| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Euthydemus by Plato: maintain no man to be ignorant?
Refute me, he said.
But how can I refute you, if, as you say, to tell a falsehood is
impossible?
Very true, said Euthydemus.
Neither did I tell you just now to refute me, said Dionysodorus; for how
can I tell you to do that which is not?
O Euthydemus, I said, I have but a dull conception of these subtleties and
excellent devices of wisdom; I am afraid that I hardly understand them, and
you must forgive me therefore if I ask a very stupid question: if there be
no falsehood or false opinion or ignorance, there can be no such thing as
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Crito by Plato: age does not prevent them from repining.
SOCRATES: That is true. But you have not told me why you come at this
early hour.
CRITO: I come to bring you a message which is sad and painful; not, as I
believe, to yourself, but to all of us who are your friends, and saddest of
all to me.
SOCRATES: What? Has the ship come from Delos, on the arrival of which I
am to die?
CRITO: No, the ship has not actually arrived, but she will probably be
here to-day, as persons who have come from Sunium tell me that they have
left her there; and therefore to-morrow, Socrates, will be the last day of
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde: and Markby.
LADY BRACKNELL. Markby, Markby, and Markby? A firm of the very
highest position in their profession. Indeed I am told that one of
the Mr. Markby's is occasionally to be seen at dinner parties. So
far I am satisfied.
JACK. [Very irritably.] How extremely kind of you, Lady
Bracknell! I have also in my possession, you will be pleased to
hear, certificates of Miss Cardew's birth, baptism, whooping cough,
registration, vaccination, confirmation, and the measles; both the
German and the English variety.
LADY BRACKNELL. Ah! A life crowded with incident, I see; though
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