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Provided by The Internet Classics Archive. See bottom for copyright. Available online at http://classics.mit.edu//Antoninus/meditations.html The Meditations By Marcus Aurelius Translated by George Long ---------------------------------------------------------------------- BOOK ONE From my grandfather Verus I learned good morals and the government of my temper. From the reputation and remembrance of my father, modesty and a manly character. From my mother, piety and beneficence, and abstinence, not only from evil deeds, but even from evil thoughts; and further, simplicity in my way of living, far removed from the habits of the rich. From my great-grandfather, not to have frequented public schools, and to have had good teachers at home, and to know that on such things a man should spend liberally. From my governor, to be neither of the green nor of the blue party at the games in the Circus, nor a partizan either of the Parmularius or the Scutarius at the gladiators' fights; from him too I learned endurance of labour, and to want little, and to work with my own hands, and not to meddle with other people's affairs, and not to be ready to listen to slander. From Diognetus, not to busy myself about trifling things, and not to give credit to what was said by miracle-workers and jugglers about incantations and the driving away of daemons and such things; and not to breed quails for fighting, nor to give myself up passionately to such things; and to endure freedom of speech; and to have become intimate with philosophy; and to have been a hearer, first of Bacchius, then of Tandasis and Marcianus; and to have written dialogues in my youth; and to have desired a plank bed and skin, and whatever else of the kind belongs to the Grecian discipline. From Rusticus I received the impression that my character required improvement and discipline; and from him I learned not to be led astray to sophistic emulation, nor to writing on speculative matters, nor to delivering little hortatory orations, nor to showing myself off as a man who practises much discipline, or does benevolent acts in order to make a display; and to abstain from rhetoric, and poetry,

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Provided by The Internet Classics Archive.See bottom for copyright. Available online athttp://classics.mit.edu//Antoninus/meditations.htmlThe Meditationsy Marcus AureliusTranslated by !eorge "ong######################################################################$$% $&'(rom my grandfather )erus I learned good morals and the governmentof my temper. (rom the reputation and remembrance of my father* modesty and a manlycharacter. (rom my mother* piety and beneficence* and abstinence* not only fromevil deeds* but even from evil thoughts+ and further* simplicity inmy ,ay of living* far removed from the habits of the rich.(rom my great#grandfather* not to have fre-uented public schools*and to have had good teachers at home* and to .no, that on such thingsa man should spend liberally. (rom my governor* to be neither of the green nor of the blue partyat the games in the Circus* nor a parti/an either of the Parmulariusor the Scutarius at the gladiators0 fights+ from him too I learnedendurance of labour* and to ,ant little* and to ,or. ,ith my o,n hands*and not to meddle ,ith other people0s affairs* and not to be readyto listen to slander. (rom 1iognetus* not to busy myself about trifling things* and notto give credit to ,hat ,as said by miracle#,or.ers and 2ugglers aboutincantations and the driving a,ay of daemons and such things+ andnot to breed -uails for fighting* nor to give myself up passionatelyto such things+ and to endure freedom of speech+ and to have becomeintimate ,ith philosophy+ and to have been a hearer* first of acchius*then of Tandasis and Marcianus+ and to have ,ritten dialogues in myyouth+ and to have desired a plan. bed and s.in* and ,hatever elseof the .ind belongs to the !recian discipline. (rom 3usticus I received the impression that my character re-uiredimprovement and discipline+ and from him I learned not to be led astrayto sophistic emulation* nor to ,riting on speculative matters* norto delivering little hortatory orations* nor to sho,ing myself offas a man ,ho practises much discipline* or does benevolent acts inorder to ma.e a display+ and to abstain from rhetoric* and poetry*and fine ,riting+ and not to ,al. about in the house in my outdoordress* nor to do other things of the .ind+ and to ,rite my letters,ith simplicity* li.e the letter ,hich 3usticus ,rote from Sinuessato my mother+ and ,ith respect to those ,ho have offended me by ,ords*or done me ,rong* to be easily disposed to be pacified and reconciled*as soon as they have sho,n a readiness to be reconciled+ and to readcarefully* and not to be satisfied ,ith a superficial understandingof a boo.+ nor hastily to give my assent to those ,ho tal. overmuch+and I am indebted to him for being ac-uainted ,ith the discoursesof 'pictetus* ,hich he communicated to me out of his o,n collection.(rom Apollonius I learned freedom of ,ill and undeviating steadinessof purpose+ and to loo. to nothing else* not even for a moment* e4ceptto reason+ and to be al,ays the same* in sharp pains* on the occasionof the loss of a child* and in long illness+ and to see clearly ina living e4ample that the same man can be both most resolute and yielding*and not peevish in giving his instruction+ and to have had beforemy eyes a man ,ho clearly considered his e4perience and his s.illin e4pounding philosophical principles as the smallest of his merits+and from him I learned ho, to receive from friends ,hat are esteemedfavours* ,ithout being either humbled by them or letting them passunnoticed. (rom Se4tus* a benevolent disposition* and the e4ample of a familygoverned in a fatherly manner* and the idea of living conformablyto nature+ and gravity ,ithout affectation* and to loo. carefullyafter the interests of friends* and to tolerate ignorant persons*and those ,ho form opinions ,ithout consideration: he had the po,erof readily accommodating himself to all* so that intercourse ,ithhim ,as more agreeable than any flattery+ and at the same time he,as most highly venerated by those ,ho associated ,ith him: and hehad the faculty both of discovering and ordering* in an intelligentand methodical ,ay* the principles necessary for life+ and he neversho,ed anger or any other passion* but ,as entirely free from passion*and also most affectionate+ and he could e4press approbation ,ithoutnoisy display* and he possessed much .no,ledge ,ithout ostentation.(rom Ale4ander the grammarian* to refrain from fault#finding* andnot in a reproachful ,ay to chide those ,ho uttered any barbarousor solecistic or strange#sounding e4pression+ but de4terously to introducethe very e4pression ,hich ought to have been used* and in the ,ayof ans,er or giving confirmation* or 2oining in an in-uiry about thething itself* not about the ,ord* or by some other fit suggestion.(rom (ronto I learned to observe ,hat envy* and duplicity* and hypocrisyare in a tyrant* and that generally those among us ,ho are calledPatricians are rather deficient in paternal affection. (rom Ale4ander the Platonic* not fre-uently nor ,ithout necessityto say to any one* or to ,rite in a letter* that I have no leisure+nor continually to e4cuse the neglect of duties re-uired by our relationto those ,ith ,hom ,e live* by alleging urgent occupations.(rom Catulus* not to be indifferent ,hen a friend finds fault* evenif he should find fault ,ithout reason* but to try to restore himto his usual disposition+ and to be ready to spea. ,ell of teachers*as it is reported of 1omitius and Athenodotus+ and to love my childrentruly. (rom my brother Severus* to love my .in* and to love truth* and tolove 2ustice+ and through him I learned to .no, Thrasea* 5elvidius*Cato* 1ion* rutus+ and from him I received the idea of a polity in,hich there is the same la, for all* a polity administered ,ith regardto e-ual rights and e-ual freedom of speech* and the idea of a .inglygovernment ,hich respects most of all the freedom of the governed+I learned from him also consistency and undeviating steadiness inmy regard for philosophy+ and a disposition to do good* and to giveto others readily* and to cherish good hopes* and to believe thatI am loved by my friends+ and in him I observed no concealment ofhis opinions ,ith respect to those ,hom he condemned* and that hisfriends had no need to con2ecture ,hat he ,ished or did not ,ish*but it ,as -uite plain. (rom Ma4imus I learned self#government* and not to be led aside byanything+ and cheerfulness in all circumstances* as ,ell as in illness+and a 2ust admi4ture in the moral character of s,eetness and dignity*and to do ,hat ,as set before me ,ithout complaining. I observed thateverybody believed that he thought as he spo.e* and that in all thathe did he never had any bad intention+ and he never sho,ed ama/ementand surprise* and ,as never in a hurry* and never put off doing athing* nor ,as perple4ed nor de2ected* nor did he ever laugh to disguisehis ve4ation* nor* on the other hand* ,as he ever passionate or suspicious.5e ,as accustomed to do acts of beneficence* and ,as ready to forgive*and ,as free from all falsehood+ and he presented the appearance ofa man ,ho could not be diverted from right rather than of a man ,hohad been improved. I observed* too* that no man could ever thin. thathe ,as despised by Ma4imus* or ever venture to thin. himself a betterman. 5e had also the art of being humorous in an agreeable ,ay.In my father I observed mildness of temper* and unchangeable resolutionin the things ,hich he had determined after due deliberation+ andno vainglory in those things ,hich men call honours+ and a love oflabour and perseverance+ and a readiness to listen to those ,ho hadanything to propose for the common ,eal+ and undeviating firmnessin giving to every man according to his deserts+ and a .no,ledge derivedfrom e4perience of the occasions for vigorous action and for remission.And I observed that he had overcome all passion for boys+ and he consideredhimself no more than any other citi/en+ and he released his friendsfrom all obligation to sup ,ith him or to attend him of necessity,hen he ,ent abroad* and those ,ho had failed to accompany him* byreason of any urgent circumstances* al,ays found him the same. I observedtoo his habit of careful in-uiry in all matters of deliberation* andhis persistency* and that he never stopped his investigation throughbeing satisfied ,ith appearances ,hich first present themselves+ andthat his disposition ,as to .eep his friends* and not to be soon tiredof them* nor yet to be e4travagant in his affection+ and to be satisfiedon all occasions* and cheerful+ and to foresee things a long ,ay off*and to provide for the smallest ,ithout display+ and to chec. immediatelypopular applause and all flattery+ and to be ever ,atchful over thethings ,hich ,ere necessary for the administration of the empire*and to be a good manager of the e4penditure* and patiently to endurethe blame ,hich he got for such conduct+ and he ,as neither superstitious,ith respect to the gods* nor did he court men by gifts or by tryingto please them* or by flattering the populace+ but he sho,ed sobrietyin all things and firmness* and never any mean thoughts or action*nor love of novelty. And the things ,hich conduce in any ,ay to thecommodity of life* and of ,hich fortune gives an abundant supply*he used ,ithout arrogance and ,ithout e4cusing himself+ so that ,henhe had them* he en2oyed them ,ithout affectation* and ,hen he hadthem not* he did not ,ant them. &o one could ever say of him thathe ,as either a sophist or a home#bred flippant slave or a pedant+but every one ac.no,ledged him to be a man ripe* perfect* above flattery*able to manage his o,n and other men0s affairs. esides this* he honouredthose ,ho ,ere true philosophers* and he did not reproach those ,hopretended to be philosophers* nor yet ,as he easily led by them. 5e,as also easy in conversation* and he made himself agreeable ,ithoutany offensive affectation. 5e too. a reasonable care of his body0shealth* not as one ,ho ,as greatly attached to life* nor out of regardto personal appearance* nor yet in a careless ,ay* but so that* throughhis o,n attention* he very seldom stood in need of the physician0sart or of medicine or e4ternal applications. 5e ,as most ready togive ,ay ,ithout envy to those ,ho possessed any particular faculty*such as that of elo-uence or .no,ledge of the la, or of morals* orof anything else+ and he gave them his help* that each might en2oyreputation according to his deserts+ and he al,ays acted conformablyto the institutions of his country* ,ithout sho,ing any affectationof doing so. (urther* he ,as not fond of change nor unsteady* buthe loved to stay in the same places* and to employ himself about thesame things+ and after his paro4ysms of headache he came immediatelyfresh and vigorous to his usual occupations. 5is secrets ,ere notbut very fe, and very rare* and these only about public matters+ andhe sho,ed prudence and economy in the e4hibition of the public spectaclesand the construction of public buildings* his donations to the people*and in such things* for he ,as a man ,ho loo.ed to ,hat ought to bedone* not to the reputation ,hich is got by a man0s acts. 5e did notta.e the bath at unseasonable hours+ he ,as not fond of building houses*nor curious about ,hat he ate* nor about the te4ture and colour ofhis clothes* nor about the beauty of his slaves. 5is dress came from"orium* his villa on the coast* and from "anuvium generally. 6e .no,ho, he behaved to the toll#collector at Tusculum ,ho as.ed his pardon+and such ,as all his behaviour. There ,as in him nothing harsh* norimplacable* nor violent* nor* as one may say* anything carried tothe s,eating point+ but he e4amined all things severally* as if hehad abundance of time* and ,ithout confusion* in an orderly ,ay* vigorouslyand consistently. And that might be applied to him ,hich is recordedof Socrates* that he ,as able both to abstain from* and to en2oy*those things ,hich many are too ,ea. to abstain from* and cannot en2oy,ithout e4cess. ut to be strong enough both to bear the one and tobe sober in the other is the mar. of a man ,ho has a perfect and invinciblesoul* such as he sho,ed in the illness of Ma4imus. To the gods I am indebted for having good grandfathers* good parents*a good sister* good teachers* good associates* good .insmen and friends*nearly everything good. (urther* I o,e it to the gods that I ,as nothurried into any offence against any of them* though I had a disposition,hich* if opportunity had offered* might have led me to do somethingof this .ind+ but* through their favour* there never ,as such a concurrenceof circumstances as put me to the trial. (urther* I am than.ful tothe gods that I ,as not longer brought up ,ith my grandfather0s concubine*and that I preserved the flo,er of my youth* and that I did not ma.eproof of my virility before the proper season* but even deferred thetime+ that I ,as sub2ected to a ruler and a father ,ho ,as able tota.e a,ay all pride from me* and to bring me to the .no,ledge thatit is possible for a man to live in a palace ,ithout ,anting eitherguards or embroidered dresses* or torches and statues* and such#li.esho,+ but that it is in such a man0s po,er to bring himself very nearto the fashion of a private person* ,ithout being for this reasoneither meaner in thought* or more remiss in action* ,ith respect tothe things ,hich must be done for the public interest in a mannerthat befits a ruler. I than. the gods for giving me such a brother*,ho ,as able by his moral character to rouse me to vigilance overmyself* and ,ho* at the same time* pleased me by his respect and affection+that my children have not been stupid nor deformed in body+ that Idid not ma.e more proficiency in rhetoric* poetry* and the other studies*in ,hich I should perhaps have been completely engaged* if I had seenthat I ,as ma.ing progress in them+ that I made haste to place those,ho brought me up in the station of honour* ,hich they seemed to desire*,ithout putting them off ,ith hope of my doing it some time after*because they ,ere then still young+ that I .ne, Apollonius* 3usticus*Ma4imus+ that I received clear and fre-uent impressions about livingaccording to nature* and ,hat .ind of a life that is* so that* sofar as depended on the gods* and their gifts* and help* and inspirations*nothing hindered me from forth,ith living according to nature* thoughI still fall short of it through my o,n fault* and through not observingthe admonitions of the gods* and* I may almost say* their direct instructions+that my body has held out so long in such a .ind of life+ that I nevertouched either enedicta or Theodotus* and that* after having falleninto amatory passions* I ,as cured+ and* though I ,as often out ofhumour ,ith 3usticus* I never did anything of ,hich I had occasionto repent+ that* though it ,as my mother0s fate to die young* shespent the last years of her life ,ith me+ that* ,henever I ,ishedto help any man in his need* or on any other occasion* I ,as nevertold that I had not the means of doing it+ and that to myself thesame necessity never happened* to receive anything from another+ thatI have such a ,ife* so obedient* and so affectionate* and so simple+that I had abundance of good masters for my children+ and that remedieshave been sho,n to me by dreams* both others* and against bloodspittingand giddiness...+ and that* ,hen I had an inclination to philosophy*I did not fall into the hands of any sophist* and that I did not ,astemy time on ,riters of histories* or in the resolution of syllogisms*or occupy myself about the investigation of appearances in the heavens+for all these things re-uire the help of the gods and fortune.Among the 7uadi at the !ranua. ######################################################################$$% T6$egin the morning by saying to thyself* I shall meet ,ith the busy#body*the ungrateful* arrogant* deceitful* envious* unsocial. All thesethings happen to them by reason of their ignorance of ,hat is goodand evil. ut I ,ho have seen the nature of the good that it is beautiful*and of the bad that it is ugly* and the nature of him ,ho does ,rong*that it is a.in to me* not only of the same blood or seed* but thatit participates in the same intelligence and the same portion of thedivinity* I can neither be in2ured by any of them* for no one canfi4 on me ,hat is ugly* nor can I be angry ,ith my .insman* nor hatehim* (or ,e are made for co#operation* li.e feet* li.e hands* li.eeyelids* li.e the ro,s of the upper and lo,er teeth. To act againstone another then is contrary to nature+ and it is acting against oneanother to be ve4ed and to turn a,ay. 6hatever this is that I am* it is a little flesh and breath* and theruling part. Thro, a,ay thy boo.s+ no longer distract thyself: itis not allo,ed+ but as if thou ,ast no, dying* despise the flesh+it is blood and bones and a net,or.* a conte4ture of nerves* veins*and arteries. See the breath also* ,hat .ind of a thing it is* air*and not al,ays the same* but every moment sent out and again suc.edin. The third then is the ruling part: consider thus: Thou art anold man+ no longer let this be a slave* no longer be pulled by thestrings li.e a puppet to unsocial movements* no longer either be dissatisfied,ith thy present lot* or shrin. from the future. All that is from the gods is full of Providence. That ,hich is fromfortune is not separated from nature or ,ithout an inter,eaving andinvolution ,ith the things ,hich are ordered by Providence. (rom thenceall things flo,+ and there is besides necessity* and that ,hich isfor the advantage of the ,hole universe* of ,hich thou art a part.ut that is good for every part of nature ,hich the nature of the,hole brings* and ,hat serves to maintain this nature. &o, the universeis preserved* as by the changes of the elements so by the changesof things compounded of the elements. "et these principles be enoughfor thee* let them al,ays be fi4ed opinions. ut cast a,ay the thirstafter boo.s* that thou mayest not die murmuring* but cheerfully* truly*and from thy heart than.ful to the gods. 3emember ho, long thou hast been putting off these things* and ho,often thou hast received an opportunity from the gods* and yet dostnot use it. Thou must no, at last perceive of ,hat universe thou arta part* and of ,hat administrator of the universe thy e4istence isan efflu4* and that a limit of time is fi4ed for thee* ,hich if thoudost not use for clearing a,ay the clouds from thy mind* it ,ill goand thou ,ilt go* and it ,ill never return. 'very moment thin. steadily as a 3oman and a man to do ,hat thou hastin hand ,ith perfect and simple dignity* and feeling of affection*and freedom* and 2ustice+ and to give thyself relief from all otherthoughts. And thou ,ilt give thyself relief* if thou doest every actof thy life as if it ,ere the last* laying aside all carelessnessand passionate aversion from the commands of reason* and all hypocrisy*and self#love* and discontent ,ith the portion ,hich has been givento thee. Thou seest ho, fe, the things are* the ,hich if a man layshold of* he is able to live a life ,hich flo,s in -uiet* and is li.ethe e4istence of the gods+ for the gods on their part ,ill re-uirenothing more from him ,ho observes these things. 1o ,rong to thyself* do ,rong to thyself* my soul+ but thou ,ilt nolonger have the opportunity of honouring thyself. 'very man0s lifeis sufficient. ut thine is nearly finished* though thy soul reverencesnot itself but places thy felicity in the souls of others.1o the things e4ternal ,hich fall upon thee distract thee8 !ive thyselftime to learn something ne, and good* and cease to be ,hirled around.ut then thou must also avoid being carried about the other ,ay. (orthose too are triflers ,ho have ,earied themselves in life by theiractivity* and yet have no ob2ect to ,hich to direct every movement*and* in a ,ord* all their thoughts. Through not observing ,hat is in the mind of another a man has seldombeen seen to be unhappy+ but those ,ho do not observe the movementsof their o,n minds must of necessity be unhappy. This thou must al,ays bear in mind* ,hat is the nature of the ,hole*and ,hat is my nature* and ho, this is related to that* and ,hat .indof a part it is of ,hat .ind of a ,hole+ and that there is no one,ho hinders thee from al,ays doing and saying the things ,hich areaccording to the nature of ,hich thou art a part. Theophrastus* in his comparison of bad acts# such a comparison asone ,ould ma.e in accordance ,ith the common notions of man.ind# says*li.e a true philosopher* that the offences ,hich are committed throughdesire are more blameable than those ,hich are committed through anger.(or he ,ho is e4cited by anger seems to turn a,ay from reason ,itha certain pain and unconscious contraction+ but he ,ho offends throughdesire* being overpo,ered by pleasure* seems to be in a manner moreintemperate and more ,omanish in his offences. 3ightly then* and ina ,ay ,orthy of philosophy* he said that the offence ,hich is committed,ith pleasure is more blameable than that ,hich is committed ,ithpain+ and on the ,hole the one is more li.e a person ,ho has beenfirst ,ronged and through pain is compelled to be angry+ but the otheris moved by his o,n impulse to do ,rong* being carried to,ards doingsomething by desire. Since it is possible that thou mayest depart from life this very moment*regulate every act and thought accordingly. ut to go a,ay from amongmen* if there are gods* is not a thing to be afraid of* for the gods,ill not involve thee in evil+ but if indeed they do not e4ist* orif they have no concern about human affairs* ,hat is it to me to livein a universe devoid of gods or devoid of Providence8 ut in truththey do e4ist* and they do care for human things* and they have putall the means in man0s po,er to enable him not to fall into real evils.And as to the rest* if there ,as anything evil* they ,ould have providedfor this also* that it should be altogether in a man0s po,er not tofall into it. &o, that ,hich does not ma.e a man ,orse* ho, can itma.e a man0s life ,orse8 ut neither through ignorance* nor havingthe .no,ledge* but not the po,er to guard against or correct thesethings* is it possible that the nature of the universe has overloo.edthem+ nor is it possible that it has made so great a mista.e* eitherthrough ,ant of po,er or ,ant of s.ill* that good and evil shouldhappen indiscriminately to the good and the bad. ut death certainly*and life* honour and dishonour* pain and pleasure* all these thingse-ually happen to good men and bad* being things ,hich ma.e us neitherbetter nor ,orse. Therefore they are neither good nor evil.5o, -uic.ly all things disappear* in the universe the bodies themselves*but in time the remembrance of them+ ,hat is the nature of all sensiblethings* and particularly those ,hich attract ,ith the bait of pleasureor terrify by pain* or are noised abroad by vapoury fame+ ho, ,orthless*and contemptible* and sordid* and perishable* and dead they are# allthis it is the part of the intellectual faculty to observe. To observetoo ,ho these are ,hose opinions and voices give reputation+ ,hatdeath is* and the fact that* if a man loo.s at it in itself* and bythe abstractive po,er of reflection resolves into their parts allthe things ,hich present themselves to the imagination in it* he ,illthen consider it to be nothing else than an operation of nature+ andif any one is afraid of an operation of nature* he is a child. This*ho,ever* is not only an operation of nature* but it is also a thing,hich conduces to the purposes of nature. To observe too ho, man comesnear to the deity* and by ,hat part of him* and ,hen this part ofman is so disposed. &othing is more ,retched than a man ,ho traverses everything in around* and pries into the things beneath the earth* as the poet says*and see.s by con2ecture ,hat is in the minds of his neighbours* ,ithoutperceiving that it is sufficient to attend to the daemon ,ithin him*and to reverence it sincerely. And reverence of the daemon consistsin .eeping it pure from passion and thoughtlessness* and dissatisfaction,ith ,hat comes from gods and men. (or the things from the gods meritveneration for their e4cellence+ and the things from men should bedear to us by reason of .inship+ and sometimes even* in a manner*they move our pity by reason of men0s ignorance of good and bad+ thisdefect being not less than that ,hich deprives us of the po,er ofdistinguishing things that are ,hite and blac.. Though thou shouldst be going to live three thousand years* and asmany times ten thousand years* still remember that no man loses anyother life than this ,hich he no, lives* nor lives any other thanthis ,hich he no, loses. The longest and shortest are thus broughtto the same. (or the present is the same to all* though that ,hichperishes is not the same+ and so that ,hich is lost appears to bea mere moment. (or a man cannot lose either the past or the future:for ,hat a man has not* ho, can any one ta.e this from him8 Theset,o things then thou must bear in mind+ the one* that all things frometernity are of li.e forms and come round in a circle* and that itma.es no difference ,hether a man shall see the same things duringa hundred years or t,o hundred* or an infinite time+ and the second*that the longest liver and he ,ho ,ill die soonest lose 2ust the same.(or the present is the only thing of ,hich a man can be deprived*if it is true that this is the only thing ,hich he has* and that aman cannot lose a thing if he has it not. 3emember that all is opinion. (or ,hat ,as said by the Cynic Monimusis manifest: and manifest too is the use of ,hat ,as said* if a manreceives ,hat may be got out of it as far as it is true.The soul of man does violence to itself* first of all* ,hen it becomesan abscess and* as it ,ere* a tumour on the universe* so far as itcan. (or to be ve4ed at anything ,hich happens is a separation ofourselves from nature* in some part of ,hich the natures of all otherthings are contained. In the ne4t place* the soul does violence toitself ,hen it turns a,ay from any man* or even moves to,ards him,ith the intention of in2uring* such as are the souls of those ,hoare angry. In the third place* the soul does violence to itself ,henit is overpo,ered by pleasure or by pain. (ourthly* ,hen it playsa part* and does or says anything insincerely and untruly. (ifthly*,hen it allo,s any act of its o,n and any movement to be ,ithout anaim* and does anything thoughtlessly and ,ithout considering ,hatit is* it being right that even the smallest things be done ,ith referenceto an end+ and the end of rational animals is to follo, the reasonand the la, of the most ancient city and polity. $f human life the time is a point* and the substance is in a flu4*and the perception dull* and the composition of the ,hole body sub2ectto putrefaction* and the soul a ,hirl* and fortune hard to divine*and fame a thing devoid of 2udgement. And* to say all in a ,ord* everything,hich belongs to the body is a stream* and ,hat belongs to the soulis a dream and vapour* and life is a ,arfare and a stranger0s so2ourn*and after#fame is oblivion. 6hat then is that ,hich is able to conducta man8 $ne thing and only one* philosophy. ut this consists in .eepingthe daemon ,ithin a man free from violence and unharmed* superiorto pains and pleasures* doing nothing ,ithout purpose* nor yet falselyand ,ith hypocrisy* not feeling the need of another man0s doing ornot doing anything+ and besides* accepting all that happens* and allthat is allotted* as coming from thence* ,herever it is* from ,hencehe himself came+ and* finally* ,aiting for death ,ith a cheerful mind*as being nothing else than a dissolution of the elements of ,hichevery living being is compounded. ut if there is no harm to the elementsthemselves in each continually changing into another* ,hy should aman have any apprehension about the change and dissolution of allthe elements8 (or it is according to nature* and nothing is evil ,hichis according to nature. This in Carnuntum. ######################################################################$$% T53''6e ught to consider not only that our life is daily ,asting a,ayand a smaller part of it is left* but another thing also must be ta.eninto the account* that if a man should live longer* it is -uite uncertain,hether the understanding ,ill still continue sufficient for the comprehensionof things* and retain the po,er of contemplation ,hich strives toac-uire the .no,ledge of the divine and the human. (or if he shallbegin to fall into dotage* perspiration and nutrition and imaginationand appetite* and ,hatever else there is of the .ind* ,ill not fail+but the po,er of ma.ing use of ourselves* and filling up the measureof our duty* and clearly separating all appearances* and considering,hether a man should no, depart from life* and ,hatever else of the.ind absolutely re-uires a disciplined reason* all this is alreadye4tinguished. 6e must ma.e haste then* not only because ,e are dailynearer to death* but also because the conception of things and theunderstanding of them cease first. 6e ought to observe also that even the things ,hich follo, after thethings ,hich are produced according to nature contain something pleasingand attractive. (or instance* ,hen bread is ba.ed some parts are splitat the surface* and these parts ,hich thus open* and have a certainfashion contrary to the purpose of the ba.er0s art* are beautifulin a manner* and in a peculiar ,ay e4cite a desire for eating. Andagain* figs* ,hen they are -uite ripe* gape open+ and in the ripeolives the very circumstance of their being near to rottenness addsa peculiar beauty to the fruit. And the ears of corn bending do,n*and the lion0s eyebro,s* and the foam ,hich flo,s from the mouth of,ild boars* and many other things# though they are far from beingbeautiful* if a man should e4amine them severally# still* becausethey are conse-uent upon the things ,hich are formed by nature* helpto adorn them* and they please the mind+ so that if a man should havea feeling and deeper insight ,ith respect to the things ,hich areproduced in the universe* there is hardly one of those ,hich follo,by ,ay of conse-uence ,hich ,ill not seem to him to be in a mannerdisposed so as to give pleasure. And so he ,ill see even the realgaping 2a,s of ,ild beasts ,ith no less pleasure than those ,hichpainters and sculptors sho, by imitation+ and in an old ,oman andan old man he ,ill be able to see a certain maturity and comeliness+and the attractive loveliness of young persons he ,ill be able toloo. on ,ith chaste eyes+ and many such things ,ill present themselves*not pleasing to every man* but to him only ,ho has become truly familiar,ith nature and her ,or.s. 5ippocrates after curing many diseases himself fell sic. and died.The Chaldaei foretold the deaths of many* and then fate caught themtoo. Ale4ander* and Pompeius* and Caius Caesar* after so often completelydestroying ,hole cities* and in battle cutting to pieces many tenthousands of cavalry and infantry* themselves too at last departedfrom life. 5eraclitus* after so many speculations on the conflagrationof the universe* ,as filled ,ith ,ater internally and died smearedall over ,ith mud. And lice destroyed 1emocritus+ and other lice .illedSocrates. 6hat means all this8 Thou hast embar.ed* thou hast madethe voyage* thou art come to shore+ get out. If indeed to anotherlife* there is no ,ant of gods* not even there. ut if to a state,ithout sensation* thou ,ilt cease to be held by pains and pleasures*and to be a slave to the vessel* ,hich is as much inferior as that,hich serves it is superior: for the one is intelligence and deity+the other is earth and corruption. 1o not ,aste the remainder of thy life in thoughts about others* ,henthou dost not refer thy thoughts to some ob2ect of common utility.(or thou losest the opportunity of doing something else ,hen thouhast such thoughts as these* 6hat is such a person doing* and ,hy*and ,hat is he saying* and ,hat is he thin.ing of* and ,hat is hecontriving* and ,hatever else of the .ind ma.es us ,ander a,ay fromthe observation of our o,n ruling po,er. 6e ought then to chec. inthe series of our thoughts everything that is ,ithout a purpose anduseless* but most of all the over#curious feeling and the malignant+and a man should use himself to thin. of those things only about ,hichif one should suddenly as.* 6hat hast thou no, in thy thoughts8 6ithperfect openness thou mightest* immediately ans,er* This or That+so that from thy ,ords it should be plain that everything in theeis simple and benevolent* and such as befits a social animal* andone that cares not for thoughts about pleasure or sensual en2oymentsat all* nor has any rivalry or envy and suspicion* or anything elsefor ,hich thou ,ouldst blush if thou shouldst say that thou hadstit in thy mind. (or the man ,ho is such and no longer delays beingamong the number of the best* is li.e a priest and minister of thegods* using too the deity ,hich is planted ,ithin him* ,hich ma.esthe man uncontaminated by pleasure* unharmed by any pain* untouchedby any insult* feeling no ,rong* a fighter in the noblest fight* one,ho cannot be overpo,ered by any passion* dyed deep ,ith 2ustice*accepting ,ith all his soul everything ,hich happens and is assignedto him as his portion+ and not often* nor yet ,ithout great necessityand for the general interest* imagining ,hat another says* or does*or thin.s. (or it is only ,hat belongs to himself that he ma.es thematter for his activity+ and he constantly thin.s of that ,hich isallotted to himself out of the sum total of things* and he ma.es hiso,n acts fair* and he is persuaded that his o,n portion is good. (orthe lot ,hich is assigned to each man is carried along ,ith him andcarries him along ,ith it. And he remembers also that every rationalanimal is his .insman* and that to care for all men is according toman0s nature+ and a man should hold on to the opinion not of all*but of those only ,ho confessedly live according to nature. ut asto those ,ho live not so* he al,ays bears in mind ,hat .ind of menthey are both at home and from home* both by night and by day* and,hat they are* and ,ith ,hat men they live an impure life. Accordingly*he does not value at all the praise ,hich comes from such men* sincethey are not even satisfied ,ith themselves. "abour not un,illingly* nor ,ithout regard to the common interest*nor ,ithout due consideration* nor ,ith distraction+ nor let studiedornament set off thy thoughts* and be not either a man of many ,ords*or busy about too many things. And further* let the deity ,hich isin thee be the guardian of a living being* manly and of ripe age*and engaged in matter political* and a 3oman* and a ruler* ,ho hasta.en his post li.e a man ,aiting for the signal ,hich summons himfrom life* and ready to go* having need neither of oath nor of anyman0s testimony. e cheerful also* and see. not e4ternal help northe tran-uility ,hich others give. A man then must stand erect* notbe .ept erect by others. If thou findest in human life anything better than 2ustice* truth*temperance* fortitude* and* in a ,ord* anything better than thy o,nmind0s self#satisfaction in the things ,hich it enables thee to doaccording to right reason* and in the condition that is assigned tothee ,ithout thy o,n choice+ if* I say* thou seest anything betterthan this* turn to it ,ith all thy soul* and en2oy that ,hich thouhast found to be the best. ut if nothing appears to be better thanthe deity ,hich is planted in thee* ,hich has sub2ected to itselfall thy appetites* and carefully e4amines all the impressions* and*as Socrates said* has detached itself from the persuasions of sense*and has submitted itself to the gods* and cares for man.ind+ if thoufindest everything else smaller and of less value than this* giveplace to nothing else* for if thou dost once diverge and incline toit* thou ,ilt no longer ,ithout distraction be able to give the preferenceto that good thing ,hich is thy proper possession and thy o,n+ forit is not right that anything of any other .ind* such as praise fromthe many* or po,er* or en2oyment of pleasure* should come into competition,ith that ,hich is rationally and politically or practically good.All these things* even though they may seem to adapt themselves tothe better things in a small degree* obtain the superiority all atonce* and carry us a,ay. ut do thou* I say* simply and freely choosethe better* and hold to it.# ut that ,hich is useful is the better.#6ell then* if it is useful to thee as a rational being* .eep to it+but if it is only useful to thee as an animal* say so* and maintainthy 2udgement ,ithout arrogance: only ta.e care that thou ma.est thein-uiry by a sure method. &ever value anything as profitable to thyself ,hich shall compel theeto brea. thy promise* to lose thy self#respect* to hate any man* tosuspect* to curse* to act the hypocrite* to desire anything ,hichneeds ,alls and curtains: for he ,ho has preferred to everything intelligenceand daemon and the ,orship of its e4cellence* acts no tragic part*does not groan* ,ill not need either solitude or much company+ and*,hat is chief of all* he ,ill live ,ithout either pursuing or flyingfrom death+ but ,hether for a longer or a shorter time he shall havethe soul inclosed in the body* he cares not at all: for even if hemust depart immediately* he ,ill go as readily as if he ,ere goingto do anything else ,hich can be done ,ith decency and order+ ta.ingcare of this only all through life* that his thoughts turn not a,ayfrom anything ,hich belongs to an intelligent animal and a memberof a civil community. In the mind of one ,ho is chastened and purified thou ,ilt find nocorrupt matter* nor impurity* nor any sore s.inned over. &or is hislife incomplete ,hen fate overta.es him* as one may say of an actor,ho leaves the stage before ending and finishing the play. esides*there is in him nothing servile* nor affected* nor too closely boundto other things* nor yet detached from other things* nothing ,orthyof blame* nothing ,hich see.s a hiding#place. 3everence the faculty ,hich produces opinion. $n this faculty it entirelydepends ,hether there shall e4ist in thy ruling part any opinion inconsistent,ith nature and the constitution of the rational animal. And thisfaculty promises freedom from hasty 2udgement* and friendship to,ardsmen* and obedience to the gods. Thro,ing a,ay then all things* hold to these only ,hich are fe,+ andbesides bear in mind that every man lives only this present time*,hich is an indivisible point* and that all the rest of his life iseither past or it is uncertain. Short then is the time ,hich everyman lives* and small the noo. of the earth ,here he lives+ and shorttoo the longest posthumous fame* and even this only continued by asuccession of poor human beings* ,ho ,ill very soon die* and ,ho .no,not even themselves* much less him ,ho died long ago. To the aids ,hich have been mentioned let this one still be added:#Ma.e for thyself a definition or description of the thing ,hich ispresented to thee* so as to see distinctly ,hat .ind of a thing itis in its substance* in its nudity* in its complete entirety* andtell thyself its proper name* and the names of the things of ,hichit has been compounded* and into ,hich it ,ill be resolved. (or nothingis so productive of elevation of mind as to be able to e4amine methodicallyand truly every ob2ect ,hich is presented to thee in life* and al,aysto loo. at things so as to see at the same time ,hat .ind of universethis is* and ,hat .ind of use everything performs in it* and ,hatvalue everything has ,ith reference to the ,hole* and ,hat ,ith referenceto man* ,ho is a citi/en of the highest city* of ,hich all other citiesare li.e families+ ,hat each thing is* and of ,hat it is composed*and ho, long it is the nature of this thing to endure ,hich no, ma.esan impression on me* and ,hat virtue I have need of ,ith respect toit* such as gentleness* manliness* truth* fidelity* simplicity* contentment*and the rest. 6herefore* on every occasion a man should say: thiscomes from !od+ and this is according to the apportionment and spinningof the thread of destiny* and such#li.e coincidence and chance+ andthis is from one of the same stoc.* and a .insman and partner* one,ho .no,s not ho,ever ,hat is according to his nature. ut I .no,+for this reason I behave to,ards him according to the natural la,of fello,ship ,ith benevolence and 2ustice. At the same time ho,everin things indifferent I attempt to ascertain the value of each.If thou ,or.est at that ,hich is before thee* follo,ing right reasonseriously* vigorously* calmly* ,ithout allo,ing anything else to distractthee* but .eeping thy divine part pure* as if thou shouldst be boundto give it bac. immediately+ if thou holdest to this* e4pecting nothing*fearing nothing* but satisfied ,ith thy present activity accordingto nature* and ,ith heroic truth in every ,ord and sound ,hich thouutterest* thou ,ilt live happy. And there is no man ,ho is able toprevent this. As physicians have al,ays their instruments and .nives ready for cases,hich suddenly re-uire their s.ill* so do thou have principles readyfor the understanding of things divine and human* and for doing everything*even the smallest* ,ith a recollection of the bond ,hich unites thedivine and human to one another. (or neither ,ilt thou do anything,ell ,hich pertains to man ,ithout at the same time having a referenceto things divine+ nor the contrary. &o longer ,ander at ha/ard+ for neither ,ilt thou read thy o,n memoirs*nor the acts of the ancient 3omans and 5ellenes* and the selectionsfrom boo.s ,hich thou ,ast reserving for thy old age. 5asten thento the end ,hich thou hast before thee* and thro,ing a,ay idle hopes*come to thy o,n aid* if thou carest at all for thyself* ,hile it isin thy po,er. They .no, not ho, many things are signified by the ,ords stealing*so,ing* buying* .eeping -uiet* seeing ,hat ought to be done+ for thisis not effected by the eyes* but by another .ind of vision.ody* soul* intelligence: to the body belong sensations* to the soulappetites* to the intelligence principles. To receive the impressionsof forms by means of appearances belongs even to animals+ to be pulledby the strings of desire belongs both to ,ild beasts and to men ,hohave made themselves into ,omen* and to a Phalaris and a &ero: andto have the intelligence that guides to the things ,hich appear suitablebelongs also to those ,ho do not believe in the gods* and ,ho betraytheir country* and do their impure deeds ,hen they have shut the doors.If then everything else is common to all that I have mentioned* thereremains that ,hich is peculiar to the good man* to be pleased andcontent ,ith ,hat happens* and ,ith the thread ,hich is spun for him+and not to defile the divinity ,hich is planted in his breast* nordisturb it by a cro,d of images* but to preserve it tran-uil* follo,ingit obediently as a god* neither saying anything contrary to the truth*nor doing anything contrary to 2ustice. And if all men refuse to believethat he lives a simple* modest* and contented life* he is neitherangry ,ith any of them* nor does he deviate from the ,ay ,hich leadsto the end of life* to ,hich a man ought to come pure* tran-uil* readyto depart* and ,ithout any compulsion perfectly reconciled to hislot. ######################################################################$$% ($93That ,hich rules ,ithin* ,hen it is according to nature* is so affected,ith respect to the events ,hich happen* that it al,ays easily adaptsitself to that ,hich is and is presented to it. (or it re-uires nodefinite material* but it moves to,ards its purpose* under certainconditions ho,ever+ and it ma.es a material for itself out of that,hich opposes it* as fire lays hold of ,hat falls into it* by ,hicha small light ,ould have been e4tinguished: but ,hen the fire is strong*it soon appropriates to itself the matter ,hich is heaped on it* andconsumes it* and rises higher by means of this very material."et no act be done ,ithout a purpose* nor other,ise than accordingto the perfect principles of art. Men see. retreats for themselves* houses in the country* sea#shores*and mountains+ and thou too art ,ont to desire such things very much.ut this is altogether a mar. of the most common sort of men* forit is in thy po,er ,henever thou shalt choose to retire into thyself.(or no,here either ,ith more -uiet or more freedom from trouble doesa man retire than into his o,n soul* particularly ,hen he has ,ithinhim such thoughts that by loo.ing into them he is immediately in perfecttran-uility+ and I affirm that tran-uility is nothing else than thegood ordering of the mind. Constantly then give to thyself this retreat*and rene, thyself+ and let thy principles be brief and fundamental*,hich* as soon as thou shalt recur to them* ,ill be sufficient tocleanse the soul completely* and to send thee bac. free from all discontent,ith the things to ,hich thou returnest. (or ,ith ,hat art thou discontented86ith the badness of men8 3ecall to thy mind this conclusion* thatrational animals e4ist for one another* and that to endure is a partof 2ustice* and that men do ,rong involuntarily+ and consider ho,many already* after mutual enmity* suspicion* hatred* and fighting*have been stretched dead* reduced to ashes+ and be -uiet at last.#ut perhaps thou art dissatisfied ,ith that ,hich is assigned to theeout of the universe.# 3ecall to thy recollection this alternative+either there is providence or atoms* fortuitous concurrence of things+or remember the arguments by ,hich it has been proved that the ,orldis a .ind of political community* and be -uiet at last.# ut perhapscorporeal things ,ill still fasten upon thee.# Consider then furtherthat the mind mingles not ,ith the breath* ,hether moving gently orviolently* ,hen it has once dra,n itself apart and discovered itso,n po,er* and thin. also of all that thou hast heard and assentedto about pain and pleasure* and be -uiet at last.# ut perhaps thedesire of the thing called fame ,ill torment thee.# See ho, soon everythingis forgotten* and loo. at the chaos of infinite time on each sideof the present* and the emptiness of applause* and the changeablenessand ,ant of 2udgement in those ,ho pretend to give praise* and thenarro,ness of the space ,ithin ,hich it is circumscribed* and be -uietat last. (or the ,hole earth is a point* and ho, small a noo. in itis this thy d,elling* and ho, fe, are there in it* and ,hat .ind ofpeople are they ,ho ,ill praise thee. This then remains: 3emember to retire into this little territory ofthy o,n* and above all do not distract or strain thyself* but be free*and loo. at things as a man* as a human being* as a citi/en* as amortal. ut among the things readiest to thy hand to ,hich thou shaltturn* let there be these* ,hich are t,o. $ne is that things do nottouch the soul* for they are e4ternal and remain immovable+ but ourperturbations come only from the opinion ,hich is ,ithin. The otheris that all these things* ,hich thou seest* change immediately and,ill no longer be+ and constantly bear in mind ho, many of these changesthou hast already ,itnessed. The universe is transformation: lifeis opinion. If our intellectual part is common* the reason also* in respect of,hich ,e are rational beings* is common: if this is so* common alsois the reason ,hich commands us ,hat to do* and ,hat not to do+ ifthis is so* there is a common la, also+ if this is so* ,e are fello,#citi/ens+if this is so* ,e are members of some political community+ if thisis so* the ,orld is in a manner a state. (or of ,hat other commonpolitical community ,ill any one say that the ,hole human race aremembers8 And from thence* from this common political community comesalso our very intellectual faculty and reasoning faculty and our capacityfor la,+ or ,hence do they come8 (or as my earthly part is a portiongiven to me from certain earth* and that ,hich is ,atery from anotherelement* and that ,hich is hot and fiery from some peculiar source:for nothing comes out of that ,hich is nothing* as nothing also returnsto non#e4istence;* so also the intellectual part comes from some source.1eath is such as generation is* a mystery of nature+ a compositionout of the same elements* and a decomposition into the same+ and altogethernot a thing of ,hich any man should be ashamed* for it is not contraryto the nature of a reasonable animal* and not contrary to the reasonof our constitution. It is natural that these things should be done by such persons* itis a matter of necessity+ and if a man ,ill not have it so* he ,illnot allo, the fig#tree to have 2uice. ut by all means bear this inmind* that ,ithin a very short time both thou and he ,ill be dead+and soon not even your names ,ill be left behind. Ta.e a,ay thy opinion* and then there is ta.en a,ay the complaint*eus ,ho framed society* for it is in our po,er to gro, againto that ,hich is near to us* and be to come a part ,hich helps toma.e up the ,hole. 5o,ever* if it often happens* this .ind of separation*it ma.es it difficult for that ,hich detaches itself to be broughtto unity and to be restored to its former condition. (inally* thebranch* ,hich from the first gre, together ,ith the tree* and hascontinued to have one life ,ith it* is not li.e that ,hich after beingcut off is then ingrafted* for this is something li.e ,hat the gardenersmean ,hen they say that it gro,s ,ith the rest of the tree* but thatit has not the same mind ,ith it. As those ,ho try to stand in thy ,ay ,hen thou art proceeding accordingto right reason* ,ill not be able to turn thee aside from thy properaction* so neither let them drive thee from thy benevolent feelingsto,ards them* but be on thy guard e-ually in both matters* not onlyin the matter of steady 2udgement and action* but also in the matterof gentleness to,ards those ,ho try to hinder or other,ise troublethee. (or this also is a ,ea.ness* to be ve4ed at them* as ,ell asto be diverted from thy course of action and to give ,ay through fear+for both are e-ually deserters from their post* the man ,ho does itthrough fear* and the man ,ho is alienated from him ,ho is by naturea .insman and a friend. There is no nature ,hich is inferior to art* for the arts imitatethe nature of things. ut if this is so* that nature ,hich is themost perfect and the most comprehensive of all natures* cannot fallshort of the s.ill of art. &o, all arts do the inferior things forthe sa.e of the superior+ therefore the universal nature does so too.And* indeed* hence is the origin of 2ustice* and in 2ustice the othervirtues have their foundation: for 2ustice ,ill not be observed* if,e either care for middle things :things indifferent;* or are easilydeceived and careless and changeable. If the things do not come to thee* the pursuits and avoidances of,hich disturb thee* still in a manner thou goest to them. "et thenthy 2udgement about them be at rest* and they ,ill remain -uiet* andthou ,ilt not be seen either pursuing or avoiding. The spherical form of the soul maintains its figure* ,hen it is neithere4tended to,ards any ob2ect* nor contracted in,ards* nor dispersednor sin.s do,n* but is illuminated by light* by ,hich it sees thetruth* the truth of all things and the truth that is in itself.Suppose any man shall despise me. "et him loo. to that himself. utI ,ill loo. to this* that I be not discovered doing or saying anythingdeserving of contempt. Shall any man hate me8 "et him loo. to it.ut I ,ill be mild and benevolent to,ards every man* and ready tosho, even him his mista.e* not reproachfully* nor yet as ma.ing adisplay of my endurance* but nobly and honestly* li.e the great Phocion*unless indeed he only assumed it. (or the interior parts ought tobe such* and a man ought to be seen by the gods neither dissatisfied,ith anything nor complaining. (or ,hat evil is it to thee* if thouart no, doing ,hat is agreeable to thy o,n nature* and art satisfied,ith that ,hich at this moment is suitable to the nature of the universe*since thou art a human being placed at thy post in order that ,hatis for the common advantage may be done in some ,ay8 Men despise one another and flatter one another+ and men ,ish to raisethemselves above one another* and crouch before one another.5o, unsound and insincere is he ,ho says* I have determined to deal,ith thee in a fair ,ay.# 6hat art thou doing* man8 There is no occasionto give this notice. It ,ill soon sho, itself by acts. The voice oughtto be plainly ,ritten on the forehead. Such as a man0s character is*he immediately sho,s it in his eyes* 2ust as he ,ho is beloved forth,ithreads everything in the eyes of lovers. The man ,ho is honest andgood ought to be e4actly li.e a man ,ho smells strong* so that thebystander as soon as he comes near him must smell ,hether he chooseor not. ut the affectation of simplicity is li.e a croo.ed stic..&othing is more disgraceful than a ,olfish friendship :false friendship;.Avoid this most of all. The good and simple and benevolent sho, allthese things in the eyes* and there is no mista.ing. As to living in the best ,ay* this po,er is in the soul* if it beindifferent to things ,hich are indifferent. And it ,ill be indifferent*if it loo.s on each of these things separately and all together* andif it remembers that not one of them produces in us an opinion aboutitself* nor comes to us+ but these things remain immovable* and itis ,e ourselves ,ho produce the 2udgements about them* and* as ,emay say* ,rite them in ourselves* it being in our po,er not to ,ritethem* and it being in our po,er* if perchance these 2udgements haveimperceptibly got admission to our minds* to ,ipe them out+ and if,e remember also that such attention ,ill only be for a short time*and then life ,ill be at an end. esides* ,hat trouble is there atall in doing this8 (or if these things are according to nature* re2oicein them* and they ,ill be easy to thee: but if contrary to nature*see. ,hat is conformable to thy o,n nature* and strive to,ards this*even if it bring no reputation+ for every man is allo,ed to see. hiso,n good. Consider ,hence each thing is come* and of ,hat it consists* and into,hat it changes* and ,hat .ind of a thing it ,ill be ,hen it has changed*and that it ,ill sustain no harm. If any have offended against thee* consider first: 6hat is my relationto men* and that ,e are made for one another+ and in another respect*I ,as made to be set over them* as a ram over the floc. or a bullover the herd. ut e4amine the matter from first principles* fromthis: If all things are not mere atoms* it is nature ,hich ordersall things: if this is so* the inferior things e4ist for the sa.eof the superior* and these for the sa.e of one another. Second* consider ,hat .ind of men they are at table* in bed* and soforth: and particularly* under ,hat compulsions in respect of opinionsthey are+ and as to their acts* consider ,ith ,hat pride they do ,hatthey do. Third* that if men do rightly ,hat they do* ,e ought not to be displeased+but if they do not right* it is plain that they do so involuntarilyand in ignorance. (or as every soul is un,illingly deprived of thetruth* so also is it un,illingly deprived of the po,er of behavingto each man according to his deserts. Accordingly men are pained ,henthey are called un2ust* ungrateful* and greedy* and in a ,ord ,rong#doersto their neighbours. (ourth* consider that thou also doest many things ,rong* and thatthou art a man li.e others+ and even if thou dost abstain from certainfaults* still thou hast the disposition to commit them* though eitherthrough co,ardice* or concern about reputation* or some such meanmotive* thou dost abstain from such faults. (ifth* consider that thou dost not even understand ,hether men aredoing ,rong or not* for many things are done ,ith a certain referenceto circumstances. And in short* a man must learn a great deal to enablehim to pass a correct 2udgement on another man0s acts. Si4th* consider ,hen thou art much ve4ed or grieved* that man0s lifeis only a moment* and after a short time ,e are all laid out dead.Seventh* that it is not men0s acts ,hich disturb us* for those actshave their foundation in men0s ruling principles* but it is our o,nopinions ,hich disturb us. Ta.e a,ay these opinions then* and resolveto dismiss thy 2udgement about an act as if it ,ere something grievous*and thy anger is gone. 5o, then shall I ta.e a,ay these opinions8y reflecting that no ,rongful act of another brings shame on thee:for unless that ,hich is shameful is alone bad* thou also must ofnecessity do many things ,rong* and become a robber and everythingelse. 'ighth* consider ho, much more pain is brought on us by the angerand ve4ation caused by such acts than by the acts themselves* at ,hich,e are angry and ve4ed. &inth* consider that a good disposition is invincible* if it be genuine*and not an affected smile and acting a part. (or ,hat ,ill the mostviolent man do to thee* if thou continuest to be of a .ind dispositionto,ards him* and if* as opportunity offers* thou gently admonishesthim and calmly correctest his errors at the very time ,hen he is tryingto do thee harm* saying* &ot so* my child: ,e are constituted by naturefor something else: I shall certainly not be in2ured* but thou artin2uring thyself* my child.# And sho, him ,ith gentle tact and bygeneral principles that this is so* and that even bees do not do ashe does* nor any animals ,hich are formed by nature to be gregarious.And thou must do this neither ,ith any double meaning nor in the ,ayof reproach* but affectionately and ,ithout any rancour in thy soul+and not as if thou ,ert lecturing him* nor yet that any bystandermay admire* but either ,hen he is alone* and if others are present...3emember these nine rules* as if thou hadst received them as a giftfrom the Muses* and begin at last to be a man ,hile thou livest. utthou must e-ually avoid flattering men and being veied at them* forboth are unsocial and lead to harm. And let this truth be presentto thee in the e4citement of anger* that to be moved by passion isnot manly* but that mildness and gentleness* as they are more agreeableto human nature* so also are they more manly+ and he ,ho possessesthese -ualities possesses strength* nerves and courage* and not theman ,ho is sub2ect to fits of passion and discontent. (or in the samedegree in ,hich a man0s mind is nearer to freedom from all passion*in the same degree also is it nearer to strength: and as the senseof pain is a characteristic of ,ea.ness* so also is anger. (or he,ho yields to pain and he ,ho yields to anger* both are ,ounded andboth submit. ut if thou ,ilt* receive also a tenth present from the leader ofthe Muses :Apollo;* and it is this# that to e4pect bad men not todo ,rong is madness* for he ,ho e4pects this desires an impossibility.ut to allo, men to behave so to others* and to e4pect them not todo thee any ,rong* is irrational and tyrannical. There are four principal aberrations of the superior faculty against,hich thou shouldst be constantly on thy guard* and ,hen thou hastdetected them* thou shouldst ,ipe them out and say on each occasionthus: this thought is not necessary: this tends to destroy socialunion: this ,hich thou art going to say comes not from the real thoughts+for thou shouldst consider it among the most absurd of things fora man not to spea. from his real thoughts. ut the fourth is ,henthou shalt reproach thyself for anything* for this is an evidenceof the diviner part ,ithin thee being overpo,ered and yielding tothe less honourable and to the perishable part* the body* and to itsgross pleasures. Thy aerial part and all the fiery parts ,hich are mingled in thee*though by nature they have an up,ard tendency* still in obedienceto the disposition of the universe they are overpo,ered here in thecompound mass :the body;. And also the ,hole of the earthy part inthee and the ,atery* though their tendency is do,n,ard* still areraised up and occupy a position ,hich is not their natural one. Inthis manner then the elemental parts obey the universal* for ,henthey have been fi4ed in any place perforce they remain there untilagain the universal shall sound the signal for dissolution. Is itnot then strange that thy intelligent part only should be disobedientand discontented ,ith its o,n place8 And yet no force is imposed onit* but only those things ,hich are conformable to its nature: stillit does not submit* but is carried in the opposite direction. (orthe movement to,ards in2ustice and intemperance and to anger and griefand fear is nothing else than the act of one ,ho deviates from nature.And also ,hen the ruling faculty is discontented ,ith anything thathappens* then too it deserts its post: for it is constituted for pietyand reverence to,ards the gods no less than for 2ustice. (or these-ualities also are comprehended under the generic term of contentment,ith the constitution of things* and indeed they are prior to actsof 2ustice. 5e ,ho has not one and al,ays the same ob2ect in life* cannot be oneand the same all through his life. ut ,hat I have said is not enough*unless this also is added* ,hat this ob2ect ought to be. (or as thereis not the same opinion about all the things ,hich in some ,ay orother are considered by the ma2ority to be good* but only about somecertain things* that is* things ,hich concern the common interest+so also ought ,e to propose to ourselves an ob2ect ,hich shall beof a common .ind :social; and political. (or he ,ho directs all hiso,n efforts to this ob2ect* ,ill ma.e all his acts ali.e* and thus,ill al,ays be the same. Thin. of the country mouse and of the to,n mouse* and of the alarmand trepidation of the to,n mouse. Socrates used to call the opinions of the many by the name of "amiae*bugbears to frighten children. The "acedaemonians at their public spectacles used to set seats inthe shade for strangers* but themselves sat do,n any,here.Socrates e4cused himself to Perdiccas for not going to him* saying*It is because I ,ould not perish by the ,orst of all ends* that is*I ,ould not receive a favour and then be unable to return it.In the ,ritings of the 'phesians there ,as this precept* constantlyto thin. of some one of the men of former times ,ho practised virtue.The Pythagoreans bid us in the morning loo. to the heavens that ,emay be reminded of those bodies ,hich continually do the same thingsand in the same manner perform their ,or.* and also be reminded oftheir purity and nudity. (or there is no veil over a star.Consider ,hat a man Socrates ,as ,hen he dressed himself in a s.in*after Aanthippe had ta.en his cloa. and gone out* and ,hat Socratessaid to his friends ,ho ,ere ashamed of him and dre, bac. from him,hen they sa, him dressed thus. &either in ,riting nor in reading ,ilt thou be able to lay do,n rulesfor others before thou shalt have first learned to obey rules thyself.Much more is this so in life. A slave thou art: free speech is not for thee. And my heart laughed ,ithin. And virtue they ,ill curse* spea.ing harsh ,ords. To loo. for the fig in ,inter is a madman0s act: such is he ,ho loo.sfor his child ,hen it is no longer allo,ed. 6hen a man .isses his child* said 'pictetus* he should ,hisper tohimself*