Chapter six of the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius. This is a LibriVox recording.
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please visit LibriVox dot org. The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius by Marcus Aurelius
Antoninus, translated by George Long, Chapter six. The substance of the universe
is obedient and compliant, and the reason which governs it has in itself no
CAUs for doing evil, for it has no malice, nor does it do
evil to anything, nor is anything harmed by it. But all things are
made and perfected according to this reason. Let it make no difference to THEE
whether thou art cold or warm, if thou art doing thy duty, and
whether thou art drowsy or satisfied with sleep, and whether ill spoken or praised,
and whether dying or doing something else, For it is one of the
acts of this life, this act which we die. It is sufficient then
in this act also to do well what we have in hand. Look within,
Let neither the peculiar quality of anything, nor its value escape THEE.
All existing things soon change, and they will either be reduced to vapor if
indeed all substance is won, or they will be dispersed. The reason which
governance knows what its own disposition is, and what it does, and on
what material it works. The best way of avenging thyself is not to become
like the wrongdoer. Take pleasure in one thing and rest in it in passing
from one social act to another social act. Thinking of God, the ruling
principle is that which rouses and turns itself. And while it makes itself such
as it is and such as it wills to be, it also makes everything
which happens to appear itself to be such as it wills. In conformity to
the nature of the universe, every single thing is accomplished. For certainly it
is not in conformity to any other nature that each thing is accomplished. Either
a nature which externally comprehends this, or a nature which is comprehended within this
nature, or a nature external and independent of this. The universe is either
a confusion and a mutual involution of things and a dispersion, or it is
unity and order and providence. If then it is the former, why do
I desire to tarry in a fortuitous combination of things in such a disorder,
And why do I care about anything else than how I shall at last become
earth? And why am I disturbed? For the dispersion of my elements will
happen whatever I do. But if the other supposition is true, I venerate,
and I am firm, and I trust in him who governs. When
thou hast been compelled by circumstances to be disturbed in a manner, quickly return
to thyself, and do not continue out of tune longer than the compulsion lasts,
For thou wilt have more mastery over the harmony by continually recurring to it.
If thou hadst a stepmother and a mother at the same time, thou
wouldst be dutiful to thy stepmother, that thou wouldst constantly return to thy mother.
Let the court and philosophy now be to thee stepmother and mother. Return
to philosophy frequently, and repose in her through whom. What thou meetest with
in the court appears to thee tolerable, and thou appearest tolerable in the court.
When we have meat before us in such eatables, we receive the impression
that this is the dead body of a fish, and this is the dead
body of a bird, or of a pig. And again that this pillernian
is only a little grape juice, and this purple robes some sheep's wool dyed
with the blood of a shellfish. Such then are these impressions, And they
reach the things themselves and penetrate them. And so we see what kind of
things they are. Just in the same way ought we to act all through
life. And where there are things which appear most worthy of our approbation,
we ought to lay them bare, and look at their worthlessness, and strip
them of all the words by which they are exalted. For outward show is
a wonderful perverter of the reason. And when thou art most sure that thou
art employed about things worth thy pains, it is then that it cheats thee
most. Consider then, what Crates says of Xenocrates himself. Most of the
things which the multitude admire are referred to objects of the most general kind,
those which are held together by cohesion or natural organization, such as stones,
wood, fig trees, vines, olives. But those which are admired by
men who are little more reasonable are referred to the things which are held together
by a living principle, as flocks herds. Those which are admired by men
who are still more instructed. Are the things which are held together by a
rational soul. Not, however, a universal soul irrational so far as it
is a soul skilled in some art, or expert in some other way,
or simply rational so far as it possesses a number of slaves. But he
who values a rational soul the sole, universal and fitted for political life,
regards nothing else except this, and above all things. He keeps his soul
in a condition and in an actively conformable to reason and social life, and
he cooperates to this end with those who are of the same kind as himself.
Some things are hurrying into existence, others are hurrying out of it.
And of that which is coming into existence, part is already extinguished. Motions
and changes are continually renewing the world, such as the uninterrupted course of time
is always renewing, the infinite duration of ages in this flowing stream, Then,
on which there is no abiding, what is there of the things which
hurry by on which a man would set a high price. It would be
just as if a man should fall in love with one of the sparrows which
fly by, but it is already passed out of sight. Something of this
kind is the very life of every man, Like the exhalation of the blood
and the respiration of the air, such as it is to once have drawn
in the air, and to have given it back, which we do every
moment. Just the same is it with the whole respiratory power which thou didst
receive at thy birth yesterday and the day before, to give it back to
the elemental from which thou didst first draw it. Neither is transpiration as in
plants a thing to be valued, nor respiration as in domesticated animals wild beasts,
Nor the receiving of impressions by the appearances of things, nor being moved
by desires as puppets by strings, nor assembling in herds, nor being nourished
by food, For this is just like the act of separating, imparting with
the useless part of the food. What then, is worth being valued to
be received with clapping of hands. No neither must we value the clapping of
tongues, for the praise which comes from the many is the clapping of tongues.
Suppose then, that thou hast given up this worthless thing called fame.
What remains that is worth valuing? This, in my opinion, to move
thyself and to restrain thyself in conformity to thy proper constitution, to which end
both all employments and arts lead. For every art aims at this, that
the thing which has been made should be adapted to the work for which it
has been made. In both the vine planner who looks after the vine and
the horse breaker, and he who trains thede seeks de end. But the
education in the teaching of youth aim at something. And this then is the
value of the education and the teaching. And if this is well, thou
wilt not seek anything else. Wilt thou not cease to value many other things
too? Then thou wilt neither be free nor sufficient for thy own happiness,
nor without passion. For of necessity, Thou must be envious, jealous,
and suspicious of those who can take away those things, and plot against those
who have that which is valued by thee of necessity. A man must be
altogether in a state of perturbation who wants any of these things, And besides
he must often find fault with the gods. But to reverence and honor thy
own mind will make THEE content with thyself and in harmony with society, and
agreement with the gods. That is, praising all that they give and have
ordered. Above below all around are the movements of the elements. But the
motion of virtue is in none of these. It is something more divine and
advancing. By a way hardly observed, it goes happily on its road.
How strangely men act. They will not praise those who are living at the
same time and living with themselves, but to be themselves praised by posterity,
by those whom they have never seen or will ever see. This they set
much value on. But this is very much the same as if thou shouldest
be grieved because those who have lived before THEE did not praise THEE. If
a thing is difficult to be accomplished by thyself, do not think that it
is impossible for man. But if anything is possible for man and conformable to
his nature, think that this can be attained by thyself too. In the
gymnastic exercises, suppose that a man has torn THEE with his nails, and
by dashing against thy head, has inflicted a wound. Well, we neither
show any signs of vexation, nor are we offended, nor do we suspect
him afterward as a treacherous fellow. And yet we are on our guard against
him, not however, as an enemy, nor with suspicion. But we
quietly get out of his way. Something like this. Let their behavior be
in all other parts of life. Let us overlook many things in those who
are like antagonists in the gymnasium. For it is in our power, as
I said, to get out of the way and to have no suspicion or
hatred. If a man is able to convince me and show me that he
do not think or act right, I will gladly change. For I seek
the truth by which no man was ever injured. But he is injured who
abides in his error and ignorance. I do my duty. Other things trouble
me not, for they are either things without life, or things without reason,
or things that have rambled and know not the way. As to the
animals, which have no reason, and generally all things and objects, do
thou, since thou hast reason and they have none, make use of them
with the generous and liberal spirit. But towards human beings as they have reason,
behave in a social spirit, and on all occasions call on the gods.
And do not perplex thyself about the length of time in which thou shalt
do this. For even three hours so spent are sufficient. Alexander the Macedonian
and his groom by death were brought to the same state, for either they
were received among the same seminable principles of the universe, or they were alike
dispersed among the atoms. Consider how many things in the same indivisible time take
place in each of us, things which concern the body, and things which
concern the soul. And so thou will not wonder if many more things,
or rather all things which come into existence in that which is the one in
all which we call cosmos, exist in it. At the same time,
if any man should propose to thee the question how the name Antoninus is written?
Wouldst thou, with the straining of the voice, utter each letter?
What? Then if they grow angry? Wilt thou grow angry too? Wilt
thou not go on with composure and number every letter? Just so? Then
is this life? Also? Remember that every duty is made up of certain
parts these it is thy duty to observe, and, without being disturbed or
showing anger towards those who are angry with THEE, to go on thy way
and finish that which is set before thee. How cool it is not to
allow men to strive after the things which appear to them to be suitable to
thy nature and profitable. Yet in a manner thou dost not allow them to
do this when thou art vexed, because they do wrong. For they are
certainly moved towards the things which they suppose them to be suitable to their nature
and profitable to them. But it is not so them, then, and
show them without being angry. Death is the cessation of the impression through the
senses, and of the pulling of the strings which move the appetites, and
of the discursive movements of the thoughts, and of the service to the flesh.
It is a shame for the soul to be the first to give way
in this life when thy body does not give way. Take care that thou
art not made into a caesar, that thou art not dyed with this die
for such things happen. Keep thyself, then, simple, good, pure,
serious, free from affectation, a friend of justice, a worshiper of
the gods, kind, affectionate, strenuous in all proper acts, strive to
continue to be such as philosophy. Wish to make thee reverence the gods and
help men. Short is life, There is only one fruit in this treened
life, a pious disay position and social acts. Do everything as a disciple
of Antoninus. Remember his constancy in every act which was conformable to reason,
and his evenness in all things, and his piety and the serenity of his
countenance, and his sweetness, and his disregard of empty fame, and his
efforts to understand things, And how he would never let anything pass without having
first most carefuably examined it and clearly understood it, And how he bore with
those who blamed him unjustly without blaming them in return, and how he did
nothing in a hurry, and how we listened not to calumnies, and how
exact an examiner of manners and actions he was, and not given to reproach
people, nor timid, nor suspicious, nor esophist, And with how little
he was satisfied, such as lodging, bed, dress, food, servants,
and how laborious and patient, and how he was able, on account
of his sparing diet, to hold out to the evening without even requiring to
relieve himself by any evacuations except at the usual hour, and with his firmness
and uniformity in his friendships, and now we tolerated freedom of speech, and
those who opposed his opinions, and the pleasure that he had when any man
showed him anything better, and how religious he was without superstition. Imitate all
this, that thou mayst have as good as conscience when thy last hour comes,
as he had, return to thy sober senses, and call thyself back
when thou hast roused thyself from sleep, and hast perceived that they were only
dreams which troubled thee. Now in their waking hours, look at these the
things about thee, as thou didst look at those the dreams. I consist
of a little body and soul. Now to this little body all things are
indifferent, For it is not able to perceive differences, but to the understanding
those things only are in different which are not the works of its own activity.
But whatever things are the works of its own activity. All these things
are in its power. And of these, however, only those which are
done with reference to the present. For as to the future and the past
activities of the mind, even these are for the present indifferent. Neither the
labor which the hand does, nor that of the foot, is contrary to
nature, so long as the foot does the foot's work, in the hand
the hands. So then neither to a man, as a man is his
labor contrary to nature, as long as he does the things of a man.
But if the labor is not contrary to his nature, neither is it
an evil to him? How many pleasures have been enjoyed by robbers, patricides,
tyrants. Dost thou not see how the handicraftsmen accommodate themselves, up to
a certain point, to those which are not skilled in their craft. Nevertheless,
they cling to the reason the principles of their art, and do not
endure to depart from it. Is it not strange if the architect and the
physicians shall have more respect to the reason the principles of their own arts,
than man to his own reason, which is common to him. In the
gods, Asia Europe are corners of the universe, all the sea, a
drop in the universe, athos a little clod in the universe. All the
present time is a point in eternity. All things are little, changeable,
perishable. All things come from, thence, from that universal ruling power,
either directly proceeding or by way of sequence. And accordingly, the lions,
gaping jaws, and that which is poisonous, and every harmful thing as a
thorn as mud, are after products of the grand and beautiful. Do not
imagine then, that they are of another kind from that which thou dost venerate,
but form a just opinion of the source of all. He who has
seen present things, has seen all, both everything which has taken place from
all eternity, and everything which will be for time without end. For all
things are of one kin and of one form. Frequently consider the connection of
all things in the universe and their relation to one another. For in a
manner, all things are implicated with one another, and all in this way
are friendly to one another. For one thing comes in order after another,
and this is by virtue of the active movement and mutual composition and the unity
of the substance. Adapt thyself to the things with which thy lot has been
cast, and the men among whom thou hast receive thy portion, love them,
But do it truly. Every instrument to vessel, if it does that
for which it has been made, is well, And yet he who made
it is not there. But in all things which are held together by nature,
there is within, and there abides in them the power which made them.
Wherefore, the more it is fit to reverence this power, and to
think that, if thou dost live and act according to its will, everything
in THEE is in conformity to intelligence. And thus also in the universe,
the things which belong to it are in conformity to intelligence. Whatever of the
things which are not within thy power thou shalt suppose to be good for THEE
or evil. It must of necessity be that if such a bad thing befal
THEE, or the loss of such a good thing, thou wilt blame the
gods and hate men too, those who are the cause of the misfortune or
the loss, or those who are suspected of being likely to be the cause.
And indeed we do much injustice because we make a difference between those things,
because we do not regard these things as indifferent. But if we judge
only those things which are in our power to be good or bad. There
remains no reason either for finding fee with God or standing in a hostile attitude
to man. We are all working together to one end, some with knowledge
and design, and others without knowing what they do as men, also when
they are asleep, of whom it is Heraclius I think, who says that
there are laborers and co operators in the things which take place in the universe.
But men cooperate after different fashions, and even those co operate abundantly who
find fault with what happens, and those who try to oppose it and to
hinder it. For the universe has need even of such men as these.
It remains then for THEE to understand among what kind of workmen thou placest thyself,
For he who rules all things will certainly make a right use of THEE,
and he will receive THEE among some part of the co operators and of
those whose labors conduce to one end. But be not thou such a part
as the mean and ridiculous verse in the play which Prysippus speaks of. Does
the sun undertake to do the work of the rain? Or is Gulapius the
work of the fruit bearer. And how is it with respect to each of
the stars? Are they not different? And yet they work together to the
same end. If the gods have determined about me and about the things which
must happen to me, they have determined well, For it is not easy
even to imagine a deity without forethought. And as to doing me harm,
why should they have any desire towards that? For what advantage would result to
them from this or to the whole, which is the special object of their
providence. But if they have not determined about me individually, they have certainly
determined about the whole at least, and the things which happen by way of
sequence in this general arrangement. I ought to accept with pleasure and to be
content with them. But if they determine about nothing, which it is wicked
to believe, or if we do believe it, let us neither sacrifice,
nor pray, nor swear by them, nor do anything else which we do
as if the gods were present and lived with us. But if, however,
the gods determined about none of the things which concern us, I am
able to determine about myself and I can acquire about that which is useful,
and that is useful to every man, which is conformable to his own constitution
in nature. But my nature is rational and social. In my city and
country, as far as I a mantoninus is rome. But so far as
I am a man, it is the world. The things, then,
which are useful to these cities, are alone useful to me. Whatever happens
to every man, this is for the interest of the universal. This might
be sufficient. But further thou wilt observe this also is a general truth.
If thou dost observe that whatever is profitable to any man is profitable also to
other men. But let the word profitable be taken here in the common sense
as set of things of the middle kind, neither good nor bad, as
it happens to thee in the amphitheater, in such places that the continual sight
of the same things and the uniformity make the spectacle wearisome. So it is
in the whole of life. For all things above below are the same,
and from the same. How long, then think continually that all kinds of
men, and all kinds of pursuits, and of all nations are dead,
so that thy thoughts come down even to Philistian and Phoebus an Oregonian. Now
turn thy thoughts to the other kinds of men. To that place, then
we must remove where there are so many great orators, so many noble philosophers,
Heraclitus, Pythagoreas, Socrates, so many heroes of former days, and
so many generals after them in tyrants. Besides these Eudosus, Hipparchus, Archimedes,
and other men of acute natural talents, great minds, lovers of labor,
versatile, confident mockers, even of the perishable and effemorable life of man
as manipous, and such as are like him. As to all these,
consider that they have long been in the dust. What harm, then is
this to them? And what to those whose names are altogether unknown? One
thing here is worth a great deal to pass thy life in truth and justice,
with the benevolent disposition, even to liars and unjust men. Thou art
not dissatisfied, I suppose, because thou weighest only so many leader, and
not three hundred. Be not dissatisfied, then that thou must live only so
many years, and not more. For as thou art satisfied with the amount
of substance which has been assigned to thee. So be content with the time.
Let us try to persuade them, but act even against their will when
the principles of justice lead that way. If however, any man using forest
stands in thy way, betake thyself to contentment and tranquility, and at the
same time employ the hindrance toward the exercise of some other virtue. And remember
that thy attempt was with a reservation that thou didst not desire to do impossibilities?
What then, didst thou desire some such effort as this, that thou
attainest thy object. If the things to which thou wast move are accomplished.
He who loves fame considers another man's activity to be his own good, and
he who loves pleasure his own sensations. But he who has understanding considers his
own acts to be his own good. It is in our power to have
no opinion about a thing, and not to be disturbed in our soul,
for things themselves have no natural power to form ourudgements. Accustom thyself to attend
carefully to what is said by another, and as much as it is possible,
be in the speaker's mind, that which is not good for the swarm,
neither is it good for the bee. If sailors abuse the helmsman or
the sick the doctor, would they listen to anybody else? And how could
the helmsman secure the safety of those in the ship, or the doctor health
of those whom he attends. How many, together with whom I came into
the world are already gone out of it. To the jaundiced, honey tastes
bitter, and to those bitten by mad dogs, water causes fear, and
to little children the ball is a fine thing. Why then, am I
angry? Dost thou think that a false opinion has less power than the bile
in the jaundice or the poison in him who is bitten by a man.
No man will hinder THEE from living. According to the reason of thy nature,
nothing will happen to thee country to the reason of the universal nature.
What kind of people are those whom men wish to please? And for what
objects and by what kinds of acts? How soon time will cover all things?
And how many it is covered already? End of Chapter six