Meditations — Marcus Aurelius
p. 242ful act. For she has given to man, as an antidote against the stupid man, mildness, and against another kind of man some other power. And in all cases it is possible for thee to correct by teaching the man who is gone astray ; for every man who errs misses his object and is gone astray. Besides, wherein hast thou been injured?
For thou wilt find that no one among those against whom thou art irritated has done anything by which thy mind could be made worse ; but that which is evil to thee and harmful has its foundation only in the mind. And what harm is done or what is there strange, if the man who has not been instructed does the acts of an uninstructed man ?
Consider whether thou shouldst not rather blame thyself, because thou didst not expect such a man to err in such a way. For thou hadst means given thee by thy reason to suppose that it was likely that he would commit this error, and yet thou hast forgotten and art amazed that he has erred.
But most of all when thou blamest a man as faithless or ungrateful, turn to thyself. * For the fault is manifestly thy own, whether thou didst trust that a man who had such a disposition would keep his promise, or when conferring thy kindness thou didst not confer it absolutely, nor yet in such way as to have received from thy very act all the profit. For what more dost thou want when thou aast done a man a service ? art thou not content p. 243that thou hast done something conformable to thy nature, and dost thou seek to be paid for it? just as if the eye demanded a recompense for seeing, or the feet for walking. For as these members are formed for a particular purpose, and by working according to their several constitutions obtain what is their own ; 1 so also as man is formed by nature to acts of benevolence, when he has done anything benevolent or in any other way conducive to the common interest, he has acted conformably to his constitution, and he gets what is his own. 1 'A7r«?x« t6 tdtov. This sense of dir^xetv occurs in xi. 1, and iv. 49 ; also in St. Matthew, vi. 2, dirdxovai rbv tuoBbv, and in Epictetus.
X. 1. Wilt thou, then, my soul, never be good and simple and one and naked, more manifest than the body which surrounds thee ? Wilt thou never enjoy an affectionate and contented disposition ? Wilt thou never be full and without a want of any kind, longing for nothing more, nor desiring anything, either animate or inanimate, for the enjoyment of pleasures ? nor yet desiring time wherein thou shalt have longer enjoyment, or place, or pleasant climate, or society of men with whom thou mayst live in harmony ? but wilt thou be satisfied with thy present condition, and pleased with all that is about thee, and wilt thou convince thyself that thou hast everything, and that it comes from the gods, that everything is well for thee, and will be well whatever shall please them, and whatever they shall give for the conservation of the perfect living being,1 the good and just and beautiful, which generates and holds together all s That is, God (iv. 40), as he is defined by Zeno. But the confusion between gods and God is strange.
p. 245things, and contains and embraces all things which are dissolved for the production of other like things ? Wilt thou never be such that thou shalt so dwell in community with gods and men as neither to find fault with them at all, nor to be condemned hy them ? 2.
Observe what thy nature requires, so far as thou art governed by nature only : then do it and accept it, if thy nature, so far as thou art a living being, shall not be made worse by it. And next thou must observe what thy nature requires so far as thou art a living being. And all this thou mayst allow thyself, if thy nature, so far as thou art a rational animal, shall not be made worse by it.
But the rational animal is consequently also a political [social] animal. Use these rules, then, and trouble thyself about nothing else. 3. Everything which happens either happens in such wise as thou art formed by nature to bear it, or as thou art not formed by nature to bear it. If, then, it happens to thee in such way as thou art formed by nature to bear it, do not complain, but bear it as thou art formed by nature to bear it.
But if it happens in such wise as thou art not formed by nature to bear it, do not complain, for it will perish after it has consumed thee. Remember, however, that thou art formed by nature to bear everything, with respect to which it depends on thy own opinion to make it endurable and
242 MEDITATIONS. ful act. For she has given to man, as an antidote against the stupid man, mildness, and against another kind of man some other power. And in all cases it is possible for you to correct by teaching the man who is gone astray ; for every man who errs misses his object and is gone astray. Besides, wherein have you been injured? For you will find that no one among those against whom you are irritated has done anything by which your mind could be made worse ; but that which is evil to you and harmful has its foundation only in the mind. And what harm is done or what is there strange, if the man who has not been instructed does the acts of an uninstructed man ? Consider whether you should not rather blame yourself, because you did not expect such a man to err in such a way. For you had means given you by your reason to suppose that it was likely that he would commit this error, and yet you have forgotten and art amazed that he has erred. But most of all when you blamest a man as faithless or ungrateful, turn to yourself. * For the fault is manifestly your own, whether you did trust that a man who had such a disposition would keep his promise, or when conferring your kindness you did not confer it absolutely, nor yet in such way as to have received from your very act all the profit. For what more do you want when you aast done a man a service ? art you not content MARCUS AUBELIUS ANTONINUS. 243 that you have done something conformable to your nature, and do you seek to be paid for it? just as if the eye demanded a recompense for seeing, or the feet for walking. For as these members are formed for a particular purpose, and by working according to their several constitutions obtain what is their own ; 1 so also as man is formed by nature to acts of benevolence, when he has done anything benevolent or in any other way conducive to the common interest, he has acted conformably to his constitution, and he gets what is his own. 1 'A7r«?x« t6 tdtov. This sense of dir^xetv occurs in xi. 1, and iv. 49 ; also in St. Matthew, vi. 2, dirdxovai rbv tuoBbv, and in Epictetus.
X. 1. Wilt you, then, my soul, never be good and simple and one and naked, more manifest than the body which surrounds you ? Wilt you never enjoy an affectionate and contented disposition ? Wilt you never be full and without a want of any kind, longing for nothing more, nor desiring anything, either animate or inanimate, for the enjoyment of pleasures ? nor yet desiring time wherein you shall have longer enjoyment, or place, or pleasant climate, or society of men with whom you mayst live in harmony ? but will you be satisfied with your present condition, and pleased with all that is about you, and will you convince yourself that you have everything, and that it comes from the gods, that everything is well for you, and will be well whatever shall please them, and whatever they shall give for the conservation of the perfect living being,1 the good and just and beautiful, which generates and holds together all s That is, God (iv. 40), as he is defined by Zeno. But the confusion between gods and God is strange.
MABCUS AURELIUS ANTONINUS. 245 things, and contains and embraces all things which are dissolved for the production of other like things ? Wilt you never be such that you shall so dwell in community with gods and men as neither to find fault with them at all, nor to be condemned hy them ? 2. Observe what your nature requires, so far as you are governed by nature only : then do it and accept it, if your nature, so far as you are a living being, shall not be made worse by it. And next you must observe what your nature requires so far as you are a living being. And all this you mayst allow yourself, if your nature, so far as you are a rational animal, shall not be made worse by it. But the rational animal is consequently also a political [social] animal. Use these rules, then, and trouble yourself about nothing else. 3. Everything which happens either happens in such wise as you are formed by nature to bear it, or as you are not formed by nature to bear it. If, then, it happens to you in such way as you are formed by nature to bear it, do not complain, but bear it as you are formed by nature to bear it. But if it happens in such wise as you are not formed by nature to bear it, do not complain, for it will perish after it has consumed you. Remember, however, that you are formed by nature to bear everything, with respect to which it depends on your own opinion to make it endurable and
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