Today's Stichomancy for Fritz Lang

The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Oedipus Trilogy by Sophocles:

CHORUS To us it seems that both the seer and thou, O Oedipus, have spoken angry words. This is no time to wrangle but consult How best we may fulfill the oracle.

TEIRESIAS King as thou art, free speech at least is mine To make reply; in this I am thy peer. I own no lord but Loxias; him I serve And ne'er can stand enrolled as Creon's man. Thus then I answer: since thou hast not spared

Oedipus Trilogy

The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Lamentable Tragedy of Locrine and Mucedorus by William Shakespeare:

Set to a sickly man, which rather cloy than comfort: Let me entreat you to entreat no more.

RODERIGO. Let your strings sleep; have done there.

[Let the music cease.]

KING OF VALENTIA. Mirth to a soul disturb'd are embers turn'd, Which sudden gleam with molestation, But sooner loose their sight fort; Tis Gold bestowed upon a Rioter, Which not relieves, but murders him: Tis a Drug

The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Tanach:

Psalms 65: 5 (65:6) With wondrous works dost Thou answer us in righteousness, O God of our salvation; Thou the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of the far distant seas;

Psalms 65: 6 (65:7) Who by Thy strength settest fast the mountains, who art girded about with might;

Psalms 65: 7 (65:8) Who stillest the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, and the tumult of the peoples;

Psalms 65: 8 (65:9) So that they that dwell in the uttermost parts stand in awe of Thy signs; Thou makest the outgoings of the morning and evening to rejoice.

Psalms 65: 9 (65:10) Thou hast remembered the earth, and watered her, greatly enriching her, with the river of God that is full of water; Thou preparest them corn, for so preparest Thou her.

Psalms 65: 10 (65:11) Watering her ridges abundantly, settling down the furrows thereof, Thou makest her soft with showers; Thou blessest the growth thereof.

Psalms 65: 11 (65:12) Thou crownest the year with Thy goodness; and Thy paths drop fatness.

Psalms 65: 12 (65:13) The pastures of the wilderness do drop; and the hills are girded with joy.

Psalms 65: 13 (65:14) The meadows are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered over with corn; they shout for joy, yea, they sing.

Psalms 66: 1 For the Leader. A Song, a Psalm. Shout unto God, all the earth;

Psalms 66: 2 Sing praises unto the glory of His name; make His praise glorious.

The Tanach

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 Adventure by Jack London:

of the third day, travelling with the current and shooting the rapids, the expedition arrived at Berande. Joan, with a sigh, unbuckled her revolver-belt and hung it on the nail in the living- room, while Sheldon, who had been lurking about for the sheer joy of seeing her perform that particular home-coming act, sighed, too, with satisfaction. But the home-coming was not all joy to him, for Joan set about nursing Tudor, and spent much time on the veranda where he lay in the hammock under the mosquito-netting.

CHAPTER XXVI--BURNING DAYLIGHT

The ten days of Tudor's convalescence that followed were peaceful days on Berande. The work of the plantation went on like clock-