| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Myths and Myth-Makers by John Fiske: of the dawn, Aphrodite became identified with Charis, who
appears in the Rig-Veda as dawn-goddess. In the post-Homeric
mythology, the two were again separated, and Charis, becoming
divided in personality, appears as the Charites, or Graces,
who were supposed to be constant attendants of Aphrodite. But
in the Homeric poems the two are still identical, and either
Charis or Aphrodite may be called the wife of the fire-god,
without inconsistency.
Thus to sum up, I believe that Mr. Gladstone is quite right in
maintaining that both the Iliad and Odyssey are, from
beginning to end, with the exception of a few insignificant
Myths and Myth-Makers |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Riders of the Purple Sage by Zane Grey: blindness terrified her. Such a mistaken idea of his might
unleash the bitter, fatal mood she sensed in him. At any cost she
must placate this man; she knew the die was cast, and that if
Lassiter did not soften to a woman's grace and beauty and wiles,
then it would be because she could not make him.
"I reckon you'll hear no more such talk from me," Lassiter went
on, presently. "Now, Miss Jane, I rode in to tell you that your
herd of white steers is down on the slope behind them big ridges.
An' I seen somethin' goin' on that'd be mighty interestin' to
you, if you could see it. Have you a field-glass?"
"Yes, I have two glasses. I'll get them and ride out with you.
Riders of the Purple Sage |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Within the Tides by Joseph Conrad: his way back he might look in at a certain settlement up a mere
creek, where a poor sort of white man lived in a native village.
Davidson pointed out to his Chinaman that the fellow was certain to
have some rattans to ship.
"'Probably enough to fill her forward,' said Davidson. 'And
that'll be better than bringing her back with empty holds. A day
more or less doesn't matter.'
"This was sound talk, and the Chinaman owner could not but agree.
But if it hadn't been sound it would have been just the same.
Davidson did what he liked. He was a man that could do no wrong.
However, this suggestion of his was not merely a business matter.
Within the Tides |
