smoke, and sulphur." Hence, the horses in the vision besides being symbolical of the equestrian character, and of the swift and fierce invincibility, of the Euphratean angel-powers, are representative of the new and powerful artillery used by the fourth Euphratean Angel in putting to death "the third" -- the third that belonged to the men who were unsealed. These lion-headed horses, roaring and vomiting fire, smoke, and sulphur out of their mouths, were cannons belching forth destruction. John saw them mounted on breastworks, which breasted the troops behind them; and from these "breasts," as well as from the "mouths," burst forth fire; for the riders had "breasts fiery, hyacinthine, and sulphurous." He saw these artillery mounted breastworks actively at work; and the nature of their activity he signifies by the sight and smell. They appeared to the eye "fiery and hyacinthine." This is the symbolism of the flash seen on the discharge of loaded cannon. If a little saltpetre and sulphur be triturated together, and then thrown into the fire, the hyacinthine color will be seen in their combustion. In other words, this combustion will be "fiery and hyacinthine." Hence, breastworks, lined with cannon in explosive operation, would be fiery and hyacinthine to the eye, being illuminated with these colors at every flash. The smell also would be highly "sulphurous," owing to the composition of matters vomited out of the roaring mouths of the great guns.
 
 

 

 


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