| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from 1492 by Mary Johntson: was not Ophir, but at that time he was hardly believed.
The Admiral wrote a letter about these golden mines.
An Indian brought him a piece of amber; another, a
lump of blue stone. We found jasper, we were sure of
copper.
We came to a natural rampart, wide at top, steeply descending
on three sides, set in a loop of a little clear river
named Yanique. ``Ho!'' cried Alonso de Ojeda. ``Here is
the cradle for the babe! Round tower, walls, barbican
yonder, and Mother Nature has dug the moat!'' He sent
his voice across to the Viceroy. ``A fort, senor, a fort!''
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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 Divine Comedy (translated by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow) by Dante Alighieri: Not at the fault, which comes not back to mind,
But at the power which ordered and foresaw.
Here we behold the art that doth adorn
With such affection, and the good discover
Whereby the world above turns that below.
But that thou wholly satisfied mayst bear
Thy wishes hence which in this sphere are born,
Still farther to proceed behoveth me.
Thou fain wouldst know who is within this light
That here beside me thus is scintillating,
Even as a sunbeam in the limpid water.
The Divine Comedy (translated by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow) |
