 Chapter 9 of Meditations of Marcus Aurelius Meditations of Marcus Aurelius by Marcus Aurelius Antoninas Translated by George Long Chapter 9 He who acts unjustly acts impiously. For since the universal nature has made rational animals for the sake of one another to help one another according to their desserts, but in no way to injure one another, he who transgresses her will is clearly guilty of impiety towards the highest divinity. And he too, who lies, is guilty of impiety to the same divinity. For the universal nature is the nature of things that are, and things that are have a relation to all things that come into existence. And further this universal nature is named truth, and is the prime cause of all things that are true. He then, who lies intentionally, is guilty of impiety in as much as he acts unjustly by deceiving. And he who also lies unintentionally in as much as he is at variance with the universal nature, and in as much as he disturbs the order by fighting against the nature of the world, for he fights against it who is moved of himself to that which is contrary to truth, for he had received powers from nature through the neglect of which he is not able now to distinguish falsehood from truth. And indeed he who pursues pleasure as good and avoids pain as evil is guilty of impiety. For of necessity such a man must often find fault with the universal nature, alleging that it assigns things to the bad and the good contrary to their desserts, because frequently the bad are in the enjoyment of pleasure, and possess the things which procure pleasure, but the good have pain for their share, and the things which cause pain. And further he who is afraid of pain will sometimes also be afraid of some things which will happen in the world, and even this is impiety. And he who pursues pleasure will not abstain from injustice, and this is plainly impiety. Now with respect to the things toward which the universal nature is equally affected, for it would not have made both unless it was equally affected towards both. Towards these they who wish to follow nature should be of the same mind with it and equally affected. With respect to pain then and pleasure, or death and life, or honor and dishonor, which the universal nature employs equally, whoever is not equally affected is manifestly acting impiously. And I say that the universal nature employs them equally, instead of saying that they are, they happen alike to those who are produced in continuous series, and to those who come after them by virtue of a certain original movement of providence, according to which it moved from a certain being to this ordering of things, having conceived certain principles of the things which were to be, and having determined powers productive of beings and of changes and of such like successions. It would be a man's happiest lot to depart from mankind without having had any taste of lying and hypocrisy and luxury and pride. However, to breathe out one's life when a man has had enough of these things is the next best voyage, as the saying is, has thou determined to abide with vice, and has not experienced yet induced thee to fly from this pestilence? For the destruction of the understanding is a pestilence, much more indeed than any such corruption and change of this atmosphere which surrounds us. For this corruption is a pestilence of animals so far as they are animals, but the other is a pestilence of men so far as they are men. Do not despise death, but be well content with it, since this, too, is one of those things which nature wills. For such as it is to be young and to grow old, and to increase and to reach maturity, and to have teeth and beard and gray hairs, and to be get and be pregnant and to bring forth, and all the other natural operations which the seasons of thy life bring, such also is dissolution. This, then, is consistent with the character of a reflecting man, to be neither careless nor impatient nor contemptuous with respect to death, but to wait for it as one of the operations of nature. As thou now waitest for the time when the child shall come out of thy wife's womb, so be ready for the time when thy soul shall fall out of this envelope. But if thou requirest also a vulgar kind of comfort which shall reach thy heart, thou wilt be made best reconciled to death by observing the objects from which thou art going to be removed. And the morals of those with whom thy soul will no longer be mingled. For it is no way right to be offended with men, but it is thy duty to care for them and to bear with them gently, and yet to remember that thy departure will be not from men who have the same principles as thyself. For this is the only thing, if there be any, which could draw us the contrary way and attach us to life, to be permitted to live with those who have the same principles as ourselves. But now thou seest how great is the trouble arising from the discordance of those who live together, so that thou mayest say, Come quick, O death, lest perchance I too should forget myself. He who does wrong does wrong against himself. He who acts unjustly acts unjustly to himself because he makes himself bad. He often acts unjustly who does not do a certain thing. Not only he who does a certain thing. Thy present opinion founded on understanding, and thy present conduct directed to social good, and thy present disposition of contentment with everything which happens. That is enough. What about imagination? Check desire. Extinguish appetite. Keep the ruling faculty in its own power. Among the animals which have not reason, one life is distributed. But among reasonable animals, one intelligent soul is distributed, just as there is one earth of all things which are of an earthly nature, and we see by one light and breathe one air all of us that have the faculty of vision and all that have life. All things which participate in anything which is common to them all move towards that which is of the same kind with themselves. Everything which is earthly turns toward the earth. Everything which is liquid flows together. And everything which is of an aerial kind does the same, though that they require something to keep them asunder and the application of force. Fire indeed moves upwards on account of the elemental fire, but it is so ready to be kindled together with all the fire which is here, that even every substance which is somewhat dry is easily ignited, because there is less mingled with it of that which is a hindrance to ignition. Only then everything also which participates in the common intelligent nature moves in like manner towards that which is of the same kind with itself, or moves even more, for so much as it is superior in comparison with all other things. In the same degree also it is more ready to mingle with and to be refused with that which is akin to it. Accordingly, among animals devoid of reason, we find swarms of bees and herds of cattle, and the nurture of young birds, and in a manner loves, for even in animals there are souls, and that power which brings them together is seen to exert itself in the superior degree, and in such a way as never has been observed in plants or in stones nor in trees. But in rational animals there are political communities and friendships, and families and meetings of people, and in wars, treaties, and armistices. But in the things which are still superior, even though they are separated from one another, unity in a manner exists as in the stars. Thus the ascent to the higher degree is able to produce a sympathy even in things which are separated. See then what now takes place, for only intelligent animals have now forgotten this mutual desire and inclination, and in them alone the property of flowing together is not seen. But still, though men strive to avoid this union, they are caught and held by it, for their nature is too strong for them, and thou wilt see what I say, if thou only observest. Sooner then will one find anything earthy which comes in contact with no earthy thing than a man altogether separated from other men. Both man and God and the universe produce fruit. At the proper seasons each produces it. But if usage has especially fixed these terms to the vine and like things, this is nothing. Reason produces fruit both for all and for itself, and there are produced from it other things of the same kind as reason itself. Thou art able, correct by teaching those who do wrong. But if thou canst not remember that indulgence is given to thee for this purpose, and the gods too are indulgent to such persons, and for some purposes they even help them to get health, wealth, reputation, so kind they are. And it is in thy power also. Or say, who hinders thee? Thou art not as one who is wretched, nor yet as one who would be pitied or admired, but direct thy will to one thing only, to put thyself in motion and to check thyself, as the social reason requires. Today I have got out of all trouble, or rather I have cast out all trouble, for it was not outside, but within, and in my opinions. All things are the same, familiar in experience and ephemeral in time, and worthless in the matter. Everything now is just as it was in the time of those whom we have buried. Things stand outside of us, themselves by themselves, neither knowing ought of themselves nor expressing any judgment. What is it, then, which does judge about them? The ruling faculty. Not in passivity, but in activity, lie the evil and the good of the rational social animal, just as his virtue and his vice lie not in passivity, but in activity. For the stone which has been thrown up, it is no evil to come down, nor indeed any good to have been carried up. Penetrate inwards into men's leading principles, and thou wilt see what judges thou art afraid of, and what kind of judges they are of themselves. All things are changing, and thou thyself art in continuous mutation, and in a manner in continuous destruction, and the whole universe, too. It is thy duty to leave another man's wrongful act there where it is. Termination of activity, cessation from movement and opinion, and in a sense their death is no evil. Turn thy thoughts now to the consideration of thy life, thy life as a child, as a youth, thy manhood, thy old age, for in these also every change was a death. Is anything to fear? Turn thy thoughts now to thy life under thy grandfather, then to thy life under thy mother, then to thy life under thy father, as thou findest many other differences and changes in terminations ask thyself, is this anything to fear? In like manner, then, neither are the termination and cessation and change of thy whole life a thing to be afraid of. Hasten to examine thy own ruling faculty, and that of the universe, and that of thy neighbor, thy own, that thou mayest make it just, and that of the universe, that thou mayest remember of what thou art apart, and that of thy neighbor, that thou mayest know whether he has acted ignorantly or with knowledge, and that thou mayest also consider that his ruling faculty is akin to thine. As thou art thyself a component part of a social system, so let every act of thine be a component part of social life. Where act of thine, then, has no reference, either immediately or remotely to a social end, this tears asunder thy life, and does not allow it to be one, and is of the nature of a mutiny, just as when in a popular assembly a man acting by himself stands apart from the general agreement. Chorals of little children and their sports, and poor spirits caring about dead bodies, such is everything. And so what is exhibited in the representation of the mansions of the dead strikes our eyes more clearly, examine into the quality of the form of an object, and detach it altogether from its material part, and then contemplate it, then determine the time, the longest which a thing of this peculiar form is naturally made to endure. Thou hast endured infinite troubles through not being contented with thy ruling faculty, when it does the things which it is constituted by nature to do. But enough of this. When another blames thee or hates thee, or when men say about thee anything injurious, approach their poor souls, penetrate within, and see what kind of men they are. Thou will discover that there is no reason to take any trouble that these men may have this or that opinion about thee. However thou must be well disposed towards them, for by nature they are friends, and the gods too aid them in all ways, by dreams, by signs, toward the attainment of those things on which they set a value. The periodic movements of the universe are the same up and down, from age to age. And either the universal intelligence puts itself in motion for every separate effect, and if this is so, be thou content with that which is the result of its activity. Or it puts itself in motion once, and everything else comes by way of sequence in a manner, or indivisible elements are the origin of all things. In a word, if there is a God all is well, and if chance rules, do not thou also be governed by it. Soon will the earth cover us all, then the earth too will change, and the things also which result from change will continue to change forever. And these again forever, for if a man reflects on the changes and transformations which follow one another, like wave after wave, and their rapidity, he will despise everything which is perishable. The universal cause is like a winter torrent. It carries everything along with it. But how worthless are all these poor people who are engaged in matters political, and as they suppose, are playing the philosopher. All are drivelers. Well then, man, do what nature now requires. Set thyself in motion. If it is in thy power, and do not look about thee to see if anyone will observe it, no yet expect Plato's Republic. But be content if the smallest thing goes on well, and consider such an event to be no small matter. For who can change men's opinions? And without a change of opinions, what else is there than the slavery of men who groan while they pretend to obey? Come now and tell me of Alexander and Philippus and Demetrius and Philarum. They themselves shall judge whether they discovered what the common nature required, and train themselves accordingly. But if they acted like tragedy heroes, no one has condemned me to imitate them, simple and modest is the work of philosophy. Draw me not aside to insolence and pride. Look down from above on the countless herds of men and their countless solemnities, and the infinity varied voyagings into storms and comms, and the differences among those who are born, who live together and die. And consider, too, the life lived by others in olden time, and the life of those who will live after thee, and the life now lived among barbarous nations, and how many know not even thy name, and how many will soon forget it, and how they who perhaps now are praising thee will very soon blame thee, and that neither a posthumous name is of any value, nor reputation, nor anything else. Let there be freedom from perturbations with respect to the things which come from the external cause, and let there be justice in the things done by virtue of the internal cause. That is, let there be movement and action terminating in this, and social acts, for this is according to thy nature. Thou canst remove out of the way many useless things among those which disturb thee, for they lie entirely in thy opinion, and thou wilt then gain for thyself ample space by comprehending the whole universe in thy mind, and by contemplating the eternity of time, and observing the rapid change of every several thing, how short is the time from birth to dissolution, and the illimitable time before birth, as well as the equally boundless time after dissolution. All that thou seest will quickly perish, and those who have been spectators of its dissolution will very soon perish too, and he who dies at the extremest old age will be brought into the same condition with him who died prematurely. What are these men's leading principles? And about what kind of things are they busy? And for what kind of reasons do they love and honor? Imagine that thou seest their poor souls laid bare, when they think that they do harm by their blame or good by their praise. What an idea! Loss is nothing else than change. The universal nature delights in change, and in obedience to her all things are now done well, and from eternity have been done in life form, and will be done to such time without end. What then does thou say? That all things have been, and all things always will be bad, and that no power has ever been found in so many gods to rectify these things, but the world has been condemned to be bound in never ceasing evil, the rottenness of the matter which is the foundation of everything, water, dust, bones, filth, or again marble rocks, the calosities of the earth, and gold and silver and sediments and garments, only bits of hair and purple dye, blood and everything else is of the same kind, and that which is of the nature of breath is also another thing of the same kind, changing from this to that. Enough of this wretched life and murmurings and apish tricks! Why art thou disturbed? What is there new in this? What unsettles thee? Is it the form of the thing? Look at it. Or is it the matter? Look at it. Besides these there is nothing. Toward the gods, then, now become at last more simple and better. It is the same whether we examine these things for a hundred years or three. If any man has done wrong, the harm is his own. But perhaps he has not done wrong. Either all things proceed from one intelligent source and come together as in one body, and the part ought not to find fault with what is done for the benefit of the whole. Or there are only atoms and nothing else than mixture and dispersion. Why, then, art thou disturbed? Say to the ruling faculty, art thou dead? Art thou corrupted? Art thou playing the hypocrite? Art thou become a beast? Thus thou heard and feed with the rest? Either the gods have no power or they have power. If then they have no power, why dost thou pray to them? But if they have power, why dost thou not pray for them to give thee the faculty of not fearing any of the things which thou fearst? Or of not desiring any of the things which thou desirest? Or not being pained at anything rather than pray that any of these things should not happen or happen? For certainly, if they can cooperate with men, they can cooperate for these purposes. But perhaps thou wilt say the gods have placed them in thy power. Well then, is it not better to use what is in thy power like a free man than to desire in a slavish and abject way what is not in thy power? And who has told thee that the gods do not aid us, even in the things which are in our power? Begin then to pray for such things, and thou wilt see. One man prays thus, how shall I be able to lie with that woman? Do thou prayst thus, how shall I not desire to lie with her? Another prays thus, how shall I be released from this? Another prays, how shall I not desire to be released? Another thus, how shall I not lose my little son? Thou thus, how shall I not be afraid to lose him? And turn, turn thy prayers this way, and see what comes. Epicurus says, In my sickness my conversation was not about my bodily sufferings, nor says he, Did I talk on such subjects to those who visited me? But I continued to discourse on the nature of things as before, keeping to this main point, how the mind while participating in such movements as go on in the poor flesh shall be free from perturbations and maintain its proper good. Nor did I, he says, give the physicians an opportunity of putting on solemn looks, as if they were doing something great, but my life went on well and happily. Do then the same that he did, both in sickness, if thou art sick, and in any other circumstances, for never to desert philosophy in any events that may befall us, nor to hold trifling talk, either with an ignorant man or with one unacquainted with nature, is a principle of all schools of philosophy, but to be intent only on that which thou art now doing, and on the instrument by which thou dost it. When thou art offended with any man's shameless conduct, immediately ask thyself, Is it possible then that shameless men should not be in the world? It is not possible. Do then require what is impossible, for this man also is one of those shameless men who must of necessity be in the world. Let the same considerations be present thine mind in the case of the naïve and the faithless man, and of every man who does wrong in any way, for at the same time that thou dost remind thyself that it is impossible that such kind of men should not exist, thou wilt become more kindly disposed toward every one individually. It is useful to perceive this too immediately when the occasion arises, that virtue nature has given to man to oppose to every wrongful act, for she has given to man as an antidote against the stupid man mildness, and against another kind of man some other power. And in all cases it is possible for thee to correct thy teaching the man who is gone astray, for every man who heirs misses his object and is gone astray. Besides wherein hath thou been injured, for thou wilt find that no one among those against whom thou art irritated has done anything by which thine mind could be made worse. But that which is evil to thee and harmful has its foundation only in the mind. And what harm is done, or what is there strange if the man who has not been instructed does the acts of an uninstructed man consider whether thou shouldest not rather blame thyself, because thou didst not expect such a man to err in such a way. But thou hast means given thee by thy reason to suppose that it was likely that he would commit this error, and yet thou hast forgotten and are amazed that he has erred. But most of all, when thou blamest him as a father or ungrateful, turn thyself, for the fault is manifestly thy own. Whether thou didst trust that a man who had such a disposition would keep his promise, or when conferring thy kindness, thou didst not confer it absolutely, nor yet in such a way as to have received from thy very act all the profit. For what more dost thou want when thou hast done a man of service? Art thou not content that thou hast done something comfortable to thy nature, and dost thou seek to be paid for it? Just as if the eye demanded a recompense for seeing, or the feet for walking. Whereas these members are formed for a particular purpose, and by working according to their several constitutions obtain what is their own. So also as man is formed by nature to acts of benevolence, when he has done anything benevolent, or in any other way conducive to the common interest, he has acted conformably to his constitution, and he gets what is his own. CHAPTER IX. RECORDED BY FATHER ZILY, DETROIT, JUNE 2007 The meditations of Marcus Aurelius by Marcus Aurelius Antoninas, translated by George Long. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Will thou then, my soul, never be good and simple, and one and naked, more manifest than the body which surrounds thee? Will thou never enjoy an affection and contented disposition? Will thou never be full, and without a want of any kind, longing for nothing more, nor desiring anything, either animate or inanimate, for the enjoyment of pleasures, nor yet desiring time wherein thou shalt have longer enjoyment or place, or pleasant climate or society of men with whom thou mayest live in harmony? But will thou be satisfied with thy present condition, and pleased with all that is about thee, and will thou convince thyself that thou hast everything and that it comes from the gods, that everything is well for thee, and will be well whatever shall please them, and whatever they shall give for the conservation of perfect living being, the good, and just, and beautiful, which generates and holds together all things, and contains and embraces all things, which are dissolved for the production of other-like things? Will thou never be such that thou shalt so dwell in community with gods and men as neither to find fault with them at all, nor to be condemned by them? 2. Observe what thy nature requires. So far as thou art governed by nature only, then do it and accept it. If thy nature, so far as thou art a living being, shall not be made worse by it. And next thou must observe what thy nature requires so far as thou art a living being. And all this thou mayest allow thyself if thy nature, so far as thou art a rational animal, shall not be made worse by it. But the rational animal is consequently also a political animal. Use these rules, then, and trouble thyself about nothing else. 3. Everything which happens either happens in such wise as thou art formed by nature to bear it, or is thou art not formed by nature to bear it. If then it happens to thee in such a way as thou art formed by nature to bear it, do not complain, but bear it as thou art formed by nature to bear it. But if it happens in such wise as thou art not formed by nature to bear it, do not complain, for it will perish after it has consumed thee. Remember, however, that thou art formed by nature to bear everything with respect to which it depends on thy own opinion to make it indurable and tolerable, by thinking that it is either thy interest or thy duty to do this. 4. If a man is mistaken, instruct him kindly and show him his error. But if thou art not able, blame thyself, or blame not even thyself. 5. Whatever may happen to thee, it was prepared for thee from all eternity, and the implication of causes was from eternity spinning the thread of thy being, and of that which is incident to it. 6. Whether the universe is a concourse of atoms or nature is a system, let this first be established, that I am part of the whole which is governed by nature. Next, I am in a manner intimately related to the parts which are of the same kind with myself. For remembering this, inasmuch as I am a part, I shall be discontented with none of the things which are assigned to me out of the whole. For nothing is injurious to the part if it is for the advantage of the whole. For the whole contains nothing which is not for its advantage, and all natures indeed have this common principle, but the nature of the universe has this principle besides, that it cannot be compelled even by any external cause to generate anything harmful to itself. 7. By remembering, then, that I am part of such a whole, I shall be content with everything that happens, and inasmuch as I am in a manner intimately related to the parts which are of the same kind with myself, I shall do nothing unsocial, but I shall rather direct myself to the things which are of the same kind with myself, and I shall turn all my efforts to the common interest, and divert them from the contrary. 8. Now if these things are done so, life must flow on happily, just as thou may us observe that the life of a citizen is happy, who continues a course of action which is advantageous to his fellow citizens, and is content with whatever the state may assign to him. 7. The parts of the whole, everything I mean, which is naturally comprehended in the universe, must of necessity perish. But let this be understood in this sense, that they must undergo change. But if this is naturally both an evil and a necessity for the parts, the whole would not continue to exist in a good condition, the parts being subject to change and constituted so as to perish in various ways. 8. For whether did nature herself design to do evil to the things which are parts of herself, and to make them subject to evil and of necessity fall into evil, or have such results happened without her knowing it? 9. Both these suppositions indeed are incredible. But if a man should ever drop the term nature as an efficient power, and should speak of these things as natural, even then it would be ridiculous to affirm at the same time that the parts of the whole are in their nature subject to change, and at the same time to be surprised or vexed as if something were happening contrary to nature, particularly as the dissolution of things into those things of which each thing is composed. 10. For there is either a dispersion of the elements out of which everything has been compounded, or a change from the solid to the earthy, and from the airy to the aerial, so that these parts are taken back into the universal reason, whether this at certain periods is consumed by fire or renewed by eternal changes. 11. And do not imagine that the solid and the airy part belong to thee from time of generation. For all this received its accretion only yesterday, and the day before as one may say from the food and the air which is inspired. This, then, which have received the accretion changes not that which thy mother brought forth, but suppose that this, which thy mother brought forth, implicates thee very much with the other part, which has the peculiar quality of change. This is nothing, in fact, in the way of objection to what is said. 8. When thou hast assumed thys' names, good, modest, true, rational, a man of equanimity and magnanimous, take care thou dost not change these names, and if thou shalt lose them, quickly return to them. And remember that the term rational was intended to signify a discriminating attention to every several thing and freedom from negligence, and that equanimity is the voluntary acceptance of the things which are assigned to thee by the common nature, and that magnanimity is the elevation of the intelligent part above the pleasurable or painful sensations of the flesh, and above that poor thing called fame and death and all such things. If, then, thou maintainest thyself into possession of these names, without desiring to be called by these names by others, thou wilt be another person and wilt enter on to another life. For to continue to be such as thou hast hitherto been, and to be torn in pieces and defiled in such a life, is the character of a very stupid man, and one over-fond of his life, and like those half-devoured fighters with wild beasts, who though covered with wounds and gore, are still intrigued to be kept to the following day, though they will be exposed in the same state to the same claws and bites. Therefore, fix thyself in the possession of these few names, and if thou art able to abide in them, abide as if thou wasst removed to certain islands of the happy. But if thou shalt perceive that thou fallest out of them and dost not maintain thy hold, go courageously into some nook where thou shalt maintain them, or even depart at once from life, not in passion, but with simplicity and freedom and modesty, after doing this one laudable thing at least in thy life, to have gone out of it thus. In order, however, to the remembrance of these names, it will greatly help thee if thou rememberest the gods, and that they wish not to be flattered, but wish all reasonable beings to be made like themselves. And if thou rememberest that which does the work of a fig tree is a fig tree, and that which does the work of a dog is a dog, and that which does the work of a bee is a bee, and that which does the work of man is a man. 9. Mimi, war, astonishment, torpor, slavery will daily wipe out those holy principles of thine. How many things without studying nature dost thou imagine, and how many dost thou neglect? But it is thy duty so to look on and so to do everything, that at the same time the power of dealing with circumstances is perfect, and the contemplative faculty is exercised, and the confidence which comes from the knowledge of each several thing is maintained without showing it. By yet not concealed. 10. For when wilt thou enjoy simplicity, when gravity, and when the knowledge of every several thing, both what is in substance and what place it has in the universe, and how long it is formed to exist, and of what things it is compounded, and to whom it can belong, and who were able both to give it and take it away? 10. A spider is proud when it has caught a fly, and another when he has caught a poor hare, and another when he has taken the little fish in the net, and another when he has taken wild boars, and another when he has taken bears, and another when he has taken sarmations. Are not these robbers, if thou examine their opinions? 11. Acquire the contemplative way of seeing how all things change into one another, and constantly attend to it, and exercise thyself about this part of philosophy. For nothing is so much adapted produce magnanimity. Such a man is put off the body, and he sees that he must, no one knows how soon, go away from among men and leave everything here. He gives himself up entirely to just doing and all his actions, and in everything else that happens he resigns himself to the universal nature. But as to what any man shall say or think about him or do against him, he never even thinks of it, being himself contented with these two things, with acting justly in what he now does, and being satisfied with what is now assigned to him. And he lays aside all distracting and busy pursuits, and desires nothing else than to accomplish the straight course through the law, and by accomplishing the straight course to follow God. 12. What need is there of suspicious fear, since it is thy power to inquire what ought to be done? And if thou seeest clear, go by this way content without turning back, but if thou dost not see clear, stop and take the best advisors. But if any other things oppose thee, go on according to thy powers with due consideration, keeping to that which appears to be just. For it is best to reach this object, and if thou dost fail, let thy failure be in attempting this. He who follows reason in all things is both tranquil and active at the same time, and also cheerful and collected. 13. Inquire of thyself, as soon as thou wakeest from sleep, whether it will make any difference to thee, if another does what is just and right. It will make no difference. Thou hast not forgotten, I suppose, that those who assume arrogant errors in bestowing their praise or blame on others are such as they are at bed and at board. And thou hast not forgotten what they do, and what they avoid, and what they pursue, and how they steal and how they rob, not with hands and feet, but with their most valuable part, by means of which there is produced when a man chooses fidelity, modesty, truth, law, a good demon, and happiness. 14. To her who gives and takes back all, to nature, the man who is instructed and modest says, Give what thou wilt, take back what thou wilt. And he says this not proudly, but obediently and well pleased with her. 15. Short is the little which remains to thee of life, live as on the mountain, for it makes no difference whether a man lives there or here if he lives everywhere in the world as an estate. Let men see, let them know a real man who lives according to nature. If they cannot endure him, let them kill him. For that is better than to live like this. 16. No longer talk at all about the kind of man that a good man ought to be, but be such. 17. Constantly contemplate the whole of time and the whole of substance, and consider that all individual things as the substance are as a grain of a fig, and as to time the turning of a gimlet. 18. Look at everything that exists, and observe that it is already into solution and in change, and as it were putrefaction or dispersion, or that everything is so constituted by nature as to die. 19. Consider what men are when they are eating, sleeping, generating, easing themselves, and so forth. Then what kind of men they are when they are imperious and arrogant, or angry and scolding from their elevated place? But a short time ago, to how many they were slaves and for what things, and after a little time, consider in what a condition they will be. 20. That is for the good of each thing, which the universal nature brings to each, and it is for its good at the time when nature brings it. 21. The earth loves a shower, and the solemn aether loves, and the universe loves to make whatever it is about to be. I say then to the universe, that I love as thou lovest, and is not this too said that this or that loves is want to be produced? 22. Either thou livest here, and hast already accustomed thyself to it, or thou art going away, and this was on thy own will, or thou art dying, and hast discharged thy duty. But besides these things there is nothing. Be of good cheer, then. 23. Let this always be plain to thee, that this piece of land is like any other, and that all things here are the same with things on top of a mountain, or on the seashore, or wherever thou chooses to be. For thou wilt find just what Plato says, dwelling within the walls of a city, as in a shepherd's fold on a mountain. 24. What is my ruling faculty now to me, and of what nature am I now making it, and for what purpose am I now using it? Is it void of understanding? Is it loosed and rent asunder from social life? Is it melted into and mixed with the poor flesh always to move together with it? 25. He who flies from his master is a runaway, but the law is master, and he who breaks the law is a runaway. And he also who is grieved or angry or afraid is dissatisfied because something has been, or is, or shall be of the things which are appointed by him who rules all things, and he is law and assigns to every man what is fit. He then who fears or is grieved or is angry is a runaway. 26. A man deposits seed in a womb and goes away, and then another cause takes it and labors on it and makes a child. What a thing from such a material. Again, the child passes food down the throat, and then another cause takes it and makes it perception and motion, and in fine life and strength then other things how many and how strange. Observe then the things which are produced in such a hidden way, and see the power just as we see the power which carries things downwards and upwards, not with the eyes, but still no less plainly. 27. Constantly consider how all things such as they now are and time past also were, and consider that they will be the same again, and place before thy eyes entire dramas and stages of the same form whatever thou hast learned from thy experience or from older history. For example, the whole court of Hadrianus and the whole court of Antoninus and the whole court of Philippus, Alexander, Croisius, for all those were dramas such as we see now only with different actors. 28. Imagine every man who is grieved at anything or discontented to be like a pig which is sacrificed in kicks and screams. Like this pig also is he who on his bed in silence laments the bonds in which we are held, and consider that only to the rational animal is it given to follow voluntarily what happens, but simply to follow is a necessity imposed on all. 29. Severally on the occasion of everything that thou dost, pause and ask thyself if death is a dreadful thing because it deprives thee of this. 30. When thou art offended at any man's fault, for with turn to thyself and reflect in what like manner thou dost err thyself, for example in thinking that money is a good thing or pleasure or a bit of reputation and the like, for by attending to this that will quickly forget thy anger, if this consideration also is added that the man is compelled for what else could he do, or if thou art able take away from him the compulsion. 31. When thou hast seen Sattron the Socratic, think of Eutyches or Hymen, and when thou hast seen Euphrates, think of Eutycheon or Sylvanus, and when thou hast seen Alsophron, think of Troipophorus, and when thou hast seen Xenophon, think of Credo of Severus, and when thou hast looked on thyself, think of any other Caesar, and in the case of everyone do in like manner. 32. Then let this thought be in thy mind. Where then are those men? Nowhere, or nobody knows where. For thus continuously thou wilt look at human things as smoke and nothing at all, especially if thou reflect this at the same time that what has once changed will never exist again in the infinite duration of time. But thou, in what a brief space of time is thy existence? And why art thou not content to pass through this short time in an orderly way? What matter and opportunity for thy activity art thou avoiding? For what else are all these things except exercises for the reason, when it has viewed carefully and by examination into their nature the things which happen in life? Persevere then until thou shalt have made these things thy own, as the stomach which is strengthened makes all things its own, as the blazing fire makes flame and brightness out of everything that is thrown into it. 32. Let it not be in any man's power to say truly of thee that thou art not simple or that thou art not good, but let him be a liar who ever shall think anything of this kind about thee, and this is altogether in thy power. For who is he that shall hinder thee from being good and simple? Do thou only determined to live no longer, and lest thou shalt be such? For neither does reason allow thee to live, if thou art not such. 33. What is that which as to this material our life can be done or said in a way most conformable to reason? For whatever this may be it is in thy power to do it or say it, and do not make excuses that thou art hindered. Thou wilt not cease to lament till thy mind is in such a condition that what luxury is to those who enjoy pleasure such shall be to thee in the matter which is subjected and presented to thee, the doing of things which are conformable to man's constitution. For a man ought to consider as an enjoyment everything which is in his power to do according to his own nature, and it is in his power everywhere. Now it is not given to a cylinder to move everywhere by its own motion, nor yet water, nor to fire, nor to anything else which is governed by nature of an irrational soul, for the things which check them and stand in the way are many. But intelligence and reason are able to go through everything that opposes them, and in such manner as they are formed by nature and as they choose. Place before thy eyes this facility with which the reason will be carried through all things, as fire upwards, as a stone downwards, as a cylinder down an inclined surface, and seek nothing further. For all other obstacles either affect the body only which is a dead thing, or accept through opinion and the yielding of the reason itself, they do not crush nor do any harm of any kind, for if they did, he who felt it would immediately become bad. Now in the case of all things which have a certain constitution, whatever harm may happen to any of them, that which is so effective becomes consequently worse. But in the like case a man becomes both better if one may say so, and more worthy of praise by making a right use of these accidents. And finally, remember that nothing harms him who is really a citizen, which does not harm the state, nor yet does anything harm the state which does not harm law, and of these things which are called misfortunes not one harms law. What then does not harm law does not harm either state or citizen? 34. To him who is penetrated by true principles even the briefest precept is sufficient, and any common precept to remind him that he should be free from grief and fear. For example, Leaves, some the wind scatters on the ground. So is the race of men. Leaves also are thy children, and leaves too are they who cry out as if they were worthy of credit and bestow their praise, or on the contrary curse or secretly blame and sneer, and leaves in like manner are those who shall receive and transmit a man's fame to aftertimes. For all such things as these, quote, are produced in the season of spring, end quote, as the poet says. But the wind cast them down, then the forest produces other leaves in their places. But a brief existence is common to all things, and yet thou avoidest and pursuest all things as if they would be eternal. A little time and thou shalt close thy eyes, and him who has attended thee to thy grave another soon will lament. Thirty-five. The healthy eye ought to see all visible things and not to say I wish for green things, for this is the condition of a diseased eye. And the healthy hearing and smelling ought to be ready to perceive all that can be heard and smelled. And the healthy stomach ought to be with respect to all food just as the mill with respect to all things which it is formed to grind. And accordingly, the healthy understanding ought to be prepared for everything which happens. But that which says, let my dear children live and let all men praise whatever I may do, is an eye which seeks for green things, or teeth which seek for soft things. Thirty-six. There is no man so fortunate that there shall not be by him when he is dying, some who were pleased with what is going to happen. Suppose that he was a good and wise man. Will there not be at last someone to say to himself, let us at last breathe freely, being relieved from this schoolmaster? It is true that he was harsh to none of us, but I perceive that he tacitly condemns us. This is what is said of a good man. But in our own case, how many other things are there for which there are many who wish to get rid of us? Thou wilt consider this then when thou art dying, and thou wilt depart more contentedly by reflecting thus. I am going away from such a life, in which even my associates and behalf of whom I have striven so much, prayed and cared, themselves wish me to depart, hoping for chance to get some little advantage by it. Why, then, should a man cling to a longer stay here? Do not, however, for this reason go away less kindly disposed to them, but preserving thy own character and friendly and benevolent and mild, and on the other hand not as if that was torn away, but as a man who dies a quiet death. The poor soul is easily separated from the body, such also off thy departure from men to be, for nature united thee to them and associated thee. But does she now dissolve the union? Well, I am separated as from kinsmen, not, however, dragged resisting, but without compulsion, for this, too, is one of the things according to nature. 37. Accustom thyself as much as possible on the occasion of anything being done by any person to inquire with thyself, for what object is this man doing this? But begin with thyself and examine thyself first. 38. Remember that this which pulls the strings is the thing which is hidden within. This is the power of persuasion. This is life. This, if one may say so, is man. In contemplating thyself never include the vessel which surrounds thee, and these instruments were attached about it, for they are like to enact, differing only in this, that they grow to the body. For indeed there is no more use in these parts without the cause which moves and checks them than in the weaver's shuttle and the writer's pen and the driver's whip. END OF SECTION X CHAPTER XI of MEDITATIONS OF MARKUS AURELIOUS This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Leon Meyer The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius by Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Translated by George Long CHAPTER XI These are the properties of the rational soul. It sees itself, analyzes itself, and makes itself such as it chooses. The fruit which it bears itself enjoys, for the fruit of plants and that in animals which corresponds to fruits others enjoy. It obtains its own end, wherever the limit of life may be fixed. Not as in a dance and in a play and in such like things, where the whole action is incomplete, if anything cuts it short. But in every part and wherever it may be stopped it makes what has been said before it full and complete, so that it can say, I have what is my own. And further it traverses the whole universe and the surrounding vacuum and surveys its form. And it extends itself into the infinity of time and embraces and comprehends the periodical renovation of all things. And it comprehends that those who come after us will see nothing new, nor have those before us seen anything more. But in a manner he who is forty years old, if he has any understanding at all, has seen by virtue of the uniformity that prevails all things which have been and all that will be. This too is a property of the rational soul, love of one's neighbor, and truth, and modesty, and to value nothing more than itself, which is also the property of law. Thus, then, right reason differs not at all from the reason of justice. Thou wilt set little value on pleasing song and dancing and the pancreatium, if thou wilt distribute the melody of the voice and do with several sounds, and ask thyself as to each, if thou are mastered by this, for thou will be prevented by shame from confessing it. And in the matter of dancing, if at each movement and attitude thou wilt do the same, and the like also in the matter of the pancreatium. In all things, then, except virtue and the acts of virtue, remember to apply thyself to their several parts, and by this division to come to value them little, and apply this rule also to thy whole life. What a soul that is which is ready, if at any moment it must be separated from the body, and ready to be extinguished, or dispersed, or continue to exist, but so that this readiness comes from a man's own judgment, not from mere obstinacy, as with the Christians, but considerably, and with dignity, and in a way to persuade another, without tragic show. Have I done something for the general interest? Well, then, I have had my reward. Let this always be present to thy mind, and never stop doing such good. What is thy art, to be good? And how has this accomplished well, except by general principles, some about the nature of the universe, and others about the proper constitution of man? At first tragedies were brought on the stage as means of reminding men of the things which happened to them, and that it is according to nature for things to happen so, and that if you are delighted with what is shown on the stage you should not be troubled with that which takes place on the larger stage. For you see that these things must be accomplished thus, and that even they bear them who cry out, O Sathiron. And indeed some things are said well by the dramatic writers, of which kind is the following especially. Me and my children, if the gods neglect, this has its reason too. And again, we must not chafe and fret at that which happens. And life's harvest reap like the wheat's fruitful ear, and other things of the same kind. After tragedy the old comedy was introduced, which had a magisterial freedom of speech, and by its very plainness of speaking was useful in reminding men to beware of insolence, and for this purpose too diogenes used to take from these writers. But as to the middle comedy which came next, observe what it was, and again, for what object the new comedy was introduced, which gradually sunk down into a mere mimic-artifice, that some good things are said even by these writers everybody knows, but the whole plan of such poetry and dramaturgy, to what end does it look? How plain does it appear that there is not another condition of life so well suited for philosophizing as this in which thou now happenest to be. A branch cut off from the adjacent branch must of necessity be cut off from the whole tree also. So too a man when he is separated from another man has fallen off from the whole social community. Now as to a branch another cuts it off, but a man by his own act separates himself from his neighbor when he hates him and turns away from him, and he does not know that he is at the same time cut himself off from the whole social system. Yet he has this privilege certainly from Zeus who framed society, for it is in our power to grow again to that which is near to us, and again to become a part which helps us to make up the whole. However, if it often happens, this kind of separation, it makes it difficult for that which detaches itself to be brought to unity and to be restored to its former condition. Finally the branch, which from the first grew together with the tree and has continued to have one life with it, is not like that which after being cut off is then ingrafted, for this is something like what the gardeners mean when they say that it grows with the rest of the tree, but that it has not the same mind with it. As those who try to stand in thy way, when thou art proceeding according to right reason, will not be able to turn thee aside from thy proper action, so neither let them drive thee from thy benevolent feelings towards them, but be on thy guard equally in both matters, not only in the matter of steady judgment and action, but also in the matter of gentleness towards those who try to hinder or otherwise trouble thee. For this is also a weakness to be vexed at them, as well as to be diverted from thy course of action and to give way through fear, for both are equally deserters from their post, the man who does it through fear, and the man who is alienated from him who is by nature a kinsman and a friend. There is no nature which is inferior to art, for the arts imitate the natures of things, but if this is so, that nature which is the most perfect and the most comprehensive of all natures cannot fall short of the skill of art. Now all arts do the inferior things for the sake of the superior, therefore the universal nature does so too, and indeed hence is the origin of justice, and injustice the other virtues have their foundation, for justice will not be observed if we either care for middle things, things indifferent, or are easily deceived and careless and changeable. If the things do not come to thee, the pursuits and avoidances of which disturb thee, still in a manner thou goest to them. Let then thy judgment about them be at rest, and they will remain quiet, and thou will not be seen either pursuing or avoiding. The spherical form of the soul maintains its figure, when it is neither extended toward any object nor contracted inwards, nor dispersed, nor sinks down, but is illuminated by light, by which it sees the truth, the truth of all things, and the truth that is in itself. Suppose any man shall despise me. Let him look to that himself. But I will look to this, that I be not discovered doing or saying anything deserving of contempt. Shall any man hate me? Let him look to it. But I will be mild and benevolent towards every man, and ready to show even him his mistake, not reproachfully, nor yet as making a display of my endurance, but nobly and honestly like the great focian, unless indeed he only assumed it. For the interior parts ought to be such, and a man ought to be seen by the gods neither dissatisfied with anything nor complaining. For what evil is it to thee, if thou art now doing what is agreeable to thy own nature, and art satisfied with that which at this moment is suitable to the nature of the universe? Since thou art a human being placed at thy post, in order that what is for the common advantage may be done in some way. Men despise one another, and flatter one another, and men wish to raise themselves above one another, and crouch before one another. How unsound and insincere is he who says, I have determined to deal with thee in a fair way. What art thou doing, man? There is no occasion to give this notice. It will soon show itself by acts. The voice ought to be plainly written on the forehead. Such as a man's character is, he immediately shows it in his eyes, just as he who is beloved forthwith reads everything in the eyes of lovers. The man who is honest and good ought to be exactly like a man who smells strong, so that the bystander, as soon as he comes near him, must smell whether he choose or not. But the affectation of simplicity is like a crooked stick. Nothing is more disgraceful than a wolfish friendship. Avoid this, most of all. The good and simple and benevolence show all these things in the eyes, and there is no mistaking. As to living in the best way, this power is in the soul. If it be indifferent to things which are indifferent, and it will be indifferent if it looks on each of these things separately and altogether, and if it remembers that not one of them produces in us an opinion about itself nor comes to us, but these things remain immovable, and it is we ourselves who produce the judgments about them. And as we may say, write them in ourselves, it being in our power not to write them, and it being in our power if perchance these judgments have imperceptibly got a mission to our minds to wipe them out. And if we remember also that such attention will only be for a short time, and then life will be at an end. Besides, what trouble is there at all in doing this? For if these things are according to nature, rejoice in them, and they will be easy to thee. But if contrary to nature, seek what is conformable to thy own nature, and strive towards this, even if it bring no reputation, for every man is allowed to seek his own good. Consider whence each thing is come, and of what it consists, and into what it changes, and what kind of a thing it will be when it is changed, and that it will sustain no harm. If any have offended against thee, consider first. What is my relation to men, and that we are made for one another, and in another respect I was made to be said over them, as a ram over the flock, or a bull over the herd. But examine the matter from first principles, from this. If all things are not mere atoms, it is nature which orders all things. If this is so, the inferior things exist for the sake of the superior, and these for the sake of one another. Second, consider what kind of men they are at table, in bed, and so forth, and particularly, under what compulsions in respect of opinions they are, and as to their acts, consider with what pride they do what they do. Third, that if men do rightly what they do, we ought not to be displeased, but if they do not write, it is plain that they do so involuntarily, and in ignorance. For as every soul is unwillingly deprived of the truth, so also it is unwillingly deprived of the power of behaving to each man according to his desserts. Accordingly men are pained when they are called unjust, ungrateful, and greedy, and in a word wrong doers to their neighbors. Fourth, consider that thou also doest many things wrong, and that thou art a man like others, and even if thou dost abstain from certain faults, still thou hast the disposition to commit them, though either through cowardice or concern about reputation or some such mean motive thou dost abstain from such faults. Fifth, consider that thou dost not even understand whether men are doing wrong or not, for many things are done with a certain reference to circumstances, and in short, a man must learn a great deal to enable him to pass a correct judgment on another man's acts. Sixth, consider when thou art much vexed or grieved that man's life is only a moment, and after a short time we are all laid out dead. Seventh, that it is not men's acts which disturb us, for those acts have their foundation in men's ruling principles, but it is our own opinions which disturb us. Take away these opinions, then, and resolve to dismiss thy judgment about an act as if it were something grievous, and thy anger is gone. How then shall I take away these opinions, by reflecting that no wrongful act of another brings shame on thee? For unless that which is shameful is alone bad, thou also must of necessity do many things wrong and become a robber and everything else. Eighth, consider how much more pain is brought on us by the anger and vexation caused by such acts than by the acts themselves at which we are angry and vexed. Ninth, consider that a good disposition is invincible if it be genuine, and not in effect its smile and acting apart. For what will the most violent man do to thee if thou continueest to be of a kind disposition towards him? And if, as opportunity offers, thou gently admonishest him and calmly correctest his errors at the very time when he is trying to do the harm, saying, not so, my child, we are constituted by nature for something else. I shall certainly not be injured, but thou art injuring thyself, my child. And show him with gentle tact and by general principles that this is so, and that even bees do not do as he does, nor any animals which are formed by nature to be gregarious. And thou must not do this neither with any double meaning, nor in the way of reproach, but affectionately, and without any ranker in thy soul, and not as if thou art lecturing him, nor yet that any bystander may admire, but either when he is alone, and if others are present. Remember these nine rules, as if thou hast received them as a gift from the muses, and begin at last to be a man while thou livest. But thou must equally avoid flattering men and being vexed at them, for both are unsocial and lead to harm. And let this truth be present to thee in the excitement of anger, that to be moved by passion is not manly, but that mildness and gentleness, as they are more agreeable to human nature, so also are they more manly. And he who possesses these qualities possesses strength, nerves, and courage, and not the man who is subject to fits of passion and discontent. For in the same degree in which a man's mind is nearer to freedom from all passion, in the same degree also is it nearer to strength. And as the sense of pain is a characteristic of weakness, so also is anger. For he who yields to pain, and he who yields to anger, both are wounded, and both submit. But if thou wilt receive also a tenth present from the leader of the Muses, Apollo, and it is this, that to expect bad men not to do wrong as madness, for he who expects this desires an impossibility, but to allow men to behave so to others, and to expect them not to do the any wrong is irrational and tyrannical. There are four principal aberrations of the superior faculty, against which thou shouldst be constantly on thy guard. And when thou has detected them, thou shouldst wipe them out and say on each occasion thus, this thought is not necessary. This tends to destroy social union. This which thou are going to say comes not from the real thoughts, for thou shouldst consider it among the most absurd of things, for a man not to speak from his real thoughts. But the fourth is when thou shalt reproach thyself for anything, for this is an evidence of the diviner part within thee being overpowered and yielding to the less honorable and to the perishable part, the body, and to its gross pleasures. Thy aerial part and all the fiery parts which are mingled in thee, though by nature they have an upward tendency, still in obedience to the disposition of the universe they are overpowered here in the compound mass, the body, and also the whole of the earthy part in thee and the watery, though their tendency is downwards, still are raised up and occupy a position which is not the natural one. And this manner then the elemental parts obey the universal, for when they have been fixed in any place per force they remain there, until again the universal shall sound the signal for dissolution. Is it not then strange that thy intelligent part only should be disobedient and discontented with its own place? And yet no force is imposed on it, but only those things which are conformable to its nature. Still it does not submit, but is carried in the opposite direction. For the movement toward injustice and intemperance and to anger and grief and fear is nothing else than the act of one who deviates from nature. And also when the ruling faculty is discontented with anything that happens, then too it deserts its post, for it is constituted for piety and reverence toward the gods, no less than for justice. For these qualities also are comprehended under the generic term of contentment with the constitution of things, and indeed they are prior to acts of justice. You who has not one and always the same object in life cannot be one in the same all through his life. But what I have said is not enough, unless this also is added, what this object ought to be. For as there is not the same opinion about all the things which in some way or other are considered by the majority to be good, but only about some certain things that is things which concern the common interest. So also we ought to propose to ourselves an object which shall be of a common kind, social and political. For he who directs all his own efforts to this object will make all his acts alike, and thus will always be the same. Think of the country mouse and of the town mouse and of the alarm and trepidation of the town mouse. Socrates used to call the opinions of the many by the name of Lamee, bugbear, as to frighten children. The Lassid demonians at their public spectacles used to set seats in the shade for strangers, but themselves sat down anywhere. Socrates excused himself to Perticus for not going to him, saying it is because I would not perish by the worst of all ends. That is, I would not receive a favor and then be unable to return it. In the writings of the Ephesians there was this precept, constantly to think of someone of the men of former times who practice virtue. The Pythagoreans bid us in the morning look to the heavens that we may be reminded of those bodies which continually do the same things and in the same manner perform their work and also be reminded of their purity and nudity, for there is no veil over a star. Consider what a man Socrates was when he dressed himself in a skin after Zanthippe had taken his cloak and gone out, and what Socrates said to his friends who were ashamed of him and drew back from him when they saw him dressed thus. Neither in writing nor in reading wilt thou be able to lay down rules for others before thou shalt have learned to obey rules thyself. Much more is this so in life. A slave thou art, free speech is not for thee. And my heart laughed within. Odyssey 9, 4, 13. And virtue they will curse speaking harsh words. He see it works in days 184. To look for the fig in winter is a madman's act, such as he who looks for his child when he is no longer allowed. Epictetus 3, 24, 87. When a man kisses his child said Epictetus, he should whisper to himself, to-morrow perchance thou wilt die. But those are words of bad omen. No word is a word of bad omen, said Epictetus, which expresses any work of nature. Or, if it is so, it is also a word of bad omen to speak of the ears of corn being reaped. Epictetus 3, 24, 88. The unripe grape, the ripe bunch, the dried grape, all are changes, not into nothing, but into something which exists not yet. Epictetus 3, 24. No man can rob us of our free will. Epictetus 3, 22, 105. Epictetus also said, a man must discover an art, or rules, with respect to giving his assent. And in respect to his movements he must be careful that they be made with regard to circumstances, that they be consistent with social interests, that they have regard to the value of the object. And as to sensual desire, he should altogether keep away from it. And as to avoidance, he should not show it with respect to any of the things which are not in our power. The dispute, then, he said, is not about any common matter, but about being mad, or not. Socrates used to say, what do you want, souls of rational men, or irrational? Souls of rational men. Of what rational men? Sound, or unsound? Sound. Why then do you not seek for them? Because we have them. Why then do you fight, and quarrel? End of Chapter 11. Recording by Leon Meyer. Conformably to piety, that thou mayest be content with the lot which is assigned to thee, for nature designed it for thee, and thee for it. Conformably to justice, that thou mayest always speak the truth freely and without disguise, and do the things which are agreeable to law, and according to the worth of each. And let neither another man's wickedness hinder thee, nor opinion, nor voice, nor yet the sensations of the poor flesh which has grown about thee, for the passive part will look to this. If then, whatever the time may be, when thou shalt be near to thy departure, neglecting everything else, thou shalt respect only thy ruling faculty, and the divinity within thee, and if thou shalt be afraid, not because thou must sometimes cease to live, but if thou shalt fear never to have begun to live, according to nature, then thou wilt be a man worthy of the universe which has produced thee, and thou wilt cease to be a stranger in thy native land, and to wonder at things which happen daily as if they were something unexpected, and to be dependent on this or that. God sees the minds of all men, bared of the material vesture, and rined in impurities, for with his intellectual part alone he touches the intelligence only which has flowed and been derived from himself into these bodies, and if thou also uses thyself to do this, thou wilt rid thyself of thy much trouble. For he who regards not the poor flesh which envelops him surely will not trouble himself by looking after raiment and dwelling and fame and such like externals and show. The things are three of which thou art composed, a little body, a little breath, intelligence. Of these the first two are thine so far as it is thy duty to take care of them. But the third alone is properly thine. Therefore if thou shalt separate from thyself, that is, from thy understanding, whatever others do or say, and whatever thou hast done or said thyself, and whatever future things trouble thee because they may happen, and whatever in the body which envelops thee, or in the breath, which is by nature associated with the body, is attached to the independent of thy will, and whatever the externals or confluent vortex whirls round, so that the intellectual power exempt from the things of fate can live pure and free by itself, doing what is just, and accepting what happens, and saying the truth. If thou wilt separate, I say, from this ruling faculty the things which are attached to it, by the impressions of sense, and the things of time to come, and of time that is past, and wilt make thyself like in pedicles a sphere, all round, and in its joyous rest reposing. And if thou shalt strive to live only what is really thy life, that is, the present, then thou wilt be able to pass that portion of life which remains for thee up to the time of thy death, free from perturbations, nobly and obedient to the God that is within thee. I have often wondered how it is that every man loves himself more than all the rest of men, but yet sets less value on his own opinion of himself, than on the opinion of others. If then a God or a wise teacher should present himself to a man, and bid him to think of nothing, and to design nothing which he would not express as soon as he conceived it, he could not endure it even for a single day. So much more respect have we to what our neighbors shall think of us, than to what we shall think of ourselves. How can it be that the Gods, after having arranged all things well and benevolently for mankind, have overlooked this alone, that some men and very good men, and men who, as we may say, have had most communion with the Divinity, and through pious acts and religious observances, have been most intimate with the Divinity, when they have once died should never exist again, but should be completely extinguished? But if this is so, be assured that if it ought to have been otherwise, the Gods would have done it, or if it were just it would also be possible, and if it were according to nature, nature would have had it so. But because it is not so, if in fact it is not so, be thou convinced that it ought not to have been so, for thou seest even of thyself that in this inquiry thou art disputing with the Deity, and we should not thus dispute with the Gods, unless they were most excellent and most just. But if this is so, they would not have allowed anything in the ordering of the universe to be neglected unjustly and irrationally. Practice thyself even in the things which thou despairest of accomplishing, for even the left hand, which is ineffectual for all other things, for want of practice, holds the bridle more vigorously than the right hand, for it has been practiced in this. Consider in what condition, both in body and soul, a man should be when he is overtaken by death, and consider the shortness of life, the boundless abyss of time, past and future, the feebleness of all matter. Contemplate the formative principles of things, bear of their coverings, the purposes of actions. Consider what pain is, what pleasure is, and death, and fame, who is to himself the cause of his uneasiness, how no man is hindered by another, that everything is opinion. In the application of thy principles thou must be like the pancracious, not like the gladiator, for the gladiator lets fall the sword which he uses, and is killed, but the other always has his hand, and needs to do nothing else than use it. See what things are in themselves, dividing them into matter, form, and purpose. What a power man has to do, nothing except what God will approve, and to accept all that God may give him. With respect to that which happens conformably to nature, we ought to blame neither gods, for they do nothing wrong either voluntarily or involuntarily, nor men, for they do nothing wrong except involuntarily. Consequently we should blame nobody. How ridiculous, and what a stranger he is, who is surprised at anything which happens in life. Either there is a fatal necessity and invincible order, or a kind providence, or a confusion without a purpose and without a director. If then there is an invincible necessity, why does thou resist? But if there is a providence which allows itself to be propitiated, make thyself worthy of the help of the divinity. But if there is a confusion without a governor, be content that in such a tempest, thou hast in thyself a certain ruling intelligence. And even if the tempest carry thee away, let it carry away the poor flesh, the poor breath, everything else, for the intelligence, at least, it will not carry away. Does the light of the lamp shine without losing its splendor until it is extinguished? And shall the truth which is in thee, and justice, and temperance, be extinguished before thy death? When a man has presented the appearance of having done wrong, say, How then do I know if this is a wrongful act? And even if he has done wrong, how do I know that he has not condemned himself? And so this is like tearing his own face. Consider that he who would not have the bad man do wrong is like the man who would not have the fig tree to bear juice in the figs, and infants to cry, and the horse to neigh, and whatever else must of necessity be. For what must a man do who has such a character? If then thou art irritable, cure this man's disposition. If it is not right, do not do it. If it is not true, do not say it. In everything always observe what the thing is which produces for thee an appearance, and resolve it by dividing it into the formal, the material, the purpose, and the time within which it must end. Perceive at last that thou hast in thee something better and more divine than the things which cause the various effects, and as it were pull thee by the strings. What is there now in my mind? Is it fear, or suspicion, or desire, or anything of the kind? First, do nothing inconsiderately, nor without a purpose. Second, make thy acts refer to nothing else than to a social end. Consider that before long thou wilt be nobody and nowhere, nor will any of the things exist which thou now seeest, nor any of those who are now living. For all things are formed by nature to change and be turned and to perish in order that other things in continuous succession may exist. Consider that everything is opinion, and opinion is in thy power. Take away, then, when thou choosest, thy opinion, and like a mariner who is double depraventory, thou wilt find calm, everything stable, and a waveless bay. Any one activity, wherever it may be, when it is ceased at its proper time, suffers no evil because it is ceased, nor he who has done this act, does he suffer any evil for this reason that the act has ceased. In like manner, then, the whole which consists of all the acts which is our life, if it ceased at its proper time, suffers no evil for this reason that it is ceased. Nor he who has terminated this series at the proper time has he been ill dealt with. But the proper time and the limit nature fixes, sometimes, as in old age, the peculiar nature of man, but always the universal nature, by the change of whose parts the whole universe continues ever young and perfect. And everything which is useful to the universal is always good and in season. Therefore the termination of life for every man is no evil, because neither is it shameful, since it is both independent of the will and not opposed to the general interest. But it is good, since it is seasonable and profitable to and congruent with the universal. For thus too he is moved by the deity, who is moved in the same manner with the deity, and moved towards the same things in his mind. These three principles thou must have in readiness. In the things which thou doest, do nothing either inconsiderately or otherwise as justice herself would act. But with respect to what may happen to thee from without, consider that it happens either by chance or according to providence, and thou must neither blame chance nor accuse providence. Second, consider what every being is, from the seed to the time of its receiving a soul, and from the reception of a soul to the giving back of the same, and of what things every being is compounded, and into what things it is resolved. Third, if thou shouldest suddenly be raised up above the earth, and shouldest look down on human beings, and observe the variety of them, how great it is, and at the same time also shouldest see at a glance how great is the number of beings who dwell all around in the air and the ether, consider that as often as thou shouldest be raised up, thou wouldest see the same things, sameness of form, and shortness of duration. Are these things to be proud of? Cast away opinion, thou art saved. Who then hinders thee from casting it away? When thou art troubled about anything, thou hast forgotten this, that all things happen according to the universal nature, and forgotten this, that a man's wrongful act is nothing to thee, and further thou hast forgotten this, that everything which happens always happens so and will happen so, and now happen so everywhere. Forgotten this too, how close is the kinship between a man and the whole human race, for it is a community, not of a little blood or seed, but of intelligence. And thou hast forgotten this too, that every man's intelligence is a God, and is an efflux of the deity. And forgotten this, that nothing is a man's own, but that his child and his body and his very soul came from the deity. Forgotten this, that everything is opinion. And lastly, thou hast forgotten that every man lives the present time only, and loses only this. Constantly bring to thy recollection those who have complained greatly about anything, those who have been most conspicuous by the greatest fame or misfortunes or enmities or fortunes of any kind. Then think, where are they all now? Smoke and ash and a tail, or not even a tail? And let there be present to thy mind also everything of this sort, how Fabius Catalinus lived in the country, and Lucius Lupus in his gardens, and Styrton Eus at Baeaei, and Tiberius at Capriii, and Rufus at Velia. And, in fine, think of the eager pursuit of anything conjoined with pride, and how worthless everything is, after which men violently strain. And how much more philosophical it is for a man and the opportunities presented to him to show himself just, temperate, obedient to the gods, and to do this with all simplicity. For the pride which is proud of its want of pride is the most intolerable of all. To those who ask, where has thou seen the gods, or how does thou comprehend that they exist, and so worshipest them? I answer, in the first place, they may be seen even with the eyes. In the second place, neither have I seen even my own soul, and yet I honour it. Thus then, with respect to the gods, from what I constantly experience of their power, from this I comprehend that they exist, and I venerate them. The safety of life is this, to examine everything all through, what it is itself, what is its material, what the formal part, with all thy soul to do justice, and to say the truth. What remains except to enjoy life by joining one good thing to another, so as not to leave even the smallest intervals between. There is one light of the sun, though it is interrupted by walls, mountains, and other things infinite. There is one common substance, though it is distributed among countless bodies which have their several qualities. There is one soul, though it is distributed among infinite natures and individual circumscriptions. There is one intelligent soul, though it seems to be divided. Now in the things which have been mentioned, all the other parts, such as those which are air and matter, are without sensation and have no fellowship, and yet even these parts the intelligent principle holds together, and the gravitation towards the same. But intellect in a peculiar manner tends to that which is of the same kin, and combines with it, and the feeling for communion is not interrupted. What does thou wish to continue to exist? Well, does thou wish to have sensation, movement, growth, and then again to cease to grow, to use thy speech, to think? What is there of all these things which seems to thee worth desiring? But if it is easy to set little value on all these things, turn to that which remains, which is to follow reason and God. But it is inconsistent with honoring reason and God to be troubled, because by death a man will be deprived of the other things. How small a part of the boundless and unfathomable time is assigned to every man, for it is very soon swallowed up in the eternal, and how small a part of the whole substance, and how small a part of the universal soul, and on what a small claw to the whole earth thou creepest. Reflecting on all this, consider nothing to be great, except to act as thy nature leads thee, and to endure that which the common nature brings. How does the ruling faculty make use of itself? For all lies in this. But everything else, whether it is in the power of thy will or not, is only lifeless ashes and smoke. This reflection is most adapted to move us to contempt of death, that even those who think pleasure to be a good and pain and evil still have despised it. The man to whom that only is good which comes in due season, and to whom it is the same thing, whether he has done more or fewer acts conformable to right reason, and to whom it makes no difference whether he contemplates the world for a longer or a shorter time. For this man neither is death a terrible thing. Man, thou hast been a citizen in this great state, the world. What difference does it make to thee, whether for five years or three? For that which is conformable to the laws is just for all. Where is the hardship, then, if no tyrant nor yet an unjust judge sends thee away from the state, but nature who brought thee into it? The same as if a praetor who is employed in actor dismisses him from the stage. But I have not finished the five acts, but only three of them. Thou sayest well, but in life the three acts are the whole drama. For what shall be a complete drama is determined by him who is once the cause of its composition, and now of its dissolution. But thou art the cause of neither. Depart, then, satisfied, for he also who releases thee is satisfied.