Missed Opportunities

     The tale of Doctor Faustus is chockfull of missed opportunities that Faustus let slip through his grasp. I find it supremely annoying that he continuously pushes these opportunities aside in favor of the magic provided by Lucifer. Since the beginning of his history, Faustus had an angel from both heaven and hell. In my mind, this solidifies that there is an attainable heaven in this story. If Faustus had only listened to the good angel as he told Faustus to "lay that damned book aside", Faustus could have been saved much turmoil. But as someone who doesn't listen the first time, I can understand Faustus' chosen ignorance at this point in his history. Yet there are several more instances in which Faustus could have caste aside his devilry and righted his soul with god. Shortly after having received Mephastophilis as his servant, Faustus has doubts, shown when he poses the question "..who made the world?" to his servant. When Mephastophilis refuses to answer, Faustus rejects him saying "Go accursed spirit [Mephastophilis] to ugly hell....Is't not too late?" It is here that Faustus' plea for god is answered by the good angel who returns to tell Faustus that (of course) it is never too late. However, Faustus falls prey to Lucifer who appears with the deadly sins. Faustus once more turns away from god. Near the end of his tragic history, Faustus once again experiences the light of god's messengers. An old man cautions Faustus against his way of life. The man offers Faustus "a vial full of precious grace...to pour into thy [Faustus'] soul". Faustus, under the influence of Mephastophilis, rejects the old man's offer. It in not until the hour of his death that Faustus truly repents and pleads with god to "hide me [Faustus] from the heavy wrath of God." Par to the course, Faustus' pleas come too late. Although we are not given a specific line stating that Faustus goes to hell, we assume that he has gone there as the final scene has Faustus exiting with Mephastophilis. I suppose my irritation with Faustus' many rejections of god and his too-late repentance is that it hits so close to home. It seems that Doctor Faustus shows us the underlying nature of humanity. As a race, we seem to believe that we have unlimited time as Faustus did believe of himself. After "four-and-twenty years hath Faustus lost eternal joy and felicity", Faustus finally comes to terms with his reality. Maybe Christopher Marlowe hoped to keep his audience from the same fate.
What was happening in Scene 10 (with the horse-courser)? How is it that when Faustus gave the grapes to the duchess that he explained to the duke that the southern hemisphere was in the opposite season? I would think that a duke would be well educated and so would know such information.