| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Tanach: Exodus 8: 27 (8:23) We will go three days' journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to the LORD our God, as He shall command us.'
Exodus 8: 28 (8:24) And Pharaoh said: 'I will let you go, that ye may sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness; only ye shall not go very far away; entreat for me.'
Exodus 8: 29 (8:25) And Moses said: 'Behold, I go out from thee, and I will entreat the LORD that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people, tomorrow; only let not Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more in not letting the people go to sacrifice to the LORD.'
Exodus 8: 30 (8:26) And Moses went out from Pharaoh, and entreated the LORD.
Exodus 8: 31 (8:27) And the LORD did according to the word of Moses; and He removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people; there remained not one.
Exodus 8: 32 (8:28) And Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also, and he did not let the people go.
Exodus 9: 1 Then the LORD said unto Moses: 'Go in unto Pharaoh, and tell him: Thus saith the LORD, the God of the Hebrews: Let My people go, that they may serve Me.
Exodus 9: 2 For if thou refuse to let them go, and wilt hold them still,
Exodus 9: 3 behold, the hand of the LORD is upon thy cattle which are in the field, upon the horses, upon the asses, upon the camels, upon the herds, and upon the flocks; there shall be a very grievous murrain.
 The Tanach |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Gobseck by Honore de Balzac: personal knowledge of any capitalist but Daddy Gobseck. An ambitious
idea, and an indefinable glimmer of hope, put heart into me. To
Gobseck I betook myself, and slowly one evening I made my way to the
Rue des Gres. My heart thumped heavily as I knocked at his door in the
gloomy house. I recollected all the things that he used to tell me, at
a time when I myself was very far from suspecting the violence of the
anguish awaiting those who crossed his threshold. Now it was I who was
about to beg and pray like so many others.
" 'Well, no, not THAT,' I said to myself; 'an honest man must keep his
self-respect wherever he goes. Success is not worth cringing for; let
us show him a front as decided as his own.'
 Gobseck |