Meditations — Marcus Aurelius
p. 187But if any one else can frighten or pain it, let him do so. For the faculty itself will not by its own opinion turn itself into such ways. Let the body itself take care, if it can, that it suffer nothing, and let it speak, if it suffers.
But the soul itself, that which is subject to fear, to pain, which has completely the power of forming an opinion about these things, will suffer nothing, for it will never deviatef into such a judgment. The leading principle in itself wants nothing, unless it makes a want for itself; and therefore it is both free from perturbation and unimpeded, if it does not disturb and impede itself. 17.
Eudaemonia [happiness] is a good daemon, or a good thing. What then art thou doing here, 0 imagination ? Go away, I entreat thee by the gods, as thou didst come, for I want thee not. But thou art come according to thy old fashion. 1 am not angry with thee : only go away. 18. Is any man afraid of change ? Why, what can take place without change? What then is more pleasing or more suitable to the universal nature ?
And canst thou take a bath unless the wood undergoes a change ? and canst thou be nourished, unless the food undergoes a change ? And can anything else that is useful be accomplished without change ? Dost thou not see then that for thyself also to change is just the same, and equally necessary for the universal nature ?
p. 18819. Through the universal substance as through a furious torrent all bodies are carried, being by their nature united with and co-operating with the whole, as the parts of our body with one another. How many a Chrysippus, how many a Socrates, how many an Epictetus has time already swallowed up ! And let the same thought occur to thee with reference to every man and thing (v. 23; vi. 15). 20.
One thing only troubles me, lest I should do something which the constitution of man does not allow, or in the way which it does not allow, or what it does not allow now. 21. Near is thy forgetfulness of all things ; and near the forgetfulness of thee by all. 22. It is peculiar to man to love even those who do wrong.
And this happens, if when they do wrong it occurs to thee that they are kinsmen, and that they do wrong through ignorance and unintentionally, and that soon both of you will die ; and above all, that the wrong-doer has done thee no harm, for he has not made thy ruling faculty worse than it was before. 23.
The universal nature out of the universa] substance, as if it were wax, now moulds a horse, and when it has broken this up, it uses the material for a tree, then for a man, then for something else ; and each of these things subsists for a very short time. But it is no hardship for the p. 189vessel to be broken up, just as there was none in its being fastened together (viii. 50). 24. A scowling look is altogether unnatural; when it is often assumed,1 the result is that all comeliness dies away, and at last is so completely extinguished that it cannot be again lighted up at all. Try to conclude from this very fact that it is contrary to reason.
For if even the perception of doing wrong shall depart, what reason is there for living any longer ? 25. Nature which governs the whole will soon change all things which thou seest, and out of their substance will make other things, and again other things from the substance of them, in order that the world may be ever new (xii. 23). 26.
When a man has done thee any wrong, immediately consider with what opinion about good or evil he has done wrong. For when thou hast seen this, thou wilt pity him, and wilt neither wonder nor be angry. For either thou thyself thinkest the same thing to be good that he does or another thing of the same kind. It is thy duty then to pardon him.
But if thou dost not think such things to be good or evil, thou wilt more readily be well disposed to him who is in error. 27. Think not so much of what thou hast not as of what thou hast : but of the things which thou hast select the best, and then reflect how eagerly 1 This is corrupt.
MARCUS AUBELIUS ANTONINUS. 187 But if any one else can frighten or pain it, let him do so. For the faculty itself will not by its own opinion turn itself into such ways. Let the body itself take care, if it can, that it suffer nothing, and let it speak, if it suffers. But the soul itself, that which is subject to fear, to pain, which has completely the power of forming an opinion about these things, will suffer nothing, for it will never deviatef into such a judgment. The leading principle in itself wants nothing, unless it makes a want for itself; and therefore it is both free from perturbation and unimpeded, if it does not disturb and impede itself. 17. Eudaemonia [happiness] is a good daemon, or a good thing. What then art you doing here, 0 imagination ? Go away, I entreat you by the gods, as you did come, for I want you not. But you are come according to your old fashion. 1 am not angry with you : only go away. 18. Is any man afraid of change ? Why, what can take place without change? What then is more pleasing or more suitable to the universal nature ? And can you take a bath unless the wood undergoes a change ? and can you be nourished, unless the food undergoes a change ? And can anything else that is useful be accomplished without change ? Dost you not see then that for yourself also to change is just the same, and equally necessary for the universal nature ?
188 MEDITATIONS. 19. Through the universal substance as through a furious torrent all bodies are carried, being by their nature united with and co-operating with the whole, as the parts of our body with one another. How many a Chrysippus, how many a Socrates, how many an Epictetus has time already swallowed up ! And let the same thought occur to you with reference to every man and thing (v. 23; vi. 15). 20. One thing only troubles me, lest I should do something which the constitution of man does not allow, or in the way which it does not allow, or what it does not allow now. 21. Near is your forgetfulness of all things ; and near the forgetfulness of you by all. 22. It is peculiar to man to love even those who do wrong. And this happens, if when they do wrong it occurs to you that they are kinsmen, and that they do wrong through ignorance and unintentionally, and that soon both of you will die ; and above all, that the wrong-doer has done you no harm, for he has not made your ruling faculty worse than it was before. 23. The universal nature out of the universa] substance, as if it were wax, now moulds a horse, and when it has broken this up, it uses the material for a tree, then for a man, then for something else ; and each of these things subsists for a very short time. But it is no hardship for the MABCUS AUBELIUS ANTONINUS. 189 vessel to be broken up, just as there was none in its being fastened together (viii. 50). 24. A scowling look is altogether unnatural; when it is often assumed,1 the result is that all comeliness dies away, and at last is so completely extinguished that it cannot be again lighted up at all. Try to conclude from this very fact that it is contrary to reason. For if even the perception of doing wrong shall depart, what reason is there for living any longer ? 25. Nature which governs the whole will soon change all things which you seest, and out of their substance will make other things, and again other things from the substance of them, in order that the world may be ever new (xii. 23). 26. When a man has done you any wrong, immediately consider with what opinion about good or evil he has done wrong. For when you have seen this, you will pity him, and will neither wonder nor be angry. For either you yourself think the same thing to be good that he does or another thing of the same kind. It is your duty then to pardon him. But if you do not think such things to be good or evil, you will more readily be well disposed to him who is in error. 27. Think not so much of what you have not as of what you have : but of the things which you have select the best, and then reflect how eagerly 1 This is corrupt.
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