| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Light of Western Stars by Zane Grey: "Wal, by Gawd! You, Gene Stewart! What's come over you? Why,
man, go in the house, an' I'll 'tend to this feller. Then
to-morrow you can ride in an' give yourself up like a gentleman."
"No. I'll go. Thanks, Bill, for the way you and the boys would
stick to me. Hurry, Hawe, before my mind changes."
His voice broke at the last, betraying the wonderful control he
had kept over his passions. As he ceased speaking he seemed
suddenly to become spiritless. He dropped his head.
Madeline saw in him then a semblance to the hopeless, shamed
Stewart of earlier days. The vague riot in her breast leaped
into conscious fury--a woman's passionate repudiation of
The Light of Western Stars |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Memorabilia by Xenophon: lessons. After he had gone through the course he came back, and
Socrates proceeded playfully to banter him.
Soc. Behold our young friend, sirs, as Homer says of Agamemnon, of
mein majestical,[6] so he; does he not seem to move more majestically,
like one who has studied to be a general? Of course, just as a man who
has learned to play the harp is a harper, even if he never touch the
instrument, or as one who has studied medicine is a physician, though
he does not practise, so our friend here from this time forward is now
and ever shall be a general, even though he does not receive a vote at
the elections. But the dunce who has not the science is neither
general nor doctor, no, not even if the whole world appointed him. But
The Memorabilia |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Agesilaus by Xenophon: counting the common salvation of all a gain, and reckoning it as a
loss if even a mean man perished. For thus he reasoned, nor made a
secret of the conclusion he had come to: so long as her citizens
continued tranquilly adherent to the laws the happiness of Sparta was
secure.[7] And for the rest Sparta would once again be strong on that
day when the states of Hellas should learn wisdom.
[3] Or, "he was at the same time the most obvious in his allegiance to
the laws."
[4] Lit. "would have taken on himself . . . would have ventured on
revolution."
[5] Lit. "as a father to his children."
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