| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Odyssey by Homer: people eat my bread they must earn it, no matter where they come
from."
Euryclea did as she was told, and bolted the women inside their
room. Then Ulysses and his son made all haste to take the
helmets, shields, and spears inside; and Minerva went before
them with a gold lamp in her hand that shed a soft and brilliant
radiance, whereon Telemachus said, "Father, my eyes behold a
great marvel: the walls, with the rafters, crossbeams, and the
supports on which they rest are all aglow as with a flaming
fire. Surely there is some god here who has come down from
heaven."
The Odyssey |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Plutarch's Lives by A. H. Clough: all. This first gave the Macedonians such a taste of the Persian
wealth and women and barbaric splendor of living, that they were
ready to pursue and follow upon it with all the eagerness of
hounds upon a scent. But Alexander, before he proceeded any
further, thought it necessary to assure himself of the sea-coast.
Those who governed in Cyprus, put that island into his possession,
and Phoenicia, Tyre only excepted, was surrendered to him. During
the siege of this city, which with mounds of earth cast up, and
battering engines, and two hundred galleys by sea, was carried on
for seven months together, he dreamt that he saw Hercules upon the
walls, reaching, out his hand, and calling to him. And many of
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| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Augsburg Confession by Philip Melanchthon: good works of God, and that it is right for Christians to bear
civil office, to sit as judges, to judge matters by the
Imperial and other existing laws, to award just punishments,
to engage in just wars, to serve as soldiers, to make legal
contracts, to hold property, to make oath when required by the
magistrates, to marry a wife, to be given in marriage.
They condemn the Anabaptists who forbid these civil offices to
Christians.
They condemn also those who do not place evangelical
perfection in the fear of God and in faith, but in forsaking
civil offices, for the Gospel teaches an eternal righteousness
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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 The Tin Woodman of Oz by L. Frank Baum: Polychrome?"'
"I was asleep, and she took unfair advantage of me,"
answered the bird sadly. "Had I been awake, I could
easily have protected myself."
"Tell me," said the Green Monkey earnestly, as he
came close to the cage, "what must we do, Daughter of
the Rainbow, to escape from these transformations?
Can't you help us, being a Fairy?" "At present I am
powerless to help even myself," replied the Canary.
"That's the exact truth!" exclaimed the Giantess, who
seemed pleased to hear the bird talk, even though it
The Tin Woodman of Oz |
