| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Symposium by Xenophon: yoruself on them.
Herm. That the gods know all things, that the present and the future
lie before their eyes, are tenets held by Hellenes and barbarians
alike. This is obvious; or else, why do states and nations, one and
all, inquire of the gods by divination what they ought to do and what
they ought not? This also is apparent, that we believe them able to do
us good and to do us harm; or why do all men pray to Heaven to avert
the evil and bestow the good? Well then, my boast is that these gods,
who know and can do all things,[72] deign to be my friends; so that,
by reason of their care for me, I can never escape from their
sight,[73] neither by night nor by day, whithersoever I essay to go,
The Symposium |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Critias by Plato: prior to the time of Theseus, such as Cecrops, and Erechtheus, and
Erichthonius, and Erysichthon, and the names of the women in like manner.
Moreover, since military pursuits were then common to men and women, the
men of those days in accordance with the custom of the time set up a figure
and image of the goddess in full armour, to be a testimony that all animals
which associate together, male as well as female, may, if they please,
practise in common the virtue which belongs to them without distinction of
sex.
Now the country was inhabited in those days by various classes of
citizens;--there were artisans, and there were husbandmen, and there was
also a warrior class originally set apart by divine men. The latter dwelt
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy: She faltered, "Why?"
"Oh--as a mere matter of business--nothing more. But we'll
not concern ourselves about it--it is for the best. I hoped
to have another dance with you."
She said she could not dance--in any proper way.
"Nay, but you do! It's the feeling for it rather than the
learning of steps that makes pleasant dancers....I fear I
offended your father by getting up this! And now, perhaps,
I'll have to go to another part o' the warrld altogether!"
This seemed such a melancholy prospect that Elizabeth-Jane
breathed a sigh--letting it off in fragments that he might
The Mayor of Casterbridge |
