| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Caesar's Commentaries in Latin by Julius Caesar: omnis Gallicis navibus spes in velis armamentisque consisteret, his
ereptis omnis usus navium uno tempore eriperetur. Reliquum erat certamen
positum in virtute, qua nostri milites facile superabant, atque eo magis
quod in conspectu Caesaris atque omnis exercitus res gerebatur, ut nullum
paulo fortius factum latere posset; omnes enim colles ac loca superiora,
unde erat propinquus despectus in mare, ab exercitu tenebantur.
Deiectis, ut diximus, antemnis, cum singulas binae ac ternae naves
circumsteterant, milites summa vi transcendere in hostium naves
contendebant. Quod postquam barbari fieri animadverterunt, expugnatis
compluribus navibus, cum ei rei nullum reperiretur auxilium, fuga salutem
petere contenderunt. Ac iam conversis in eam partem navibus quo ventus
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle: and he, holding Ellen's hand within his own, looked about him
all dizzy with his happiness.
Then at last jolly Robin turned to the Bishop of Hereford,
who had been looking on at all that passed with a grim look.
"My Lord Bishop," quoth he, "thou mayst bring to thy mind that thou
didst promise me that did I play in such wise as to cause this fair
lass to love her husband, thou wouldst give me whatsoever I asked
in reason. I have played my play, and she loveth her husband,
which she would not have done but for me; so now fulfill thy promise.
Thou hast upon thee that which, methinks, thou wouldst be the
better without; therefore, I prythee, give me that golden chain
The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Blue Flower by Henry van Dyke: stepped together and fought freshly, smiting and thrusting,
ramping and reeling, panting, snorting, and scattering blood, for
the space of two hours. So the knight in black and yellow,
because he was heavier, drave Martimor backward step by step till
he came to the crown of the bridge, and there fell grovelling.
At this the Lady Beauvivante shrieked and wailed, but the damsel
Lirette cried loudly, "Up! Martimor, strike again!"
Then the courage came into his body, and with a great
might he abraid upon his feet, and smote the black and yellow
knight upon the helm by an overstroke so fierce that the sword
sheared away the third part of his head, as it had been a
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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 Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie: hors d'oeuvre of Tuppence's dreams.
Miss Cowley told him.
"And the curious part of it is," she ended, "that I really did
invent the name of Jane Finn! I didn't want to give my own
because of poor father--in case I should get mixed up in anything
shady."
"Perhaps that's so," said Tommy slowly. "But you didn't invent
it."
"What?"
"No. I told it to you. Don't you remember, I said yesterday I'd
overheard two people talking about a female called Jane Finn?
Secret Adversary |
