This France will have to recognize as well as Italy and Great Britain. The personality of Italy is ruled by Sagittarius, the sign of the one-pointed disciple, and it is owing to this that we have the undeviating aim of the Italian state and its refusal to be moved from certain attitudes and determinations. Italy sees more clearly than Germany the principles involved at this time, and though Rome is blinded at times by the Taurian influence which leads to a blind rushing forward towards a goal, irrespective of consequences and implications, yet essentially the inner straight line of foreseen and planned activity will hold Italy true to the objective. This again relates Italy to the second ray soul of Great Britain and tends to a basic understanding. I would here point out that in this second ray influence it is the wisdom aspect more than the love aspect which is dominant.
Love is in reality, understanding wisdom in active expression.
It was this Earth influence which, in the past, gave Italy her world dominion and which swayed the Italian personality towards the thought of another worldwide empire. I would remind you that the soul ray of Italy is also the sixth ray. You have, therefore, the influence of Mars dominating Italian and Roman history, and it is this martian tendency which lay at the base of the German Italian axis. It, however, is not today the controlling factor. Britain and again closely relates the two countries.