| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Cavalry General by Xenophon: Under such circumstances the custom usually is for either party after
wheeling to set off at a slow pace and to gallop full speed only in
the middle of the course. But now suppose that a commander, after
making feint[26] in this style, presently on wheeling quickens for the
charge and quickens to retire--he will be able to hit the enemy far
harder, and pull through absolutely without scathe himself most
likely; through charging at full speed whilst in proximity to his own
stronghold (or main body), and quickening to a gallop as he retires
from the stronghold (or main body) of the enemy. If further, he could
secretly contrive to leave behind four or five troopers, the bravest
and best mounted of the squadron, it would give them an immense
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Lysis by Plato: I suppose, he said, because I understand the one, and not the other.
Yes, my dear youth, I said, the reason is not any deficiency of years, but
a deficiency of knowledge; and whenever your father thinks that you are
wiser than he is, he will instantly commit himself and his possessions to
you.
I think so.
Aye, I said; and about your neighbour, too, does not the same rule hold as
about your father? If he is satisfied that you know more of housekeeping
than he does, will he continue to administer his affairs himself, or will
he commit them to you?
I think that he will commit them to me.
Lysis |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Arrow of Gold by Joseph Conrad: words: "Madame should listen to her heart." A wave from the
atmosphere of another house rolled in, overwhelming and fiery,
seductive and cruel, through the Blunt vibration, bursting through
it as through tissue paper and filling my heart with sweet murmurs
and distracting images, till it seemed to break, leaving an empty
stillness in my breast.
After that for a long time I heard Mme. Blunt mere talking with
extreme fluency and I even caught the individual words, but I could
not in the revulsion of my feelings get hold of the sense. She
talked apparently of life in general, of its difficulties, moral
and physical, of its surprising turns, of its unexpected contacts,
The Arrow of Gold |
