Meditations — Marcus Aurelius
MAJiCUS p. 117thy thoughts to some object of common utility. For thou losest the opportunity of doing something else when thou hast such thoughts as these, — What is such a person doing, and why, and what is he saying, and what is he thinking of, and what is he contriving, and whatever else of the kind makes us wander away from the observation of our own ruling power.
We ought then to check in the series of our thoughts everything that is without a purpose and useless, but most of all the overcurious feeling and the malignant ; and a man should use himself to think of those things only about which if one should suddenly ask, What hast thou now in thy thoughts ? with perfect openness thou mightest immediately answer, This or That ; so that from thy words it should be plain that everything in thee is simple and benevolent, and such as befits a social animal, and one that cares not for thoughts about pleasure or sensual enjoyments at all, nor has any rivalry or envy and suspicion, or anything else for which thou wouldst blush if thou shouldst say that thou hadst it in thy mind.
For the man who is such, and no longer delays being among the number of the best, is like a priest and minister of the gods, using too the [deity] which is planted within him, which makes the man uncontaminated by pleasure, unharmed by any pain, untouched by any insult, feeling no wrong, a fighter in the noblest fight, p. 118one who cannot be overpowered by any passion, dyed deep with justice, accepting with all his soul everything which happens and is assigned to him as his portion ; and not often, nor yet without great necessity and for the general interest, imagining what another says, or does, or thinks.
For it is only what belongs to himself that he makes the matter for his activity ; and he constantly thinks of that which is allotted to himself out of the sum total of things, and he makes his own acts fair, and he is persuaded that his own portion is good.
For the lot which is assigned to each man is carried along with him and carries him along with it.f And he remembers also that every rational animal is his kinsman, and that to care for all men is according to man's nature ; and a man should hold on to the opinion not of all, but of those only who confessedly live according to nature.
But as to those who live not so, he always bears in mind what kind of men they are both at home and from home, both by night and by day, and what they are, and with what men ^ they live an impure life. Accordingly, he does not value at all the praise which comes from such men, since they are not even satisfied with themselves. 5.
Labor not unwillingly, nor without regard to the common interest, nor without due consideration, nor with distraction ; nor let studied ornament set off thy thoughts, and be not either a man p. 119of many words, or busy about too many things And further, let the deity which is in thee be thfp* guardian of a living being, manly and of ripe age, and engaged in matter political, and a Roman, and a ruler, who has taken his post like a man waiting for the signal which summons him from life, and ready to go, having need neither of oath nor of any man's testimony.
Be cheerful also, and seek not external help nor the tranquillity which others give. A man then must stand erect, not be kept erect by others. 6.
If thou findest in human life anything better than justice, truth, temperance, fortitude, and, in a word, anything better than thy own mind's selfsatisfaction in the things which it enables thee to do according to right reason, and in the condition that is assigned to thee without thy own choice ; if, I say, thou seest anything better than this, turn to it with all thy soul, and enjoy that which thou hast found to be the best.
But if nothing appears to be better than the Deity which is planted in thee, which has subjected to itself all thy appetites, and carefully examines all the impressions, and, as Socrates said, has detached itself from the persuasions of sense, and has submitted itself to the gods, and cares for mankind ; if thou findest everything else smaller and of less value than this, give place to nothing else, for if thou dost once diverge and incline to it, thou wilt no longer without distraction
MAJiCUS AUBELIUS ANTONINUS. 117 your thoughts to some object of common utility. For you losest the opportunity of doing something else when you have such thoughts as these, — What is such a person doing, and why, and what is he saying, and what is he thinking of, and what is he contriving, and whatever else of the kind makes us wander away from the observation of our own ruling power. We ought then to check in the series of our thoughts everything that is without a purpose and useless, but most of all the overcurious feeling and the malignant ; and a man should use himself to think of those things only about which if one should suddenly ask, What have you now in your thoughts ? with perfect openness you might immediately answer, This or That ; so that from your words it should be plain that everything in you is simple and benevolent, and such as befits a social animal, and one that cares not for thoughts about pleasure or sensual enjoyments at all, nor has any rivalry or envy and suspicion, or anything else for which you would blush if you should say that you had it in your mind. For the man who is such, and no longer delays being among the number of the best, is like a priest and minister of the gods, using too the [deity] which is planted within him, which makes the man uncontaminated by pleasure, unharmed by any pain, untouched by any insult, feeling no wrong, a fighter in the noblest fight, 118 MEDITATIONS one who cannot be overpowered by any passion, dyed deep with justice, accepting with all his soul everything which happens and is assigned to him as his portion ; and not often, nor yet without great necessity and for the general interest, imagining what another says, or does, or thinks. For it is only what belongs to himself that he makes the matter for his activity ; and he constantly thinks of that which is allotted to himself out of the sum total of things, and he makes his own acts fair, and he is persuaded that his own portion is good. For the lot which is assigned to each man is carried along with him and carries him along with it.f And he remembers also that every rational animal is his kinsman, and that to care for all men is according to man's nature ; and a man should hold on to the opinion not of all, but of those only who confessedly live according to nature. But as to those who live not so, he always bears in mind what kind of men they are both at home and from home, both by night and by day, and what they are, and with what men ^ they live an impure life. Accordingly, he does not value at all the praise which comes from such men, since they are not even satisfied with themselves. 5. Labor not unwillingly, nor without regard to the common interest, nor without due consideration, nor with distraction ; nor let studied ornament set off your thoughts, and be not either a man MABCUS AUBELIUS ANTONINUS. 119 of many words, or busy about too many things And further, let the deity which is in you be thfp* guardian of a living being, manly and of ripe age, and engaged in matter political, and a Roman, and a ruler, who has taken his post like a man waiting for the signal which summons him from life, and ready to go, having need neither of oath nor of any man's testimony. Be cheerful also, and seek not external help nor the tranquillity which others give. A man then must stand erect, not be kept erect by others. 6. If you find in human life anything better than justice, truth, temperance, fortitude, and, in a word, anything better than your own mind's selfsatisfaction in the things which it enables you to do according to right reason, and in the condition that is assigned to you without your own choice ; if, I say, you seest anything better than this, turn to it with all your soul, and enjoy that which you have found to be the best. But if nothing appears to be better than the Deity which is planted in you, which has subjected to itself all your appetites, and carefully examines all the impressions, and, as Socrates said, has detached itself from the persuasions of sense, and has submitted itself to the gods, and cares for mankind ; if you find everything else smaller and of less value than this, give place to nothing else, for if you do once diverge and incline to it, you will no longer without distraction
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