Meditations by Marcus Aurelius (top romance novels .txt) 📖
- Author: Marcus Aurelius
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without life, or things without reason, or things that have rambled and
know not the way.
23. As to the animals which have no reason, and generally all things and
objects, do thou, since thou hast reason and they have none, make use of
them with a generous and liberal spirit. But towards human beings, as
they have reason, behave in a social spirit. And on all occasions call on
the gods, and do not perplex thyself about the length of time in which
thou shalt do this; for even three hours so spent are sufficient.
24. Alexander the Macedonian and his groom by death were brought to the
same state; for either they were received among the same seminal
principles of the universe, or they were alike dispersed among the atoms.
25. Consider how many things in the same indivisible time take place in
each of us,—things which concern the body and things which concern the
soul: and so thou wilt not wonder if many more things, or rather all
things which come into existence in that which is the one and all, which
we call Cosmos, exist in it at the same time.
26. If any man should propose to thee the question, how the name
Antoninus is written, wouldst thou with a straining of the voice utter
each letter? What then if they grow angry, wilt thou be angry too? Wilt
thou not go on with composure and number every letter? Just so then in
this life also remember that every duty is made up of certain parts.
These it is thy duty to observe, and without being disturbed or showing
anger towards those who are angry with thee to go on thy way and finish
that which is set before thee.
27. How cruel it is not to allow men to strive after the things which
appear to them to be suitable to their nature and profitable! And yet in
a manner thou dost not allow them to do this, when thou art vexed because
they do wrong. For they are certainly moved towards things because they
suppose them to be suitable to their nature and profitable to them.—But
it is not so.—Teach them then, and show them without being angry.
28. Death is a cessation of the impressions through the senses, and of
the pulling of the strings which move the appetites, and of the
discursive movements of the thoughts, and of the service to the flesh
(II. 12).
29. It is a shame for the soul to be first to give way in this life, when
thy body does not give way.
30. Take care that thou art not made into a Caesar, that thou art not
dyed with this dye; for such things happen. Keep thyself then simple,
good, pure, serious, free from affectation, a friend of justice, a
worshipper of the gods, kind, affectionate, strenuous in all proper acts.
Strive to continue to be such as philosophy wished to make thee.
Reverence the gods, and help men. Short is life. There is only one fruit
of this terrene life,—a pious disposition and social acts. Do everything
as a disciple of Antoninus. Remember his constancy in every act which was
conformable to reason, and his evenness in all things, and his piety, and
the serenity of his countenance, and his sweetness, and his disregard of
empty fame, and his efforts to understand things; and how he would never
let anything pass without having first most carefully examined it and
clearly understood it; and how he bore with those who blamed him unjustly
without blaming them in return; how he did nothing in a hurry; and how he
listened not to calumnies, and how exact an examiner of manners and
actions he was; and not given to reproach people, nor timid, nor
suspicious, nor a sophist; and with how little he was satisfied, such as
lodging, bed, dress, food, servants; and how laborious and patient; and
how he was able on account of his sparing diet to hold out to the
evening; and his firmness and uniformity in his friendships; and how he
tolerated freedom of speech in those who opposed his opinions; and the
pleasure that he had when any man showed him anything better; and how
religious he was without superstition. Imitate all this, that thou mayest
have as good a conscience, when thy last hour comes, as he had.
31. Return to thy sober senses and call thyself back; and when thou hast
roused thyself from sleep and hast perceived that they were only dreams
which troubled thee, now in thy waking hours look at these [the things
about thee] as thou didst look at those [the dreams].
32. I consist of a little body and a soul. Now to this little body all
things are indifferent, for it is not able to perceive differences. But
to the understanding those things only are indifferent which are not the
works of its own activity. But whatever things are the works of its own
activity, all these are in its power. And of these however only those
which are done with reference to the present; for as to the future and
the past activities of the mind, even these are for the present
indifferent.
33. Neither the labor which the hand does nor that of the foot is
contrary to nature, so long as the foot does the foot’s work and the hand
the hand’s. So then neither to a man as a man is his labor contrary to
nature, so long as it does the things of a man. But if the labor is not
contrary to his nature, neither is it an evil to him.
34. How many pleasures have been enjoyed by robbers, patricides, tyrants.
35. Dost thou not see how the handicraftsmen accommodate themselves up to
a certain point to those who are not skilled in their craft,—
nevertheless they cling to the reason [the principles] of their art, and
do not endure to depart from it? Is it not strange if the architect and
the physician shall have more respect to the reason [the principles] of
their own arts than man to his own reason, which is common to him and the
gods?
36. Asia, Europe, are corners of the universe; all the sea a drop in the
universe; Athos a little clod of the universe: all the present time is a
point in eternity. All things are little, changeable, perishable. All
things come from thence, from that universal ruling power either directly
preceding or by way of sequence. And accordingly the lion’s gaping jaws,
and that which is poisonous, and every harmful thing, as a thorn, as mud,
are after-products of the grand and beautiful. Do not then imagine that
they are of another kind from that which thou dost venerate, but form a
just opinion of the source of all (VII. 75).
37. He who has seen present things has seen all, both everything which
has taken place from all eternity and everything which will be for time
without end; for all things are of one kin and of one form.
38. Frequently consider the connection of all things in the universe and
their relation to one another. For in a manner all things are implicated
with one another, and all in this way are friendly to one another; for
one thing comes in order after another, and this is by virtue of the
active movement and mutual conspiration and the unity of the substance
(ix. 1).
39. Adapt thyself to the things with which thy lot has been cast: and the
men among whom thou hast received thy portion, love them, but do it truly
[sincerely].
40. Every instrument, tool, vessel, if it does that for which it has been
made, is well, and yet he who made it is not there. But in the things
which are held together by nature there is within, and there abides in,
them the power which made them; wherefore the more is it fit to reverence
this power, and to think, that, if thou dost live and act according to
its will, everything in thee is in conformity to intelligence. And thus
also in the universe the things which belong to it are in conformity to
intelligence.
41. Whatever of the things which are not within thy power thou shalt
suppose to be good for thee or evil, it must of necessity be that, if
such a bad thing befall thee, or the loss of such a good thing, thou wilt
not blame the gods, and hate men too, those who are the cause of the
misfortune or the loss, or those who are suspected of being likely to be
the cause; and indeed we do much injustice because we make a difference
between these things [because we do not regard these things as
indifferent]. But if we judge only those things which are in our power to
be good or bad, there remains no reason either for finding fault with God
or standing in a hostile attitude to man.
42. We are all working together to one end, some with knowledge and
design, and others without knowing what they do; as men also when they
are asleep, of whom it is Heraclitus, I think, who says that they are
laborers and co-operators in the things which take place in the universe.
But men co-operate after different fashions: and even those co-operate
abundantly, who find fault with what happens and those who try to oppose
it and to hinder it; for the universe had need even of such men as these.
It remains then for thee to understand among what kind of workmen thou
placest thyself; for he who rules all things will certainly make a right
use of thee, and he will receive thee among some part of the co-operators
and of those whose labors conduce to one end. But be not thou such a part
as the mean and ridiculous verse in the play, which Chrysippus speaks of.
43. Does the sun undertake to do the work of the rain, or Aesculapius the
work of the Fruit-bearer [the earth]? And how is it with respect to each
of the stars, are they not different and yet they work together to the
same end?
44. If the gods have determined about me and about the things which must
happen to me, they have determined well, for it is not easy even to
imagine a deity without forethought; and as to doing me harm, why should
they have any desire towards that? for what advantage would result to
them from this or to the whole, which is the special object of their
providence? But if they have not determined about me individually, they
have certainly determined about the whole at least, and the things which
happen by way of sequence in this general arrangement I ought to accept
with pleasure and to be content with them. But if they determine about
nothing,—which it is wicked to believe, or if we do believe it, let us
neither sacrifice nor pray nor swear by them, nor do anything else which
we do as if the gods were present and lived with us,—but if however the
gods determine about none of the things which concern us, I am able to
determine about myself, and I can inquire about that which is useful; and
that is useful to every man which is conformable to his own constitution
and nature. But my nature is rational and social; and my city and
country, so far as I am Antoninus, is Rome, but so far as I am a man, it
is the world. The things then which are useful to these cities are alone
useful to me.
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