| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Four Arthurian Romances by Chretien DeTroyes: such pleasure in watching the deeds of him with the red painted
arms that what the others did seemed to him pale in comparison.
And the herald cheered up again, as he shouted aloud so that all
could hear: "Here there has one come who will take the measure!
To-day you shall see what he can do. To-day his prowess shall
appear." Then the knight directs his steed and makes a very
skilful thrust against a certain knight, whom he strikes so hard
that he carries him a hundred feet or more from his horse. His
feats with sword and lance are so well performed that there is
none of the onlookers who does not find pleasure in watching him.
Many even of those who bear arms find pleasure and satisfaction
|
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Euthyphro by Plato: be dear to another, and the same action may be both pious and impious; e.g.
your chastisement of your father, Euthyphro, may be dear or pleasing to
Zeus (who inflicted a similar chastisement on his own father), but not
equally pleasing to Cronos or Uranus (who suffered at the hands of their
sons).
Euthyphro answers that there is no difference of opinion, either among gods
or men, as to the propriety of punishing a murderer. Yes, rejoins
Socrates, when they know him to be a murderer; but you are assuming the
point at issue. If all the circumstances of the case are considered, are
you able to show that your father was guilty of murder, or that all the
gods are agreed in approving of our prosecution of him? And must you not
|
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Soul of the Far East by Percival Lowell: in Europe; if anything, that at the present time it is rather
stronger. The average Brahman, Mahometan, or Buddhist is quite as
devout as the ordinary Roman Catholic or Presbyterian. If he is
somewhat less given to propagandism, he is not a whit less regardful
of his own salvation. Yet throughout the Orient truth is a thing
unknown, lies of courtesy being de rigueur and lies of convenience
de raison; while with us, fortunately, mendacity is generally
discredited. But we need not travel so far for proof. The same is
evident in less antipodal relations. Have the least religious
nations of Europe been any less truthful than the most bigoted? Was
fanatic Spain remarkable for veracity? Was Loyola a gentleman whose
|
