| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Lysis by Plato: me, and will let me talk with him, I may perhaps be able to show you how to
converse with him, instead of singing and reciting in the fashion of which
you are accused.
There will be no difficulty in bringing him, he replied; if you will only
go with Ctesippus into the Palaestra, and sit down and talk, I believe that
he will come of his own accord; for he is fond of listening, Socrates. And
as this is the festival of the Hermaea, the young men and boys are all
together, and there is no separation between them. He will be sure to
come: but if he does not, Ctesippus with whom he is familiar, and whose
relation Menexenus is his great friend, shall call him.
That will be the way, I said. Thereupon I led Ctesippus into the
Lysis |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from On Horsemanship by Xenophon: that part of the horse's back on which the rider sits.
The head should be drenched with water simply; for, being bony, if you
try to cleanse it with iron or wooden instruments injury may be
caused. So, too, the forelock should be merely wetted; the long hairs
of which it is composed, without hindering the animal's vision, serve
to scare away from the eyes anything that might trouble them.
Providence, we must suppose,[6] bestowed these hairs upon the horse,
instead of the large ears which are given to the ass and the mule as a
protection to the eyes.[7] The tail, again, and mane should be washed,
the object being to help the hairs to grow--those in the tail so as to
allow the creature the greatest reach possible in brushing away
On Horsemanship |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen: get there."
"I shall be very fit to see Jane-- which is all I want."
"Is this a hint to me, Lizzy," said her father, "to send for the
horses?"
""No, indeed, I do not wish to avoid the walk. The distance is
nothing when one has a motive; only three miles. I shall be back
by dinner."
"I admire the activity of your benevolence," observed Mary, "but
every impulse of feeling should be guided by reason; and, in my
opinion, exertion should always be in proportion to what is
required."
Pride and Prejudice |
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 From the Earth to the Moon by Jules Verne: under an uniformly decreasing speed was crossing the sky.
CHAPTER IV
A LITTLE ALGEBRA
The night passed without incident. The word "night," however,
is scarcely applicable.
The position of the projectile with regard to the sun did
not change. Astronomically, it was daylight on the lower part,
and night on the upper; so when during this narrative these
words are used, they represent the lapse of time between rising
and setting of the sun upon the earth.
The travelers' sleep was rendered more peaceful by the
From the Earth to the Moon |
