Meditations, Marcus Aurelius [websites to read books for free TXT] 📗

thou canst see sharp, look and judge wisely, says the philosopher.

 

39. In the constitution of the rational animal I see no virtue which is

opposed to justice; but I see a virtue which is opposed to love of

pleasure, and that is temperance.

 

40. If thou takest away thy opinion about that which appears to give thee

pain, thou thyself standest in perfect security.—Who is this self?—The

reason.—But I am not reason.—Be it so. Let then the reason itself not

trouble itself. But if any other part of thee suffers, let it have its

own opinion about itself (VII. 16).

 

41. Hindrance to the perceptions of sense is an evil to the animal

nature. Hindrance to the movements [desires] is equally an evil to the

animal nature. And something else also is equally an impediment and an

evil to the constitution of plants. So then that which is a hindrance to

the intelligence is an evil to the intelligent nature. Apply all these

things then to thyself. Does pain or sensuous pleasure effect thee? The

senses will look to that. Has any obstacle opposed thee in thy efforts

towards an object? If indeed thou wast making this effort absolutely

[unconditionally, or without any reservation], certainly this obstacle is

an evil to thee considered as a rational animal. But if thou takest [into

consideration] the usual course of things, thou hast not yet been injured

nor even impeded. The things however which are proper to the

understanding no other man is used to impede, for neither fire, nor iron,

nor tyrant, nor abuse, touches it in any way. When it has been made a

sphere, it continues a sphere (XI, 12).

 

42. It is not fit that I should give myself pain, for I have never

intentionally given pain even to another.

 

43. Different things delight different people; but it is my delight to

keep the ruling faculty sound without turning away either from any man or

from any of the things which happen to men, but looking at and receiving

all with welcome eyes and using everything according to its value.

 

44. See that thou secure this present time to thyself: for those who

rather pursue posthumous fame do not consider that the men of after time

will be exactly such as these whom they cannot bear now; and both are

mortal. And what is it in any way to thee if these men of after time

utter this or that sound, or have this or that opinion about thee?

 

45. Take me and cast me where thou wilt; for there I shall keep my divine

part tranquil, that is, content, if it can feel and act conformably to

its proper constitution. Is this [change of place] sufficient reason why

my soul should be unhappy and worse then it was, depressed, expanded,

shrinking, affrighted? and what wilt thou find which is sufficient reason

for this?

 

46. Nothing can happen to any man which is not a human accident, nor to

an ox which is not according to the nature of an ox, nor to a vine which

is not according to the nature of a vine, nor to a stone which is not

proper to a stone. If then there happens to each thing both what is usual

and natural, why shouldst thou complain? For the common nature brings

nothing which may not be borne by thee.

 

47. If thou art pained by any external thing, it is not this thing that

disturbs thee, but thy own judgment about it. And it is in thy power to

wipe out this judgment now. But if anything in thy own disposition gives

thee pain, who hinders thee from correcting thy opinion? And even if thou

art pained because thou art not doing some particular thing which seems

to thee to be right, why dost thou not rather act than complain?—But

some insuperable obstacle is in the way?—Do not be grieved then, for the

cause of its not being done depends not on thee.—But it is not worth

while to live, if this cannot be done.—Take thy departure then from

life contentedly, just as he dies who is in full activity, and well

pleased too with the things which are obstacles.

 

48. Remember that the ruling faculty is invincible, when self-collected

it is satisfied with itself, if it does nothing which it does not choose

to do, even if it resist from mere obstinacy. What then will it be when

it forms a judgment about anything aided by reason and deliberately?

Therefore the mind which is free from passions is a citadel, for man has

nothing more secure to which he can fly for refuge and for the future be

inexpugnable. He then who has not seen this is an ignorant man; but he

who has seen it and does not fly to this refuge is unhappy.

 

49. Say nothing more to thyself than what the first appearances report.

Suppose that it has been reported to thee that a certain person speaks

ill of thee. This has been reported; but that thou hast been injured,

that has not been reported. I see that my child is sick. I do see; but

that he is in danger, I do not see. Thus then always abide by the first

appearances, and add nothing thyself from within, and then nothing

happens to thee. Or rather add something like a man who knows everything

that happens in the world.

 

50. A cucumber is bitter—Throw it away.—There are briers in the road—

Turn aside from them.—This is enough. Do not add, And why were such

things made in the world? For thou wilt be ridiculed by a man who is

acquainted with nature, as thou wouldst be ridiculed by a carpenter and

shoemaker if thou didst find fault because thou seest in their workshop

shavings and cuttings from the things which they make. And yet they have

places into which they can throw these shavings and cuttings, and the

universal nature has no external space; but the wondrous part of her art

is that though she has circumscribed herself, everything within her which

appears to decay and to grow old and to be useless she changes into

herself, and again makes other new things from these very same, so that

she requires neither substance from without nor wants a place into which

she may cast that which decays. She is content then with her own space,

and her own matter, and her own art.

 

51. Neither in thy actions be sluggish nor in thy conversation without

method, nor wandering in thy thoughts, nor let there be in thy soul

inward contention nor external effusion, nor in life be so busy as to

have no leisure.

 

Suppose that men kill thee, cut thee in pieces, curse thee. What then can

these things do to prevent thy mind from remaining pure, wise, sober,

just? For instance, if a man should stand by a limpid pure spring, and

curse it, the spring never ceases sending up potable water; and if he

should cast clay into it or filth, it will speedily disperse them and

wash them out, and will not be at all polluted. How then shalt thou

possess a perpetual fountain [and not a mere well]? By forming thyself

hourly to freedom conjoined with contentment, simplicity, and modesty.

 

52. He who does not know what the world is, does not know where he is.

And he who does not know for what purpose the world exists, does not know

who he is, nor what the world is. But he who has failed in any one of

these things could not even say for what purpose he exists himself. What

then dost thou think of him who [avoids or] seeks the praise of those who

applaud, of men who know not either where they are or who they are?

 

53. Dost thou wish to be praised by a man who curses himself thrice every

hour? Wouldst thou wish to please a man who does not please himself? Does

a man please himself who repents of nearly everything that he does?

 

54. No longer let thy breathing only act in concert with the air which

surrounds thee, but let thy intelligence also now be in harmony with the

intelligence which embraces all things. For the intelligent power is no

less diffused in all parts and pervades all things for him who is willing

to draw it to him than the aerial power for him who is able to respire

it.

 

55. Generally, wickedness does no harm at all to the universe; and

particularly the wickedness [of one man] does no harm to another. It is

only harmful to him who has it in his power to be released from it as

soon as he shall choose.

 

56. To my own free will the free will of my neighbor is just as

indifferent as his poor breath and flesh. For though we are made

especially for the sake of one another, still the ruling power of each of

us has its own office, for otherwise my neighbor’s wickedness would be my

harm, which God has not willed in order that my unhappiness may not

depend on another.

 

57. The sun appears to be poured down, and in all directions indeed it is

diffused, yet it is not effused. For this diffusion is extension:

Accordingly its rays are called Extensions because they are extended. But

one may judge what kind of a thing a ray is, if he looks at the sun’s

light passing through a narrow opening into a darkened room, for it is

extended in a right line, and as it were is divided when it meets with

any solid body which stands in the way and intercepts the air beyond; but

there the light remains fixed and does not glide or fall off. Such then

ought to be the outpouring and diffusion of the understanding, and it

should in no way be an effusion, but an extension, and it should make no

violent or impetuous collision with the obstacles which are in its way;

nor yet fall down, but be fixed, and enlighten that which receives it.

For a body will deprive itself of the illumination, if it does not admit

it.

 

58. He who fears death either fears the loss of sensation or a different

kind of sensation. But if thou shalt have no sensation, neither wilt thou

feel any harm; and if thou shalt acquire another kind of sensation, thou

wilt be a different kind of living being and thou wilt not cease to live.

 

59. Men exist for the sake of one another. Teach them then or bear with

them.

 

60. In one way an arrow moves, in another way the mind. The mind indeed,

both when it exercises caution and when it is employed about inquiry,

moves straight onward not the less, and to its object.

 

61. Enter into every man’s ruling faculty; and also let every other man

enter into thine.

 

BOOK IX.

 

1. He who acts unjustly acts impiously. For since the universal nature

has made rational animals for the sake of one another to help one another

according to their deserts, but in no way to injure one another, he who

transgresses her will is clearly guilty of impiety towards the highest

divinity. And he too who lies is guilty of impiety to the same divinity;

for the universal nature is the nature of things that are; and things

that are have a relation to all things that come into existence. And

further, this universal nature is named truth, and is the prime cause of

all things that are true. He then who lies intentionally is guilty of

impiety inasmuch as he acts unjustly by deceiving; and