WEBVTT

1
00:00:01.480 --> 00:00:07.200
Chapter six of the Meditations of Marcus
Aurelius. This is a LibriVox recording.

2
00:00:07.440 --> 00:00:12.039
All LibriVox recordings are in the public
domain. For more information or to volunteer,

3
00:00:12.160 --> 00:00:19.239
please visit LibriVox dot org. The
Meditations of Marcus Aurelius by Marcus Aurelius

4
00:00:19.280 --> 00:00:26.079
Antoninus, translated by George Long,
Chapter six. The substance of the universe

5
00:00:26.120 --> 00:00:30.079
is obedient and compliant, and the
reason which governs it has in itself no

6
00:00:30.160 --> 00:00:33.520
CAUs for doing evil, for it
has no malice, nor does it do

7
00:00:33.640 --> 00:00:37.840
evil to anything, nor is anything
harmed by it. But all things are

8
00:00:37.840 --> 00:00:44.159
made and perfected according to this reason. Let it make no difference to THEE

9
00:00:44.200 --> 00:00:48.520
whether thou art cold or warm,
if thou art doing thy duty, and

10
00:00:48.560 --> 00:00:53.679
whether thou art drowsy or satisfied with
sleep, and whether ill spoken or praised,

11
00:00:54.880 --> 00:00:58.159
and whether dying or doing something else, For it is one of the

12
00:00:58.200 --> 00:01:02.200
acts of this life, this act
which we die. It is sufficient then

13
00:01:02.240 --> 00:01:07.840
in this act also to do well
what we have in hand. Look within,

14
00:01:08.519 --> 00:01:12.560
Let neither the peculiar quality of anything, nor its value escape THEE.

15
00:01:15.560 --> 00:01:19.120
All existing things soon change, and
they will either be reduced to vapor if

16
00:01:19.120 --> 00:01:26.280
indeed all substance is won, or
they will be dispersed. The reason which

17
00:01:26.280 --> 00:01:30.599
governance knows what its own disposition is, and what it does, and on

18
00:01:30.680 --> 00:01:37.680
what material it works. The best
way of avenging thyself is not to become

19
00:01:38.040 --> 00:01:42.920
like the wrongdoer. Take pleasure in
one thing and rest in it in passing

20
00:01:44.000 --> 00:01:49.159
from one social act to another social
act. Thinking of God, the ruling

21
00:01:49.200 --> 00:01:53.840
principle is that which rouses and turns
itself. And while it makes itself such

22
00:01:53.879 --> 00:01:57.640
as it is and such as it
wills to be, it also makes everything

23
00:01:57.680 --> 00:02:05.280
which happens to appear itself to be
such as it wills. In conformity to

24
00:02:05.319 --> 00:02:09.240
the nature of the universe, every
single thing is accomplished. For certainly it

25
00:02:09.280 --> 00:02:14.719
is not in conformity to any other
nature that each thing is accomplished. Either

26
00:02:14.759 --> 00:02:20.120
a nature which externally comprehends this,
or a nature which is comprehended within this

27
00:02:20.280 --> 00:02:28.800
nature, or a nature external and
independent of this. The universe is either

28
00:02:28.840 --> 00:02:34.039
a confusion and a mutual involution of
things and a dispersion, or it is

29
00:02:34.159 --> 00:02:38.520
unity and order and providence. If
then it is the former, why do

30
00:02:38.599 --> 00:02:42.759
I desire to tarry in a fortuitous
combination of things in such a disorder,

31
00:02:43.479 --> 00:02:46.039
And why do I care about anything
else than how I shall at last become

32
00:02:46.080 --> 00:02:50.960
earth? And why am I disturbed? For the dispersion of my elements will

33
00:02:51.000 --> 00:02:54.919
happen whatever I do. But if
the other supposition is true, I venerate,

34
00:02:55.240 --> 00:03:00.680
and I am firm, and I
trust in him who governs. When

35
00:03:00.680 --> 00:03:06.479
thou hast been compelled by circumstances to
be disturbed in a manner, quickly return

36
00:03:06.560 --> 00:03:09.879
to thyself, and do not continue
out of tune longer than the compulsion lasts,

37
00:03:10.159 --> 00:03:15.520
For thou wilt have more mastery over
the harmony by continually recurring to it.

38
00:03:17.599 --> 00:03:22.000
If thou hadst a stepmother and a
mother at the same time, thou

39
00:03:22.000 --> 00:03:25.680
wouldst be dutiful to thy stepmother,
that thou wouldst constantly return to thy mother.

40
00:03:27.400 --> 00:03:31.280
Let the court and philosophy now be
to thee stepmother and mother. Return

41
00:03:31.319 --> 00:03:37.479
to philosophy frequently, and repose in
her through whom. What thou meetest with

42
00:03:37.520 --> 00:03:44.919
in the court appears to thee tolerable, and thou appearest tolerable in the court.

43
00:03:45.280 --> 00:03:49.240
When we have meat before us in
such eatables, we receive the impression

44
00:03:49.520 --> 00:03:53.599
that this is the dead body of
a fish, and this is the dead

45
00:03:53.599 --> 00:03:57.680
body of a bird, or of
a pig. And again that this pillernian

46
00:03:57.759 --> 00:04:01.280
is only a little grape juice,
and this purple robes some sheep's wool dyed

47
00:04:01.280 --> 00:04:05.759
with the blood of a shellfish.
Such then are these impressions, And they

48
00:04:05.759 --> 00:04:10.719
reach the things themselves and penetrate them. And so we see what kind of

49
00:04:10.719 --> 00:04:15.039
things they are. Just in the
same way ought we to act all through

50
00:04:15.080 --> 00:04:17.639
life. And where there are things
which appear most worthy of our approbation,

51
00:04:18.120 --> 00:04:21.560
we ought to lay them bare,
and look at their worthlessness, and strip

52
00:04:21.639 --> 00:04:27.160
them of all the words by which
they are exalted. For outward show is

53
00:04:27.160 --> 00:04:30.879
a wonderful perverter of the reason.
And when thou art most sure that thou

54
00:04:30.959 --> 00:04:35.279
art employed about things worth thy pains, it is then that it cheats thee

55
00:04:35.279 --> 00:04:44.720
most. Consider then, what Crates
says of Xenocrates himself. Most of the

56
00:04:44.759 --> 00:04:48.879
things which the multitude admire are referred
to objects of the most general kind,

57
00:04:49.040 --> 00:04:54.360
those which are held together by cohesion
or natural organization, such as stones,

58
00:04:54.560 --> 00:04:59.079
wood, fig trees, vines,
olives. But those which are admired by

59
00:04:59.120 --> 00:05:02.480
men who are little more reasonable are
referred to the things which are held together

60
00:05:02.519 --> 00:05:08.920
by a living principle, as flocks
herds. Those which are admired by men

61
00:05:09.240 --> 00:05:13.399
who are still more instructed. Are
the things which are held together by a

62
00:05:13.480 --> 00:05:18.319
rational soul. Not, however,
a universal soul irrational so far as it

63
00:05:18.399 --> 00:05:21.639
is a soul skilled in some art, or expert in some other way,

64
00:05:23.120 --> 00:05:28.319
or simply rational so far as it
possesses a number of slaves. But he

65
00:05:28.519 --> 00:05:32.040
who values a rational soul the sole, universal and fitted for political life,

66
00:05:32.439 --> 00:05:38.079
regards nothing else except this, and
above all things. He keeps his soul

67
00:05:38.199 --> 00:05:44.120
in a condition and in an actively
conformable to reason and social life, and

68
00:05:44.199 --> 00:05:47.160
he cooperates to this end with those
who are of the same kind as himself.

69
00:05:49.000 --> 00:05:54.120
Some things are hurrying into existence,
others are hurrying out of it.

70
00:05:54.519 --> 00:05:59.720
And of that which is coming into
existence, part is already extinguished. Motions

71
00:05:59.720 --> 00:06:03.680
and changes are continually renewing the world, such as the uninterrupted course of time

72
00:06:03.759 --> 00:06:09.480
is always renewing, the infinite duration
of ages in this flowing stream, Then,

73
00:06:09.920 --> 00:06:13.879
on which there is no abiding,
what is there of the things which

74
00:06:13.920 --> 00:06:17.000
hurry by on which a man would
set a high price. It would be

75
00:06:17.160 --> 00:06:19.920
just as if a man should fall
in love with one of the sparrows which

76
00:06:19.959 --> 00:06:25.959
fly by, but it is already
passed out of sight. Something of this

77
00:06:26.160 --> 00:06:30.399
kind is the very life of every
man, Like the exhalation of the blood

78
00:06:30.560 --> 00:06:33.759
and the respiration of the air,
such as it is to once have drawn

79
00:06:34.040 --> 00:06:38.519
in the air, and to have
given it back, which we do every

80
00:06:38.560 --> 00:06:44.120
moment. Just the same is it
with the whole respiratory power which thou didst

81
00:06:44.120 --> 00:06:47.079
receive at thy birth yesterday and the
day before, to give it back to

82
00:06:47.120 --> 00:06:55.560
the elemental from which thou didst first
draw it. Neither is transpiration as in

83
00:06:55.600 --> 00:07:00.720
plants a thing to be valued,
nor respiration as in domesticated animals wild beasts,

84
00:07:00.639 --> 00:07:04.879
Nor the receiving of impressions by the
appearances of things, nor being moved

85
00:07:04.920 --> 00:07:11.279
by desires as puppets by strings,
nor assembling in herds, nor being nourished

86
00:07:11.279 --> 00:07:15.800
by food, For this is just
like the act of separating, imparting with

87
00:07:15.839 --> 00:07:19.480
the useless part of the food.
What then, is worth being valued to

88
00:07:19.480 --> 00:07:25.519
be received with clapping of hands.
No neither must we value the clapping of

89
00:07:25.560 --> 00:07:29.040
tongues, for the praise which comes
from the many is the clapping of tongues.

90
00:07:30.879 --> 00:07:34.079
Suppose then, that thou hast given
up this worthless thing called fame.

91
00:07:34.279 --> 00:07:40.399
What remains that is worth valuing?
This, in my opinion, to move

92
00:07:40.439 --> 00:07:45.480
thyself and to restrain thyself in conformity
to thy proper constitution, to which end

93
00:07:45.480 --> 00:07:48.879
both all employments and arts lead.
For every art aims at this, that

94
00:07:48.959 --> 00:07:53.879
the thing which has been made should
be adapted to the work for which it

95
00:07:53.920 --> 00:07:58.000
has been made. In both the
vine planner who looks after the vine and

96
00:07:58.040 --> 00:08:01.680
the horse breaker, and he who
trains thede seeks de end. But the

97
00:08:01.800 --> 00:08:07.800
education in the teaching of youth aim
at something. And this then is the

98
00:08:07.839 --> 00:08:11.319
value of the education and the teaching. And if this is well, thou

99
00:08:11.399 --> 00:08:16.800
wilt not seek anything else. Wilt
thou not cease to value many other things

100
00:08:16.839 --> 00:08:20.120
too? Then thou wilt neither be
free nor sufficient for thy own happiness,

101
00:08:20.480 --> 00:08:26.040
nor without passion. For of necessity, Thou must be envious, jealous,

102
00:08:26.079 --> 00:08:28.759
and suspicious of those who can take
away those things, and plot against those

103
00:08:30.519 --> 00:08:35.559
who have that which is valued by
thee of necessity. A man must be

104
00:08:35.600 --> 00:08:41.600
altogether in a state of perturbation who
wants any of these things, And besides

105
00:08:41.639 --> 00:08:45.840
he must often find fault with the
gods. But to reverence and honor thy

106
00:08:45.919 --> 00:08:50.559
own mind will make THEE content with
thyself and in harmony with society, and

107
00:08:50.679 --> 00:08:54.720
agreement with the gods. That is, praising all that they give and have

108
00:08:54.919 --> 00:09:03.159
ordered. Above below all around are
the movements of the elements. But the

109
00:09:03.200 --> 00:09:07.480
motion of virtue is in none of
these. It is something more divine and

110
00:09:07.600 --> 00:09:13.759
advancing. By a way hardly observed, it goes happily on its road.

111
00:09:13.960 --> 00:09:16.679
How strangely men act. They will
not praise those who are living at the

112
00:09:16.720 --> 00:09:22.759
same time and living with themselves,
but to be themselves praised by posterity,

113
00:09:22.960 --> 00:09:26.840
by those whom they have never seen
or will ever see. This they set

114
00:09:26.919 --> 00:09:31.039
much value on. But this is
very much the same as if thou shouldest

115
00:09:31.120 --> 00:09:37.840
be grieved because those who have lived
before THEE did not praise THEE. If

116
00:09:37.879 --> 00:09:41.480
a thing is difficult to be accomplished
by thyself, do not think that it

117
00:09:41.519 --> 00:09:46.519
is impossible for man. But if
anything is possible for man and conformable to

118
00:09:46.559 --> 00:09:52.879
his nature, think that this can
be attained by thyself too. In the

119
00:09:52.919 --> 00:09:56.919
gymnastic exercises, suppose that a man
has torn THEE with his nails, and

120
00:09:56.960 --> 00:10:01.440
by dashing against thy head, has
inflicted a wound. Well, we neither

121
00:10:01.480 --> 00:10:05.639
show any signs of vexation, nor
are we offended, nor do we suspect

122
00:10:05.679 --> 00:10:09.840
him afterward as a treacherous fellow.
And yet we are on our guard against

123
00:10:09.919 --> 00:10:13.879
him, not however, as an
enemy, nor with suspicion. But we

124
00:10:13.960 --> 00:10:18.440
quietly get out of his way.
Something like this. Let their behavior be

125
00:10:18.679 --> 00:10:22.399
in all other parts of life.
Let us overlook many things in those who

126
00:10:22.440 --> 00:10:26.279
are like antagonists in the gymnasium.
For it is in our power, as

127
00:10:26.320 --> 00:10:30.480
I said, to get out of
the way and to have no suspicion or

128
00:10:30.519 --> 00:10:35.960
hatred. If a man is able
to convince me and show me that he

129
00:10:37.039 --> 00:10:41.320
do not think or act right,
I will gladly change. For I seek

130
00:10:41.360 --> 00:10:45.799
the truth by which no man was
ever injured. But he is injured who

131
00:10:45.840 --> 00:10:52.120
abides in his error and ignorance.
I do my duty. Other things trouble

132
00:10:52.159 --> 00:10:54.679
me not, for they are either
things without life, or things without reason,

133
00:10:56.039 --> 00:11:00.519
or things that have rambled and know
not the way. As to the

134
00:11:00.559 --> 00:11:03.559
animals, which have no reason,
and generally all things and objects, do

135
00:11:03.720 --> 00:11:07.399
thou, since thou hast reason and
they have none, make use of them

136
00:11:07.480 --> 00:11:13.360
with the generous and liberal spirit.
But towards human beings as they have reason,

137
00:11:13.519 --> 00:11:16.799
behave in a social spirit, and
on all occasions call on the gods.

138
00:11:18.080 --> 00:11:20.960
And do not perplex thyself about the
length of time in which thou shalt

139
00:11:22.000 --> 00:11:28.600
do this. For even three hours
so spent are sufficient. Alexander the Macedonian

140
00:11:28.799 --> 00:11:33.840
and his groom by death were brought
to the same state, for either they

141
00:11:33.840 --> 00:11:37.080
were received among the same seminable principles
of the universe, or they were alike

142
00:11:37.120 --> 00:11:43.720
dispersed among the atoms. Consider how
many things in the same indivisible time take

143
00:11:43.759 --> 00:11:46.960
place in each of us, things
which concern the body, and things which

144
00:11:46.960 --> 00:11:52.480
concern the soul. And so thou
will not wonder if many more things,

145
00:11:52.679 --> 00:11:56.759
or rather all things which come into
existence in that which is the one in

146
00:11:56.840 --> 00:12:00.960
all which we call cosmos, exist
in it. At the same time,

147
00:12:03.120 --> 00:12:07.879
if any man should propose to thee
the question how the name Antoninus is written?

148
00:12:07.559 --> 00:12:11.240
Wouldst thou, with the straining of
the voice, utter each letter?

149
00:12:11.960 --> 00:12:15.639
What? Then if they grow angry? Wilt thou grow angry too? Wilt

150
00:12:15.639 --> 00:12:20.840
thou not go on with composure and
number every letter? Just so? Then

151
00:12:20.080 --> 00:12:24.720
is this life? Also? Remember
that every duty is made up of certain

152
00:12:24.759 --> 00:12:28.960
parts these it is thy duty to
observe, and, without being disturbed or

153
00:12:30.000 --> 00:12:33.799
showing anger towards those who are angry
with THEE, to go on thy way

154
00:12:33.000 --> 00:12:39.600
and finish that which is set before
thee. How cool it is not to

155
00:12:39.639 --> 00:12:43.440
allow men to strive after the things
which appear to them to be suitable to

156
00:12:43.480 --> 00:12:48.240
thy nature and profitable. Yet in
a manner thou dost not allow them to

157
00:12:48.279 --> 00:12:52.399
do this when thou art vexed,
because they do wrong. For they are

158
00:12:52.440 --> 00:12:56.519
certainly moved towards the things which they
suppose them to be suitable to their nature

159
00:12:56.519 --> 00:13:01.000
and profitable to them. But it
is not so them, then, and

160
00:13:01.120 --> 00:13:07.320
show them without being angry. Death
is the cessation of the impression through the

161
00:13:07.360 --> 00:13:11.600
senses, and of the pulling of
the strings which move the appetites, and

162
00:13:11.639 --> 00:13:16.879
of the discursive movements of the thoughts, and of the service to the flesh.

163
00:13:18.200 --> 00:13:20.799
It is a shame for the soul
to be the first to give way

164
00:13:20.840 --> 00:13:28.360
in this life when thy body does
not give way. Take care that thou

165
00:13:28.440 --> 00:13:31.759
art not made into a caesar,
that thou art not dyed with this die

166
00:13:33.000 --> 00:13:37.320
for such things happen. Keep thyself, then, simple, good, pure,

167
00:13:37.720 --> 00:13:41.000
serious, free from affectation, a
friend of justice, a worshiper of

168
00:13:41.000 --> 00:13:46.720
the gods, kind, affectionate,
strenuous in all proper acts, strive to

169
00:13:46.759 --> 00:13:52.960
continue to be such as philosophy.
Wish to make thee reverence the gods and

170
00:13:52.000 --> 00:13:58.600
help men. Short is life,
There is only one fruit in this treened

171
00:13:58.600 --> 00:14:03.960
life, a pious disay position and
social acts. Do everything as a disciple

172
00:14:03.200 --> 00:14:09.480
of Antoninus. Remember his constancy in
every act which was conformable to reason,

173
00:14:09.159 --> 00:14:13.360
and his evenness in all things,
and his piety and the serenity of his

174
00:14:13.440 --> 00:14:18.799
countenance, and his sweetness, and
his disregard of empty fame, and his

175
00:14:18.840 --> 00:14:22.840
efforts to understand things, And how
he would never let anything pass without having

176
00:14:22.879 --> 00:14:28.120
first most carefuably examined it and clearly
understood it, And how he bore with

177
00:14:28.200 --> 00:14:33.759
those who blamed him unjustly without blaming
them in return, and how he did

178
00:14:33.799 --> 00:14:37.720
nothing in a hurry, and how
we listened not to calumnies, and how

179
00:14:37.759 --> 00:14:41.720
exact an examiner of manners and actions
he was, and not given to reproach

180
00:14:41.799 --> 00:14:48.960
people, nor timid, nor suspicious, nor esophist, And with how little

181
00:14:48.960 --> 00:14:54.039
he was satisfied, such as lodging, bed, dress, food, servants,

182
00:14:54.080 --> 00:14:56.799
and how laborious and patient, and
how he was able, on account

183
00:14:56.840 --> 00:15:01.440
of his sparing diet, to hold
out to the evening without even requiring to

184
00:15:01.480 --> 00:15:07.600
relieve himself by any evacuations except at
the usual hour, and with his firmness

185
00:15:07.600 --> 00:15:11.440
and uniformity in his friendships, and
now we tolerated freedom of speech, and

186
00:15:11.519 --> 00:15:16.440
those who opposed his opinions, and
the pleasure that he had when any man

187
00:15:16.480 --> 00:15:22.320
showed him anything better, and how
religious he was without superstition. Imitate all

188
00:15:22.360 --> 00:15:26.480
this, that thou mayst have as
good as conscience when thy last hour comes,

189
00:15:26.840 --> 00:15:33.679
as he had, return to thy
sober senses, and call thyself back

190
00:15:35.240 --> 00:15:39.960
when thou hast roused thyself from sleep, and hast perceived that they were only

191
00:15:39.080 --> 00:15:43.240
dreams which troubled thee. Now in
their waking hours, look at these the

192
00:15:43.320 --> 00:15:50.159
things about thee, as thou didst
look at those the dreams. I consist

193
00:15:50.200 --> 00:15:52.559
of a little body and soul.
Now to this little body all things are

194
00:15:52.600 --> 00:15:58.399
indifferent, For it is not able
to perceive differences, but to the understanding

195
00:15:58.600 --> 00:16:02.440
those things only are in different which
are not the works of its own activity.

196
00:16:03.360 --> 00:16:06.960
But whatever things are the works of
its own activity. All these things

197
00:16:07.000 --> 00:16:10.360
are in its power. And of
these, however, only those which are

198
00:16:10.360 --> 00:16:12.799
done with reference to the present.
For as to the future and the past

199
00:16:12.840 --> 00:16:19.960
activities of the mind, even these
are for the present indifferent. Neither the

200
00:16:21.039 --> 00:16:23.960
labor which the hand does, nor
that of the foot, is contrary to

201
00:16:25.039 --> 00:16:27.360
nature, so long as the foot
does the foot's work, in the hand

202
00:16:27.480 --> 00:16:32.840
the hands. So then neither to
a man, as a man is his

203
00:16:32.960 --> 00:16:36.639
labor contrary to nature, as long
as he does the things of a man.

204
00:16:37.240 --> 00:16:40.440
But if the labor is not contrary
to his nature, neither is it

205
00:16:40.519 --> 00:16:47.000
an evil to him? How many
pleasures have been enjoyed by robbers, patricides,

206
00:16:47.080 --> 00:16:52.919
tyrants. Dost thou not see how
the handicraftsmen accommodate themselves, up to

207
00:16:52.960 --> 00:16:56.960
a certain point, to those which
are not skilled in their craft. Nevertheless,

208
00:16:56.960 --> 00:17:00.960
they cling to the reason the principles
of their art, and do not

209
00:17:00.039 --> 00:17:04.519
endure to depart from it. Is
it not strange if the architect and the

210
00:17:04.519 --> 00:17:08.480
physicians shall have more respect to the
reason the principles of their own arts,

211
00:17:08.720 --> 00:17:11.359
than man to his own reason,
which is common to him. In the

212
00:17:11.359 --> 00:17:18.880
gods, Asia Europe are corners of
the universe, all the sea, a

213
00:17:18.960 --> 00:17:25.000
drop in the universe, athos a
little clod in the universe. All the

214
00:17:25.039 --> 00:17:30.079
present time is a point in eternity. All things are little, changeable,

215
00:17:30.160 --> 00:17:34.319
perishable. All things come from,
thence, from that universal ruling power,

216
00:17:34.799 --> 00:17:40.359
either directly proceeding or by way of
sequence. And accordingly, the lions,

217
00:17:40.400 --> 00:17:44.279
gaping jaws, and that which is
poisonous, and every harmful thing as a

218
00:17:44.359 --> 00:17:48.400
thorn as mud, are after products
of the grand and beautiful. Do not

219
00:17:48.480 --> 00:17:52.200
imagine then, that they are of
another kind from that which thou dost venerate,

220
00:17:52.640 --> 00:17:59.359
but form a just opinion of the
source of all. He who has

221
00:17:59.400 --> 00:18:03.160
seen present things, has seen all, both everything which has taken place from

222
00:18:03.200 --> 00:18:07.319
all eternity, and everything which will
be for time without end. For all

223
00:18:07.359 --> 00:18:15.160
things are of one kin and of
one form. Frequently consider the connection of

224
00:18:15.200 --> 00:18:19.039
all things in the universe and their
relation to one another. For in a

225
00:18:19.079 --> 00:18:22.519
manner, all things are implicated with
one another, and all in this way

226
00:18:22.559 --> 00:18:26.519
are friendly to one another. For
one thing comes in order after another,

227
00:18:27.000 --> 00:18:33.119
and this is by virtue of the
active movement and mutual composition and the unity

228
00:18:33.240 --> 00:18:37.920
of the substance. Adapt thyself to
the things with which thy lot has been

229
00:18:37.920 --> 00:18:42.680
cast, and the men among whom
thou hast receive thy portion, love them,

230
00:18:44.119 --> 00:18:51.319
But do it truly. Every instrument
to vessel, if it does that

231
00:18:51.480 --> 00:18:55.200
for which it has been made,
is well, And yet he who made

232
00:18:55.240 --> 00:18:57.960
it is not there. But in
all things which are held together by nature,

233
00:18:59.240 --> 00:19:03.000
there is within, and there abides
in them the power which made them.

234
00:19:03.759 --> 00:19:07.039
Wherefore, the more it is fit
to reverence this power, and to

235
00:19:07.079 --> 00:19:11.039
think that, if thou dost live
and act according to its will, everything

236
00:19:11.079 --> 00:19:15.480
in THEE is in conformity to intelligence. And thus also in the universe,

237
00:19:15.519 --> 00:19:22.680
the things which belong to it are
in conformity to intelligence. Whatever of the

238
00:19:22.720 --> 00:19:26.680
things which are not within thy power
thou shalt suppose to be good for THEE

239
00:19:26.920 --> 00:19:32.000
or evil. It must of necessity
be that if such a bad thing befal

240
00:19:32.079 --> 00:19:34.200
THEE, or the loss of such
a good thing, thou wilt blame the

241
00:19:34.240 --> 00:19:38.559
gods and hate men too, those
who are the cause of the misfortune or

242
00:19:38.599 --> 00:19:42.119
the loss, or those who are
suspected of being likely to be the cause.

243
00:19:42.920 --> 00:19:48.160
And indeed we do much injustice because
we make a difference between those things,

244
00:19:48.720 --> 00:19:53.119
because we do not regard these things
as indifferent. But if we judge

245
00:19:53.160 --> 00:19:57.240
only those things which are in our
power to be good or bad. There

246
00:19:57.240 --> 00:20:02.880
remains no reason either for finding fee
with God or standing in a hostile attitude

247
00:20:02.920 --> 00:20:08.640
to man. We are all working
together to one end, some with knowledge

248
00:20:08.640 --> 00:20:12.839
and design, and others without knowing
what they do as men, also when

249
00:20:12.839 --> 00:20:17.759
they are asleep, of whom it
is Heraclius I think, who says that

250
00:20:17.799 --> 00:20:21.759
there are laborers and co operators in
the things which take place in the universe.

251
00:20:22.720 --> 00:20:26.640
But men cooperate after different fashions,
and even those co operate abundantly who

252
00:20:26.680 --> 00:20:30.279
find fault with what happens, and
those who try to oppose it and to

253
00:20:30.319 --> 00:20:34.160
hinder it. For the universe has
need even of such men as these.

254
00:20:34.799 --> 00:20:40.680
It remains then for THEE to understand
among what kind of workmen thou placest thyself,

255
00:20:41.240 --> 00:20:44.759
For he who rules all things will
certainly make a right use of THEE,

256
00:20:45.359 --> 00:20:48.839
and he will receive THEE among some
part of the co operators and of

257
00:20:48.880 --> 00:20:53.759
those whose labors conduce to one end. But be not thou such a part

258
00:20:53.839 --> 00:21:00.119
as the mean and ridiculous verse in
the play which Prysippus speaks of. Does

259
00:21:00.160 --> 00:21:06.079
the sun undertake to do the work
of the rain? Or is Gulapius the

260
00:21:06.160 --> 00:21:08.680
work of the fruit bearer. And
how is it with respect to each of

261
00:21:08.720 --> 00:21:12.480
the stars? Are they not different? And yet they work together to the

262
00:21:12.519 --> 00:21:19.960
same end. If the gods have
determined about me and about the things which

263
00:21:21.039 --> 00:21:25.039
must happen to me, they have
determined well, For it is not easy

264
00:21:25.119 --> 00:21:29.480
even to imagine a deity without forethought. And as to doing me harm,

265
00:21:29.920 --> 00:21:33.839
why should they have any desire towards
that? For what advantage would result to

266
00:21:33.880 --> 00:21:37.279
them from this or to the whole, which is the special object of their

267
00:21:37.319 --> 00:21:41.039
providence. But if they have not
determined about me individually, they have certainly

268
00:21:41.119 --> 00:21:45.640
determined about the whole at least,
and the things which happen by way of

269
00:21:45.640 --> 00:21:49.359
sequence in this general arrangement. I
ought to accept with pleasure and to be

270
00:21:49.440 --> 00:21:53.920
content with them. But if they
determine about nothing, which it is wicked

271
00:21:53.920 --> 00:21:57.720
to believe, or if we do
believe it, let us neither sacrifice,

272
00:21:57.759 --> 00:22:02.799
nor pray, nor swear by them, nor do anything else which we do

273
00:22:02.920 --> 00:22:06.880
as if the gods were present and
lived with us. But if, however,

274
00:22:07.000 --> 00:22:11.039
the gods determined about none of the
things which concern us, I am

275
00:22:11.079 --> 00:22:15.319
able to determine about myself and I
can acquire about that which is useful,

276
00:22:15.960 --> 00:22:18.799
and that is useful to every man, which is conformable to his own constitution

277
00:22:18.960 --> 00:22:25.119
in nature. But my nature is
rational and social. In my city and

278
00:22:25.200 --> 00:22:30.039
country, as far as I a
mantoninus is rome. But so far as

279
00:22:30.079 --> 00:22:33.319
I am a man, it is
the world. The things, then,

280
00:22:33.359 --> 00:22:40.359
which are useful to these cities,
are alone useful to me. Whatever happens

281
00:22:40.359 --> 00:22:44.599
to every man, this is for
the interest of the universal. This might

282
00:22:44.640 --> 00:22:48.079
be sufficient. But further thou wilt
observe this also is a general truth.

283
00:22:48.319 --> 00:22:53.240
If thou dost observe that whatever is
profitable to any man is profitable also to

284
00:22:53.279 --> 00:22:57.599
other men. But let the word
profitable be taken here in the common sense

285
00:22:57.880 --> 00:23:04.480
as set of things of the middle
kind, neither good nor bad, as

286
00:23:04.480 --> 00:23:08.640
it happens to thee in the amphitheater, in such places that the continual sight

287
00:23:08.759 --> 00:23:14.759
of the same things and the uniformity
make the spectacle wearisome. So it is

288
00:23:15.000 --> 00:23:18.480
in the whole of life. For
all things above below are the same,

289
00:23:18.599 --> 00:23:26.759
and from the same. How long, then think continually that all kinds of

290
00:23:26.799 --> 00:23:30.640
men, and all kinds of pursuits, and of all nations are dead,

291
00:23:32.119 --> 00:23:37.160
so that thy thoughts come down even
to Philistian and Phoebus an Oregonian. Now

292
00:23:37.440 --> 00:23:41.119
turn thy thoughts to the other kinds
of men. To that place, then

293
00:23:41.160 --> 00:23:45.720
we must remove where there are so
many great orators, so many noble philosophers,

294
00:23:47.319 --> 00:23:52.559
Heraclitus, Pythagoreas, Socrates, so
many heroes of former days, and

295
00:23:52.640 --> 00:23:59.599
so many generals after them in tyrants. Besides these Eudosus, Hipparchus, Archimedes,

296
00:24:00.160 --> 00:24:03.119
and other men of acute natural talents, great minds, lovers of labor,

297
00:24:03.720 --> 00:24:08.440
versatile, confident mockers, even of
the perishable and effemorable life of man

298
00:24:08.960 --> 00:24:12.880
as manipous, and such as are
like him. As to all these,

299
00:24:12.960 --> 00:24:18.200
consider that they have long been in
the dust. What harm, then is

300
00:24:18.240 --> 00:24:23.480
this to them? And what to
those whose names are altogether unknown? One

301
00:24:23.519 --> 00:24:29.000
thing here is worth a great deal
to pass thy life in truth and justice,

302
00:24:29.160 --> 00:24:36.480
with the benevolent disposition, even to
liars and unjust men. Thou art

303
00:24:36.519 --> 00:24:41.279
not dissatisfied, I suppose, because
thou weighest only so many leader, and

304
00:24:41.359 --> 00:24:45.960
not three hundred. Be not dissatisfied, then that thou must live only so

305
00:24:45.039 --> 00:24:51.279
many years, and not more.
For as thou art satisfied with the amount

306
00:24:51.319 --> 00:24:55.960
of substance which has been assigned to
thee. So be content with the time.

307
00:25:00.039 --> 00:25:03.799
Let us try to persuade them,
but act even against their will when

308
00:25:03.799 --> 00:25:07.799
the principles of justice lead that way. If however, any man using forest

309
00:25:07.799 --> 00:25:12.599
stands in thy way, betake thyself
to contentment and tranquility, and at the

310
00:25:12.640 --> 00:25:18.640
same time employ the hindrance toward the
exercise of some other virtue. And remember

311
00:25:18.960 --> 00:25:23.200
that thy attempt was with a reservation
that thou didst not desire to do impossibilities?

312
00:25:25.039 --> 00:25:29.680
What then, didst thou desire some
such effort as this, that thou

313
00:25:29.680 --> 00:25:33.200
attainest thy object. If the things
to which thou wast move are accomplished.

314
00:25:37.359 --> 00:25:41.119
He who loves fame considers another man's
activity to be his own good, and

315
00:25:41.200 --> 00:25:47.839
he who loves pleasure his own sensations. But he who has understanding considers his

316
00:25:47.920 --> 00:25:52.240
own acts to be his own good. It is in our power to have

317
00:25:52.319 --> 00:25:56.839
no opinion about a thing, and
not to be disturbed in our soul,

318
00:25:56.240 --> 00:26:04.000
for things themselves have no natural power
to form ourudgements. Accustom thyself to attend

319
00:26:04.000 --> 00:26:07.920
carefully to what is said by another, and as much as it is possible,

320
00:26:08.039 --> 00:26:14.519
be in the speaker's mind, that
which is not good for the swarm,

321
00:26:15.160 --> 00:26:21.720
neither is it good for the bee. If sailors abuse the helmsman or

322
00:26:21.839 --> 00:26:25.759
the sick the doctor, would they
listen to anybody else? And how could

323
00:26:25.759 --> 00:26:30.119
the helmsman secure the safety of those
in the ship, or the doctor health

324
00:26:30.480 --> 00:26:36.920
of those whom he attends. How
many, together with whom I came into

325
00:26:36.920 --> 00:26:44.119
the world are already gone out of
it. To the jaundiced, honey tastes

326
00:26:44.160 --> 00:26:48.400
bitter, and to those bitten by
mad dogs, water causes fear, and

327
00:26:48.440 --> 00:26:52.359
to little children the ball is a
fine thing. Why then, am I

328
00:26:52.440 --> 00:26:56.519
angry? Dost thou think that a
false opinion has less power than the bile

329
00:26:56.680 --> 00:27:00.000
in the jaundice or the poison in
him who is bitten by a man.

330
00:27:03.839 --> 00:27:07.079
No man will hinder THEE from living. According to the reason of thy nature,

331
00:27:07.720 --> 00:27:11.880
nothing will happen to thee country to
the reason of the universal nature.

332
00:27:15.799 --> 00:27:18.480
What kind of people are those whom
men wish to please? And for what

333
00:27:18.559 --> 00:27:25.200
objects and by what kinds of acts? How soon time will cover all things?

334
00:27:25.920 --> 00:27:30.400
And how many it is covered already? End of Chapter six