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Marcus Aurelius >> Meditations
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XVII. Whatsoever proceeds from the gods immediately, that any
man will grant totally depends from their divine providence.
As for those things that are commonly said to happen by fortune,
even those must be conceived to have dependence from nature,
or from that first and general connection, and concatenation of all
those things, which more apparently by the divine providence are
administered and brought to pass. All things flow from thence:
and whatsoever it is that is, is both necessary, and conducing
to the whole (part of which thou art), and whatsoever it is that
is requisite and necessary for the preservation of the general,
must of necessity for every particular nature, be good and behoveful.
And as for the whole, it is preserved, as by the perpetual mutation
and conversion of the simple elements one into another, so also
by the mutation, and alteration of things mixed and compounded.
Let these things suffice thee; let them be always unto thee,
as thy general rules and precepts. As for thy thirst after books,
away with it with all speed, that thou die not murmuring and complaining,
but truly meek and well satisfied, and from thy heart thankful
unto the gods.
THE SECOND BOOK
I. Remember how long thou hast already put off these things,
and how often a certain day and hour as it were, having been
set unto thee by the gods, thou hast neglected it. It is high
time for thee to understand the true nature both of the world,
whereof thou art a part; and of that Lord and Governor of the world,
from whom, as a channel from the spring, thou thyself didst flow:
and that there is but a certain limit of time appointed unto thee,
which if thou shalt not make use of to calm and allay the many
distempers of thy soul, it will pass away and thou with it,
and never after return.
II. Let it be thy earnest and incessant care as a Roman and a man
to perform whatsoever it is that thou art about, with true
and unfeigned gravity, natural affection, freedom and justice:
and as for all other cares, and imaginations, how thou mayest
ease thy mind of them. Which thou shalt do; if thou shalt go
about every action as thy last action, free from all vanity,
all passionate and wilful aberration from reason, and from
all hypocrisy, and self-love, and dislike of those things,
which by the fates or appointment of God have happened unto thee.
Thou seest that those things, which for a man to hold on in a
prosperous course, and to live a divine life, are requisite
and necessary, are not many, for the gods will require no more
of any man, that shall but keep and observe these things.
III. Do, soul, do; abuse and contemn thyself; yet a while and
the time for thee to respect thyself, will be at an end.
Every man's happiness depends from himself, but behold thy life is
almost at an end, whiles affording thyself no respect, thou dost make
thy happiness to consist in the souls, and conceits of other men.
IV Why should any of these things that happen externally,
so much distract thee? Give thyself leisure to learn some
good thing, and cease roving and wandering to and fro.
Thou must also take heed of another kind of wandering, for they
are idle in their actions, who toil and labour in this life,
and have no certain scope to which to direct all their motions,
and desires. V. For not observing the state of another
man's soul, scarce was ever any man known to be unhappy.
tell whosoever they be that intend not, and guide not by reason
and discretion the motions of their own souls, they must
of necessity be unhappy.
VI. These things thou must always have in mind: What is the nature
of the universe, and what is mine--in particular: This unto that what
relation it hath: what kind of part, of what kind of universe it is:
And that there is nobody that can hinder thee, but that thou mayest
always both do and speak those things which are agreeable to that nature,
whereof thou art a part. VII. Theophrastus, where he compares sin
with sin (as after a vulgar sense such things I grant may be compared:)
says well and like a philosopher, that those sins are greater which are
committed through lust, than those which are committed through anger.
For he that is angry seems with a kind of grief and close contraction
of himself, to turn away from reason; but he that sins through lust,
being overcome by pleasure, doth in his very sin bewray a more impotent,
and unmanlike disposition. Well then and like a philosopher doth he say,
that he of the two is the more to be condemned, that sins with pleasure,
than he that sins with grief. For indeed this latter may seem first
to have been wronged, and so in some manner through grief thereof to have
been forced to be angry, whereas he who through lust doth commit anything,
did of himself merely resolve upon that action.
VIII. Whatsoever thou dost affect, whatsoever thou dost project,
so do, and so project all, as one who, for aught thou knowest,
may at this very present depart out of this life.
And as for death, if there be any gods, it is no grievous thing
to leave the society of men. The gods will do thee no hurt,
thou mayest be sure. But if it be so that there be no gods,
or that they take no care of the world, why should I desire
to live in a world void of gods, and of all divine providence?
But gods there be certainly, and they take care for the world;
and as for those things which be truly evil, as vice and.
wickedness, such things they have put in a man s own power,
that he might avoid them if he would: and had there been
anything besides that had been truly bad and evil, they would
have had a care of that also, that a man might have avoided it.
But why should that be thought to hurt and prejudice a man's life
in this world, which cannot any ways make man himself the better,
or the worse in his own person? Neither must we think that
the nature of the universe did either through ignorance pass
these things, or if not as ignorant of them, yet as unable
either to prevent, or better to order and dispose them.
It cannot be that she through want either of power or skill,
should have committed such a thing, so as to suffer all things
both good and bad, equally and promiscuously, to happen unto
all both good and bad. As for life therefore, and death,
honour and dishonour, labour and pleasure, riches and poverty,
all these things happen unto men indeed, both good and bad, equally;
but as things which of themselves are neither good nor bad;
because of themselves, neither shameful nor praiseworthy.
IX. Consider how quickly all things are dissolved and resolved:
the bodies and substances themselves, into the matter and substance
of the world: and their memories into the general age and time
of the world. Consider the nature of all worldly sensible things;
of those especially, which either ensnare by pleasure, or for their
irksomeness are dreadful, or for their outward lustre and show are
in great esteem and request, how vile and contemptible, how base
and corruptible, how destitute of all true life and being they are.
X. It is the part of a man endowed with a good understanding faculty,
to consider what they themselves are in very deed, from whose
bare conceits and voices, honour and credit do proceed:
as also what it is to die, and how if a man shall consider this
by itself alone, to die, and separate from it in his mind all
those things which with it usually represent themselves unto us,
he can conceive of it no otherwise, than as of a work of nature,
and he that fears any work of nature, is a very child. Now death,
it is not only a work of nature, but also conducing to nature.
XI. Consider with thyself how man, and by what part of his, is joined
unto God, and how that part of man is affected, when it is said
to be diffused. There is nothing more wretched than that soul,
which in a kind of circuit compasseth all things, searching (as he saith)
even the very depths of the earth; and by all signs and conjectures
prying into the very thoughts of other men's souls; and yet of this,
is not sensible, that it is sufficient for a man to apply himself wholly,
and to confine all his thoughts and cares to the tendance of that
spirit which is within him, and truly and really to serve him.
His service doth consist in this, that a man keep himself pure from
all violent passion and evil affection, from all rashness and vanity,
and from all manner of discontent, either in regard of the gods or men.
For indeed whatsoever proceeds from the gods, deserves respect
for their worth and excellency; and whatsoever proceeds from men,
as they are our kinsmen, should by us be entertained,
with love, always; sometimes, as proceeding from their ignorance,
of that which is truly good and bad, (a blindness no less, than that
by which we are not able to discern between white and black:)
with a kind of pity and compassion also.
XII. If thou shouldst live three thousand, or as many as ten
thousands of years, yet remember this, that man can part
with no life properly, save with that little part of life,
which he now lives: and that which he lives, is no other,
than that which at every instant he parts with. That then
which is longest of duration, and that which is shortest,
come both to one effect. For although in regard of that which
is already past there may be some inequality, yet that time
which is now present and in being, is equal unto all men.
And that being it which we part with whensoever we die,
it doth manifestly appear, that it can be but a moment of time,
that we then part with. For as for that which is either past
or to come, a man cannot be said properly to part with it.
For how should a man part with that which he hath not?
These two things therefore thou must remember.
First, that all things in the world from all eternity,
by a perpetual revolution of the same times and things
ever continued and renewed, are of one kind and nature;
so that whether for a hundred or two hundred years only,
or for an infinite space of time, a man see those things
which are still the same, it can be no matter of great moment.
And secondly, that that life which any the longest liver,
or the shortest liver parts with, is for length and duration
the very same, for that only which is present, is that,
which either of them can lose, as being that only which they have;
for that which he hath not, no man can truly be said to lose.
XIII. Remember that all is but opinion and conceit, for those things
are plain and apparent, which were spoken unto Monimus the Cynic;
and as plain and apparent is the use that may be made of those things,
if that which is true and serious in them, be received as well as that
which is sweet and pleasing.
XIV. A man's soul doth wrong and disrespect itself first
and especially, when as much as in itself lies it becomes
an aposteme, and as it were an excrescency of the world,
for to be grieved and displeased with anything that happens
in the world, is direct apostacy from the nature of the universe;
part of which, all particular natures of the world, are.
Secondly, when she either is averse from any man, or led
by contrary desires or affections, tending to his hurt
and prejudice; such as are the souls of them that are angry.
Thirdly, when she is overcome by any pleasure or pain.
Fourthly, when she doth dissemble, and covertly and falsely
either doth or saith anything. Fifthly, when she doth either
affect or endeavour anything to no certain end, but rashly
and without due ratiocination and consideration, how consequent
or inconsequent it is to the common end. For even the least
things ought not to be done, without relation unto the end;
and the end of the reasonable creatures is, to follow and obey him,
who is the reason as it were, and the law of this great city,
and ancient commonwealth. XV. The time of a man's life is
as a point; the substance of it ever flowing, the sense obscure;
and the whole composition of the body tending to corruption.
His soul is restless, fortune uncertain, and fame doubtful;
to be brief, as a stream so are all things belonging to the body;
as a dream, or as a smoke, so are all that belong unto
the soul. Our life is a warfare, and a mere pilgrimage.
Fame after life is no better than oblivion. What is it then
that will adhere and follow? Only one thing, philosophy.
And philosophy doth consist in this, for a man to preserve
that spirit which is within him, from all manner of contumelies
and injuries, and above all pains or pleasures; never to do
anything either rashly, or feignedly, or hypocritically:
wholly to depend from himself and his own proper actions:
all things that happen unto him to embrace contentedly,
as coming from Him from whom he himself also came; and above
all things, with all meekness and a calm cheerfulness,
to expect death, as being nothing else but the resolution
of those elements, of which every creature is composed.
And if the elements themselves suffer nothing by this their
perpetual conversion of one into another, that dissolution,
and alteration, which is so common unto all, why should
it be feared by any? Is not this according to nature?
But nothing that is according to nature can be evil.
whilst I was at Carnuntzim.
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THE THIRD BOOK
I. A man must not only consider how daily his life wasteth
and decreaseth, but this also, that if he live long, he cannot
be certain, whether his understanding shall continue so able
and sufficient, for either discreet consideration, in matter
of businesses; or for contemplation: it being the thing,
whereon true knowledge of things both divine and human, doth depend.
For if once he shall begin to dote, his respiration, nutrition,
his imaginative, and appetitive, and other natural faculties,
may still continue the same: he shall find no want of them.
But how to make that right use of himself that he should,
how to observe exactly in all things that which is right
and just, how to redress and rectify all wrong, or sudden
apprehensions and imaginations, and even of this particular,
whether he should live any longer or no, to consider duly;
for all such things, wherein the best strength and vigour of the mind
is most requisite; his power and ability will be past and gone.
Thou must hasten therefore; not only because thou art every day
nearer unto death than other, but also because that intellective
faculty in thee, whereby thou art enabled to know the true nature
of things, and to order all thy actions by that knowledge,
doth daily waste and decay: or, may fail thee before thou die.
II. This also thou must observe, that whatsoever it is that naturally
doth happen to things natural, hath somewhat in itself that is pleasing
and delightful: as a great loaf when it is baked, some parts of it cleave
as it were, and part asunder, and make the crust of it rugged and unequal,
and yet those parts of it, though in some sort it be against the art
and intention of baking itself, that they are thus cleft and parted,
which should have been and were first made all even and uniform,
they become it well nevertheless, and have a certain peculiar property,
to stir the appetite. So figs are accounted fairest and ripest then,
when they begin to shrink, and wither as it were. So ripe olives,
when they are next to putrefaction, then are they in their proper beauty.
The hanging down of grapes--the brow of a lion, the froth of a foaming
wild boar, and many other like things, though by themselves considered,
they are far from any beauty, yet because they happen naturally, they both
are comely, and delightful; so that if a man shall with a profound mind
and apprehension, consider all things in the world, even among all those
things which are but mere accessories and natural appendices as it were,
there will scarce appear anything unto him, wherein he will not find
matter of pleasure and delight. So will he behold with as much pleasure
the true rictus of wild beasts, as those which by skilful painters
and other artificers are imitated. So will he be able to perceive
the proper ripeness and beauty of old age, whether in man or woman:
and whatsoever else it is that is beautiful and alluring in whatsoever is,
with chaste and continent eyes he will soon find out and discern.
Those and many other things will he discern, not credible unto every one,
but unto them only who are truly and familiarly acquainted, both with
nature itself, and all natural things.
III. Hippocrates having cured many sicknesses, fell sick himself
and died. The Chaldeans and Astrologians having foretold the deaths
of divers, were afterwards themselves surprised by the fates.
Alexander and Pompeius, and Caius Caesar, having destroyed so many towns,
and cut off in the field so many thousands both of horse and foot,
yet they themselves at last were fain to part with their own lives.
Heraclitus having written so many natural tracts concerning the last
and general conflagration of the world, died afterwards all filled
with water within, and all bedaubed with dirt and dung without.
Lice killed Democritus; and Socrates, another sort of vermin,
wicked ungodly men. How then stands the case? Thou hast taken ship,
thou hast sailed, thou art come to land, go out, if to another life,
there also shalt thou find gods, who are everywhere. If all life
and sense shall cease, then shalt thou cease also to be subject to
either pains or pleasures ; and to serve and tend this vile cottage;
so much the viler, by how much that which ministers unto it doth excel ;
the one being a rational substance, and a spirit, the other nothing
but earth and blood.
IV. Spend not the remnant of thy days in thoughts and fancies
concerning other men, when it is not in relation to some common good,
when by it thou art hindered from some other better work.
That is, spend not thy time in thinking, what such a man doth,
and to what end: what he saith, and what he thinks,
and what he is about, and such other things or curiosities,
which make a man to rove and wander from the care and observation
of that part of himself, which is rational, and overruling.
See therefore in the whole series and connection of thy thoughts,
that thou be careful to prevent whatsoever is idle and impertinent:
but especially, whatsoever is curious and malicious: and thou must
use thyself to think only of such things, of which if a man upon
a sudden should ask thee, what it is that thou art now thinking,
thou mayest answer This, and That, freely and boldly, that so by thy
thoughts it may presently appear that in all thee is sincere,
and peaceable; as becometh one that is made for society, and regards
not pleasures, nor gives way to any voluptuous imaginations at all:
free from all contentiousness, envy, and suspicion, and from whatsoever
else thou wouldest blush to confess thy thoughts were set upon.
He that is such, is he surely that doth not put off to lay hold on
that which is best indeed, a very priest and minister of the gods,
well acquainted and in good correspondence with him especially that
is seated and placed within himself, as in a temple and sacrary:
to whom also he keeps and preserves himself unspotted by pleasure,
undaunted by pain; free from any manner of wrong, or contumely,
by himself offered unto himself: not capable of any evil from others:
a wrestler of the best sort, and for the highest prize, that he may
not be cast down by any passion or affection of his own; deeply dyed
and drenched in righteousness, embracing and accepting with his
whole heart whatsoever either happeneth or is allotted unto him.
One who not often, nor without some great necessity tending to
some public good, mindeth what any other, either speaks, or doth,
or purposeth: for those things only that are in his own power,
or that are truly his own, are the objects of his employments,
and his thoughts are ever taken up with those things, which of
the whole universe are by the fates or Providence destinated
and appropriated unto himself. Those things that are his own,
and in his own power, he himself takes order, for that they be good:
and as for those that happen unto him, he believes them to be so.
For that lot and portion which is assigned to every one,
as it is unavoidable and necessary, so is it always profitable.
He remembers besides that whatsoever partakes of reason,
is akin unto him, and that to care for all men generally,
is agreeing to the nature of a man: but as for honour and praise,
that they ought not generally to be admitted and accepted
of from all, but from such only, who live according to nature.
As for them that do not, what manner of men they be at home,
or abroad; day or night, how conditioned themselves with what manner
of conditions, or with men of what conditions they moil and pass
away the time together, he knoweth, and remembers right well,
he therefore regards not such praise and approbation, as proceeding
from them, who cannot like and approve themselves.
V. Do nothing against thy will, nor contrary to the community,
nor without due examination, nor with reluctancy.
Affect not to set out thy thoughts with curious neat language.
Be neither a great talker, nor a great undertaker.
Moreover, let thy God that is in thee to rule over thee, find by thee,
that he hath to do with a man; an aged man; a sociable man;
a Roman; a prince; one that hath ordered his life, as one
that expecteth, as it were, nothing but the sound of the trumpet,
sounding a retreat to depart out of this life with all expedition.
One who for his word or actions neither needs an oath,
nor any man to be a witness.
VI. To be cheerful, and to stand in no need, either of other
men's help or attendance, or of that rest and tranquillity,
which thou must be beholding to others for. Rather like one
that is straight of himself, or hath ever been straight,
than one that hath been rectified. VII. If thou shalt find
anything in this mortal life better than righteousness,
than truth, temperance, fortitude, and in general better
than a mind contented both with those things which according
to right and reason she doth, and in those, which without
her will and knowledge happen unto thee by the providence;
if I say, thou canst find out anything better than this,
apply thyself unto it with thy whole heart, and that which
is best wheresoever thou dost find it, enjoy freely.
But if nothing thou shalt find worthy to be preferred to that
spirit which is within thee; if nothing better than to subject
unto thee thine own lusts and desires, and not to give
way to any fancies or imaginations before thou hast duly
considered of them, nothing better than to withdraw thyself
(to use Socrates his words) from all sensuality, and submit
thyself unto the gods, and to have care of all men in general:
if thou shalt find that all other things in comparison of this,
are but vile, and of little moment; then give not way to any
other thing, which being once though but affected and inclined unto,
it will no more be in thy power without all distraction
as thou oughtest to prefer and to pursue after that good,
which is thine own and thy proper good. For it is not lawful,
that anything that is of another and inferior kind and nature,
be it what it will, as either popular applause, or honour,
or riches, or pleasures; should be suffered to confront
and contest as it were, with that which is rational,
and operatively good. For all these things, if once though
but for a while, they begin to please, they presently prevail,
and pervert a man's mind, or turn a man from the right way.
Do thou therefore I say absolutely and freely make choice of that
which is best, and stick unto it. Now, that they say is best,
which is most profitable. If they mean profitable to man
as he is a rational man, stand thou to it, and maintain it;
but if they mean profitable, as he is a creature, only reject it;
and from this thy tenet and conclusion keep off carefully all
plausible shows and colours of external appearance, that thou
mayest be able to discern things rightly. VIII. Never esteem
of anything as profitable, which shall ever constrain
thee either to break thy faith, or to lose thy modesty;
to hate any man, to suspect, to curse, to dissemble, to lust
after anything, that requireth the secret of walls or veils.
But he that preferreth before all things his rational part and spirit,
and the sacred mysteries of virtue which issueth from it,
he shall never lament and exclaim, never sigh; he shall never
want either solitude or company: and which is chiefest of all,
he shall live without either desire or fear. And as for life,
whether for a long or short time he shall enjoy his soul thus
compassed about with a body, he is altogether indifferent.
For if even now he were to depart, he is as ready for it, as for any
other action, which may be performed with modesty and decency.
For all his life long, this is his only care, that his mind
may always be occupied in such intentions and objects,
as are proper to a rational sociable creature.
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