Chapter nine of Meditations of Marcus Aurelius. This is a LibriVox recording. All
LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer,
please visit LibriVox dot org. Recording by Father Zilei of Detroit, Michigan,
June two thousand seven. The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius by Marcus Aurelius Antoninus,
translated by George Long. Chapter nine. 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 give 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 he who also lies unintentionally inasmuch as he is at variance with the universal
nature, and inasmuch as he disturbs the order by fighting against the nature of
the world, For he fights against it who is moved of himself to that
which is contrary to truth, For he had received powers from nature through the
neglect of which he is not able now to distinguish falsehood from truth. And
indeed, he who pursues pleasure as good and avoids pain as evil, is
guilty of impiety, for of necessity. Such a man must often find fault
with the universal nature, alleging that it assigns things to the bad and the
good contrary to their deserts, because frequently the bad are in the enjoyment of
pleasure and possess the things which procure pleasure. But the good have pain for
their share, and the things which cause pain. And further, he who
is afraid of pain will sometimes also be afraid of some things which will happen
in the world. And even this is impiety. And he who pursues pleasure
will not abstain from injustice. And this is plainly impiety. Now with respect
to the things towards which the universal nature is equally affected, for it would
not have made both unless it was equally affected towards both. Towards these,
they who wish to follow nature should be of the same mind with it,
and equally affected with respect to pain, then and pleasure or death, and
life or honor, and dishonor, which the universal nature employs equally. Whoever
is not equally affected is manifestly acting impiously. And I say that the universal
Nature employs them equally, instead of saying that they are. They happen alike
to those who are produced in continuous series, and to those who come after
them, by virtue of a certain original movement of providence, according to which
it moved from a certain being to this ordering of things, having conceived certain
principles of the things which were to be, and having determined powers productive of
beings and of changes, and of such like successions. It would be a
man's happiest lot to depart from mankind without having had any taste of lying and
hypocrisy and luxury and pride. However, to breathe out one's life when a
man has had enough of these things is the next best voyage, as the
saying is hast thou determined to abide with vice, and has not experience yet
induced thee to fly from this pestilence. For the destruction of the understanding is
a pestilence much more indeed than any such corruption and change of this atmosphere which
surrounds us. For this corruption is a pestilence of animals, so far as
they are animals, But the other is a pestilence of men, so far
as they are men. Do not despise death, but be well content with
it, since this too is one of those things which nature wills for,
such as it is to be young, and to grow old, and to
increase, and to reach maturity, and to have teeth and beard and gray
hairs, and to beget and be pregnant, and to bring forth, and
all the other natural operations which the seasons of thy life bring. Such also
is dissolution. This, then, is consistent with the character of a reflecting
man, to be neither careless, nor impatient, nor contemptuous with respect to
death, but to wait for it as one of the operations of nature.
As thou now waitest for the time when the child shall come out of thy
wife's womb, so be ready for the time when thy soul shall fall out
of this envelope. But if thou requirest also a vulgar kind of comfort which
shall reach thy heart, thou wilt be made best reconcile to death by observing
the objects from which thou art going to be removed, and the morals of
those with whom thy soul will no longer be mingled. For it is no
way right to be offended with men, but it is thy duty to care
for them and to bear with them gently, and yet to remember that thy
departure will be not from men who have the same principles as thyself. For
this is the only thing, if there be any which could draw us the
contrary way and attach us to life, to be permitted to live with those
who have the same principles as ourselves. But now thou seest how great is
the trouble arising from the discordance of those who live together? So that thou
mayst say, come quick, o death, lest perchance I too should forget
myself. He who does wrong does wrong against himself. He who acts unjustly
acts unjustly to himself, because he makes himself bad. He often acts unjustly.
Who does not do a certain thing. Not only he who does a
certain thing, Thy present opinion founded on understanding, and thy present conduct directed
to social good, and thy present disposition of contentment with everything which happens.
That is enough wipe out imagination, check desire, extinguish appetite, keep the
ruling faculty in its own power. Among the animals which have not reason,
one life is to distributed, But among reasonable animals, one intelligent soul is
distributed. Just as there is one earth of all things which are of an
earthly nature, and we see by one light and breathe one air, all
of us that have the faculty of vision, and all that have life,
all things which participate in anything which is common to them, all move towards
that which is of the same kind with themselves. Everything which is earthly turns
toward the earth. Everything which is liquid flows together, and everything which is
of an aerial kind does the same, so that they require something to keep
them asunder. And the application of force. Fire indeed moves upwards on account
of the elemental fire. But it is so ready to be kindled together with
all the fire which is here, that even every substance which is somewhat dry
is easily ignited, because there is less mingled with it of that which is
a hindrance to ignition. Accordingly than everything also which participates in the common intelligent
nature, moves in like manner towards that which is of the same kind with
itself, or moves even more, for so much as it is superior in
comparison with all other things in the same degree, also it is more ready
to mingle with and to be refused with that which is akin to it.
Accordingly, among animals devoid of reason, we find swarms of bees, and
herds of cattle, and the nurture of young birds, and in a manner
loves. For even in animals there are souls, and that power which brings
them together is seen to exert itself in the superior degree, and in such
a way as never has been observed in plants, or in stones, or
in trees. But in rational animals there are political communities, and friendships,
and families, and meetings of people, and in wars, treaties and armistices.
But in the things which are still superior, even though they are separated
from one another, unity in a manner exists, as in the stars.
Thus the ascent to the higher degree is able to produce a sympathy even in
things which are separated. See then what now takes place? For only intelligent
animals have now forgotten this mutual desire and inclination, and in them alone the
property of flowing together is not seen. But still, though men strive to
avoid this union, they are caught and held by it, for their nature
is too strong for them. And thou wilt see what I say, if
thou only observest, sooner than will one find anything earthy which comes in contact
with no earthy thing. Then a man altogether separated from other men. Both
man and God and the universe produce fruit at the proper seasons each produces it.
But if usage has especially fixed these terms to the vine, and like
things, this is nothing. Reason produces fruit both for all and for itself,
and there are produced from it other things of the same kind as reason
itself. If thou art able correct by teaching those who do wrong. But
if thou canst not remember that indulgence is given to thee for this purpose,
and the gods too are indulgent to such persons, and for some purposes they
even help them to get health, wealth, reputation. So kind they are,
and it is in thy power also, Or say, who hinders thee
labor? Not as one who is wretched, nor yet as one who would
be pitied or admired. But direct thy will to one thing, only to
put thyself in motion, and to check thyself, as the social reason requires.
To day, I have got out of all trouble, or rather I
have cast out all trouble, for it was not outside but within, And
in my opinions, all things are the same, familiar, inexperience and ephemeral
in time, and worthless in the matter. Everything now is just as it
was in the time of those whom we have buried. Things stand outside of
us themselves by themselves, neither knowing aught of themselves, nor expressing any judgment.
What is it, then, which does judge about them? The ruling
faculty, not in passivity, but in activity, lie the evil and the
good of the rational social animal, just as his virtue and his vice lie
not in passivity but in activity. For the stone which has been thrown up,
it is no evil to come down, nor indeed any good to have
been carried up. Penetrate inwards into men's leading principles, And thou wilt see
what judges thou art afraid of, and what kind of judges they are of
themselves. All things are changing, and thou thyself art in continuous mutation,
and in a manner in continuous destruction, and the whole universe too. It
is thy duty to leave another man's wrongful act there where it is termination of
activity, cessation from movement and opinion. And in a sense, their death
is no evil. Turn thy thoughts now to the consideration of thy life,
thy life as a child, as a youth, thy manhood, thy old
age. For in these also every change was a death. Is anything to
fear? Turn thy thoughts now to thy life under thy grandfather, then to
thy life under the thy mother, then to thy life under thy father.
As thou findest many other differences and changes in terminations, ask thyself, is
this anything to fear? In like manner? Then neither are the termination and
cessation and change of thy whole life a thing to be afraid of. Hasten
to examine thy own ruling faculty, and that of the universe, and that
of thy neighbor, Thy own that thou mayst make it just, and that
of the universe that thou mayst remember of what thou art apart and that of
thy neighbor, that thou mayst know whether he has acted ignorantly or with knowledge,
and that thou mayest also consider that his ruling faculty is akin to thine,
as thou art thyself a opponent part of a social system. So let
every act of thine be a component part of social life. Whatever act of
thine then has no reference, either immediately or remotely, to a social end.
This tears asunder thy life and does not allow it to be one,
and is of the nature of a mutiny. Just as when in a popular
assembly a man acting by himself stands apart from the general agreement, quarrels of
little children and their sports, and poor spirits caring about dead bodies. Such
is everything, and so what is exhibited in the representation of the mansions of
the dead strikes our eyes more clearly. Examine into the quality of the form
of an object, and detach it altogether from its material part, and then
contemplate it. Then determine the time the longest which a thing of this peculiar
form is naturally made to endure. Thou hast endured infinite troubles through not being
contented with thy ruling faculty when it does the things which it is constituted by
nature to do. But enough of this, when another blames THEE or hates
THEE, or when men say about THEE anything injurious, approach their poor souls.
Penetrate within, and see what kind of men they are. Thou wilt
discover that there is no reason to take any trouble. That these men may
have this or that opinion about THEE. However, thou must be well disposed
towards them, for by nature they are friends, and the gods too aid
them in all ways, by dreams, by signs, toward the attainment of
those things on which they set a value. The periodic movements of the universe
are the same, up and down from age to age. And either the
universal intelligence puts itself in motion for every separate effect, and if this is
so, be thou content with that which is the result of its activity,
or it puts itself in motion once, and everything else comes by way of
sequence in a manner. Or indivisible elements are the origin of all things.
In a word, if there is a God, all is well, and
if chance rules do not thou also be governed by it. Soon will the
earth come all? Then the earth too will change, and the things also
which result from change will continue to change forever, and these again forever.
For if a man reflects on the changes and transformations which follow one another,
like wave after wave, and their rapidity, he will despise everything which is
perishable. The universal cause is like a winter torrent. It carries everything along
with it. But how worthless are all these poor people who are engaged in
matters political, and as they suppose, are playing the philosopher, all are
drivelers. Well, then, man, do what nature now requires. Set
thyself in motion if it is in thy power, and do not look about
thee to see if anyone will observe it, nor yet expect Plato's republic.
But be intent if the smallest thing goes on, well, and consider such
an event to be no small matter. For who can change men's opinions?
And without a change of opinions, what else is there than the slavery of
men who groan while they pretend to obey. Come now and tell me of
Alexander and Philippus, and Demetrius and Philarum. They themselves shall judge whether they
discovered what the common nature required and trained themselves accordingly. But if they acted
like tragedy heroes, no one has condemned me to imitate them. Simple and
modest is the work of philosophy. Draw me not aside to insolence and pride.
Look down from above on the countless herds of men and their countless solemnities,
and the infinity varied voyagings into storms and calms. And the difference is
among those who are born, who live together and die. And consider too
the life lived by others in olden time, and the life of those who
will live after THEE, and the life now lived among barbarous nations. And
how many know not even thy name, and how many will soon forget it,
And how they who perhaps now are praising THEE will very soon blame THEE.
And that neither a posthumous name is of any value, nor reputation,
nor anything else. Let there be freedom from perturbations with respect to the things
which come from the external cause, and let there be justice in the things
done by virtue of the internal cause. That is, let there be movement
and action terminating in this in social acts. For this is according to thy
nature, thou canst remove out of the way many useless things, among those
which disturb thee, for they lie entirely in thy opinion. And thou wilt
then gain for thyself ample space by comprehending the whole universe in thy mind,
and by contemplating the eternity of time and observing the rapid change of every several
thing. How short is the time from birth to dissolution, and the illimitable
time before birth, as well as the equally boundless time after dissolution. All
that thou seest will quickly perish, and those who have been spectators of its
dissolution will very soon perish too. And he who dies at the extremest old
age will be brought into the same condition with him who died prematurely. What
are these men's leading principles? And about what kind of things are they busy?
And for what kind of reasons do they love and honor? Imagine that
thou seest their poor souls laid bare when they think that they do harm by
their blame or good by their praise. What an idea loss is nothing else
than change. But the universal nature delights in change and in obedience to her.
All things are now done well, and from eternity have been done in
like form, and will be done to such time without end. What then
dost thou say that all things have been and all things always will be bad,
and that no power has ever been found in so many gods to rectify
these things. But the world has been condemned to be bound in ceasing evil,
the rottenness of the matter which is the foundation of everything, water,
dust, bones, filth, or again marble, rocks, the callosities of
the earth, and gold and silver, and sediments and garments, only bits
of hair and purple dye, blood and everything else is of the same kind.
And that which is of the nature of breath is also another thing of
the same kind. Changing from this to that, Enough of this wretched life
and murmurings and apish tricks. Why art thou disturbed? What is there new
in this? What unsettles thee? Is it the form of the thing?
Look at it? Or is it the matter? Look at it? But
besides these the is nothing Toward the gods then now become at last more simple
and better. It is the same whether we examine these things for a hundred
years or three, If any man has done wrong. The harm is his
own. But perhaps he has not done wrong. Either. All things proceed
from one intelligent source and come together as in one body, and the part
ought not to find fault with what is done for the benefit of the whole.
Or there are only atoms and nothing else than mixture and dispersion. Why
then, art thou disturbed, say to the ruling faculty, Art thou dead,
Art thou corrupted? Art thou playing the hypocrite? Art thou become a
beast? Dost thou herd and feed with the rest. Either the gods have
no power, or they have power. If then they have no power,
why dost thou pray to them? But if they have power, why dost
thou not pray for them to give thee the faculty of not fearing any of
the things which thou fearest, or of not desiring any of the things which
thou desirest, or not being pained at anything, rather than pray that any
of these things should not happen or happen. For certainly, if they can
cooperate with men, they can cooperate for these purposes. But perhaps thou wilt
say the gods have placed them in thy power. Well, then, is
it not better to use what is in thy power like a free man than
to desire in a slavish and abject way what is not in thy power?
And who has told thee that the gods do not aid us even in the
things which are in our power? Begin then to pray for such things,
And thou wilt see one man praise? Thus, how shall I be able
to lie with that woman? Do thou praise? Thus? How shall I
not desire to lie with her? Another? Praise? Thus? How shall
I be released from this? Another praise? How shall I not desire to
be released another? Thus? How shall I not lose my little son?
Thou? Thus? How shall I not be afraid to lose him? In
turn? Turn thy prayers this way and see what comes? Hepicurus says,
in my sickness, my conversation was not about my bodily sufferings, nor says
he, did I talk on such subjects to those who visited me. But
I continued to discourse on the nature of things as before, keeping to this
main point. How the mind will, participating in such movements as go on
in the poor flesh shall be free from perturbations and maintain its proper good.
Nor did I, he says, give the physicians an opportunity of putting on
solemn looks as if they were doing something great. But my life went on
well and happily. Do then the same that he did, both in sickness,
if thou art sick, and in any other circumstances. For never to
desert philosophy in any events that may befall us, nor to hold trifling talk,
either with an ignorant man or with one unacquainted with nature, is a
principle of all schools of philosophy. But to be intent only on that which
thou art now doing, and on the instrument by which thou dost it.
When thou art offended with any man's shameless conduct, immediately ask thyself, is
it possible, then, that shameless men should not be in the world?
It is not possible. Do then, require what is impossible? For this
man also is one of those shameless men who must, of necessity be in
the world. Let the same considerations be present to thy mind in the case
of the nave and the faithless man, and of every man who does wrong
in any way. For at the same time that thou dost remind thyself,
that it is impossible that such kind of men should not exist. Thou wilt
become more kindly disposed toward every one individually. It is useful to perceive this
too immediately when the occasion arises, that virtue Nature has given to man to
oppose to every wrongful act. For she has given to man as an antidote
against the stupid man mildness, and against another kind of man some other power.
And in all cases it is possible for THEE to correct thy teaching the
man who is gone astray, For every man who errs misses his object and
has gone astray. Besides, wherein hast thou been injured? For thou wilt
find that no one among those against whom thou art irritated, has done anything
by which thy mind could be made worse. But that which is evil to
THEE and harmful has its foundation only in the mind. And what harm is
done, or what is there strange if the man who has not been instructed
does the acts of an uninstructed man. Consider whether thou shouldest not rather blame
thyself, because thou didst not expect such a man to err in such a
way. But thou hast means given thee by thy reason to suppose that it
was likely that he would commit this error, And yet thou hast forgotten,
and art amazed that he has erred. But most of all, when thou
blamest him as a father or ungrateful, turn thyself, for the fault is
manifestly thy own. Whether thou didst trust that a man who had such a
disposition would keep his promise, or when conferring thy kindness, thou didst not
confer it absolutely, nor yet in such a way as to have received from
thy very act all a profit. For what more dost thou want when thou
hast done a man of service? Art thou not content that thou hast done
something comfortable to thy nature? And dost thou seek to be paid for it,
just as if the eye demanded a recompense for seeing, or the feet
for walking. For as these members are formed for a particular purpose, and
by working according to their several constitutions, obtain what is their own, so
also as man is formed by nature acts of benevolence. When he has done
anything benevolent or in any other way conducive to the common interest, he has
acted conformably to his constitution, and he gets what is his own. End
of Chapter nine, recorded by Father Zilee, Detroit, June two thousand and seven.