| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Oedipus Trilogy by Sophocles: To glory in her pride of ancestry.
JOCASTA
O woe is thee, poor wretch! With that last word
I leave thee, henceforth silent evermore.
[Exit JOCASTA]
CHORUS
Why, Oedipus, why stung with passionate grief
Hath the queen thus departed? Much I fear
From this dead calm will burst a storm of woes.
OEDIPUS
Let the storm burst, my fixed resolve still holds,
Oedipus Trilogy |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Barlaam and Ioasaph by St. John of Damascus: thereto, I ween, by fate, surely thou hast made thy tongue as
sharp as thy wits. Hence thou hast uttered these vain and
ambiguous babblings. Had I not promised, at the beginning of our
converse, to banish Anger from mid court, I had now given thy
body to be burned. But since thou hast prevented and tied me
down fast by my words, I bear with thine effrontery, by reason of
my former friendship with thee. Now, arise, and flee for ever
from my sight, lest I see thee again and miserably destroy thee."
So the man of God went out and withdrew to the desert, grieved to
have lost the crown of martyrdom, but daily a martyr in his
conscience, and `wrestling against principalities and powers,
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Domestic Peace by Honore de Balzac: hand of Colonel Montcornet, who had just renewed their old
acquaintance, but he listened to him without hearing him; his mind was
elsewhere.
Soulanges was gazing calmly at the women, sitting four ranks deep all
round the immense ballroom, admiring this dado of diamonds, rubies,
masses of gold and shining hair, of which the lustre almost outshone
the blaze of waxlights, the cutglass of the chandeliers, and the
gilding. His rival's stolid indifference put the lawyer out of
countenance. Quite incapable of controlling his secret transports of
impatience, Martial went towards Madame de Vaudremont with a bow. On
seeing the Provencal, Soulanges gave him a covert glance, and
|
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 Tarzan the Untamed by Edgar Rice Burroughs: recalled the men mysteriously murdered in the still watches of
the night camps. "What do you want?"
"Where is Hauptmann Fritz Schneider?" asked Tarzan,
"Which is his tent?"
"He is not here," replied Luberg. "He was sent to Wil-
helmstal yesterday."
"I shall not kill you -- now," said the ape-man. "First I
shall go and learn if you have lied to me and if you have
your death shall be the more terrible. Do you know how
Major Schneider died?"
Luberg shook his head negatively.
Tarzan the Untamed |
