Meditations — Marcus Aurelius
p. 15618. Nothing happens to any man which he is not formed by nature to bear. The same, things happen to another, and either because he does not see that they have happened, or because he would show a great spirit, he is firm and remains unharmed. It is a shame then that ignorance and conceit should be stronger than wisdom. 19.
Things themselves touch not the soul, not in the least degree ; nor have they admission to the soul, nor can they turn or move the soul : but the soul turns and moves itself alone, and whatever judgments it may think proper to make, such it makes for itself the things which present themselves to it. 20. In one respect man is the nearest thing to me, so far as I must do good to men and endure them.
But so far as some men make themselves obstacles to my proper acts, man becomes to me one of the things which are indifferent, no less than the sun or wind or a wild beast.
Now it is true that these may impede my action, but they are no impediments to my affects and disposition, which have the power of acting conditionally and changing : for the mind converts and changes every hindrance to its activity into an aid; and so that which is a hindrance is made a furtherance to an act ; and that which is an obstacle on the road helps us on this road. 21. Reverence that which is best in the universe ;
p. 157and this is that which makes use of all things and directs all things. And in like manner also reverence that which is best in thyself ; and this is of the same kind as that. For in thyself also, that which makes use of everything else is this, and thy life is directed by this. 22. That which does no harm to the state, does no harm to the citizen.
In the case of every appearance of harm apply this rule : if the state is not harmed by this, neither am I harmed. But if the state is harmed, thou must not be angry with him who does harm to the state. Show him where his error is. 23. Often think of the rapidity with which things pass by and disappear, both the things which are and the things which are produced.
For substance is like a river in a continual flow, and the activities of things are in constant change, and the causes work in infinite varieties; and there is hardly anything which stands still. And consider this which is near to thee, this boundless abyss of the past and of the future in which all things disappear.
How then is he not a fool who is puffed up with such things or plagued about them and makes himself miserable ? for they vex him only for a time, and a short time. 24. Think of the universal substance, of which thou hast a very small portion ; and of universal time, of which a short and indivisible interval has
15S MEDITATIONS. been assigned to thee ; and of that which is fixed by d ^«tiny, and how small a part of it thou art. 25. Does another do me wrong ? Let him look to it. He has his own disposition, his own activity. I now have what the universal nature wills me to have ; and I do what my nature now wills me to do. 26.
Let the part of thy soul which leads and governs be undisturbed by the movements in the flesh, whether of pleasure or of pain ; and let it r>ot unite with them, but let it circumscribe itself and limit those affects to their parts.
But when these affects rise up to the mind by virtue of that other sympathy that naturally exists in a body which is all one, then thou must not strive to resist the sensation, for it is natural : but let not the ruling part of itself add to the sensation the opinion that it is either good or bad. 2T. Live with the gods.
And he does live with the gods who constantly shows to them that his own soul is satisfied with that which is assigned to him, and that it does all that the daemon wishes, which Zeus hath given to every man for his guardian and guide, a portion of himself. And this is every man's understanding and reason. 28. Art thou angry with him whose armpits stink ? art thou angry with him whose mouth smells foul ? What good will this anger do thee ? He has such a mouth, he has such armpits : it is necessary
156 MEDITATIONS. 18. Nothing happens to any man which he is not formed by nature to bear. The same, things happen to another, and either because he does not see that they have happened, or because he would show a great spirit, he is firm and remains unharmed. It is a shame then that ignorance and conceit should be stronger than wisdom. 19.
Things themselves touch not the soul, not in the least degree ; nor have they admission to the soul, nor can they turn or move the soul : but the soul turns and moves itself alone, and whatever judgments it may think proper to make, such it makes for itself the things which present themselves to it. 20. In one respect man is the nearest thing to me, so far as I must do good to men and endure them.
But so far as some men make themselves obstacles to my proper acts, man becomes to me one of the things which are indifferent, no less than the sun or wind or a wild beast.
Now it is true that these may impede my action, but they are no impediments to my affects and disposition, which have the power of acting conditionally and changing : for the mind converts and changes every hindrance to its activity into an aid; and so that which is a hindrance is made a furtherance to an act ; and that which is an obstacle on the road helps us on this road. 21. Reverence that which is best in the universe ;
MABCUS AUBELIUS ANTONINUS. 157 and this is that which makes use of all things and directs all things. And in like manner also reverence that which is best in yourself ; and this is of the same kind as that. For in yourself also, that which makes use of everything else is this, and your life is directed by this. 22. That which does no harm to the state, does no harm to the citizen. In the case of every appearance of harm apply this rule : if the state is not harmed by this, neither am I harmed. But if the state is harmed, you must not be angry with him who does harm to the state. Show him where his error is. 23. Often think of the rapidity with which things pass by and disappear, both the things which are and the things which are produced. For substance is like a river in a continual flow, and the activities of things are in constant change, and the causes work in infinite varieties; and there is hardly anything which stands still. And consider this which is near to you, this boundless abyss of the past and of the future in which all things disappear. How then is he not a fool who is puffed up with such things or plagued about them and makes himself miserable ? for they vex him only for a time, and a short time. 24. Think of the universal substance, of which you have a very small portion ; and of universal time, of which a short and indivisible interval has
15S MEDITATIONS. been assigned to you ; and of that which is fixed by d ^«tiny, and how small a part of it you are. 25. Does another do me wrong ? Let him look to it. He has his own disposition, his own activity. I now have what the universal nature wills me to have ; and I do what my nature now wills me to do. 26. Let the part of your soul which leads and governs be undisturbed by the movements in the flesh, whether of pleasure or of pain ; and let it r>ot unite with them, but let it circumscribe itself and limit those affects to their parts. But when these affects rise up to the mind by virtue of that other sympathy that naturally exists in a body which is all one, then you must not strive to resist the sensation, for it is natural : but let not the ruling part of itself add to the sensation the opinion that it is either good or bad. 2T. Live with the gods. And he does live with the gods who constantly shows to them that his own soul is satisfied with that which is assigned to him, and that it does all that the daemon wishes, which Zeus has given to every man for his guardian and guide, a portion of himself. And this is every man's understanding and reason. 28. Art you angry with him whose armpits stink ? art you angry with him whose mouth smells foul ? What good will this anger do you ? He has such a mouth, he has such armpits : it is necessary
No commentary for this page under the selected tracks.
There is commentary on page 1.