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A general account of bonding<br />
antecedent deliberation, and the opportunity must be quickly seized when<br />
it presents itself, such that he who can bind will act and bind as soon as<br />
possible.<br />
27. The eyes of the bonding agent. Bonds are so subtle, and that which is<br />
bound is so barely sensible in its depths, that it is possible to examine them<br />
only fleetingly and superficially. They change from moment to moment<br />
and are related to the bonding agent like Thetis fleeing from the embraces<br />
of Peleus. It is necessary to study the sequence of the changes and how the<br />
power of a subsequent form is influenced by its predecessor, for although<br />
matter is indeterminate in relation to innumerable forms, still its present<br />
form is not equally distant from all the others. Rather, only one of those<br />
forms is the immediate successor, others follow after many or a few intermediaries,<br />
and one is located the furthest away of all. Thus, just as the form<br />
of blood immediately follows the form of chyle, so do the bonds of anger<br />
follow the bonds of indignation, and the bonds of sadness follow the bonds<br />
of anger, as yellow bile easily becomes dark. Hence, after having carefully<br />
observed the disposition and the present qualities influencing Thetis,<br />
Peleus planned and prepared ahead of time the bond to win her over before<br />
she might change into some other form, knowing full well that a snake and<br />
a lion and a wild boar are captured in different ways.<br />
28. The enticements of the bonding agent. A bonding agent does not easily<br />
bind someone who can be bound, just as a military commander does not<br />
easily capture a well-protected fortress unless entry is provided by an internal<br />
traitor, or by some arrangement with a collaborator, or by surrender or<br />
by some sort of a compliant official. Thus, in her own realm, Venus does<br />
not bind and does not easily capture the fortress when goblets are empty,<br />
when the spirit is disturbed and when anxiety is aflame. But the fortress is<br />
handed over when the goblets overflow, and the soul is at rest, the mind is<br />
quiet and the body is at leisure. Having closely observed the changes of<br />
these guards and custodians, one must suddenly act with boldness, attack<br />
with force, use all resources and never hesitate. This same course of action<br />
must be followed in other acts of binding.<br />
29. The steps in bonding. A bonding agent does not unite a soul to himself<br />
unless he has captured it; it is not captured unless it has been bound; he<br />
does not bind it unless he has joined himself to it; he is not joined to it<br />
unless he has approached it; he has not approached it unless he has moved;<br />
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