| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from O Pioneers! by Willa Cather: Of course the horses will take you home, but I
think I'd better light your lantern, in case you
should need it."
He gave her the reins and climbed back into
the wagon-box, where he crouched down and
made a tent of his overcoat. After a dozen
trials he succeeded in lighting the lantern, which
he placed in front of Alexandra, half covering
it with a blanket so that the light would not
shine in her eyes. "Now, wait until I find my
O Pioneers! |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Timaeus by Plato: its movements to those of the other heavenly bodies. (5) The meaning of
the words 'artificer of day and night' is literally true according to
Plato's view. For the alternation of day and night is not produced by the
motion of the heavens alone, or by the immobility of the earth alone, but
by both together; and that which has the inherent force or energy to remain
at rest when all other bodies are moving, may be truly said to act, equally
with them. (6) We should not lay too much stress on Aristotle or the
writer De Caelo having adopted the other interpretation of the words,
although Alexander of Aphrodisias thinks that he could not have been
ignorant either of the doctrine of Plato or of the sense which he intended
to give to the word (Greek). For the citations of Plato in Aristotle are
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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 Caesar's Commentaries in Latin by Julius Caesar: ponerent.
Quod iussi sunt faciunt, ac subito omnibus portis eruptione facta
neque cognoscendi quid fieret neque sui colligendi hostibus facultatem
relinquunt. Ita commutata fortuna eos qui in spem potiundorum castrorum
venerant undique circumventos intercipiunt, et ex hominum milibus amplius
XXX, quem numerum barbarorum ad castra venisse constabat, plus tertia
parte interfecta reliquos perterritos in fugam coiciunt ac ne in locis
quidem superioribus consistere patiuntur. Sic omnibus hostium copiis
fusis armisque exutis se intra munitiones suas recipiunt. Quo proelio
facto, quod saepius fortunam temptare Galba nolebat atque alio se in
hiberna consilio venisse meminerat, aliis occurrisse rebus videbat, maxime
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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 Prince by Nicolo Machiavelli: becomes easy to detect but difficult to cure. This it happens in
affairs of state, for when the evils that arise have been foreseen
(which it is only given to a wise man to see), they can be quickly
redressed, but when, through not having been foreseen, they have been
permitted to grow in a way that every one can see them, there is no
longer a remedy. Therefore, the Romans, foreseeing troubles, dealt
with them at once, and, even to avoid a war, would not let them come
to a head, for they knew that war is not to be avoided, but is only to
be put off to the advantage of others; moreover they wished to fight
with Philip and Antiochus in Greece so as not to have to do it in
Italy; they could have avoided both, but this they did not wish; nor
The Prince |
