| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Gorgias by Plato: he pleases.' But Socrates replies that he has no wish to put any one to
death; he who kills another, even justly, is not to be envied, and he who
kills him unjustly is to be pitied; it is better to suffer than to do
injustice. He does not consider that going about with a dagger and putting
men out of the way, or setting a house on fire, is real power. To this
Polus assents, on the ground that such acts would be punished, but he is
still of opinion that evil-doers, if they are unpunished, may be happy
enough. He instances Archelaus, son of Perdiccas, the usurper of
Macedonia. Does not Socrates think him happy?--Socrates would like to know
more about him; he cannot pronounce even the great king to be happy, unless
he knows his mental and moral condition. Polus explains that Archelaus was
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Koran: thee, and unto God affairs return.
O ye folk! verily, God's promise is true; then let not the life of
this world beguile you, and let not the beguiler beguile you
concerning God. Verily, the devil is to you a foe, so take him as a
foe; he only calls his crew to be the fellows of the blaze.
Those who misbelieve, for them is keen torment.
But those who believe and do right, for them is forgiveness and a
great hire.
What! is he whose evil act is made seemly for him, so that he
looks upon it as good,--? Verily, God leads astray whom He pleases and
guides whom He pleases; let not thy soul then be wasted in sighing for
The Koran |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Alcibiades I by Plato: by the light of nature, but to have associated with several of the
philosophers; with Pythocleides, for example, and with Anaxagoras, and now
in advanced life with Damon, in the hope of gaining wisdom.
SOCRATES: Very good; but did you ever know a man wise in anything who was
unable to impart his particular wisdom? For example, he who taught you
letters was not only wise, but he made you and any others whom he liked
wise.
ALCIBIADES: Yes.
SOCRATES: And you, whom he taught, can do the same?
ALCIBIADES: True.
SOCRATES: And in like manner the harper and gymnastic-master?
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