Meditations — Marcus Aurelius
MARCUS AURELIUS ANTONINUS.
95 and to love truth, and to love justice ; and through him I learned to know Thrasea, Helvidius, Cato, Dion, Brutus ; l and from him I received the idea of a polity in which there is the same law for all, a polity administered with regard to equal rights and equal freedom of speech, and the idea of a kinglv government which respects most of all the freedom of the governed ; I learned from him also f consistency and undeviating steadiness in my regard for philosophy; and a disposition to do good, and to give to others readily, and to cherish good hopes, and to believe that I am loved by my friends; and in him I observed no concealment of his opinions with respect to those whom he condemned, and that his friends had no need to conjecture what he wished or did not wish, but it was quite plain.
15. From Maximus2I learned self-government, and not to be led aside by anything; and cheercousin. Schultz in his translation omits " brother," and says that this Sevenis is probably Claudius Severus, a peripatetic. 1 We know, from Tacitus (Annal. xiii., xvi. 21 ; and other passages) , who Thrasea and Helvidius were. Plutarch has written the lives of the two Catos, and of Dion and Brutus.
Antoninus probably alludes to Cato of Utica, who was a Stoic. * Claudius Maximus was a Stoic philosopher, who was highly esteemed also by Antoninus Pius, Marcus' predecessor. The character of Maximus is that of a perfect man. ^See viii. 25.)
9G MEDITATIONS. fulness in all circumstances, as well as in illness ; and a just admixture in the moral character of sweetness and dignity, and to do what was set before me without complaining.
I observed that everybody believed that he thought as he spoke, and that in all that he did he never had any bad intention; and he never showed amazement and surprise, and was never in a hurry, and never put off doing a thing, nor was perplexed nor dejected, nor did he ever laugh to disguise his vexation, nor, on the other hand, was he ever passionate or suspicious.
He was accustomed to do acts of beneficence, and was ready to forgive, and was free from all falsehood; and he presented the appearance of a man who could not be diverted from right, rather than of a man who had been improved. I observed, too, that no man could ever think that he was despised by Maximus, or ever venture to think himself a better man. He had also the art of being humorous in an agreeable way.f 16.
In my father1 I observed mildness of temper, and unchangeable resolution in the things which he had determined after due deliberation ; and no vainglory in those things which men call honors; and a love of labor and perseverance ; and a readiness to listen to those who had anything to 1 He means his adoptive father, his predecessor, the Eirperor Antoninus Pius. Compare vi. 30.
p. 97propose for the common weal ; and undeviating firmness in giving to every man according to his deserts ; and a knowledge derived from experience of the occasions for vigorous action and for remission.
And I observed that he had overcome all passion for boys ; and he considered himself no more than any other citizen ; l and he released his friends from all obligation to sup with him or to attend him of necessity when he went abroad, and those who had failed to accompany him, by reason of any urgent circumstances, always found him the same.
I observed too his habit of careful inquiry in all matters of deliberation, and his persistency, and that he never stopped his investigation through being satisfied with appearances which first present themselves; and that his disposition was to keep his friends, and not to be soon tired of them, nor yet to be extravagant in his affection ; and to be satisfied on all occasions, and cheerful ; and to foresee things a long way off, and to provide for the smallest without display ; and to check immediately popular applause and all flattery ; and to be ever watchful over the things which were necessary for the administration of the empire, and to be a good manager of the expenditure, and patiently to endure the blame which he got for such conduct; and he was neither superstitious with respect to the gods, nor did he court men by gifts or by trying 1 He uses the word koivovotjjachtvvt}. See Gataker's note.
MARCUS AURELIUS ANTONINUS.
95 and to love truth, and to love justice ; and through him I learned to know Thrasea, Helvidius, Cato, Dion, Brutus ; l and from him I received the idea of a polity in which there is the same law for all, a polity administered with regard to equal rights and equal freedom of speech, and the idea of a kinglv government which respects most of all the freedom of the governed ; I learned from him also f consistency and undeviating steadiness in my regard for philosophy; and a disposition to do good, and to give to others readily, and to cherish good hopes, and to believe that I am loved by my friends; and in him I observed no concealment of his opinions with respect to those whom he condemned, and that his friends had no need to conjecture what he wished or did not wish, but it was quite plain.
15. From Maximus2I learned self-government, and not to be led aside by anything; and cheercousin. Schultz in his translation omits " brother," and says that this Sevenis is probably Claudius Severus, a peripatetic. 1 We know, from Tacitus (Annal. xiii., xvi. 21 ; and other passages) , who Thrasea and Helvidius were. Plutarch has written the lives of the two Catos, and of Dion and Brutus.
Antoninus probably alludes to Cato of Utica, who was a Stoic. * Claudius Maximus was a Stoic philosopher, who was highly esteemed also by Antoninus Pius, Marcus' predecessor. The character of Maximus is that of a perfect man. ^See viii. 25.)
9G MEDITATIONS. fulness in all circumstances, as well as in illness ; and a just admixture in the moral character of sweetness and dignity, and to do what was set before me without complaining. I observed that everybody believed that he thought as he spoke, and that in all that he did he never had any bad intention; and he never showed amazement and surprise, and was never in a hurry, and never put off doing a thing, nor was perplexed nor dejected, nor did he ever laugh to disguise his vexation, nor, on the other hand, was he ever passionate or suspicious. He was accustomed to do acts of beneficence, and was ready to forgive, and was free from all falsehood; and he presented the appearance of a man who could not be diverted from right, rather than of a man who had been improved. I observed, too, that no man could ever think that he was despised by Maximus, or ever venture to think himself a better man. He had also the are of being humorous in an agreeable way.f 16. In my father1 I observed mildness of temper, and unchangeable resolution in the things which he had determined after due deliberation ; and no vainglory in those things which men call honors; and a love of labor and perseverance ; and a readiness to listen to those who had anything to 1 He means his adoptive father, his predecessor, the Eirperor Antoninus Pius. Compare vi. 30.
MARCUS AUBELIUS ANTONINUS. 97 propose for the common weal ; and undeviating firmness in giving to every man according to his deserts ; and a knowledge derived from experience of the occasions for vigorous action and for remission.
And I observed that he had overcome all passion for boys ; and he considered himself no more than any other citizen ; l and he released his friends from all obligation to sup with him or to attend him of necessity when he went abroad, and those who had failed to accompany him, by reason of any urgent circumstances, always found him the same.
I observed too his habit of careful inquiry in all matters of deliberation, and his persistency, and that he never stopped his investigation through being satisfied with appearances which first present themselves; and that his disposition was to keep his friends, and not to be soon tired of them, nor yet to be extravagant in his affection ; and to be satisfied on all occasions, and cheerful ; and to foresee things a long way off, and to provide for the smallest without display ; and to check immediately popular applause and all flattery ; and to be ever watchful over the things which were necessary for the administration of the empire, and to be a good manager of the expenditure, and patiently to endure the blame which he got for such conduct; and he was neither superstitious with respect to the gods, nor did he court men by gifts or by trying 1 He uses the word koivovotjjachtvvt}. See Gataker's note.
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