Meditations — Marcus Aurelius
p. 23937. Enough of this wretched life and murmuring and apish tricks. Why art thou disturbed? What is there new in this? What unsettles thee? Is it the form of the thing ? Look at it. Or is it the matter? Look at it. But besides these there is nothing. Towards the gods then, now become at last more simple and better. It is the same whether we examine these things for a hundred years or three. 38.
If any man has done wrong, the harm is his own. But perhaps he has not done wrong. 39. Either all things proceed from one intelligent source and come together as in one body, and the part ought not to find fault with what is done for the benefit of the whole ; or there are only atoms, and nothing else than mixture and dispersion. Why, then, art thou disturbed ?
Say to the ruling faculty, Art thou dead, art thou corrupted, art thou playing the hypocrite, art thou become a beast, dost thou herd and feed with the rest ? l 40. Either the gods have no power or they have power. If, then, they have no power, why dost thou pray to them ?
But if they have power, why dost thou not pray for them to give thee the 1 There is some corruption at the end of this section ; but I think that the translation expresses the emperor's meaning. Whether intelligence rules all things or chance rules, a man must not be disturbed. He must use the power that he has, and be tranquil.
p. 240faculty of not fearing any of the things which thou fearest, or of not desiring any of the things which thou desirest, or not being pained at anything, rather than pray that any of these things should not happen or happen ? for certainly if they can co-operate with men, they can co-operate for these purposes. But perhaps thou wilt say the gods have placed them in thy power.
Well, then, is it not better to use what is in thy power like a free man than to desire in a slavish and abject way what is not in thy power ? And who has told thee that the gods do not aid us even in the things which are in our power? Begin, then, to pray for such things, and thou wilt see. One man prays thus : How shall I be able to lie with that woman? Do thou pray thus : How shall I not desire to lie with her ?
Another prays thus : How shall I be released from this? Another prays: How shall I not desire to be released? Another thus: How shall I not lose my little son ? Thou thus : How shall I not be afraid to lose him ? In fine, turn thy prayers this way, and see what comes. 41.
Epicurus says, In my sickness my conversation was not about my bodily sufferings, nor, says he, did I talk on such subjects to those who visited me ; but I continued to discourse on the nature of things as before, keeping to this main point, how the mind, while participating in such movements as go on in the poor flesh, shall be free from perp. 241turbations and maintain its proper good. Nor did J, he says, give the physicians an opportunity of putting on solemn looks, as if they were doing something great, but my life went on well and happily.
Do, then, the same that he did both in sickness, if thou art sick, and in any other circumstances ; for never to desert philosophy in any events that may befall us, nor to hold trifling talk either with an ignorant man or with one unacquainted with nature, is a principle of all schools of philosophy ; but to be intent only on that which thou art now doing and on the instrument by which thou doest it. 42.
When thou art offended with any man's shameless conduct, immediately ask thyself, Is it possible, then, that shameless men should not be in the world? It is not possible. Do not, then, require what is impossible. For this man also is j k£ ^ one of those shameless men who must of necessity be in the world. Let the same considerations be present to thy mind in the case of the knave, and the faithless man, and of every man who does wrong in any way.
For at the same time that thou dost remind thyself that it is impossible that such kind of men should not exist, thou wilt become more kindly disposed towards every one individually. It is useful to perceive this, too, immediately when the occasion arises, what virtue nature has given to man to oppose to every wrong-
MARCUS AURELIUS ANTONINUS. 239 37. Enough of this wretched life and murmuring and apish tricks. Why art you disturbed? What is there new in this? What unsettles you? Is it the form of the thing ? Look at it. Or is it the matter? Look at it. But besides these there is nothing. Towards the gods then, now become at last more simple and better. It is the same whether we examine these things for a hundred years or three. 38. If any man has done wrong, the harm is his own. But perhaps he has not done wrong. 39. Either all things proceed from one intelligent source and come together as in one body, and the part ought not to find fault with what is done for the benefit of the whole ; or there are only atoms, and nothing else than mixture and dispersion. Why, then, art you disturbed ? Say to the ruling faculty, Art you dead, art you corrupted, art you playing the hypocrite, art you become a beast, do you herd and feed with the rest ? l 40. Either the gods have no power or they have power. If, then, they have no power, why do you pray to them ? But if they have power, why do you not pray for them to give you the 1 There is some corruption at the end of this section ; but I think that the translation expresses the emperor's meaning. Whether intelligence rules all things or chance rules, a man must not be disturbed. He must use the power that he has, and be tranquil.
240 MEDITATIONS. faculty of not fearing any of the things which you fearest, or of not desiring any of the things which you desirest, or not being pained at anything, rather than pray that any of these things should not happen or happen ? for certainly if they can co-operate with men, they can co-operate for these purposes. But perhaps you will say the gods have placed them in your power. Well, then, is it not better to use what is in your power like a free man than to desire in a slavish and abject way what is not in your power ? And who has told you that the gods do not aid us even in the things which are in our power? Begin, then, to pray for such things, and you will see. One man prays thus : How shall I be able to lie with that woman? Do you pray thus : How shall I not desire to lie with her ? Another prays thus : How shall I be released from this? Another prays: How shall I not desire to be released? Another thus: How shall I not lose my little son ? You thus : How shall I not be afraid to lose him ? In fine, turn your prayers this way, and see what comes. 41. Epicurus says, In my sickness my conversation was not about my bodily sufferings, nor, says he, did I talk on such subjects to those who visited me ; but I continued to discourse on the nature of things as before, keeping to this main point, how the mind, while participating in such movements as go on in the poor flesh, shall be free from per- MARCUS AURELIUS ANTONINUS. 241 turbations and maintain its proper good. Nor did J, he says, give the physicians an opportunity of putting on solemn looks, as if they were doing something great, but my life went on well and happily. Do, then, the same that he did both in sickness, if you are sick, and in any other circumstances ; for never to desert philosophy in any events that may befall us, nor to hold trifling talk either with an ignorant man or with one unacquainted with nature, is a principle of all schools of philosophy ; but to be intent only on that which you are now doing and on the instrument by which you do it. 42. When you are offended with any man's shameless conduct, immediately ask yourself, Is it possible, then, that shameless men should not be in the world? It is not possible. Do not, then, require what is impossible. For this man also is j k£ ^ one of those shameless men who must of necessity be in the world. Let the same considerations be present to your mind in the case of the knave, and the faithless man, and of every man who does wrong in any way. For at the same time that you do remind yourself that it is impossible that such kind of men should not exist, you will become more kindly disposed towards every one individually. It is useful to perceive this, too, immediately when the occasion arises, what virtue nature has given to man to oppose to every wrong-
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