| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Agesilaus by Xenophon: him that eighty of the enemy had taken refuge with their arms[10]
under cover of the Temple,[11] and they asked what they ought to do.
He, albeit he had received wounds all over him, having been the mark
of divers weapons, did not even so forget his duty to God, and gave
orders to let them go whithersoever they chose, nor suffered them to
be ill-treated, but ordered his bodyguard of cavalry to escort them
out of reach of danger.
[10] I.e. "they had kept their arms."
[11] See Plut. "Ages." xix.; Paus. ix. 34.
And now that the battle had ceased, it was a sight to see where the
encounter took place, the earth bedabbled with gore, the dead lying
|
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 Symposium by Xenophon: tend to friendliness?[94]
[94] Cf. Ep. St. James iii. 10, "Out of the same mouth proceedeth
blessing and cursing."
Omnes. Without a doubt.
Soc. The good go-between will therefore make his choice between them,
and teach only what conduces to agreeableness?
Omnes. Without a doubt.
Soc. And is he the better go-between who can make his clients pleasing
to one person only, or can make them pleasing to a number?[95]
[95] Or, "to the many." The question is ambiguous. {e} = "an" or
"quam."
The Symposium |
