| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Caesar's Commentaries in Latin by Julius Caesar: et iis ducibus qui iter cognoverant summum iugum montis ascendere iubet;
quid sui consilii sit ostendit. Ipse de quarta vigilia eodem itinere quo
hostes ierant ad eos contendit equitatumque omnem ante se mittit.
P. Considius, qui rei militaris peritissimus habebatur et in exercitu
L. Sullae et postea in M. Crassi fuerat, cum exploratoribus praemittitur.
Prima luce, cum summus mons a [Lucio] Labieno teneretur, ipse ab
hostium castris non longius mille et quingentis passibus abesset neque, ut
postea ex captivis comperit, aut ipsius adventus aut Labieni cognitus
esset, Considius equo admisso ad eum accurrit, dicit montem, quem a
Labieno occupari voluerit, ab hostibus teneri: id se a Gallicis armis
atque insignibus cognovisse. Caesar suas copias in proximum collem
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from A Princess of Parms by Edgar Rice Burroughs: We rushed each other furiously time after time, 'til suddenly,
feeling the sharp point of his sword at my breast in a thrust
I could neither parry nor escape, I threw myself upon him
with outstretched sword and with all the weight of my
body, determined that I would not die alone if I could
prevent it. I felt the steel tear into my chest, all went
black before me, my head whirled in dizziness, and I felt my
knees giving beneath me.
CHAPTER XV
SOLA TELLS ME HER STORY
When consciousness returned, and, as I soon learned, I was
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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 The Iliad by Homer: filled both hands with dust from off the ground, and poured it
over his head, disfiguring his comely face, and letting the
refuse settle over his shirt so fair and new. He flung himself
down all huge and hugely at full length, and tore his hair with
his hands. The bondswomen whom Achilles and Patroclus had taken
captive screamed aloud for grief, beating their breasts, and with
their limbs failing them for sorrow. Antilochus bent over him the
while, weeping and holding both his hands as he lay groaning for
he feared that he might plunge a knife into his own throat. Then
Achilles gave a loud cry and his mother heard him as she was
sitting in the depths of the sea by the old man her father,
The Iliad |
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 Misalliance by George Bernard Shaw: _[He drinks, and puts down the glass with a smack of enjoyment]._
Better than most halfpenny papers, anyhow, if only you could make
people believe it. _[He sits down by the writing-table, near his
wife]._ But if you want to understand old age scientifically, read
Darwin and Weismann. Of course if you want to understand it
romantically, read about Solomon.
MRS TARLETON. Have you had tea, John?
TARLETON. Yes. Dont interrupt me when I'm improving the boy's mind.
Where was I? This repulsive mask--Yes. _[Explosively]_ What is
death?
MRS TARLETON. John!
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