| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from On Horsemanship by Xenophon: for action--I say, if you take the lead of them in this style, the
collective thud, the general neighing and the snorting of the horses
will combine to render not only you at the head, but your whole
company[10] down to the last man a thrilling spectacle.
[9] Reading as vulg. {os malista epainousi tous toioutous ippous, os}.
L. Dind. omits the words as a gloss.
[10] Reading {oi} (for {osoi}) {sumparepomenoi}. See Hartmann, "An.
Xen. Nov." xiv. p. 343.
One word more. Supposing a man has shown some skill in purchasing his
horses, and can rear them into strong and serviceable animals,
supposing further he can handle them in the right way, not only in the
On Horsemanship |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Sophist by Plato: being is not the opposite of being, but only the other. Knowledge has many
branches, and the other or difference has as many, each of which is
described by prefixing the word 'not' to some kind of knowledge. The not-
beautiful is as real as the beautiful, the not-just as the just. And the
essence of the not-beautiful is to be separated from and opposed to a
certain kind of existence which is termed beautiful. And this opposition
and negation is the not-being of which we are in search, and is one kind of
being. Thus, in spite of Parmenides, we have not only discovered the
existence, but also the nature of not-being--that nature we have found to
be relation. In the communion of different kinds, being and other mutually
interpenetrate; other is, but is other than being, and other than each and
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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 Hiero by Xenophon: lure of expectation.[40]
[40] Or, "even on the heels of hoped-for bliss he follows."
Well then, just as a man who has never tasted thirst can hardly be
said to know the joy of drinking,[41] so he who has never tasted
Passion is ignorant of Aphrodite's sweetest sweets.
[41] Reading with Holden (after H. Steph.) {osper oun an tis . . .} or
with Hartm. (op. cit. p. 259) {osper ouk an tis . . .}
So Hiero ended.
Simonides answered laughingly: How say you, Hiero? What is that?
Love's strong passion for his soul's beloved incapable of springing up
in any monarch's heart? What of your own passion for Dailochus,
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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 Songs of Innocence and Experience by William Blake: And not sit beside the nest,
Pouring pity in their breast,
And not sit the cradle near,
Weeping tear on infant's tear?
And not sit both night and day,
Wiping all our tears away?
O no! never can it be!
Never, never can it be!
He doth give His joy to all:
He becomes an infant small,
He becomes a man of woe,
Songs of Innocence and Experience |
