| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Protagoras by Plato: unfair; he ought either to proceed with the argument, or distinctly refuse
to proceed, that we may know his intention; and then Socrates will be able
to discourse with some one else, and the rest of the company will be free
to talk with one another.
I think that Protagoras was really made ashamed by these words of
Alcibiades, and when the prayers of Callias and the company were
superadded, he was at last induced to argue, and said that I might ask and
he would answer.
So I said: Do not imagine, Protagoras, that I have any other interest in
asking questions of you but that of clearing up my own difficulties. For I
think that Homer was very right in saying that
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Taras Bulba and Other Tales by Nikolai Vasilievich Gogol: liberty. In short, the Cossacks paid their former debts in coin of
full weight. The abbot of one monastery, on hearing of their approach,
sent two monks to say that they were not behaving as they should; that
there was an agreement between the Zaporozhtzi and the government;
that they were breaking faith with the king, and violating all
international rights. "Tell your bishop from me and from all the
Zaporozhtzi," said the Koschevoi, "that he has nothing to fear: the
Cossacks, so far, have only lighted and smoked their pipes." And the
magnificent abbey was soon wrapped in the devouring flames, its tall
Gothic windows showing grimly through the waves of fire as they
parted. The fleeing mass of monks, women, and Jews thronged into those
Taras Bulba and Other Tales |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Odyssey by Homer: to know, who you are and where you come from. Tell me of your
town and parents, what manner of ship you came in, how crew
brought you to Ithaca, and from what country they professed to
come--for you cannot have come by land."
And Ulysses answered, "I will tell you all about it. If there
were meat and wine enough, and we could stay here in the hut
with nothing to do but to eat and drink while the others go to
their work, I could easily talk on for a whole twelve months
without ever finishing the story of the sorrows with which it
has pleased heaven to visit me.
"I am by birth a Cretan; my father was a well to do man, who had
The Odyssey |
