The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Gambara by Honore de Balzac: transparent skin, and of the deep sockets in which his black eyes were
sunk, with their large lids and light lashes, the lower part of his
face made him still look young, so calm was its outline, so soft the
modeling. It could be seen at a glance that in this man passion had
been curbed to the advantage of the intellect; that the brain alone
had grown old in some great struggle.
Andrea shot a swift look at Marianna, who was watching him. And he
noted the beautiful Italian head, the exquisite proportion and rich
coloring that revealed one of those organizations in which every human
power is harmoniously balanced, he sounded the gulf that divided this
couple, brought together by fate. Well content with the promise he
Gambara |
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 Polity of Athenians and Lacedaemonians by Xenophon: "to take the evening meal." When they have sung a hymn to the gods to
whom the offerings of happy omen had been performed, the final order,
"Retire to rest at the place of arms,"[14] is given.
[8] Cf. Herod. vii. 208; Plut. "Lycurg." 22 (Clough, i. 113 foll.)
[9] Reading {megalophronesterous} (L. Dindorf's emendation) for the
vulg. {megaloprepesterous}. Xen "Opusc. polit." Ox. MDCCCLVI.
[10] Or, "the proud self-consciousness of their own splendour is
increased, and by comparison with others they bear more notably
the impress of freemen."
[11] The word {masso} is "poetical" (old Attic?). See "Cyrop." II. iv.
27, and L. Dindorf ad loc.
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