| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Divine Comedy (translated by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow) by Dante Alighieri: Made there a mingled fragrance and unknown.
"Salve Regina," on the green and flowers
There seated, singing, spirits I beheld,
Which were not visible outside the valley.
"Before the scanty sun now seeks his nest,"
Began the Mantuan who had led us thither,
"Among them do not wish me to conduct you.
Better from off this ledge the acts and faces
Of all of them will you discriminate,
Than in the plain below received among them.
He who sits highest, and the semblance bears
The Divine Comedy (translated by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow) |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Barlaam and Ioasaph by St. John of Damascus: vain. Then he himself remained behind in one of his palaces
situate in the country, but sent forward Araches, with horsemen
not a few, as far as the wilderness of Senaar, in quest of
Barlaam. When Araches arrived in that place, he threw all the
neighbour folk into commotion: and when they constantly affirmed
that they had never seen the man, he went forth into the desert
places, for to hunt out the Faithful. When he had gone through a
great tract of desert, and made the circuit of the fells around,
and journeyed a-foot over untrodden and pathless ravines, he and
his hosts arrived at a plateau. Standing thereon, he descried at
the foot of the mountain a company of hermits a-walking.
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Frankenstein by Mary Shelley: ith precipitation. In a few moments I saw him in his boat,
which shot across the waters with an arrowy swiftness
and was soon lost amidst the waves.
All was again silent, but his words rang in my ears. I burned with rage
to pursue the murderer of my peace and precipitate him into the ocean.
I walked up and down my room hastily and perturbed, while my imagination
conjured up a thousand images to torment and sting me. Why had I not
followed him and closed with him in mortal strife? But I had suffered
him to depart, and he had directed his course towards the mainland.
I shuddered to think who might be the next victim sacrificed to his
insatiate revenge. And then I thought again of his words --
Frankenstein |
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 King James Bible: PRO 29:4 The king by judgment establisheth the land: but he that
receiveth gifts overthroweth it.
PRO 29:5 A man that flattereth his neighbour spreadeth a net for his
feet.
PRO 29:6 In the transgression of an evil man there is a snare: but the
righteous doth sing and rejoice.
PRO 29:7 The righteous considereth the cause of the poor: but the
wicked regardeth not to know it.
PRO 29:8 Scornful men bring a city into a snare: but wise men turn away
wrath.
PRO 29:9 If a wise man contendeth with a foolish man, whether he rage
King James Bible |
