| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Caesar's Commentaries in Latin by Julius Caesar: Germanis causa non esset, ad eum mittere, et una M. Metium, qui hospitio
Ariovisti utebatur. His mandavit quae diceret Ariovistus cognogcerent et
ad se referrent. Quos cum apud se in castris Ariovistus conspexisset,
exercitu suo praesente conclamavit: quid ad se venirent? an speculandi
causa? Conantes dicere prohibuit et in catenas coniecit.
Eodem die castra promovit et milibus passuum VI a Caesaris castris sub
monte consedit. Postridie eius diei praeter castra Caesaris suas copias
traduxit et milibus passuum duobus ultra eum castra fecit eo consilio uti
frumento commeatuque qui ex Sequanis et Haeduis supportaretur Caesarem
intercluderet. Ex eo die dies continuos V Caesar pro castris suas copias
produxit et aciem instructam habuit, ut, si vellet Ariovistus proelio
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Howard Pyle's Book of Pirates by Howard Pyle: brick. He was clad, for the sake of coolness, only in his shirt,
breeches, and stockings, and he wore slippers on his feet. He
was smoking a great cigarro of tobacco, and a goblet of lime
juice and water and rum stood at his elbow on a table. Here, out
of the glare of the heat, it was all very cool and pleasant, with
a sea breeze blowing violently in through the slats, setting them
a-rattling now and then, and stirring Sir Thomas's long hair,
which he had pushed back for the sake of coolness.
The purport of this interview, I may tell you, concerned the
rescue of one Le Sieur Simon, who, together with his wife and
daughter, was held captive by the Spaniards.
Howard Pyle's Book of Pirates |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Warlord of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs: swords, and as my hand closed upon the hilt of one of them my eyes
fell upon the faces of two of the prisoners who worked side by side.
One of the guards started toward me. "Who are you?" he demanded.
"What do you here?"
"I come for Tardos Mors, Jeddak of Helium, and his son, Mors Kajak,"
I cried, pointing to the two red prisoners, who had now
sprung to their feet, wide-eyed in astonished recognition.
"Rise, red men! Before we die let us leave a memorial in the
The Warlord of Mars |
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 Vailima Prayers & Sabbath Morn by Robert Louis Stevenson: let our loving-kindness make bright this house of our habitation.
ANOTHER FOR EVENING
LORD, receive our supplications for this house, family, and
country. Protect the innocent, restrain the greedy and the
treacherous, lead us out of our tribulation into a quiet land.
Look down upon ourselves and upon our absent dear ones. Help us
and them; prolong our days in peace and honour. Give us health,
food, bright weather, and light hearts. In what we meditate of
evil, frustrate our will; in what of good, further our endeavours.
Cause injuries to be forgot and benefits to be remembered.
Let us lie down without fear and awake and arise with exultation.
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