| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Hiero by Xenophon: absolute security. But the tyrant is not out of danger, even when he
has passed the portals of his palace. Nay! there of all places most,
he feels, he must maintain the strictist watch.[7] Again, to the
private citizen there will come eventually, either through truce or
terms of peace, respite from war; but for the tyrant, the day of peace
will never dawn. What peace can he have with those over whom he
exercises his despotic sway?[8] Nor have the terms of truce been yet
devised, on which the despotic ruler may rely with confidence.[9]
[5] {koinon}, i.e. making demands upon the eneriges of all the
citizens in common, as opposed to the personal character of war as
conducted by a despot = "public," "patriotic," "national" war. Al.
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Elixir of Life by Honore de Balzac: The eye unclosed. . . .
"Aha!" said Don Juan. He gripped the flask tightly, as we clutch
in dreams the branch from which we hang suspended over a
precipice.
For the eye was full of life. It was a young child's eye set in a
death's head; the light quivered in the depths of its youthful
liquid brightness. Shaded by the long dark lashes, it sparkled
like the strange lights that travelers see in lonely places in
winter nights. The eye seemed as if it would fain dart fire at
Don Juan; he saw it thinking, upbraiding, condemning, uttering
accusations, threatening doom; it cried aloud, and gnashed upon
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