| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Rewards and Fairies by Rudyard Kipling: knew 'em wild. So evening after evening Talleyrand crossed his
sound leg over his game one and Toby poured forth. Having been
adopted into the Senecas I, naturally, kept still, but Toby 'ud call
on me to back up some of his remarks, and by that means, and a
habit he had of drawing you on in talk, Talleyrand saw I knew
something of his noble savages too. Then he tried a trick. Coming
back from an emigre party he turns into his little shop and puts it to
me, laughing like, that I'd gone with the two chiefs on their visit
to Big Hand. I hadn't told. Red Jacket hadn't told, and Toby, of
course, didn't know. 'Twas just Talleyrand's guess. "Now," he
says, my English and Red Jacket's French was so bad that I am
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Oedipus Trilogy by Sophocles: Wives and grandams rend the air--
Long-drawn moans and piercing cries
Blent with prayers and litanies.
Golden child of Zeus, O hear
Let thine angel face appear!
(Str. 3)
And grant that Ares whose hot breath I feel,
Though without targe or steel
He stalks, whose voice is as the battle shout,
May turn in sudden rout,
To the unharbored Thracian waters sped,
Oedipus Trilogy |
