The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Ball at Sceaux by Honore de Balzac: raised her head, seemed to find new life in the young man's gaze, and
held out her hand as if to renew the alliance.
"You thought I cared very much for dignities?" said she with keen
archness.
"I have no titles to offer my wife," he replied, in a half-sportive,
half-serious tone. "But if I choose one of high rank, and among women
whom a wealthy home has accustomed to the luxury and pleasures of a
fine fortune, I know what such a choice requires of me. Love gives
everything," he added lightly, "but only to lovers. Once married, they
need something more than the vault of heaven and the carpet of a
meadow."
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Thus Spake Zarathustra by Friedrich Nietzsche: drops of wickedness: thus did I sit among them, and still said to myself:
"Innocent is everything petty of its pettiness!"
Especially did I find those who call themselves "the good," the most
poisonous flies; they sting in all innocence, they lie in all innocence;
how COULD they--be just towards me!
He who liveth amongst the good--pity teacheth him to lie. Pity maketh
stifling air for all free souls. For the stupidity of the good is
unfathomable.
To conceal myself and my riches--THAT did I learn down there: for every
one did I still find poor in spirit. It was the lie of my pity, that I
knew in every one,
Thus Spake Zarathustra |