The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Alcibiades II by Platonic Imitator: only the other day, how Archelaus of Macedonia was slain by his beloved
(compare Aristotle, Pol.), whose love for the tyranny was not less than
that of Archelaus for him. The tyrannicide expected by his crime to become
tyrant and afterwards to have a happy life; but when he had held the
tyranny three or four days, he was in his turn conspired against and slain.
Or look at certain of our own citizens,--and of their actions we have been
not hearers, but eyewitnesses,--who have desired to obtain military
command: of those who have gained their object, some are even to this day
exiles from the city, while others have lost their lives. And even they
who seem to have fared best, have not only gone through many perils and
terrors during their office, but after their return home they have been
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from All's Well That Ends Well by William Shakespeare: FIRST LORD.
He can come no other way but by this hedge-corner. When you sally
upon him, speak what terrible language you will; though you
understand it not yourselves, no matter; for we must not seem to
understand him, unless some one among us, whom we must produce
for an interpreter.
FIRST SOLDIER.
Good captain, let me be the interpreter.
FIRST LORD.
Art not acquainted with him? knows he not thy voice?
FIRST SOLDIER.
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from St. Ives by Robert Louis Stevenson: stony Bethiah was - how shall I say? - dazzled, but scandalised, by
my appearance; and while, of course, she deplored the vanity that
led to it, she could not wholly prevent herself from admiring the
result.
'Ay, Mr. Ducie, this is a poor employment for a wayfaring Christian
man!' she said. 'Wi' Christ despised and rejectit in all pairts of
the world and the flag of the Covenant flung doon, you will be
muckle better on your knees! However, I'll have to confess that it
sets you weel. And if it's the lassie ye're gaun to see the nicht,
I suppose I'll just have to excuse ye! Bairns maun be bairns!' she
said, with a sigh. 'I mind when Mr. McRankine came courtin', and
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