| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Twenty Years After by Alexandre Dumas: o'clock in the morning by Raoul, who came to wish him
good-day. They breakfasted in haste, and at six o'clock had
already gone ten miles.
The young count's conversation was most interesting to
Raoul, therefore he listened much, whilst the count talked
well and long. Brought up in Paris, where Raoul had been but
once; at the court, which Raoul had never seen; his follies
as page; two duels, which he had already found the means of
fighting, in spite of the edicts against them and, more
especially, in spite of his tutor's vigilance -- these
things excited the greatest curiosity in Raoul. Raoul had
 Twenty Years After |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Caesar's Commentaries in Latin by Julius Caesar: autem quid sine imperatore et sine reliquis legionibus adulescentulo duce
efficere possent perspici cuperent; tandem confecti vulneribus hostes
terga verterunt. Quorum magno numero interfecto Crassus ex itinere
oppidum Sotiatium oppugnare coepit. Quibus fortiter resistentibus vineas
turresque egit. Illi alias eruptione temptata, alias cuniculis ad aggerem
vineasque actis (cuius rei sunt longe peritissimi Aquitani, propterea quod
multis locis apud eos aerariae secturaeque sunt), ubi diligentia nostrorum
nihil his rebus profici posse intellexerunt, legatos ad Crassum mittunt
seque in deditionem ut recipiat petunt. Qua re impetrata arma tradere
iussi faciunt.
Atque in eam rem omnium nostrorum intentis animis alia ex parte oppidi
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