| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Magic of Oz by L. Frank Baum: don't realize how jolly it is, but when he gets sick he 'members the
time he was well, an' wishes that time would come back. Most folks
forget to thank God for givin' 'em two good legs, till they lose one o'
'em, like I did; and then it's too late, 'cept to praise God for
leavin' one."
"Your wooden leg ain't so bad, Cap'n," she remarked, looking at it
critically. "Anyhow, it don't take root on a Magic Island, like our
meat legs do."
"I ain't complainin'," said Cap'n Bill. "What's that swimmin'
towards us, Trot?" he added, looking over the Magic Flower and across
the water.
The Magic of Oz |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Agesilaus by Xenophon: assertion should excite discredit, I may name some illustrious
examples. Such was Spithridates the Persian, who knew that
Pharnabazus,[1] whilst negotiating to marry the daughter of the great
king, was minded to seize his own daughter unwedded. Resenting such
brutality, Spithridates delivered up himself, his wife, his children,
and his whole power, into the hands of Agesilaus. Cotys[2] also, the
ruler of Paphlagonia, had refused to obey a summons from the king,
although he sent him the warrant of his right hand;[3] then fear came
upon him lest he should be seized, and either be heavily fined or die
the death; yet he too, simply trusting to an armistice, came to the
camp of Agesilaus and made alliance, and of his own accord chose to
|
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Apology by Xenophon: the real victor in this suit. Well! well!" he added, "Homer[57] has
ascribed to some at the point of death a power of forecasting things
to be, and I too am minded to utter a prophecy. Once, for a brief
space, I associated with the son of Anytus, and he seemed to me not
lacking in strength of soul; and what I say is, he will not adhere
long to the slavish employment which his father has prepared for him,
but, in the absence of any earnest friend and guardian, he is like to
be led into some base passion and go to great lengths in depravity."
[55] Son of Anthemion. See Plat. "Men." 90 B, {airountai goun auton
epi tas megistas arkhas}, Plut. "Alc." 4; id. "Coriol." 14;
Aristot. "Ath. Pol." 27, 25, re {to dekazein}; 34, 23. A moderate
The Apology |
