Meditations by Marcus Aurelius (good books to read .txt) 📕

without life, or things without reason, or things that have rambled and

know not the way.

23. As to the animals which have no reason, and generally all things and

objects, do thou, since thou hast reason and they have none, make use of

them with a generous and liberal spirit. But towards human beings, as

they have reason, behave in a social spirit. And on all occasions call on

the gods, and do not perplex thyself about the length of time in which

thou shalt do this; for even three hours so spent are sufficient.

24. Alexander the Macedonian and his groom by death were brought to the

same state; for either they were received among the same seminal

principles of the universe, or they were alike dispersed among the atoms.

25. Consider how many things in the same indivisible time take place in

each of us,—things which concern the body and things which concern the

soul: and so thou wilt not wonder if many more things, or rather all

things which come into existence in that which is the one and all, which

we call Cosmos, exist in it at the same time.

26. If any man should propose to thee the question, how the name

Antoninus is written, wouldst thou with a straining of the voice utter

each letter? What then if they grow angry, wilt thou be angry too? Wilt

thou not go on with composure and number every letter? Just so then in

this life also remember that every duty is made up of certain parts.

These it is thy duty to observe, and without being disturbed or showing

anger towards those who are angry with thee to go on thy way and finish

that which is set before thee.

27. How cruel it is not to allow men to strive after the things which

appear to them to be suitable to their nature and profitable! And yet in

a manner thou dost not allow them to do this, when thou art vexed because

they do wrong. For they are certainly moved towards things because they

suppose them to be suitable to their nature and profitable to them.—But

it is not so.—Teach them then, and show them without being angry.

28. Death is a cessation of the impressions through the senses, and of

the pulling of the strings which move the appetites, and of the

discursive movements of the thoughts, and of the service to the flesh

(II. 12).

29. It is a shame for the soul to be first to give way in this life, when

thy body does not give way.

30. Take care that thou art not made into a Caesar, that thou art not

dyed with this dye; for such things happen. Keep thyself then simple,

good, pure, serious, free from affectation, a friend of justice, a

worshipper of the gods, kind, affectionate, strenuous in all proper acts.

Strive to continue to be such as philosophy wished to make thee.

Reverence the gods, and help men. Short is life. There is only one fruit

of this terrene life,—a pious disposition and social acts. Do everything

as a disciple of Antoninus. Remember his constancy in every act which was

conformable to reason, and his evenness in all things, and his piety, and

the serenity of his countenance, and his sweetness, and his disregard of

empty fame, and his efforts to understand things; and how he would never

let anything pass without having first most carefully examined it and

clearly understood it; and how he bore with those who blamed him unjustly

without blaming them in return; how he did nothing in a hurry; and how he

listened not to calumnies, and how exact an examiner of manners and

actions he was; and not given to reproach people, nor timid, nor

suspicious, nor a sophist; and with how little he was satisfied, such as

lodging, bed, dress, food, servants; and how laborious and patient; and

how he was able on account of his sparing diet to hold out to the

evening; and his firmness and uniformity in his friendships; and how he

tolerated freedom of speech in those who opposed his opinions; and the

pleasure that he had when any man showed him anything better; and how

religious he was without superstition. Imitate all this, that thou mayest

have as good a conscience, when thy last hour comes, as he had.

31. Return to thy sober senses and call thyself back; and when thou hast

roused thyself from sleep and hast perceived that they were only dreams

which troubled thee, now in thy waking hours look at these [the things

about thee] as thou didst look at those [the dreams].

32. I consist of a little body and a soul. Now to this little body all

things are indifferent, for it is not able to perceive differences. But

to the understanding those things only are indifferent which are not the

works of its own activity. But whatever things are the works of its own

activity, all these are in its power. And of these however only those

which are done with reference to the present; for as to the future and

the past activities of the mind, even these are for the present

indifferent.

33. Neither the labor which the hand does nor that of the foot is

contrary to nature, so long as the foot does the foot’s work and the hand

the hand’s. So then neither to a man as a man is his labor contrary to

nature, so long as it does the things of a man. But if the labor is not

contrary to his nature, neither is it an evil to him.

34. How many pleasures have been enjoyed by robbers, patricides, tyrants.

35. Dost thou not see how the handicraftsmen accommodate themselves up to

a certain point to those who are not skilled in their craft,—

nevertheless they cling to the reason [the principles] of their art, and

do not endure to depart from it? Is it not strange if the architect and

the physician shall have more respect to the reason [the principles] of

their own arts than man to his own reason, which is common to him and the

gods?

36. Asia, Europe, are corners of the universe; all the sea a drop in the

universe; Athos a little clod of the universe: all the present time is a

point in eternity. All things are little, changeable, perishable. All

things come from thence, from that universal ruling power either directly

preceding or by way of sequence. And accordingly the lion’s gaping jaws,

and that which is poisonous, and every harmful thing, as a thorn, as mud,

are after-products of the grand and beautiful. Do not then imagine that

they are of another kind from that which thou dost venerate, but form a

just opinion of the source of all (VII. 75).

37. He who has seen present things has seen all, both everything which

has taken place from all eternity and everything which will be for time

without end; for all things are of one kin and of one form.

38. Frequently consider the connection of all things in the universe and

their relation to one another. For in a manner all things are implicated

with one another, and all in this way are friendly to one another; for

one thing comes in order after another, and this is by virtue of the

active movement and mutual conspiration and the unity of the substance

(ix. 1).

39. Adapt thyself to the things with which thy lot has been cast: and the

men among whom thou hast received thy portion, love them, but do it truly

[sincerely].

40. Every instrument, tool, vessel, if it does that for which it has been

made, is well, and yet he who made it is not there. But in the things

which are held together by nature there is within, and there abides in,

them the power which made them; wherefore the more is it fit to reverence

this power, and to think, that, if thou dost live and act according to

its will, everything in thee is in conformity to intelligence. And thus

also in the universe the things which belong to it are in conformity to

intelligence.

41. Whatever of the things which are not within thy power thou shalt

suppose to be good for thee or evil, it must of necessity be that, if

such a bad thing befall thee, or the loss of such a good thing, thou wilt

not blame the gods, and hate men too, those who are the cause of the

misfortune or the loss, or those who are suspected of being likely to be

the cause; and indeed we do much injustice because we make a difference

between these things [because we do not regard these things as

indifferent]. But if we judge only those things which are in our power to

be good or bad, there remains no reason either for finding fault with God

or standing in a hostile attitude to man.

42. We are all working together to one end, some with knowledge and

design, and others without knowing what they do; as men also when they

are asleep, of whom it is Heraclitus, I think, who says that they are

laborers and co-operators in the things which take place in the universe.

But men co-operate after different fashions: and even those co-operate

abundantly, who find fault with what happens and those who try to oppose

it and to hinder it; for the universe had need even of such men as these.

It remains then for thee to understand among what kind of workmen thou

placest thyself; for he who rules all things will certainly make a right

use of thee, and he will receive thee among some part of the co-operators

and of those whose labors conduce to one end. But be not thou such a part

as the mean and ridiculous verse in the play, which Chrysippus speaks of.

43. Does the sun undertake to do the work of the rain, or Aesculapius the

work of the Fruit-bearer [the earth]? And how is it with respect to each

of the stars, are they not different and yet they work together to the

same end?

44. If the gods have determined about me and about the things which must

happen to me, they have determined well, for it is not easy even to

imagine a deity without forethought; and as to doing me harm, why should

they have any desire towards that? for what advantage would result to

them from this or to the whole, which is the special object of their

providence? But if they have not determined about me individually, they

have certainly determined about the whole at least, and the things which

happen by way of sequence in this general arrangement I ought to accept

with pleasure and to be content with them. But if they determine about

nothing,—which it is wicked to believe, or if we do believe it, let us

neither sacrifice nor pray nor swear by them, nor do anything else which

we do as if the gods were present and lived with us,—but if however the

gods determine about none of the things which concern us, I am able to

determine about myself, and I can inquire about that which is useful; and

that is useful to every man which is conformable to his own constitution

and nature. But my nature is rational and social; and my city and

country, so far as I am Antoninus, is Rome, but so far as I am a man, it

is the world. The things then which are useful to these cities are alone

useful to me.