| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Muse of the Department by Honore de Balzac: Seville, you see, had been her native home,
Seville, where skies are blue and evening sweet.
She, at thirteen, the sovereign of the town,
Had lovers at her feet.
For her three Toreadors had gone to death
Or victory, the prize to be a kiss--
One kiss from those red lips of sweetest breath--
A longed-for touch of bliss!
The features of the Spanish girl's portrait have served so often as
those of the courtesan in so many self-styled /poems/, that it would
be tiresome to quote here the hundred lines of description. To judge
The Muse of the Department |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Tanach: Ezekiel 27: 16 Aram was thy merchant by reason of the multitude of thy wealth; they traded for thy wares with carbuncles, purple, and richly woven work, and fine linen, and coral, and rubies.
Ezekiel 27: 17 Judah, and the land of Israel, they were thy traffickers; they traded for thy merchandise wheat of Minnith, and balsam, and honey, and oil, and balm.
Ezekiel 27: 18 Damascus was thy merchant for the multitude of thy wealth, by reason of the multitude of all riches, with the wine of Helbon, and white wool.
Ezekiel 27: 19 Vedan and Javan traded with yarn for thy wares; massive iron, cassia, and calamus, were among thy merchandise.
Ezekiel 27: 20 Dedan was thy trafficker in precious cloths for riding.
Ezekiel 27: 21 Arabia, and all the princes of Kedar, they were the merchants of thy hand; in lambs, and rams, and goats, in these were they thy merchants.
Ezekiel 27: 22 The traffickers of Sheba and Raamah, they were thy traffickers; they traded for thy wares with chief of all spices, and with all precious stones, and gold.
Ezekiel 27: 23 Haran and Canneh and Eden, the traffickers of Sheba, Asshur was as thine apprentice in traffic.
Ezekiel 27: 24 These were thy traffickers in gorgeous fabrics, in wrappings of blue and richly woven work, and in chests of rich apparel, bound with cords and cedar-lined, among thy merchandise.
Ezekiel 27: 25 The ships of Tarshish brought thee tribute for thy merchandise; so wast thou replenished, and made very heavy in the heart of the seas.
Ezekiel 27: 26 Thy rowers have brought thee into great waters; the east wind hath broken thee in the heart of the seas.
The Tanach |
