| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Symposium by Xenophon: grudge it to no man now. To all my friends without distinction I am
ready to display my opulence: come one, come all; and whosoever likes
to take a share is welcome to the wealth that lies within my soul.
Yes, and moreover, that most luxurious of possessions,[65] unbroken
leisure, you can see, is mine, which leaves me free to contemplate
things worthy of contemplation,[66] and to drink in with my ears all
charming sounds. And what I value most, freedom to spend whole days in
pure scholastic intercourse[67] with Socrates, to whom I am
devoted.[68] And he, on his side, is not the person to admire those
whose tale of gold and silver happens to be the largest, but those who
are well-pleasing to him he chooses for companions, and will consort
 The Symposium |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Pool in the Desert by Sara Jeanette Duncan: 'If she would only behave!' thought Madeline, looking on, 'I would
tell her--indeed I would--at once.'
Colonel Innes detached himself from a group of men in mess dress as
she appeared with the Worsleys, and let himself drift with the tide
that brought them always together.
'You are looking tired--ill,' she said, seriously, as they sought
the unconfessed solace of each other's eyes. 'Last night it was the
Commander-in-Chief's, and the night before the dance at Peliti's.
And again tonight. And you are not like those of us who can rest
next morning--you have always your heavy office work!' She spoke
with indignant, tender reproach, and he gave himself up to hearing
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from On Horsemanship by Xenophon: chance of being cheated in the purchase of a colt or full-grown horse;
secondly, how to escape as much as possible the risk of injuring your
purchase by mishandling; and lastly, how to succeed in turning out a
horse possessed of all the qualities demanded by the cavalry soldier
for the purposes of war.
The time has come perhaps to add a few suggestions, in case the rider
should be called upon to deal with an animal either unduly spirited or
again unduly sluggish in disposition. The first point to recognise is,
that temper of spirit in a horse takes the place of passion or anger
in a man; and just as you may best escape exciting a man's ill-temper
by avoiding harshness of speech and act, so you will best avoid
 On Horsemanship |