| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Allan Quatermain by H. Rider Haggard: how tender we are to our own.
'Really, my dear fellow,' I said at length, 'one would never
think, to hear you talk, that you were the man who had an interview
with this same lady yesterday, and found it rather difficult
to resist her fascinations, notwithstanding your ties to one
of the loveliest and most loving women in the world. Now suppose
it was Nyleptha who had tried to murder Sorais, and you had
caught her, and she had pleaded with you, would you have been
so very eager to hand her over to an open shame, and to death
by fire? Just look at the matter through Good's eyeglass for
a minute before you denounce an old friend as a scoundrel.'
Allan Quatermain |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Agesilaus by Xenophon: instant become the swiftest-footed, strongest, and handsomest of
men.[6] And as to that battle I swear by all the gods I would far
rather fight it over again than that everything on which I set my eyes
might turn to gold."[7]
[3] See Plut. "Ages." (Clough, iv. p. 13 foll.)
[4] Reading, {kai lian gennikon}; or, "a refinement of self-respect,"
"a self-respect perhaps even over-sensitive."
[5] Lit. "made no further attempt to offer kisses."
[6] See Plut. "Ages." ii. (Clough, iv. p. 2): "He is said to have been
a little man of a contemptible presence."
[7] See Plut. "Ages." xi. (Clough, iv. p. 14); "Parall. Min." v; Ovid.
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