| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Alcibiades II by Platonic Imitator: impossibility of knowing a thing badly: for it was no less a person than
he who said of Margites that 'he knew many things, but knew them all
badly.' The solution of the riddle is this, I imagine:--By 'badly' Homer
meant 'bad' and 'knew' stands for 'to know.' Put the words together;--the
metre will suffer, but the poet's meaning is clear;--'Margites knew all
these things, but it was bad for him to know them.' And, obviously, if it
was bad for him to know so many things, he must have been a good-for-
nothing, unless the argument has played us false.
ALCIBIADES: But I do not think that it has, Socrates: at least, if the
argument is fallacious, it would be difficult for me to find another which
I could trust.
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Nana, Miller's Daughter, Captain Burle, Death of Olivier Becaille by Emile Zola: miser" and "nigger" their two paying visitors, one of whom was a
tradesman of economical tendencies from the Faubourg Saint-Denis,
while the other was a Walachian, a mock count, whose money, paid
always at the most irregular intervals, never looked as though it
had been honestly come by. Daguenet had made Nana give him the days
subsequent to the old miser's visits, and as the trader had to be at
home by eight o'clock in the morning, the young man would watch for
his departure from Zoes kitchen and would take his place, which was
still quite warm, till ten o'clock. Then he, too, would go about
his business. Nana and he were wont to think it a very comfortable
arrangement.
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Agesilaus by Xenophon: appointed general-in-chief of the royal forces he would revolt from
the king. "Whereas, if I do become general," he added, "I mean to make
war upon you, Agesilaus, might and main," thus revealing his
confidence that, say what he might, nothing would befall him contrary
to the terms of truce. Of so intrinsic a value to all, and not least
to a general in the field, is the proud possession of an honest and
God-fearing character, known and recognised. Thus far, as touching the
quality of piety.
[1] See "Hell." III. iv. 10; Plut. "Ages." xi. (Clough, iv. 9).
[2] See "Hell." IV. i. 3; Plut. "Ages." xi. (Clough, iv. 13).
[3] Diod. xvi. 34.
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