| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Hellenica by Xenophon: through his ranks, as best they could, and so reached Sparta. It was
then that the Lacedaemonians, besides other honours conferred upon
them, sent them an ox as a gift of hospitality.
[2] See above, "VI." v. 29.
[3] See "Hell." VII. i. 18.
B.C. 369. Later on, when the enemy had retired from Laconia, the
Argives, ill brooking so much zeal for Lacedaemon on the part of
Phlius, marched in full force against the little state, and fell to
ravaging their territory. Even then they remained undaunted; and when
the enemy turned to retire, destroying all that he could lay hands
upon, out dashed the cavalry of the Phliasians and dogged his retreat.
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Little Rivers by Henry van Dyke: it must be illogical in order to be entertaining. The more
contrasts it contains, the better.
Perhaps it was some philosophical reflection of this kind that
brought me to the resolution, on a certain summer day, to make a
little journey, as straight as possible, from the sea-level streets
of Venice to the lonely, lofty summit of a Tyrolese mountain,
called, for no earthly reason that I can discover, the Gross-
Venediger.
But apart from the philosophy of the matter, which I must confess
to passing over very superficially at the time, there were other
and more cogent reasons for wanting to go from Venice to the Big
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| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Pericles by William Shakespeare: O, here he is.
Sir, there's a barge put off from Mytilene,
And in it is Lysimachus the governor,
Who craves to come aboard. What is your will?
HELICANUS.
That he have his. Call up some gentlemen.
TYRIAN SAILOR.
Ho, gentlemen! my lord calls.
[Enter two or three Gentlemen.]
FIRST GENTLEMAN.
Doth your lordship call?
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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 The Rig Veda: us wealth with store of children.
7 O men who lift the ladles up, these hewn and planted in the
ground,
Bringing a blessing to the field, shall bear our precious gift
to
Gods.
8 Adityas, Rudras, Vasus, careful leaders, Earth, Heaven, and
Prthivi
and Air's mid-region,
Accordant Deities shall bless our worship and make our sacrifice's
ensign lofty.
The Rig Veda |
