| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Hiero by Xenophon: journey where you will to see the games or other spectacles; or it
shall be open to you to bide at home, and still attain your object.
Before you shall be gathered daily an assembly, a great company of
people willing to display whatever each may happen to possess of
wisdom, worth, or beauty;[10] and another throng of persons eager to
do you service. Present, regard them each and all as sworn allies; or
absent, know that each and all have one desire, to set eyes on you.
[10] Or, "to display their wares of wisdom, beauty, excellence."
The end will be, you shall not be loved alone, but passionately
adored, by human beings. You will not need to woo the fair but to
endure the enforcement of their loving suit.
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Salome by Oscar Wilde: garnis d'escarboucles et de jade qui viennent de la ville
d'Euphrate. . . Enfin, que veux-tu, Salome? Dis-moi ce que tu
desires et je te le donnerai. Je te donnerai tout ce que tu
demanderas, sauf une chose. Je te donnerai tout ce que je possede,
sauf une vie. Je te donnerai le manteau du grand pretre. Je te
donnerai le voile du sanctuaire.
LES JUIFS. Oh! Oh!
SALOME. Donne-moi la tete d'Iokanaan.
HERODE [s'afffaissant sur son siege] Qu'on lui donne ce qu'elle
demande! C'est bien la fille de sa mere! [Le premier soldat
s'approche. Herodias prend de la main du tetrarque la bague de la
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Off on a Comet by Jules Verne: And without further parley, followed by his soldiers, he retired
into the casemate, leaving Captain Servadac gnawing his mustache
with mingled rage and mortification.
"A fine piece of business we have made of this!" said Ben Zoof,
when he found himself alone with his master.
"We will make our way back at once," replied Captain Servadac.
"Yes, the sooner the better, with our tails between our legs,"
rejoined the orderly, who this time felt no inclination
to start off to the march of the Algerian zephyrs.
And so the French tricolor returned as it had set out--
in Ben Zoof's knapsack.
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