| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Menexenus by Plato: element is always tending to prevail over the rhetorical. The remark has
been often made, that in the Funeral Oration of Thucydides there is no
allusion to the existence of the dead. But in the Menexenus a future state
is clearly, although not strongly, asserted.
Whether the Menexenus is a genuine writing of Plato, or an imitation only,
remains uncertain. In either case, the thoughts are partly borrowed from
the Funeral Oration of Thucydides; and the fact that they are so, is not in
favour of the genuineness of the work. Internal evidence seems to leave
the question of authorship in doubt. There are merits and there are
defects which might lead to either conclusion. The form of the greater
part of the work makes the enquiry difficult; the introduction and the
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from All's Well That Ends Well by William Shakespeare: To talk of your good father. In his youth
He had the wit which I can well observe
To-day in our young lords; but they may jest
Till their own scorn return to them unnoted,
Ere they can hide their levity in honour
So like a courtier: contempt nor bitterness
Were in his pride or sharpness; if they were,
His equal had awak'd them; and his honour,
Clock to itself, knew the true minute when
Exception bid him speak, and at this time
His tongue obey'd his hand: who were below him
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Koran: goal; that is God, your Lord! His is the kingdom; but those ye call on
beside Him possess not a straw.
If you call upon them they cannot hear your call, and if they hear
they cannot answer you; and on the resurrection day they will deny
your associating them with God; but none can inform thee like the
One who is aware.
O ye folk! ye are in need of God; but God, He is independent,
praiseworthy.
If He please He will take you off, and will bring a fresh
creation; for that is no hard matter unto God.
And no burdened soul shall bear the burden of another; and if a
The Koran |
