| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Plutarch's Lives by A. H. Clough: countermarch, and, passing the mountain Amanus, he ravaged an
the lower country as far as Cyrrhestica.
Upon this, Seleucus advancing towards him and encamping at no
great distance, Demetrius set his troops in motion to surprise
him by night. And almost to the last moment Seleucus knew
nothing, and was lying asleep. Some deserter came with the
tidings just so soon that he had time to leap, in great
consternation, out of bed, and give the alarm to his men. And
as he was putting on his boots to mount his horse, he bade the
officers about him look well to it, for they had to meet a
furious and terrible wild beast. But Demetrius, by the noise he
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Golden Sayings of Epictetus by Epictetus: escape anything of that kind. But of mortification of the soul we
are utterly heedless. With regard, indeed, to the soul, if a man
is in such a state as to be incapable of following or
understanding anything, I grant you we do think him in a bad way.
But mortification of the sense of shame and modesty we go so far
as to dub strength of mind!
XXIV
If we were as intent upon our business as the old fellows at
Rome are upon what interests them, we too might perhaps
accomplish something. I know a man older than I am, now
Superintendent of the Corn-market at Rome, and I remember when he
 The Golden Sayings of Epictetus |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from From the Earth to the Moon by Jules Verne: the American coast?"
"Certainly, Bronsfield, there is a great depression," said
Captain Blomsberry. "In this spot there is a submarine valley
worn by Humboldt's current, which skirts the coast of America as
far as the Straits of Magellan."
"These great depths," continued the lieutenant, "are not
favorable for laying telegraphic cables. A level bottom, like
that supporting the American cable between Valentia and
Newfoundland, is much better."
"I agree with you, Bronsfield. With your permission,
lieutenant, where are we now?"
 From the Earth to the Moon |