| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Maid Marian by Thomas Love Peacock: "IV. All such of the old laws of England as do not in any
way interfere with, or militate against, the views of this
honourable assembly, we will loyally adhere to and maintain.
The rest we declare null and void as far as relates to ourselves,
in all cases wherein a vigour beyond the law may be conducive
to our own interest and preservation."
"The articles of Equity are three:
"I. The balance of power among the people being very much deranged,
by one having too much and another nothing, we hereby resolve ourselves
into a congress or court of equity, to restore as far as in us lies
the said natural balance of power, by taking from all who have
|
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Golden Sayings of Epictetus by Epictetus: Weigh these things fully, and then, if you will, lay to your
hand; if as the price of these things you would gain Freedom,
Tranquillity, and passionless Serenity.
CV
He that hath no musical instruction is a child in Music; he
that hath no letters is a child in Learning; he that is untaught
is a child in Life.
CVI
Can any profit be derived from these men? Aye, from all.
"What, even from a reviler?"
"Why, tell me what profit a wrestler gains from him you
The Golden Sayings of Epictetus |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Phaedo by Plato: writings of Plato is the theory of them so completely developed. Whether
the belief in immortality can be attributed to Socrates or not is
uncertain; the silence of the Memorabilia, and of the earlier Dialogues of
Plato, is an argument to the contrary. Yet in the Cyropaedia Xenophon has
put language into the mouth of the dying Cyrus which recalls the Phaedo,
and may have been derived from the teaching of Socrates. It may be fairly
urged that the greatest religious interest of mankind could not have been
wholly ignored by one who passed his life in fulfilling the commands of an
oracle, and who recognized a Divine plan in man and nature. (Xen. Mem.)
And the language of the Apology and of the Crito confirms this view.
The Phaedo is not one of the Socratic Dialogues of Plato; nor, on the other
|
