| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Symposium by Xenophon: yourself. Explain what style of talk we should engage in to achieve
that object.[3]
[3] {exegou}. "Prescribe the form of words we must lay hold of to
achieve the object, and we will set to work, arch-casuist."
Nothing (he replied) would please me better than to demand of Callias
a prompt performance of his promise. He told us, you recollect, if we
would dine with him, he would give us an exhibition of his wisdom.
To which challenge Callias: That I will readily, but you on your side,
one and all, must propound some virtue of which you claim to have the
knowledge.
Socrates replied: At any rate, not one of us will have the least
The Symposium |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from A Start in Life by Honore de Balzac: resistance? How was it that he dared not resist? Why did he let the
years go by and still hope on? By what means did this young and pretty
and clever woman hold him in bondage?
The answer to all these questions would require a long history, which
would injure our present tale. Let us only remark here that the
constant toil and grief of the count had unfortunately contributed not
a little to deprive him of personal advantages very necessary to a man
who attempts to struggle against dangerous comparisons. In fact, the
most cruel of the count's secret sorrows was that of causing
repugnance to his wife by a malady of the skin resulting solely from
excessive labor. Kind, and always considerate of the countess, he
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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 Aeneid by Virgil: The darkness of the shades, his heavy prey,
And fear, misled the younger from his way.
But Nisus hit the turns with happier haste,
And, thoughtless of his friend, the forest pass'd,
And Alban plains, from Alba's name so call'd,
Where King Latinus then his oxen stall'd;
Till, turning at the length, he stood his ground,
And miss'd his friend, and cast his eyes around:
"Ah wretch!" he cried, "where have I left behind
Th' unhappy youth? where shall I hope to find?
Or what way take?" Again he ventures back,
Aeneid |
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 Somebody's Little Girl by Martha Young: shining very brightly, and it was very golden in the sunlight,--and--
somehow, somehow,--Bessie Bell knew just how that cross felt,--she
knew without feeling it. She did not have to feel it as she had
felt the dress.
Bessie Bell looked and thought. She thought this lady looked like a
Sister--and yet there was a difference. She looked also like Just-
A-Lady, and she also looked grand and important enough for a Mama.
Bessie Bell looked and thought, but she could not tell just exactly
what this lady was.
It was best that she should ask, and then she would surely know.
So she asked: ``Are vou a Lady, ma'am?''
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