| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Maitre Cornelius by Honore de Balzac: Maitre Cornelius, who was beginning to understand, though vaguely, the
intentions of the king, seized the bag and gently poured its contents
on the floor. The old woman quivered, but she held out her hand for
the empty bag, and when her brother gave it back to her she
disappeared with a heavy sigh.
Cornelius then took a feather broom and gently smoothed the flour till
it looked like a fall of snow, retreating step by step as he did so,
followed by the king, who seemed much amused by the operation. When
they reached the door Louis XI. said to his silversmith, "Are there
two keys to the lock?"
"No, sire."
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Heroes by Charles Kingsley: tree-tops, the golden roofs of King Aietes, the child of the
Sun.
Then out spoke Ancaios the helmsman, 'We are come to our goal
at last, for there are the roofs of Aietes, and the woods
where all poisons grow; but who can tell us where among them
is hid the golden fleece? Many a toil must we bear ere we
find it, and bring it home to Greece.'
But Jason cheered the heroes, for his heart was high and
bold; and he said, 'I will go alone up to Aietes, though he
be the child of the Sun, and win him with soft words. Better
so than to go altogether, and to come to blows at once.' But
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Alcibiades II by Platonic Imitator: which are probably of Pythagorean origin, is unknown. They are found also
in the Anthology (Anth. Pal.).)
In my opinion, I say, the poet spoke both well and prudently; but if you
have anything to say in answer to him, speak out.
ALCIBIADES: It is difficult, Socrates, to oppose what has been well said.
And I perceive how many are the ills of which ignorance is the cause,
since, as would appear, through ignorance we not only do, but what is
worse, pray for the greatest evils. No man would imagine that he would do
so; he would rather suppose that he was quite capable of praying for what
was best: to call down evils seems more like a curse than a prayer.
SOCRATES: But perhaps, my good friend, some one who is wiser than either
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