| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from At the Earth's Core by Edgar Rice Burroughs: in the past I had never been in such need for control
as now.
As I wound up for the delivery, I held my nerves and muscles
under absolute command, though the grinning jaws were
hurtling toward me at terrific speed. And then I let go,
with every ounce of my weight and muscle and science in back
of that throw. The stone caught the hyaenodon full upon
the end of the nose, and sent him bowling over upon his back.
At the same instant a chorus of shrieks and howls arose
from the circle of spectators, so that for a moment
I thought that the upsetting of their champion was
At the Earth's Core |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Euthyphro by Plato: him: his name is Meletus, and he is of the deme of Pitthis. Perhaps you
may remember his appearance; he has a beak, and long straight hair, and a
beard which is ill grown.
EUTHYPHRO: No, I do not remember him, Socrates. But what is the charge
which he brings against you?
SOCRATES: What is the charge? Well, a very serious charge, which shows a
good deal of character in the young man, and for which he is certainly not
to be despised. He says he knows how the youth are corrupted and who are
their corruptors. I fancy that he must be a wise man, and seeing that I am
the reverse of a wise man, he has found me out, and is going to accuse me
of corrupting his young friends. And of this our mother the state is to be
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