Meditations — Marcus Aurelius
p. 135comes from doing few things. For the greatest part of what we say and do being unnecessary, if a man takes this away, he will have more leisure and less uneasiness. Accordingly, on every occasion a man should ask himself, Is this one of the unnecessary things? Now a man should take away not only unnecessary acts, but also unnecessary thoughts, for thus superfluous acts will not follow after. 25.
Try how the life of the good man suits thee, the life of him who is satisfied with his portion out of the whole, and satisfied with his own just acts and benevolent disposition. 26. Hast thou seen those things ? Look also at these. Do not disturb thyself. Make thyself all simplicity. Does any one do wrong ? It is to himself that he does the wrong. Has anything happened to thee ?
Well ; out of the universe from the beginning everything which happens has been apportioned and spun out to thee. In a word, thy life is short. Thou must turn to profit the present by the aid of reason and justice. Be sober in thy relaxation. 27. Either it is a well-arranged universe 1 or a chaos huddled together, but still a universe.
But can a certain order subsist in thee, and disorder in 1 Antoninus here uses the word k6<t}ms both in the sense of the Universe and of Order ; and it is difficult to express his yeaning.
p. 136the All? And this too when all things are so separated and diffused and sympathetic. 28. A black character, a womanish character, a stubborn character, bestial, childish, animal, stupid, counterfeit, scurrilous, fraudulent, tyrannical. 29. If he is a stranger to the universe who does not know what is in it, no less is he a stranger who does not know what is going on in it.
He is a runaway, who flies from social reason ; he is blind, who shuts the eyes of the understanding; he is poor, who has need of another, and has not from himself all things which are useful for life.
He is an abscess on the universe who withdraws and separates himself from the reason of our common nature through being displeased with the things which happen, for the same nature produces this, and has produced thee too : he is a piece rent asunder from the state, who tears his own soul from that of reasonable animals, which is one. 30.
The one is a philosopher without a tunic, and the other without a book : here is another half naked : Bread I have not, he says, and I abide by reason — and I do not get the means of living out of my learning,! and I abide [by my reason]. 31. Love the art, poor as it may be, which thou hast learned, and be content with it ; and pass through the rest of life like one who has intrusted to the gods with his whole soul all that he has, p. 137making thyself neither the tyrant nor the slave of any man. 32. Consider, for example, the times of Vespasian.
Thou wilt see all these things, people marrying, bringing up children, sick, dying, warring, feasting, trafficking, cultivating the ground, flattering, obstinately arrogant, suspecting, plotting, wishing for some to die, grumbling about the present, loving, heaping up treasure, desiring consulship, kingly power. Well, then, that life of these people no longer exists at all. Again, remove to the times of Trajan. Again, all is the same.
Their life too is gone. In like manner view also the other epochs of time and of whole nations, and see how many after great efforts soon fell and were resolved into the elements. But chiefly thou shouldst think of those whom thou hast thyself known distracting themselves about idle things, neglecting to do what was in accordance with their proper constitution, and to hold firmly to this and to be content with it.
And herein it is necessary to remember that the attention given to everything has its proper value and proportion. For thus thou wilt not be dissatisfied, if thou appliest thyself to smaller matters no further than is fit. 33. The words which were formerly familiar are now antiquated : so also the names of those who were famed of old, are now in a manner anti-
MABCUS AUBELIUS ANTONINUS. 135 comes from doing few things. For the greatest part of what we say and do being unnecessary, if a man takes this away, he will have more leisure and less uneasiness. Accordingly, on every occasion a man should ask himself, Is this one of the unnecessary things? Now a man should take away not only unnecessary acts, but also unnecessary thoughts, for thus superfluous acts will not follow after. 25. Try how the life of the good man suits you, the life of him who is satisfied with his portion out of the whole, and satisfied with his own just acts and benevolent disposition. 26. Hast you seen those things ? Look also at these. Do not disturb yourself. Make yourself all simplicity. Does any one do wrong ? It is to himself that he does the wrong. Has anything happened to you ? Well ; out of the universe from the beginning everything which happens has been apportioned and spun out to you. In a word, your life is short. You must turn to profit the present by the aid of reason and justice. Be sober in your relaxation. 27. Either it is a well-arranged universe 1 or a chaos huddled together, but still a universe. But can a certain order subsist in you, and disorder in 1 Antoninus here uses the word k6<t}ms both in the sense of the Universe and of Order ; and it is difficult to express his yeaning.
136 MEDITATIONS. the All? And this too when all things are so separated and diffused and sympathetic. 28. A black character, a womanish character, a stubborn character, bestial, childish, animal, stupid, counterfeit, scurrilous, fraudulent, tyrannical. 29. If he is a stranger to the universe who does not know what is in it, no less is he a stranger who does not know what is going on in it. He is a runaway, who flies from social reason ; he is blind, who shuts the eyes of the understanding; he is poor, who has need of another, and has not from himself all things which are useful for life. He is an abscess on the universe who withdraws and separates himself from the reason of our common nature through being displeased with the things which happen, for the same nature produces this, and has produced you too : he is a piece rent asunder from the state, who tears his own soul from that of reasonable animals, which is one. 30. The one is a philosopher without a tunic, and the other without a book : here is another half naked : Bread I have not, he says, and I abide by reason — and I do not get the means of living out of my learning,! and I abide [by my reason]. 31. Love the art, poor as it may be, which you have learned, and be content with it ; and pass through the rest of life like one who has intrusted to the gods with his whole soul all that he has, MABCUS AUBELIUS ANTONINUS. 137 making yourself neither the tyrant nor the slave of any man. 32. Consider, for example, the times of Vespasian. You will see all these things, people marrying, bringing up children, sick, dying, warring, feasting, trafficking, cultivating the ground, flattering, obstinately arrogant, suspecting, plotting, wishing for some to die, grumbling about the present, loving, heaping up treasure, desiring consulship, kingly power. Well, then, that life of these people no longer exists at all. Again, remove to the times of Trajan. Again, all is the same. Their life too is gone. In like manner view also the other epochs of time and of whole nations, and see how many after great efforts soon fell and were resolved into the elements. But chiefly you should think of those whom you have yourself known distracting themselves about idle things, neglecting to do what was in accordance with their proper constitution, and to hold firmly to this and to be content with it. And herein it is necessary to remember that the attention given to everything has its proper value and proportion. For thus you will not be dissatisfied, if you appliest yourself to smaller matters no further than is fit. 33. The words which were formerly familiar are now antiquated : so also the names of those who were famed of old, are now in a manner anti-
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