| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Prince by Nicolo Machiavelli: die.
[*] Alexander VI died of fever, 18th August 1503.
[+] Julius II was Giuliano della Rovere, Cardinal of San Pietro ad
Vincula, born 1443, died 1513.
When all the actions of the duke are recalled, I do not know how to
blame him, but rather it appears to be, as I have said, that I ought
to offer him for imitation to all those who, by the fortune or the
arms of others, are raised to government. Because he, having a lofty
spirit and far-reaching aims, could not have regulated his conduct
otherwise, and only the shortness of the life of Alexander and his own
sickness frustrated his designs. Therefore, he who considers it
The Prince |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Dracula by Bram Stoker: the ship as soon as she arrives. Van Helsing says that our
chance will be to get on the boat between sunrise and sunset.
The Count, even if he takes the form of a bat, cannot cross
the running water of his own volition, and so cannot leave the ship.
As he dare not change to man's form without suspicion,
which he evidently wishes to avoid, he must remain in the box.
If, then, we can come on board after sunrise, he is at
our mercy, for we can open the box and make sure of him,
as we did of poor Lucy, before he wakes. What mercy he shall
get from us all will not count for much. We think that we
shall not have much trouble with officials or the seamen.
Dracula |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Children of the Night by Edwin Arlington Robinson: That seemed so then to my feet -- and thrilled me
With a quick, dizzy joy; and the women
And men, like marvellous things of magic,
Floated and laughed and sang by my shoulder,
Sent with a wizard motion. Through it
And over and under it all there sounded
A murmur of life, like bees; and I listened
And laughed again to think of the flower
That grew, blood-red, for me! . . . This fellow
Was one of the popular sort who flourish
Unruffled where gods would fall. For a conscience
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The fourth excerpt represents the element of Earth. It speaks of physical influences and the impact of the unseen on the visible world, and is drawn from Plutarch's Lives by A. H. Clough: where Antony, now sailing in security, saw the coast all covered
with the wreck of the enemy's fleet. For hither the galleys in
pursuit had been carried by the gale, and not a few of them
dashed to pieces. Many men and much property fell into Antony's
hands; he took also the town of Lissus, and, by the seasonable
arrival of so large a reinforcement, gave Caesar great
encouragement.
There was not one of the many engagements that now took place
one after another in which he did not signalize himself; twice
he stopped the army in its full flight, led them back to a
charge, and gained the victory. So that not without reason his
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