| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Animal Farm by George Orwell: under way before he reached the age for retirement.
At the beginning, when the laws of Animal Farm were first formulated,
the retiring age had been fixed for horses and pigs at twelve, for cows at
fourteen, for dogs at nine, for sheep at seven, and for hens and geese at
five. Liberal old-age pensions had been agreed upon. As yet no animal had
actually retired on pension, but of late the subject had been discussed
more and more. Now that the small field beyond the orchard had been set
aside for barley, it was rumoured that a corner of the large pasture was
to be fenced off and turned into a grazing-ground for superannuated
animals. For a horse, it was said, the pension would be five pounds of
corn a day and, in winter, fifteen pounds of hay, with a carrot or
Animal Farm |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Symposium by Xenophon: that man, I say, might justly pride himself upon his art, and should
by rights receive a large reward?[96]
[96] Or, "he deserves to do a rattling business," "to take handsome
fees." Cf. Sheridan's Mrs. Coupler, in "A Trip to Scarborough."
And when these propositions were agreed to also, he turned about and
said: Just such a man, I take it, is before you in the person of
Antisthenes![97]
[97] See Diog. Laert. "Antisth." VI. i. 8; Plut. "Symp." ii. 1. 503.
Whereupon Antisthenes exclaimed: What! are you going to pass on the
business? will you devolve this art of yours on me as your successor,
Socrates?[98]
The Symposium |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from On Horsemanship by Xenophon: simultaneously giving him one of the signals to be off, the horse,
galled on the one hand by the bit, and on the other collecting himself
in obedience to the signal "off," will throw forward his chest and
raise his legs aloft with fiery spirit; though not indeed with
suppleness, for the supple play of the limbs ceases as soon as the
horse feels annoyance. But now, supposing when his fire is thus
enkindled[11] you give him the rein, the effect is instantaneous.
Under the pleasurable sense of freedom, thanks to the relaxation of
the bit, with stately bearing and legs pliantly moving he dashes
forward in his pride, in every respect imitating the airs and graces
of a horse approaching other horses. Listen to the epithets with which
On Horsemanship |
