| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Iliad by Homer: for the Achaeans can hold all of them in check, but I much fear
that some evil will befall us here where furious Hector, who
boasts himself the son of great Jove himself, is leading them on
like a pillar of flame. May some god, then, put it into your
hearts to make a firm stand here, and to incite others to do the
like. In this case you will drive him from the ships even though
he be inspired by Jove himself."
As he spoke the earth-encircling lord of the earthquake struck
both of them with his sceptre and filled their hearts with
daring. He made their legs light and active, as also their hands
and their feet. Then, as the soaring falcon poises on the wing
The Iliad |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Memorabilia by Xenophon: [5] It is almost a proverb--"Sound of body and limb is hale and
strong." "Qui valet praevalebit."
[6] e.g. Socrates himself, according to Alcibiades, ap. Plat. "Symp."
221 B; and for the word {euskhemonos} see Arist. "Wasps," 1210,
"like a gentleman"; L. and S.; "Cyr." I. iii. 8; Aristot. "Eth.
N." i. 10, 13, "gracefully."
Because our city does not practise military training in public,[7]
that is no reason for neglecting it in private, but rather a reason
for making it a foremost care. For be you assured that there is no
contest of any sort, nor any transaction, in which you will be the
worse off for being well prepared in body; and in fact there is
The Memorabilia |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Divine Comedy (translated by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow) by Dante Alighieri: Oblivious to go and make them fair.
One from among them saw I coming forward,
As to embrace me, with such great affection,
That it incited me to do the like.
O empty shadows, save in aspect only!
Three times behind it did I clasp my hands,
As oft returned with them to my own breast!
I think with wonder I depicted me;
Whereat the shadow smiled and backward drew;
And I, pursuing it, pressed farther forward.
Gently it said that I should stay my steps;
The Divine Comedy (translated by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow) |
