| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Menexenus by Plato: Corinthians and Argives and Boeotians, and the other states, were quite
willing to let them go, and swore and covenanted, that, if he would pay
them money, they would make over to him the Hellenes of the continent, and
we alone refused to give them up and swear. Such was the natural nobility
of this city, so sound and healthy was the spirit of freedom among us, and
the instinctive dislike of the barbarian, because we are pure Hellenes,
having no admixture of barbarism in us. For we are not like many others,
descendants of Pelops or Cadmus or Egyptus or Danaus, who are by nature
barbarians, and yet pass for Hellenes, and dwell in the midst of us; but we
are pure Hellenes, uncontaminated by any foreign element, and therefore the
hatred of the foreigner has passed unadulterated into the life-blood of the
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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 Case of the Golden Bullet by Grace Isabel Colbron and Augusta Groner: without a sign of life, his sallow face seemed made of bronze; he
was watching and listening. He seemed to hear and see what no one
else could see or hear. He smiled slightly when the doctor spoke
of "heart disease," and his eyes fell on the revolver that lay near
the dead man's hand on the desk. Then he shook his head, and then
he started suddenly. Horn noticed the movement; it was in the moment
when the physician raised up the sunken figure that had fallen half
over the desk.
"He was killed by a bullet," said Muller.
"Yes, that was it," replied the doctor. With the raising of the
body the dead man's waistcoat fell back into its usual position,
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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 The Sportsman by Xenophon: Full-grown yearlings will run their first chase very swiftly,[28] but
they cannot keep up the pace; in spite of agility they lack strength.
[26] Cf. Pollux, v. 74.
[27] {aphiasi}, cf. Arrian, xxii. 1, "let them go free"; Aesch. "P.
V." 666; Plat. "Prot." 320 A.
[28] Or, "will make the running over the first ring."
To find the trail you must work the dogs downwards through the
cultivated lands, beginning at the top. Any hares that do not come
into the tilled districts must be sought in the meadows and the
glades; near rivulets, among the stones, or in woody ground. If the
quarry makes off,[29] there should be no shouting, that the hounds may
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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 The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx: monarchies in general, the bourgeoisie has at last, since the
establishment of Modern Industry and of the world-market,
conquered for itself, in the modern representative State,
exclusive political sway. The executive of the modern State is
but a committee for managing the common affairs of the whole
bourgeoisie.
The bourgeoisie, historically, has played a most revolutionary
part.
The bourgeoisie, wherever it has got the upper hand, has put an
end to all feudal, patriarchal, idyllic relations. It has
pitilessly torn asunder the motley feudal ties that bound man to
The Communist Manifesto |
