Meditations — Marcus Aurelius
p. 196is the social. And the second is not to yield to the persuasions of the body, — for it is the peculiar office of the rational and intelligent motion to circumscribe itself, and never to be overpowered either by the motion of the senses or of the appetites, for both are animal ; but the intelligent motion claims superiority, and does not permit itself to be overpowered by the others. And with good reason, for it is formed by nature to use all of them. The third thing in the rational constitution is freedom from error and from deception. Let then the ruling principle holding fast to these things go straight on, and it has what is its own. 56. Consider thyself to be dead, and to have completed thy life up to the present time ; and live according to nature the remainder which is allowed thee. '57. Love that only which happens to thee and is spun with the thread of thy destiny. For what is more suitable ? 58. In everything which happens keep before thy eyes those to whom the same things happened, and how they were vexed, and treated them as strange things, and found fault with them : and now where are they ? Nowhere. Why then dost thou too choose to act in the same way; and why dost thou not leave these agitations which are foreign to nature to those who cause them and
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( all p. 197those who are moved by them ; and why art thou not altogether intent upon the right way of making use of the things which happen to thee ? For then thou wilt use them well, and they will be a material for thee [to work on]. \ Only attend to thyself, and resolve to be a good man in every act which thou doest : and remember . . . 1 59. Look within.
Within is the fountain of good, and it will ever bubble up, if thou wilt ever dig. 60. The body ought to be compact, and to show no irregularity either in motion or attitude. For what the mind shows in the face by maintaining in it the expression of intelligence and propriety, that ought to be required also in the whole body. But all these things should be observed without affectation. 61.
The art of life is more like the wrestler's art than the dancer's, in respect of this, that it should stand ready and firm to meet onsets which are sudden and unexpected. 62. Constantly observe who those are whose approbation thou wishest to have, and what ruling principles they possess.
For then thou wilt neither blame those who offend involuntarily, nor 1 This section is obscure, and the conclusion is so corrupt that it is impossible to give any probable meaning to it. It is better to leave it as it is than to patch it up, as some critics and translators have done.
p. 198wilt thou want their approbation, if thou lookest to the sources of their opinions and appetites. 63. Every soul, the philosopher says, is involuntarily deprived of truth; consequently in the same way it is deprived of justice and temperance and benevolence and everything of the kind. It is most necessary to bear this constantly in mind, for thus thou wilt be more gentle towards all. 64.
In every pain let this thought be present, that there is no dishonor in it, nor does it make the governing intelligence worse, for it does not damage the intelligence either so far as the intelligence is rational l or so far as it is social.
Indeed in the case of most pains let this remark of Epicurus aid thee, that pain is neither intolerable nor everlasting, if thou bearest in mind that it has its limits, and if thou addest nothing to it in imagination : and remember this too, that we do not perceive that many things which are disagreeable to us are the same as pain, such as excessive drowsiness, and the being scorched by heat, and the having no appetite.
When then thou art discontented about any of these things, say to thyself that thou art yielding to pain. 1 The text has (ryuc/j, which it has been proposed to alter to \oyuc-f), and this change is necessary. We shall then have in this section \oyiK-f) and KoiwviK-f) associated, as we have in s. 68 Xo7i/ciJ and n-oXtrun}, and in s. 72.
196 MEDITATIONS. is the social. And the second is not to yield to the persuasions of the body, — for it is the peculiar office of the rational and intelligent motion to circumscribe itself, and never to be overpowered either by the motion of the senses or of the appetites, for both are animal ; but the intelligent motion claims superiority, and does not permit itself to be overpowered by the others. And with good reason, for it is formed by nature to use all of them. The third thing in the rational constitution is freedom from error and from deception. Let then the ruling principle holding fast to these things go straight on, and it has what is its own. 56. Consider yourself to be dead, and to have completed your life up to the present time ; and live according to nature the remainder which is allowed you. '57. Love that only which happens to you and is spun with the thread of your destiny. For what is more suitable ? 58. In everything which happens keep before your eyes those to whom the same things happened, and how they were vexed, and treated them as strange things, and found fault with them : and now where are they ? Nowhere. Why then do you too choose to act in the same way; and why do you not leave these agitations which are foreign to nature to those who cause them and
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( all MABCUS AUBELIUS ANTONINUS. 197 those who are moved by them ; and why art you not altogether intent upon the right way of making use of the things which happen to you ? For then you will use them well, and they will be a material for you [to work on]. \ Only attend to yourself, and resolve to be a good man in every act which you do : and remember . . . 1 59. Look within. Within is the fountain of good, and it will ever bubble up, if you will ever dig. 60. The body ought to be compact, and to show no irregularity either in motion or attitude. For what the mind shows in the face by maintaining in it the expression of intelligence and propriety, that ought to be required also in the whole body. But all these things should be observed without affectation. 61. The art of life is more like the wrestler's art than the dancer's, in respect of this, that it should stand ready and firm to meet onsets which are sudden and unexpected. 62. Constantly observe who those are whose approbation you wishest to have, and what ruling principles they possess. For then you will neither blame those who offend involuntarily, nor 1 This section is obscure, and the conclusion is so corrupt that it is impossible to give any probable meaning to it. It is better to leave it as it is than to patch it up, as some critics and translators have done.
198 MEDITATIONS. will you want their approbation, if you look to the sources of their opinions and appetites. 63. Every soul, the philosopher says, is involuntarily deprived of truth; consequently in the same way it is deprived of justice and temperance and benevolence and everything of the kind. It is most necessary to bear this constantly in mind, for thus you will be more gentle towards all. 64. In every pain let this thought be present, that there is no dishonor in it, nor does it make the governing intelligence worse, for it does not damage the intelligence either so far as the intelligence is rational l or so far as it is social. Indeed in the case of most pains let this remark of Epicurus aid you, that pain is neither intolerable nor everlasting, if you bearest in mind that it has its limits, and if you addest nothing to it in imagination : and remember this too, that we do not perceive that many things which are disagreeable to us are the same as pain, such as excessive drowsiness, and the being scorched by heat, and the having no appetite. When then you are discontented about any of these things, say to yourself that you are yielding to pain. 1 The text has (ryuc/j, which it has been proposed to alter to \oyuc-f), and this change is necessary. We shall then have in this section \oyiK-f) and KoiwviK-f) associated, as we have in s. 68 Xo7i/ciJ and n-oXtrun}, and in s. 72.
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