| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Apology by Xenophon: language used by Socrates was really of that type. But none of these
writers has brought out clearly the fact that Socrates had come to
regard death as for himself preferable to life; and consequently there
is just a suspicion of foolhardiness in the arrogancy of his
address.[5] We have, however, from the lips of one of his intimate
acquaintances, Hermogenes,[6] the son of Hipponicus, an account of him
which shows the high demeanour in question to have been altogether in
keeping with the master's rational purpose.[7] Hermogenes says that,
seeing Socrates discoursing on every topic rather than that of his
impending trial, he roundly put it to him whether he ought not to be
debating the line of his defence, to which Socrates in the first
The Apology |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Kreutzer Sonata by Leo Tolstoy: brain a great deal during my life, and now I am able to teach
you."
Ivan was greatly surprised and said: "Very well; teach us, so
that when our hands are tired we can use our heads to replace
them."
The devil promised to instruct the people, and Ivan announced the
fact throughout his kingdom.
The devil was willing to teach all those who came to him how to
use the head instead of the hands, so as to produce more with the
former than with the latter.
In Ivan's kingdom there was a high tower, which was reached by a
The Kreutzer Sonata |
