| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Memorabilia by Xenophon: Thus he the best sort us'd; the worst, whose spirits brake out in noise,[33]
He cudgell'd with his sceptre, chid, and said, "Stay, wretch, be still,
And hear thy betters; thou art base, and both in power and skill
Poor and unworthy, without name in counsel or in war."
We must not all be kings.
[31] See below, III. ix. 9.
[32] "Il." ii. 188 foll., 199 foll. (so Chapman).
[33] Lit. "But whatever man of the people he saw and found him
shouting."--W. Leaf.
The accuser informs us that Socrates interpreted these lines as though
the poet approved the giving of blows to commoners and poor folk. Now
The Memorabilia |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Sons and Lovers by D. H. Lawrence: in St. Mary's. Dark figures came through the lighted doors;
people were coming down the steps. The large coloured windows glowed
up in the night. The church was like a great lantern suspended.
They went down Hollow Stone, and he took the car for the Bridges.
"You will just have supper with me," he said: "then I'll
bring you back."
"Very well," she replied, low and husky.
They scarcely spoke while they were on the car. The Trent
ran dark and full under the bridge. Away towards Colwick all was
black night. He lived down Holme Road, on the naked edge of the town,
facing across the river meadows towards Sneinton Hermitage and the
Sons and Lovers |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Koran: Say, 'Had God pleased, should not have recited it to you, nor taught
you therewith. I have tarried a lifetime amongst you before it;-
have ye not then any sense?'
Who is more unjust than he who forges against God a lie, or says His
signs are lies? verily, the sinners shall not prosper.
They worship beside God what can neither harm them nor profit
them, and they say, 'These are our intercessors with God!' Say,
'Will ye inform God of aught in the heavens or the earth, that He
knows not of?' Celebrated be His praise! and exalted be He, above what
they associate with Him!
People were but one nation once, then they disagreed; and had it not
The Koran |
