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book X
the meditations
marcus aurelius
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 mayest 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, the good and just and beautiful, which generates and
holds together all things, 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 by them?
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 mayest 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.
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 tolerable, by thinking
that it is either thy interest or thy duty to do this.
If a man is mistaken, instruct him kindly and show him
his error. But if thou art not able, blame thyself, or
blame not even thyself.
Whatever may
happen to thee, it was prepared for thee from all eternity;
and the implication of causes was from eternity spinning the thread of thy being, and of that which is incident to it.
Whether the universe is a concourse
of atoms, or nature is a system, let this first be
established, that I am a part of the whole which is governed by nature; next, I am in a manner intimately related to the
parts which are of the same kind with myself. For
remembering this, inasmuch as I am a part, I shall be
discontented with none of the things which are assigned to
me out of the whole; for nothing is injurious to the part, if it is for the advantage of the whole. For the whole contains nothing
which is not for its advantage; and all natures indeed have
this common principle, but the nature of the universe has
this principle besides, that it cannot be compelled even by
any external cause to generate anything harmful to itself.
By remembering, then, that I am a part of such a whole, I shall be content with everything that happens. And inasmuch as I am
in a manner intimately related to the parts which are of
the same kind with myself, I shall do nothing unsocial, but
I shall rather direct myself to the things which are of the
same kind with myself, and I shall turn an my efforts to
the common interest, and divert them from the contrary. Now, if these things are done so, life must flow on happily, just as thou
mayest observe that the life of a citizen is happy, who
continues a course of action which is advantageous to his
fellow-citizens, and is content with whatever the state may
assign to him.
The parts of the whole, everything,
I mean, which is naturally comprehended in the universe,
must of necessity perish; but let this be understood in
this sense, that they must undergo change. But if this is naturally both an evil and a necessity for the parts, the
whole would not continue to exist in a good condition, the
parts being subject to change and constituted so as to
perish in various ways. For whether did nature herself
design to do evil to the things which are parts of herself, and to make them subject to evil and of necessity fall into evil,
or have such results happened without her knowing it? Both
these suppositions, indeed, are incredible. But if a man
should even drop the term Nature (as an efficient power),
and should speak of these things as natural, even then it would be ridiculous to affirm at the same time that the parts of the
whole are in their nature subject to change, and at the
same time to be surprised or vexed as if something were
happening contrary to nature, particularly as the
dissolution of things is into those things of which each thing is composed. For there is either a dispersion of the elements out
of which everything has been compounded, or a change from
the solid to the earthy and from the airy to the aerial, so
that these parts are taken back into the universal reason,
whether this at certain periods is consumed by fire or
renewed by eternal changes. And do not imagine that the solid and the airy part belong to thee from the time of generation. For all
this received its accretion only yesterday and the day
before, as one may say, from the food and the air which is
inspired. This, then, which has received the accretion,
changes, not that which thy mother brought forth. But suppose that this which thy mother brought forth implicates thee very
much with that other part, which has the peculiar quality
of change, this is nothing in fact in the way of objection
to what is said.
When thou hast assumed these
names, good, modest, true, rational, a man of equanimity,
and magnanimous, take care that thou dost not change these
names; and if thou shouldst lose them, quickly return to them. And remember that the term Rational was intended to signify a
discriminating attention to every several thing and
freedom from negligence; and that Equanimity is the
voluntary acceptance of the things which are assigned to
thee by the common nature; and that Magnanimity is the elevation of the intelligent part above the pleasurable or painful
sensations of the flesh, and above that poor thing called
fame, and death, and all such things. If, then, thou
maintainest thyself in the possession of these names, without desiring to be called by these names by others, thou wilt be
another person and wilt enter on another life. For to
continue to be such as thou hast hitherto been, and to be
tom in pieces and defiled in such a life, is the character
of a very stupid man and one overfond of his life, and like those half-devoured fighters with wild beasts, who though covered
with wounds and gore, still intreat to be kept to the
following day, though they will be exposed in the same
state to the same claws and bites. Therefore fix thyself
in the possession of these few names: and if thou art able to abide in them, abide as if thou wast removed to certain islands of
the Happy. But if thou shalt perceive that thou fallest
out of them and dost not maintain thy hold, go
courageously into some nook where thou shalt maintain them, or even depart at once from life, not in passion, but with
simplicity and freedom and modesty, after doing this one
laudable thing at least in thy life, to have gone out of
it thus. In order, however, to the remembrance of these
names, it will greatly help thee, if thou rememberest the gods, and that they wish not to be flattered, but wish all
reasonable beings to be made like themselves; and if thou
rememberest that what does the work of a fig-tree is a
fig-tree, and that what does the work of a dog is a dog,
and that what does the work of a bee is a bee, and that what does the work of a man is a man.
Mimi, war, astonishment, torpor, slavery, will daily
wipe out those holy principles of thine. How many things
without studying nature dost thou imagine, and how many
dost thou neglect? But it is thy duty so to look on and so
to do everything, that at the same time the power of dealing with circumstances is perfected, and the contemplative
faculty is exercised, and the confidence which comes from
the knowledge of each several thing is maintained without
showing it, but yet not concealed. For when wilt thou
enjoy simplicity, when gravity, and when the knowledge of every several thing, both what it is in substance, and what place it has in
the universe, and how long it is formed to exist and of
what things it is compounded, and to whom it can belong,
and who are able both to give it and take it away?
A spider is proud when it has caught a fly, and
another when he has caught a poor hare, and another when
he has taken a little fish in a net, and another when he
has taken wild boars, and another when he has taken bears,
and another when he has taken Sarmatians. Are not these robbers, if thou examinest their opinions?
Acquire the contemplative way of seeing how all
things change into one another, and constantly attend to
it, and exercise thyself about this part of philosophy.
For nothing is so much adapted to produce magnanimity. Such a man has put off the body, and as he sees that he must,
no one knows how soon, go away from among men and leave
everything here, he gives himself up entirely to just
doing in all his actions, and in everything else that happens he resigns himself to the universal nature. But as to
what any man shall say or think about him or do against
him, he never even thinks of it, being himself contented
with these two things, with acting justly in what he now
does, and being satisfied with what is now assigned to him; and he lays aside all distracting and busy pursuits, and
desires nothing else than to accomplish the straight
course through the law, and by accomplishing the straight
course to follow God.
What need is there of
suspicious fear, since it is in thy power to inquire what
ought to be done? And if thou seest clear, go by this way content, without turning back: but if thou dost not see
clear, stop and take the best advisers. But if any other
things oppose thee, go on according to thy powers with due
consideration, keeping to that which appears to be just.
For it is best to reach this object, and if thou dost fail, let thy failure be in attempting this. He who follows reason in
all things is both tranquil and active at the same time,
and also cheerful and collected.
Inquire of thyself as soon as thou wakest from sleep,
whether it will make any difference to thee, if another
does what is just and right. It will make no difference.
Thou hast not forgotten, I suppose, that those who
assume arrogant airs in bestowing their praise or blame on
others, are such as they are at bed and at board, and thou
hast not forgotten what they do, and what they avoid and
what they pursue, and how they steal and how they rob, not with hands and feet, but with their most valuable part, by
means of which there is produced, when a man chooses,
fidelity, modesty, truth, law, a good daemon (happiness)?
To her who gives and takes back all, to nature,
the man who is instructed and modest says, Give what thou
wilt; take back what thou wilt. And he says this not
proudly, but obediently and well pleased with her.
Short is the little which remains to thee of life.
Live as on a mountain. For it makes no difference whether
a man lives there or here, if he lives everywhere in the
world as in a state (political community). Let men see,
let them know a real man who lives according to nature. If they cannot endure him, let them kill him. For that is better
than to live thus as men do.
No
longer talk at all about the kind of man that a good man ought to be, but be such.
Constantly
contemplate the whole of time and the whole of substance, and consider that all individual things as to substance are a
grain of a fig, and as to time, the turning of a gimlet.
Look at everything that exists, and observe that
it is already in dissolution and in change, and as it were
putrefaction or dispersion, or that everything is so
constituted by nature as to die.
Consider what men are when they are eating, sleeping,
generating, easing themselves and so forth. Then what kind
of men they are when they are imperious and arrogant, or
angry and scolding from their elevated place. But a short
time ago to how many they were slaves and for what things; and after a little time consider in what a condition they
will be.
That is for the good of
each thing, which the universal nature brings to each. And
it is for its good at the time when nature brings it.
"The earth loves the shower"; and "the solemn aether
loves": and the universe loves to make whatever is about
to be. I say then to the universe, that I love as thou
lovest. And is not this too said, that "this or that loves
(is wont) to be produced"?
Either thou livest here
and hast already accustomed thyself to it, or thou art
going away, and this was thy own will; or thou art dying and hast discharged thy duty. But besides these things there
is nothing. Be of good cheer, then.
Let this always be plain to thee, that this piece of
land is like any other; and that all things here are the
same with things on top of a mountain, or on the
sea-shore, or wherever thou choosest to be. For thou wilt
find just what Plato says, Dwelling within the walls of a city as in a shepherd's fold on a mountain.
What is my ruling faculty now to me? And of what
nature am I now making it? And for what purpose am I now
using it? Is it void of understanding? Is it loosed and
rent asunder from social life? Is it melted into and mixed with the poor flesh so as to move together with it?
He who flies from his master is a runaway; but the
law is master, and he who breaks the law is a runaway. And
he also who is grieved or angry or afraid, is dissatisfied
because something has been or is or shall be of the things
which are appointed by him who rules all things, and he is Law, and assigns to every man what is fit. He then who fears
or is grieved or is angry is a runaway.
A man deposits seed in a womb and goes away, and then
another cause takes it, and labours on it and makes a
child. What a thing from such a material! Again, the child
passes food down through the throat, and then another
cause takes it and makes perception and motion, and in fine life and strength and other things; how many and how strange I
Observe then the things which are produced in such a
hidden way, and see the power just as we see the power
which carries things downwards and upwards, not with the
eyes, but still no less plainly.
Constantly
consider how all things such as they now are, in time past
also were; and consider that they will be the same again. And place before thy eyes entire dramas and stages of the same form,
whatever thou hast learned from thy experience or from
older history; for example, the whole court of Hadrian,
and the whole court of Antoninus, and the whole court of
Philip, Alexander, Croesus; for all those were such dramas as we see now, only with different actors.
Imagine every man who is grieved at anything or
discontented to be like a pig which is sacrificed and
kicks and screams.
Like this pig also is he who on
his bed in silence laments the bonds in which we are held.
And consider that only to the rational animal is it given
to follow voluntarily what happens; but simply to follow is a necessity imposed on all.
Severally
on the occasion of everything that thou doest, pause and
ask thyself, if death is a dreadful thing because it deprives thee of this.
When thou art offended at
any man's fault, forthwith turn to thyself and reflect in
what like manner thou dost err thyself; for example, in thinking that money is a good thing, or pleasure, or a bit of
reputation, and the like. For by attending to this thou
wilt quickly forget thy anger, if this consideration also
is added, that the man is compelled: for what else could
he do? or, if thou art able, take away from him the compulsion.
When thou hast seen
Satyron the Socratic, think of either Eutyches or Hymen,
and when thou hast seen Euphrates, think of Eutychion or Silvanus, and when thou hast seen Alciphron think of Tropaeophorus, and
when thou hast seen Xenophon think of Crito or Severus,
and when thou hast looked on thyself, think of any other
Caesar, and in the case of every one do in like manner.
Then let this thought be in thy mind, Where then are those men? Nowhere, or nobody knows where. For thus continuously
thou wilt look at human things as smoke and nothing at
all; especially if thou reflectest at the same time that
what has once changed will never exist again in the infinite duration of time. But thou, in what a brief space of
time is thy existence? And why art thou not content to
pass through this short time in an orderly way? What
matter and opportunity for thy activity art thou avoiding?
For what else are all these things, except exercises for the reason, when it has viewed carefully and by examination into
their nature the things which happen in life? Persevere
then until thou shalt have made these things thy own, as
the stomach which is strengthened makes all things its
own, as the blazing fire makes flame and brightness out of everything that is thrown into it.
Let it not be
in any man's power to say truly of thee that thou art not
simple or that thou are not good; but let him be a liar whoever shall think anything of this kind about thee; and this is
altogether in thy power. For who is he that shall hinder
thee from being good and simple? Do thou only determine to
live no longer, unless thou shalt be such. For neither
does reason allow thee to live, if thou art not such.
What is that which as to this material (our life) can
be done or said in the way most conformable to reason. For
whatever this may be, it is in thy power to do it or to
say it, and do not make excuses that thou art hindered.
Thou wilt not cease to lament till thy mind is in such a condition that, what luxury is to those who enjoy pleasure,
such shall be to thee, in the matter which is subjected
and presented to thee, the doing of the things which are
conformable to man's constitution; for a man ought to
consider as an enjoyment everything which it is in his power to do according to his own nature. And it is in his power
everywhere. Now, it is not given to a cylinder to move
everywhere by its own motion, nor yet to water nor to
fire, nor to anything else which is governed by nature or
an irrational soul, for the things which check them and stand in the way are many. But intelligence and reason are able to go
through everything that opposes them, and in such manner
as they are formed by nature and as they choose. Place
before thy eyes this facility with which the reason will
be carried through all things, as fire upwards, as a stone downwards, as a cylinder down an inclined surface, and seek for nothing
further. For all other obstacles either affect the body
only which is a dead thing; or, except through opinion and
the yielding of the reason itself, they do not crush nor
do any harm of any kind; for if they did, he who felt it
would immediately become bad. Now, in the case of all things which have a certain constitution, whatever harm may happen to any of
them, that which is so affected becomes consequently
worse; but in the like case, a man becomes both better, if
one may say so, and more worthy of praise by making a
right use of these accidents. And finally remember that nothing harms him who is really a citizen, which does not harm the state;
nor yet does anything harm the state, which does not harm
law (order); and of these things which are called
misfortunes not one harms law. What then does not harm law
does not harm either state or citizen.
To him who
is penetrated by true principles even the briefest precept is sufficient, and any common precept, to remind him that he
should be free from grief and fear. For example-
Leaves, some the wind scatters on the ground-
So is the race of men. Leaves, also, are thy children;
and leaves, too, are they who cry out as if they were
worthy of credit and bestow their praise, or on the
contrary curse, or secretly blame and sneer; and leaves, in like manner, are those who shall receive and transmit a
man's fame to aftertimes. For all such things as these
"are produced in the season of spring," as the poet says;
then the wind casts them down; then the forest produces
other leaves in their places. But a brief existence is common to all things, and yet thou avoidest and pursuest all things
as if they would be eternal. A little time, and thou shalt
close thy eyes; and him who has attended thee to thy grave
another soon will lament.
The
healthy eye ought to see all visible things and not to say, I wish for green things; for this is the condition of a
diseased eye. And the healthy hearing and smelling ought
to be ready to perceive all that can be heard and smelled.
And the healthy stomach ought to be with respect to all
food just as the mill with respect to all things which it is formed to grind. And accordingly the healthy understanding ought to
be prepared for everything which happens; but that which
says, Let my dear children live, and let all men praise
whatever I may do, is an eye which seeks for green things,
or teeth which seek for soft things.
There is no
man so fortunate that there shall not be by him when he is
dying some who are pleased with what is going to happen. Suppose that he was a good and wise man, will there not be at last
some one to say to himself, Let us at last breathe freely
being relieved from this schoolmaster? It is true that he
was harsh to none of us, but I perceived that he tacitly
condemns us.- This is what is said of a good man. But in our own case how many other things are there for which there
are many who wish to get rid of us. Thou wilt consider
this then when thou art dying, and thou wilt depart more
contentedly by reflecting thus: I am going away from such
a life, in which even my associates in behalf of whom I have striven so much, prayed, and cared, themselves wish me to
depart, hoping perchance to get some little advantage by
it. Why then should a man cling to a longer stay here? Do
not however for this reason go away less kindly disposed
to them, but preserving thy own character, and friendly and benevolent and mild, and on the other hand not as if thou wast torn
away; but as when a man dies a quiet death, the poor soul
is easily separated from the body, such also ought thy
departure from men to be, for nature united thee to them
and associated thee. But does she now dissolve the union? Well, I am separated as from kinsmen, not however dragged resisting,
but without compulsion; for this too is one of the things
according to nature.
Accustom
thyself as much as possible on the occasion of anything being done by any person to inquire with thyself, For what
object is this man doing this? But begin with thyself, and
examine thyself first.
Remember
that this which pulls the strings is the thing which is hidden within: this is the power of persuasion, this is life,
this, if one may so say, is man. In contemplating thyself
never include the vessel which surrounds thee and these
instruments which are attached about it. For they are like
to an axe, differing only in this that they grow to the body. For indeed there is no more use in these parts without
the cause which moves and checks them than in the weaver's
shuttle, and the writer's pen and the driver's whip.
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