| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Sons of the Soil by Honore de Balzac: the lieutenant. "It would be wise, for the sake of the future, to be
reconciled with him."
"With him!" cried the count. "Then you don't know that he was my
former steward, and a swindler!"
"A swindler no longer," said the lieutenant, "for he is mayor of
Ville-aux-Fayes."
"Ha, ha!" laughed Blondet, "the lieutenant's wit is keen; evidently a
mayor is essentially an honest man."
The lieutenant, convinced by the count's words that it was useless to
attempt to enlighten him, said no more on that subject, and the
conversation changed.
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Apology by Xenophon: are; and perhaps you will tell us if you know of any one who, under my
influence, has been changed from a religous into an irreligious man;
who, from being sober-minded, has become prodigal; from being a
moderate drinker has become a wine-bibber and a drunkard; from being a
lover of healthy honest toil has become effeminate, or under the
thrall of some other wicked pleasure."
[28] Lit. "whom do you know," and so throughout.
[29] Cf. Plat. "Phaed." 66 C.
[30] Or, "so attempered and adjusted." The phrase savours of "cynic."
theory.
[31] Or, "present no temptation to him"; lit. "that he stands in no
The Apology |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Meno by Plato: MENO: No indeed, Socrates, they are anything but agreed; you may hear them
saying at one time that virtue can be taught, and then again the reverse.
SOCRATES: Can we call those teachers who do not acknowledge the
possibility of their own vocation?
MENO: I think not, Socrates.
SOCRATES: And what do you think of these Sophists, who are the only
professors? Do they seem to you to be teachers of virtue?
MENO: I often wonder, Socrates, that Gorgias is never heard promising to
teach virtue: and when he hears others promising he only laughs at them;
but he thinks that men should be taught to speak.
SOCRATES: Then do you not think that the Sophists are teachers?
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