| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Memorabilia by Xenophon: doomed to a life of dishonour and contempt.
[42] Cf. Dante, "Tu duca, tu maestro, tu signore."
[43] Reading, {dia panta tauta}, or if {dia tauta}, translate "and
therefore."
What is true of individuals is true also of communities.[44] That
state which in ignorance of its power goes to war with a stronger than
itself ends by being uprooted or else reduced to slavery.
[44] Or, more lit. "A law which applies, you will observe, to bodies
politic."
Thereupon Euthydemus: Be assured I fully concur in your opinion; the
precept KNOW THYSELF cannot be too highly valued; but what is the
 The Memorabilia |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain: gripped me by both hands and shook and shook; and
the tears come in her eyes, and run down over; and
she couldn't seem to hug and shake enough, and kept
saying, "You don't look as much like your mother as
I reckoned you would; but law sakes, I don't care for
that, I'm so glad to see you! Dear, dear, it does seem
like I could eat you up! Children, it's your cousin
Tom! -- tell him howdy."
But they ducked their heads, and put their fingers in
their mouths, and hid behind her. So she run on:
"Lize, hurry up and get him a hot breakfast right
 The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn |