| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from A Woman of No Importance by Oscar Wilde: MRS. ARBUTHNOT. I do not, Lady Hunstanton. I think there are many
things women should never forgive.
LADY HUNSTANTON. What sort of things?
MRS. ARBUTHNOT. The ruin of another woman's life.
[Moves slowly away to back of stage.]
LADY HUNSTANTON. Ah! those things are very sad, no doubt, but I
believe there are admirable homes where people of that kind are
looked after and reformed, and I think on the whole that the secret
of life is to take things very, very easily.
MRS. ALLONBY. The secret of life is never to have an emotion that
is unbecoming.
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Iliad by Homer: battle if he is a weakling, but I am indignant with such men as
you are. My good friends, matters will soon become even worse
through this slackness; think, each one of you, of his own honour
and credit, for the hazard of the fight is extreme. Great Hector
is now fighting at our ships; he has broken through the gates and
the strong bolt that held them."
Thus did the earth-encircler address the Achaeans and urge them
on. Thereon round the two Ajaxes there gathered strong bands of
men, of whom not even Mars nor Minerva, marshaller of hosts could
make light if they went among them, for they were the picked men
of all those who were now awaiting the onset of Hector and the
The Iliad |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Alcibiades I by Plato: ALCIBIADES: Yes.
SOCRATES: And they ought to go to war with those against whom it is better
to go to war?
ALCIBIADES: Yes.
SOCRATES: And when it is better?
ALCIBIADES: Certainly.
SOCRATES: And for as long a time as is better?
ALCIBIADES: Yes.
SOCRATES: But suppose the Athenians to deliberate with whom they ought to
close in wrestling, and whom they should grasp by the hand, would you, or
the master of gymnastics, be a better adviser of them?
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