"The illustrations show a furious battle between the wingless lion (red sulphur) and the winged lioness (white sulphur). The two lions are prefigurations of the royal pair, hence they wear crowns. Evidently at this stage there is still a good deal of bickering between them, and this is precisely what the fiery lion is intended to express—the passionate emotionality that precedes the recognition of unconscious contents."
- Jung, Mysterium Coniunctionis
"Therefore let the Philosophical Lioness be joined to her proper Male, and there will be born a whelp that is genuine and generous, which may easily be known by his paw.
But this should not be any sort of Lioness, but one that has wings, which may be able to fight and contest with the Lion as relying upon the swiftness of her plumes that she may not be suppressed by the violence of his wrath, but may be prepared for flight if at any time he become furious without just reason.
For when she is about to fly away and He retards her, He is incited with a greater Love towards her, and a firmer friendship is contracted after such a Variance.
But you will ask, whoever saw a Lioness with wings? Or what use can be made of her plumes?
There is a deep Valley near the Mountain Cythæronem in which are seen none but flying Lionesses. But to the Top of that Mountain there resorts a Red Lion, of the same kind as that which was slain by Hercules.
The Lion therefore must be taken and brought into the Valley, and then immediately He will be coupled with the winged Lioness. She also will easily suffer herself to be overcome, because like will be seduced by like.
Afterwards they must both be advanced out the said Valley to the Top of the Mountain, and henceforth they will never desert one another but will always remain together in inviolable wedlock.
The taking of these Lions I confess is not easy, but liable to many dangers. But nevertheless it must be attempted. A Lion feeds not with the Lioness, but wanders apart as Tradition relates; therefore they are to be sought and hunted for in different places.
But if these two Lions can be taken when they are Whelps, when their Claws first appear and they begin to walk which is two months after their Birth, then afterwards they may be joined upon their coming to riper Age, and the whole matter will be effected without any danger.
But they are born in the Spring time, which requires the closest observation; seeing the Lions after whelping use cross and winding ways lest their Den should be found out, great Care and diligence must be used to seek them and deprive them of their whelps."
- Atalanta Fugiens
