| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Menexenus by Plato: lived dishonourably, but have preferred to die honourably rather than bring
you and your children into disgrace, and rather than dishonour our own
fathers and forefathers; considering that life is not life to one who is a
dishonour to his race, and that to such a one neither men nor Gods are
friendly, either while he is on the earth or after death in the world
below. Remember our words, then, and whatever is your aim let virtue be
the condition of the attainment of your aim, and know that without this all
possessions and pursuits are dishonourable and evil. For neither does
wealth bring honour to the owner, if he be a coward; of such a one the
wealth belongs to another, and not to himself. Nor does beauty and
strength of body, when dwelling in a base and cowardly man, appear comely,
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from My Bondage and My Freedom by Frederick Douglass: suffered a serious shock, by the savage persecution to which I
had been subjected, and my hands were no longer tied by my
religion. Master Thomas's indifference had served the last link.
I had now to this extent "backslidden" from this point in the
slave's religious creed; and I soon had occasion to make my
fallen state known to my Sunday-pious brother, Covey.
Whilst I was obeying his order to feed and get the horses ready
for the field, and when in the act of going up the stable loft
for the purpose of throwing down some blades, Covey sneaked into
the stable, in his peculiar snake-like way, and seizing me
suddenly by the leg, he brought me to the stable floor, giving my
My Bondage and My Freedom |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from In a German Pension by Katherine Mansfield: untrustworthy."
"A wise idea," I answered. And then: "Why have you denied us the
pleasure--"
"I sit alone that I may eat more," said the Baron, peering into the dusk;
"my stomach requires a great deal of food. I order double portions, and
eat them in peace."
Which sounded finely Baronial.
"And what do you do all day?"
"I imbibe nourishment in my room," he replied, in a voice that closed the
conversation and almost repented of the umbrella.
When we arrived at the pension there was very nearly an open riot.
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