Meditations — Marcus Aurelius
p. 28027. The Pythagoreans bid us in the morning look to the heavens that we may be reminded of those bodies which continually do the same things and in the same manner perform their work, and also be reminded of their purity and nudity. For there is no veil over a star. 28.
Consider what a man Socrates was when he dressed himself in a skin, after Xanthippe had taken his cloak and gone out, and what Socrates said to his friends who were ashamed of him and drew back from him when they saw him dressed thus. 29. Neither in writing nor in reading wilt thou be able to lay down rules for others before thou shalt have first learned to obey rules thyself. Much more is this so in life. 30.
A slave thou art : free speech is not for thee. 31. And my heart laughed within. Odyssey, ix. 413. 32. And virtue they will curse, speaking harsh words. Hesiod, Works and Days, 184. 33. To look for the fig in winter is a madman's act : such is he who looks for his child when it is no longer allowed (Epictetus, iii. 24, 87). 34.
When a man kisses his child, said Epictetus, he should whisper to himself, " To-morrow perchance thou wilt die." — But those are words of bad omen. — " No word is a word of bad omen," said Epictetus, "which expresses any work of p. 281nature ; or if it is so, it is also a word of bad om^n to speak of the ears of corn being reaped " (Epictetus, iii. 24, 88). 35. The unripe grape, the ripe bunch, the dried grape all are changes, not into nothing, but into something which exists not yet (Epictetus, iii. 24). 36. No man can rob us of our free will (Epictetus, iii. 22, 105). 37.
Epictetus also said, a man must discover an art [or rules] with respect to giving his assent ; and in respect to his movements he must be careful that they be made with regard to circumstances, that they be consistent with social interests, that they have regard to the value of the object; and as to sensual desire, he should altogether keep away from it ; and as to avoidance [aversion], he should not show it with respect to any of the things which are not in our power.
38. The dispute then, he said, is not about any common matter, but about being mad or not. 39. Socrates used to say, What do you want, souls of rational men or irrational? — Souls of rational men. — Of what rational men, sound or unsound ? — Sound. — Why then do you not seek for them ? — Because we have them. — Why then do you fight and quarrel ?
XII. 1, Aw. thotse iângs at which thou wishest to arrive 6y a circuitous road thou canst have now, if thou dost not refuse them to thyself. And this means, if thou wilt take no notice of all the past, and trust the future to providence, and direct the present only conformably to piety and justice. Conformably to piety, that thou mayst be content with the lot which is assigned to thee, for nature designed it for thee and thee for it.
Conformably to justice, that thou mayst always speak the truth freely and without disguise, and do the things which are agreeable to law and according to the worth of each. And let neither another man's wickedness hinder thee, nor opinion nor voice, nor yet the sensations of the poor flesh which has grown about thee ; for the passive part will look to this.
If, then, whatever the time may be when thou shalt be near to thy departure, neglecting everything else thou shalt respect only thy ruling faculty and the divinity within thee, and if thou shalt be afraid not because thou must
280 MEDITATIONS. 27. The Pythagoreans bid us in the morning look to the heavens that we may be reminded of those bodies which continually do the same things and in the same manner perform their work, and also be reminded of their purity and nudity. For there is no veil over a star. 28. Consider what a man Socrates was when he dressed himself in a skin, after Xanthippe had taken his cloak and gone out, and what Socrates said to his friends who were ashamed of him and drew back from him when they saw him dressed thus. 29. Neither in writing nor in reading will you be able to lay down rules for others before you shall have first learned to obey rules yourself. Much more is this so in life. 30. A slave you are : free speech is not for you. 31. And my heart laughed within. Odyssey, ix. 413. 32. And virtue they will curse, speaking harsh words. Hesiod, Works and Days, 184. 33. To look for the fig in winter is a madman's act : such is he who looks for his child when it is no longer allowed (Epictetus, iii. 24, 87). 34. When a man kisses his child, said Epictetus, he should whisper to himself, " To-morrow perchance you will die." — But those are words of bad omen. — " No word is a word of bad omen," said Epictetus, "which expresses any work of MARCUS AURELIUS ANTONINUS. 281 nature ; or if it is so, it is also a word of bad om^n to speak of the ears of corn being reaped " (Epictetus, iii. 24, 88). 35. The unripe grape, the ripe bunch, the dried grape all are changes, not into nothing, but into something which exists not yet (Epictetus, iii. 24). 36. No man can rob us of our free will (Epictetus, iii. 22, 105). 37. Epictetus also said, a man must discover an are [or rules] with respect to giving his assent ; and in respect to his movements he must be careful that they be made with regard to circumstances, that they be consistent with social interests, that they have regard to the value of the object; and as to sensual desire, he should altogether keep away from it ; and as to avoidance [aversion], he should not show it with respect to any of the things which are not in our power. 38. The dispute then, he said, is not about any common matter, but about being mad or not. 39. Socrates used to say, What do you want, souls of rational men or irrational? — Souls of rational men. — Of what rational men, sound or unsound ? — Sound. — Why then do you not seek for them ? — Because we have them. — Why then do you fight and quarrel ?
XII. 1, Aw. thotse i&ngs at which you wishest to arrive 6y a circuitous road you can have now, if you do not refuse them to yourself. And this means, if you will take no notice of all the past, and trust the future to providence, and direct the present only conformably to piety and justice. Conformably to piety, that you mayst be content with the lot which is assigned to you, for nature designed it for you and you for it. Conformably to justice, that you mayst always speak the truth freely and without disguise, and do the things which are agreeable to law and according to the worth of each. And let neither another man's wickedness hinder you, nor opinion nor voice, nor yet the sensations of the poor flesh which has grown about you ; for the passive part will look to this. If, then, whatever the time may be when you shall be near to your departure, neglecting everything else you shall respect only your ruling faculty and the divinity within you, and if you shall be afraid not because you must
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