| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Crito by Plato: Thessaly and other places.
Socrates is afraid that Crito is but pressing upon him the opinions of the
many: whereas, all his life long he has followed the dictates of reason
only and the opinion of the one wise or skilled man. There was a time when
Crito himself had allowed the propriety of this. And although some one
will say 'the many can kill us,' that makes no difference; but a good life,
in other words, a just and honourable life, is alone to be valued. All
considerations of loss of reputation or injury to his children should be
dismissed: the only question is whether he would be right in attempting to
escape. Crito, who is a disinterested person not having the fear of death
before his eyes, shall answer this for him. Before he was condemned they
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Four Arthurian Romances by Chretien DeTroyes: Erec replies: "You had an evil thought, when you transgressed my
command--a thing which I had forbidden you. And yet I knew all
the time that you did not hold me in esteem. Your service has
been ill employed; for it has not awakened my gratitude, but
rather kindled the more my ire. I have told you that once, and I
say it again. This once again I will pardon you; but another
time restrain yourself, and do not again turn around to watch me:
for in doing so you would be very foolish. I do not relish your
words." Then he spurs across the field toward his adversary, and
they come together. Each seeks out and assails the other. Erec
strikes him with such force that his shield flies from his neck,
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Touchstone by Edith Wharton: moment and then went on with a deepening note--"I would have
spoken if I could have helped you."
"But you must have despised me."
"I've told you that would have been simpler."
"But how could you go on like this--hating the money?"
"I knew you would speak in time. I wanted you, first, to hate it
as I did."
He gazed at her with a kind of awe. "You're wonderful," he
murmured. "But you don't yet know the depths I've reached."
She raised an entreating hand. "I don't want to!"
"You're afraid, then, that you'll hate me?"
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