| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Allan Quatermain by H. Rider Haggard: were young -- perhaps five-and-twenty years of age -- both were
tall and exquisitely formed; but there the likeness stopped.
One, Nyleptha, was a woman of dazzling fairness; her right arm
and breast bare, after the custom of her people, showed like
snow even against her white and gold-embroidered 'kaf', or toga.
And as for her sweet face, all I can say is, that it was one
that few men could look on and forget. Her hair, a veritable
crown of gold, clustered in short ringlets over her shapely head,
half hiding the ivory brow, beneath which eyes of deep and glorious
grey flashed out in tender majesty. I cannot attempt to describe
her other features, only the mouth was most sweet, and curved
Allan Quatermain |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Alcibiades II by Platonic Imitator: Surely, they are not the only maladies which exist?
ALCIBIADES: Certainly not.
SOCRATES: And is every kind of ophthalmia a disease?
ALCIBIADES: Yes.
SOCRATES: And every disease ophthalmia?
ALCIBIADES: Surely not. But I scarcely understand what I mean myself.
SOCRATES: Perhaps, if you give me your best attention, 'two of us' looking
together, we may find what we seek.
ALCIBIADES: I am attending, Socrates, to the best of my power.
SOCRATES: We are agreed, then, that every form of ophthalmia is a disease,
but not every disease ophthalmia?
|
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from On Horsemanship by Xenophon: If it ever happens that you have an enemy's camp in front, and cavalry
skirmishing is the order of the day (at one time charging the enemy
right up to the hostile battle-line, and again beating a retreat),
under these circumstances it is well to bear in mind that so long as
the skirmisher is close to his own party,[12] valour and discretion
alike dictate to wheel and charge in the vanguard might and main; but
when he finds himself in close proximity to the foe, he must keep his
horse well in hand. This, in all probability, will enable him to do
the greatest mischief to the enemy, and to receive least damage at his
hands.
[12] See "Hipparch," viii. 23.
On Horsemanship |
