| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Ion by Plato: corresponding arts, I wish that you would tell me what are the passages of
which the excellence ought to be judged by the prophet and prophetic art';
and you will see how readily and truly I shall answer you. For there are
many such passages, particularly in the Odyssee; as, for example, the
passage in which Theoclymenus the prophet of the house of Melampus says to
the suitors:--
'Wretched men! what is happening to you? Your heads and your faces and
your limbs underneath are shrouded in night; and the voice of lamentation
bursts forth, and your cheeks are wet with tears. And the vestibule is
full, and the court is full, of ghosts descending into the darkness of
Erebus, and the sun has perished out of heaven, and an evil mist is spread
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Alcibiades I by Plato: designed to bring you to honour.
ALCIBIADES: You are jesting, Socrates.
SOCRATES: Perhaps, at any rate, I am right in saying that all men greatly
need pains and care, and you and I above all men.
ALCIBIADES: You are not far wrong about me.
SOCRATES: And certainly not about myself.
ALCIBIADES: But what can we do?
SOCRATES: There must be no hesitation or cowardice, my friend.
ALCIBIADES: That would not become us, Socrates.
SOCRATES: No, indeed, and we ought to take counsel together: for do we
not wish to be as good as possible?
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Wrong Box by Stevenson & Osbourne: With the cessation of the footfalls, another sound smote upon
their ears.
'O, what's that?' cried Julia.
'I can't think,' said Gideon.
The Squirradical had his stick presented like a sword. 'Gid,' he
began, 'Gid, I--'
'O Mr Forsyth!' cried the girl. 'O don't go forward, you don't
know what it might be--it might be something perfectly horrid.'
'It may be the devil itself,' said Gideon, disengaging himself,
'but I am going to see it.'
'Don't be rash, Gid,' cried his uncle.
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