They were men with base/carnal thoughts rather than merely base thoughts --although you could suggest that man might embody what he thinks in his heart. Its rather evident even in Indian history that Abraham and Sarah were really a king and queen consort --not imaginary figures.
Their sails were set low (carnal) and so they neither captured nor caught the 'higher winds'. They did not capture the heavily thoughts because the carnal mind isn't "up there"--so the dd not 'subdue' any such thing anymore than someone ignoring the truth subdues it by turning their back as it drifts past and then beyond their concern. Relevantly, the phallus is below the head and the heart. If one is merely born or issued from the phallus then one could be regarded to be "from below" rather than "from above".
When Elijah (at 1 Kings 18:42) was on Mount Carmel praying, he was physically there. If he were merely allegorical why would it be be important that he stooped with his face between his knees? The position he took was one of a woman giving birth because he comprehended something that I also comprehend and allude to above.And Elijah said to Ahab, "Go up, eat and drink, for there is a sound of the rushing of rain." So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Mount Carmel. And he bowed himself down on the earth and put his face between his knees. And he said to his servant, "Go up now, look toward the sea.” And he went up and looked and said, "There is nothing." And he said, "Go again," seven times.