The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Venus and Adonis by William Shakespeare: Having no fair to lose, you need not fear;
The sun doth scorn you, and the wind doth hiss you:
But when Adonis liv'd, sun and sharp air 1085
Lurk'd like two thieves, to rob him of his fair:
'And therefore would he put his bonnet on,
Under whose brim the gaudy sun would peep; 1088
The wind would blow it off, and, being gone,
Play with his locks: then would Adonis weep;
And straight, in pity of his tender years,
They both would strive who first should dry his tears.
'To see his face the lion walk'd along 1093
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Hellenica by Xenophon: the merest corner of their territory.
[1] Lit. "ninety stades."
Time advanced, and Teleutias was in conduct of another expedition
against the city of Olynthus. His object was to destroy any timber[2]
still left standing, or fields still cultivated in the hostile
territory. This brought out the Olynthian cavalry, who, stealthily
advancing, crossed the river which washes the walls of the town, and
again continued their silent march right up to the adversary's camp.
At sight of an audacity which nettled him, Teleutias at once ordered
Tlemonidas, the officer commanding his light infantry division, to
charge the assailants at the run. On their side the men of Olynthus,
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Study of a Woman by Honore de Balzac: The marquise could not help smiling, though she wished to seem
offended.
"Why deceive?" she said, with a disdainful air, although the tones of
her voice were gentle. "Now that I have duly scolded you, I am willing
to laugh at a subterfuge which is not without cleverness. I know many
women who would be taken in by it: 'Heavens! how he loves me!' they
would say."
Here the marquise gave a forced laugh, and then added, in a tone of
indulgence:--
"If we desire to continue friends let there be no more MISTAKES, of
which it is impossible that I should be the dupe."
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