| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle: so that the poor goodman goeth traveling about with all the odds
and ends and tags and rags of our master's brain packed on his back."
Thus spake Friar Tuck, but in a low voice so that Robin could not hear him,
for he felt somewhat nettled at Robin's cutting his talk so short.
In the meantime the mark at which they were to shoot was set up at sixscore
paces distance. It was a garland of leaves and flowers two spans in width,
which same was hung upon a stake in front of a broad tree trunk.
"There," quoth Robin, "yon is a fair mark, lads. Each of you shoot
three arrows thereat; and if any fellow misseth by so much as one arrow,
he shall have a buffet of Will Scarlet's fist."
"Hearken to him!" quoth Friar Tuck. "Why, master, thou dost bestow
The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Caesar's Commentaries in Latin by Julius Caesar: re permissa diem concilio constituerunt et iure iurando ne quis
enuntiaret, nisi quibus communi consilio mandatum esset, inter se
sanxerunt.
Eo concilio dimisso, idem princeps civitatum qui ante fuerant ad
Caesarem reverterunt petieruntque uti sibi secreto in occulto de sua
omniumque salute cum eo agere liceret. Ea re impetrata sese omnes flentes
Caesari ad pedes proiecerunt: non minus se id contendere et laborare ne
ea quae dixissent enuntiarentur quam uti ea quae vellent impetrarent,
propterea quod, si enuntiatum esset, summum in cruciatum se venturos
viderent. Locutus est pro his Diviciacus Haeduus: Galliae totius
lactiones esse duas; harum alterius principatum tenere Haeduos, alterius
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Tao Teh King by Lao-tze: Much speech to swift exhaustion lead we see;
Your inner being guard, and keep it free.
6. The valley spirit dies not, aye the same;
The female mystery thus do we name.
Its gate, from which at first they issued forth,
Is called the root from which grew heaven and earth.
Long and unbroken does its power remain,
Used gently, and without the touch of pain.
7. 1. Heaven is long-enduring and earth continues long. The reason
why heaven and earth are able to endure and continue thus long is
because they do not live of, or for, themselves. This is how they are
|
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 A Lover's Complaint by William Shakespeare: 'And, lo! behold these talents of their hair,
With twisted metal amorously empleach'd,
I have receiv'd from many a several fair,
(Their kind acceptance weepingly beseech'd,)
With the annexions of fair gems enrich'd,
And deep-brain'd sonnets that did amplify
Each stone's dear nature, worth, and quality.
'The diamond, why 'twas beautiful and hard,
Whereto his invis'd properties did tend;
The deep-green emerald, in whose fresh regard
Weak sights their sickly radiance do amend;
|
