Meditations — Marcus Aurelius
132 MED IT A TI0N8. thou wilt return to thy principles and the worship ^of reason. 17. Do not act as if thou wert going to live ten thousand years. Death hangs over thee. While thou livest, while it is in thy power, be good. 18.
How much trouble he avoids who does not look to see what his neighbor says or does or thinks, but only to what he does himself, that it may be just and pure; or, as Agathon f says, look not round at the depraved morals of others, but run straight along the line without deviating from it. 19.
He who has a vehement desire for posthumous fame does not consider that every one of those who remember him will himself also die very soon ; then again also they who have succeeded them, until the whole remembrance shall have been extinguished as it is transmitted through men who foolishly admire and perish. But suppose that those who will remember are even immortal, and that the remembrance will be immortal, what then is this to thee ?
And I say not what is it to the dead, but what is it to the living. What is praise, except f indeed so far as it hasf a certain utility? For thou now rejectest unseasonably the gift of nature, clinging to something else . . . f . 20. Everything which is in any way beautiful is beautiful in itself, and terminates in itself, not having praise as part of itself. Neither worse p. 133then nor better is a thing made by being praised. I affirm this also of the things which are called beautiful by the vulgar, for example, material things and works of art. That which is really beautiful has no need of anything ; not more than law, not more than truth, not more than benevolence or modesty. Which of these things is beautiful because it is praised, or spoiled by being blamed?
Is such a thing as an emerald made worse than it was, if it is not praised? or gold, ivory, purple, a lyre, a little knife, a flower, a shrub ? 21. If souls continue to exist, how does the air contain them from eternity ? — But how does the earth contain the bodies of those who have been buried from time so remote?
For as here the mutation of these bodies after a certain continuance, whatever it may be, and their dissolution make room for other dead bodies, so the souls which are removed into the air after subsisting for some time are transmuted and diffused, and assume a fiery nature by being received into the seminal intelligence of the universe, and in this way make room for the fresh souls which come to dwell there.
And this is the answer which a man might give on the hypothesis of souls continuing to exist. But we must not only think of the number of bodies which are thus buried, but also of the number of animals which are daily eaten by p. 134us and the other animals. For what a number is consumed, and thus in a manner buried in the bodies of those who feed on them ! And nevertheless this earth receives them by reason of the changes [of these bodies] into blood, and the transformations into the aerial or the fiery element. What is the investigation into the truth in this matter ?
The division into that which is material and that which is the cause of form [the formal], (vii. 29.) 22. Do not be whirled about, but in every movement have respect to justice, and on the occasion of every impression maintain the faculty of comprehension [or understanding], 23. Everything harmonizes with me, which is harmonious to thee, O Universe. Nothing for me is too early nor too late, which is in due time for thee.
Everything is fruit to me which thy seasons bring, O Nature : from thee are all things, in thee are all things, to thee all things return. The poet says, Dear city of Cecrops ; and wilt not thou say, Dear city of Zeus ? 24.
Occupy thyself with few things, says the philosopher, if thou wouldst be tranquil. — But consider if it would not be better to say, Do what is necessary, and whatever the reason of the animal which is naturally social requires, and as it requires. For this brings not only the tranquillity which comes from doing well, but also that which
132 MED IT A TI0N8. you will return to your principles and the worship ^of reason. 17. Do not act as if you were going to live ten thousand years. Death hangs over you. While you livest, while it is in your power, be good. 18. How much trouble he avoids who does not look to see what his neighbor says or does or thinks, but only to what he does himself, that it may be just and pure; or, as Agathon f says, look not round at the depraved morals of others, but run straight along the line without deviating from it. 19. He who has a vehement desire for posthumous fame does not consider that every one of those who remember him will himself also die very soon ; then again also they who have succeeded them, until the whole remembrance shall have been extinguished as it is transmitted through men who foolishly admire and perish. But suppose that those who will remember are even immortal, and that the remembrance will be immortal, what then is this to you ? And I say not what is it to the dead, but what is it to the living. What is praise, except f indeed so far as it hasf a certain utility? For you now rejectest unseasonably the gift of nature, clinging to something else . . . f . 20. Everything which is in any way beautiful is beautiful in itself, and terminates in itself, not having praise as part of itself. Neither worse MABCUS AURELIUS ANTONINUS. 133 then nor better is a thing made by being praised. I affirm this also of the things which are called beautiful by the vulgar, for example, material things and works of art. That which is really beautiful has no need of anything ; not more than law, not more than truth, not more than benevolence or modesty. Which of these things is beautiful because it is praised, or spoiled by being blamed?
Is such a thing as an emerald made worse than it was, if it is not praised? or gold, ivory, purple, a lyre, a little knife, a flower, a shrub ? 21. If souls continue to exist, how does the air contain them from eternity ? — But how does the earth contain the bodies of those who have been buried from time so remote?
For as here the mutation of these bodies after a certain continuance, whatever it may be, and their dissolution make room for other dead bodies, so the souls which are removed into the air after subsisting for some time are transmuted and diffused, and assume a fiery nature by being received into the seminal intelligence of the universe, and in this way make room for the fresh souls which come to dwell there.
And this is the answer which a man might give on the hypothesis of souls continuing to exist. But we must not only think of the number of bodies which are thus buried, but also of the number of animals which are daily eaten by 134 MEDITATIONS. us and the other animals. For what a number is consumed, and thus in a manner buried in the bodies of those who feed on them ! And nevertheless this earth receives them by reason of the changes [of these bodies] into blood, and the transformations into the aerial or the fiery element. What is the investigation into the truth in this matter ? The division into that which is material and that which is the cause of form [the formal], (vii. 29.) 22. Do not be whirled about, but in every movement have respect to justice, and on the occasion of every impression maintain the faculty of comprehension [or understanding], 23. Everything harmonizes with me, which is harmonious to you, O Universe. Nothing for me is too early nor too late, which is in due time for you. Everything is fruit to me which your seasons bring, O Nature : from you are all things, in you are all things, to you all things return. The poet says, Dear city of Cecrops ; and will not you say, Dear city of Zeus ? 24. Occupy yourself with few things, says the philosopher, if you would be tranquil. — But consider if it would not be better to say, Do what is necessary, and whatever the reason of the animal which is naturally social requires, and as it requires. For this brings not only the tranquillity which comes from doing well, but also that which
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