WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:04.440 Book ninety. He acts unjustly acts impiously. For since the universal nature has 2 00:00:04.480 --> 00:00:09.000 made rational animals for the sake of one another, to help one another according 3 00:00:09.039 --> 00:00:11.919 to their deserts, but in no way to injure one another, he who 4 00:00:11.960 --> 00:00:17.640 transgresses her will is clearly guilty of impiety towards the highest divinity. And he 5 00:00:17.679 --> 00:00:21.480 too, who lies, is guilty of impiety too the same divinity. For 6 00:00:21.559 --> 00:00:26.920 the universal nature is the nature of things that are, and things that are 7 00:00:27.320 --> 00:00:32.039 have a relation to all things that come into existence. And further, this 8 00:00:32.200 --> 00:00:35.840 universal nature is named truth, than is the prime cause of all things that 9 00:00:35.880 --> 00:00:40.119 are true. He, then, who lies intentionally, is guilty of impiety 10 00:00:40.119 --> 00:00:46.399 inasmuch as he acts unjustly by deceiving. And he also who lies unintentionally inasmuch 11 00:00:46.399 --> 00:00:50.759 as he is at variance with the universal nature, and inasmuch as he disturbs 12 00:00:51.359 --> 00:00:55.079 the order by fighting against the nature of the world. For he fights against 13 00:00:55.159 --> 00:00:59.119 it who is moved of himself to that which is contrary to truth. For 14 00:00:59.200 --> 00:01:03.680 he had received powers from nature through the neglect of which he is not able 15 00:01:03.719 --> 00:01:08.159 now to distinguish falsehood from truth. And indeed, he who pursues pleasure as 16 00:01:08.239 --> 00:01:14.200 good and avoids pain, as evil is guilty of impiety, for of necessity. 17 00:01:14.280 --> 00:01:18.799 Such a man must often find fault with the universal nature, alleging that 18 00:01:18.840 --> 00:01:23.040 it assigns things to the bad and the good contrary to their deserts, because 19 00:01:23.079 --> 00:01:26.519 frequently the bad are in the enjoyment of pleasure and possess the things which procure 20 00:01:26.840 --> 00:01:30.640 pleasure, but the good have pain for their share, and the things which 21 00:01:30.920 --> 00:01:34.840 cause pain. And further, he who is afraid of pain will sometimes also 22 00:01:36.239 --> 00:01:38.159 maybebe not be afraid of some of the things which will happen in the world. 23 00:01:38.239 --> 00:01:42.280 And even this is impiety. And he who pursues pleasure will not abstain 24 00:01:44.000 --> 00:01:48.799 from injustice. And this is plainly impiety. Now with respect to the things 25 00:01:48.879 --> 00:01:53.120 towards which the universal nature is equally affected, for it would not have made 26 00:01:53.200 --> 00:01:59.359 both unless it was equally affected towards both. Towards these, they who wish 27 00:01:59.439 --> 00:02:02.280 to follow nature should be of the same mind with it, and equally affected 28 00:02:02.760 --> 00:02:07.439 with respect to pain then and pleasure or death in life, or honor and 29 00:02:07.480 --> 00:02:13.879 dishonor which the universal Nature employs equally. Whoever is not equally affected is manifestly 30 00:02:13.919 --> 00:02:19.479 acting impiously. And I say that the universal nature employs them equally, instead 31 00:02:19.479 --> 00:02:23.680 of saying that they happen alike to those who are produced in continuous series and 32 00:02:23.719 --> 00:02:28.599 to those who come after them, by virtue of a certain original movement of 33 00:02:28.639 --> 00:02:32.680 providence, according to which it moved from a certain beginning to this ordering of 34 00:02:32.800 --> 00:02:37.639 things, having conceived certain principles of the things which were to be, and 35 00:02:37.680 --> 00:02:43.599 having determined powers productive of beings and of changes, and of such like successions. 36 00:02:43.639 --> 00:02:46.680 And it would be a man's happiest lot to depart from mankind without having 37 00:02:47.199 --> 00:02:52.759 had any taste of lying and hypocrisy, and luxury and pride. However, 38 00:02:53.240 --> 00:02:55.960 to breathe out one's life when a man has had enough of these things is 39 00:02:57.000 --> 00:03:01.919 the next best voyage, As the saying is hast thou determined to abide with 40 00:03:02.039 --> 00:03:07.759 vice, and has not experience yet induced thee to fly from this pestilence, 41 00:03:07.840 --> 00:03:13.560 For the destruction of the understanding is a pestilence much more indeed than any such 42 00:03:13.599 --> 00:03:17.639 corruption and change of this atmosphere which surrounds us. For this corruption is a 43 00:03:17.680 --> 00:03:22.960 pestilence of animals so far as they are animals. But the other is a 44 00:03:23.000 --> 00:03:27.240 pestilence of men, so far as they are men, do not despise death, 45 00:03:27.599 --> 00:03:30.080 but be well content with it, since this too is one of those 46 00:03:30.120 --> 00:03:35.080 things which nature wills for, such as it is to be young and to 47 00:03:35.159 --> 00:03:38.840 grow old, and to increase, and to reach maturity, to have teeth 48 00:03:38.879 --> 00:03:40.719 and beard and gray hairs, and to beget, and to be pregnant, 49 00:03:40.800 --> 00:03:46.080 and to bring forth, and all the other natural operations which the seasons of 50 00:03:46.120 --> 00:03:51.000 thy life bring. Such also is dissolution. This, then, is consistent 51 00:03:51.039 --> 00:03:53.560 with the character of a reflecting man, to be neither careless, nor impatient, 52 00:03:53.639 --> 00:03:58.680 nor contemptuous with respect to death, but to wait for it as one 53 00:03:58.680 --> 00:04:02.439 of the operations of nature. As thou now waitest for at the time when 54 00:04:02.479 --> 00:04:06.680 the child shall come out of thy wife's womb, so be ready for the 55 00:04:06.719 --> 00:04:11.800 time when thy soul shall fall out of this envelope. But if thou requirest 56 00:04:11.879 --> 00:04:15.839 also a vulgar kind of comfort which shall reach thy heart, thou wilt be 57 00:04:15.879 --> 00:04:20.480 made best reconciled to death by observing the objects from which thou art going to 58 00:04:20.519 --> 00:04:25.759 be removed, and the morals of those with whom thy soul will no longer 59 00:04:25.800 --> 00:04:29.720 be mingled. For it is no way right to be offended with men but 60 00:04:29.759 --> 00:04:32.120 it is thy duty to care for them and to bear with them gently, 61 00:04:32.560 --> 00:04:36.319 and yet to remember that thy departure will be not from men who have the 62 00:04:36.319 --> 00:04:42.199 same principles as thyself. For nat this is the only thing if there be 63 00:04:42.240 --> 00:04:46.199 any which could draw us the contrary way and attach us to life, to 64 00:04:46.279 --> 00:04:49.240 be permitted to live with those who have the same principles as ourselves. But 65 00:04:49.279 --> 00:04:54.040 now thou seest how great is the trouble arising from the discordance of those who 66 00:04:54.079 --> 00:04:57.839 live together, So that thou mayst say, come quick, o death, 67 00:04:58.360 --> 00:05:02.079 lest perchance I too should forget myself. He who does wrong does wrong against 68 00:05:02.160 --> 00:05:06.600 himself. He who acts unjustly acts unjustly to himself, because he makes himself 69 00:05:06.680 --> 00:05:11.680 bad. He often acts unjustly who does not do a certain thing, not 70 00:05:11.720 --> 00:05:15.199 only he who does a certain thing. Thy present opinion founded on understanding, 71 00:05:15.240 --> 00:05:20.120 and thy present conduct directed to social good, and thy present disposition of contentment 72 00:05:21.879 --> 00:05:27.759 with everything which happens. That is enough wipe out imagination, check desire, 73 00:05:28.439 --> 00:05:32.240 extinguish appetite, keep the ruling faculty in its own power. Among the animals 74 00:05:32.240 --> 00:05:36.240 which have not reason, one life is distributed. But among reasonable animals, 75 00:05:36.240 --> 00:05:42.199 one intelligent soul is distributed, just as there is one earth of all things 76 00:05:42.199 --> 00:05:45.720 which are of an earthy nature, and we see by one light and breathe 77 00:05:45.759 --> 00:05:48.439 one air. All of us that have the faculty of vision, and all 78 00:05:48.439 --> 00:05:53.480 that have life, all things which participate in anything which is common to them, 79 00:05:53.519 --> 00:05:58.079 all move towards that which is of the same kind with themselves. Everything 80 00:05:58.560 --> 00:06:01.120 which is earth, he turns towards the earth. Everything which is liquid flows 81 00:06:01.160 --> 00:06:04.800 together, and everything which is of an aerial kind does the That's the same, 82 00:06:04.839 --> 00:06:09.879 so that they require something to keep them asunder, and the application of 83 00:06:09.920 --> 00:06:14.959 force. Fire indeed moves upwards on account of the elemental fire. But it 84 00:06:15.040 --> 00:06:17.560 is so ready to be kindled together with all the fire which is here, 85 00:06:17.600 --> 00:06:23.399 that even every substance which is somewhat dry is easily ignited, because there is 86 00:06:23.519 --> 00:06:29.079 less mingled with it of that which is a hindrance to ignition. Accordingly, 87 00:06:29.120 --> 00:06:34.879 then everything also which participates in the common intelligent nature, moves in like manner 88 00:06:35.000 --> 00:06:40.040 towards that which is of the same kind with itself, or moves even more, 89 00:06:40.600 --> 00:06:44.800 for so much as it is superior in comparison with all other things in 90 00:06:44.839 --> 00:06:47.680 the same degree. Also is it more ready to mingle with and to be 91 00:06:47.759 --> 00:06:53.759 fused with that which is akin to it. Accordingly, among animals devoid of 92 00:06:53.800 --> 00:06:58.040 reason, we find swarms of bees, and herds of cattle, and the 93 00:06:58.120 --> 00:07:01.480 nurture of young birds, and in a manner loves. For even in animals 94 00:07:02.040 --> 00:07:06.800 there are souls, and that power which brings them together is seen to exert 95 00:07:06.839 --> 00:07:11.839 itself in the superior degree, and in such a way as never has been 96 00:07:11.879 --> 00:07:15.360 observed in plants, nor in stones, nor in trees. But in rational 97 00:07:16.199 --> 00:07:19.839 animals there are political communities, and friendships, and families, and meetings of 98 00:07:19.879 --> 00:07:24.439 people, and in wars, treaties and armistices. But in the things which 99 00:07:24.439 --> 00:07:29.199 are still superior, even though they are separated from one another, unity in 100 00:07:29.240 --> 00:07:33.000 a manner exists, as in the stars. Thus the ascent to the higher 101 00:07:33.000 --> 00:07:38.600 degree is able to produce a sympathy even in things which are separated. See 102 00:07:38.639 --> 00:07:44.319 then what now takes place. For only intelligent animals have now forgotten this mutual 103 00:07:44.360 --> 00:07:48.399 desire and inclination, and in them alone the property of flowing together is not 104 00:07:48.480 --> 00:07:51.759 seen. But still, though men strive to avoid this union, they are 105 00:07:53.519 --> 00:07:57.079 caught and held by it, for their nature is too strong for them. 106 00:07:57.959 --> 00:08:01.319 And thou wilt see what I say, thou only observest. Sooner than will 107 00:08:01.759 --> 00:08:07.199 one find anything earthy which comes in contact with no earthy thing than a man 108 00:08:07.240 --> 00:08:11.720 altogether separated from other men. Both man and God and the universe produce fruit 109 00:08:11.759 --> 00:08:16.120 at the proper seasons each produces it. But if usage has especially fixed these 110 00:08:16.199 --> 00:08:20.279 terms to the vine, and like things, this is nothing. Reason produces 111 00:08:20.319 --> 00:08:24.720 fruit both for all and for itself, and there are produced from it other 112 00:08:24.800 --> 00:08:30.600 things of the same kind as reason itself. Yet if thou art able correct 113 00:08:30.600 --> 00:08:33.480 by teaching those who do wrong, but if thou canst not, remember that 114 00:08:33.559 --> 00:08:37.720 indulgence is given to THEE for this purpose, and the gods too are indulgent 115 00:08:37.799 --> 00:08:41.600 to such persons, and for some purposes they even help them to get health, 116 00:08:41.679 --> 00:08:45.440 wealth, reputation. So kind they are, and it is in thy 117 00:08:45.559 --> 00:08:48.519 power also, Or say, who hinders thee? Yet it labor not as 118 00:08:48.519 --> 00:08:52.000 one who is wretched, nor yet as one who would be pitied or admired. 119 00:08:52.039 --> 00:08:56.720 But direct thy will to one thing, only to put thyself in motion 120 00:08:56.879 --> 00:09:00.840 and to check thyself, as the social reason requires. Today, I have 121 00:09:00.879 --> 00:09:03.480 got out of all trouble, or rather I have cast out all trouble for 122 00:09:03.600 --> 00:09:07.519 it was not outside but within, and in my opinions, all things are 123 00:09:07.559 --> 00:09:13.480 the same, familiar in experience, and ephemeral in time, and worthless in 124 00:09:13.519 --> 00:09:16.320 the matter. Everything now is just as it was in the time of those 125 00:09:16.399 --> 00:09:22.399 whom we have buried. Things stand outside of us themselves by themselves, neither 126 00:09:22.480 --> 00:09:28.279 knowing aught of themselves, nor expressing any judgment. What is it, then, 127 00:09:28.480 --> 00:09:33.080 which does judge about them? The ruling faculty, not in passivity, 128 00:09:33.120 --> 00:09:37.039 but in activity, lie the evil in the good of the rational social animal, 129 00:09:37.159 --> 00:09:41.159 just as his virtue and his vice lie not in passivity but in activity. 130 00:09:41.720 --> 00:09:43.440 For the stone which has been thrown up, it is no evil to 131 00:09:43.480 --> 00:09:48.360 come down, nor indeed any good to have been carried up. Penetrate inwards 132 00:09:48.360 --> 00:09:54.399 into men's leading principles. And thou wilt see what judges thou art afraid of, 133 00:09:54.480 --> 00:09:58.639 and what kind of judges they are of themselves. All things are changing, 134 00:09:58.639 --> 00:10:03.120 and thou thyself art in continuous mutation, and in a manner in continuous 135 00:10:03.120 --> 00:10:07.159 destruction, and the whole universe too. It is thy duty to leave another 136 00:10:07.200 --> 00:10:13.399 man's wrongful act there where it is termination of activity, cessation from movement and 137 00:10:13.440 --> 00:10:16.440 opinion, and in a sense their death is no evil. Turn thy thoughts 138 00:10:16.519 --> 00:10:20.240 now to the consideration of thy life, thy life as a child, as 139 00:10:20.279 --> 00:10:24.600 a youth, thy manhood, thy old age. For in these also every 140 00:10:24.720 --> 00:10:28.960 change was a death. Is this anything to fear? Turn thy thoughts now 141 00:10:30.000 --> 00:10:33.960 to thy life under thy grandfather, then to thy life under thy mother, 142 00:10:33.039 --> 00:10:37.120 then to thy life under thy father, And as thou findest many other differences 143 00:10:37.120 --> 00:10:41.919 and changes in terminations, ask thyself, is this anything to fear? In 144 00:10:43.080 --> 00:10:46.519 like manner? Then neither are the termination and cessation and change of thy whole 145 00:10:46.559 --> 00:10:50.759 life a thing to be afraid of. Hasten to examine thy own ruling faculty, 146 00:10:50.759 --> 00:10:54.120 and that of the universe, and that of thy neighbor. Thy own, 147 00:10:54.240 --> 00:10:58.559 that thou mayest make it just, and that of the universe, that 148 00:10:58.600 --> 00:11:03.039 thou mayest remember of what thou art a part, and that of thy neighbor, 149 00:11:03.120 --> 00:11:07.399 that thou mayst know whether he has acted ignorantly or with knowledge, And 150 00:11:07.440 --> 00:11:13.679 that thou mayest also consider that his ruling faculty is akin to thine. As 151 00:11:13.720 --> 00:11:18.440 thou thyself art a component part of a social system. So let every act 152 00:11:18.440 --> 00:11:22.799 of thine be a component part of social life. Whatever act of thine then 153 00:11:22.840 --> 00:11:26.480 has no reference, either immediately or remotely, to a social end. This 154 00:11:26.600 --> 00:11:30.799 tears asunder thy life and does not allow it to be one. And it 155 00:11:30.840 --> 00:11:33.799 is of the nature of a mutiny. Just as when in a popular assembly 156 00:11:33.519 --> 00:11:39.200 a man acting by himself stands apart from the general agreement, quarrels of little 157 00:11:39.279 --> 00:11:43.279 children in their sports, and poor spirits carrying about dead bodies. Such is 158 00:11:43.320 --> 00:11:48.799 everything, and so what is exhibited in the representation of the mansions of the 159 00:11:48.840 --> 00:11:52.200 dead strikes our eyes more clearly. Examine into the quality of the form of 160 00:11:52.200 --> 00:11:56.240 an object, and detach it all together from its material part, and then 161 00:11:56.279 --> 00:12:01.000 contemplate it. Then determine the time the longest which a thing of this peculiar 162 00:12:01.039 --> 00:12:05.679 form is naturally made to endure it. Thou hast endured infinite troubles through not 163 00:12:05.759 --> 00:12:11.679 being contented with thy ruling faculty when it does the things which it is constituted 164 00:12:11.120 --> 00:12:15.919 by nature to do. But enough of this. When another blames THEE or 165 00:12:15.960 --> 00:12:20.600 hates THEE, or when men say about THEE anything injurious, approach their poor 166 00:12:20.639 --> 00:12:24.799 souls, penetrate within, and see what kind of men they are, Thou 167 00:12:24.879 --> 00:12:31.919 wilt discover that there is no reason to take any trouble that these men may 168 00:12:31.960 --> 00:12:35.879 have this or that opinion about thee However, thou must be well disposed towards 169 00:12:35.919 --> 00:12:41.120 them, for by nature they are friends, and the gods to aid them 170 00:12:41.200 --> 00:12:45.320 in all ways, by dreams, by signs, towards the attainment of those 171 00:12:45.320 --> 00:12:48.759 things on which they set a value. The periodic movements of the universe are 172 00:12:48.799 --> 00:12:52.600 the same, up and down from age to age. And either the universal 173 00:12:52.639 --> 00:12:58.360 intelligence puts itself in motion for every separate effect, and if this is so, 174 00:12:58.480 --> 00:13:01.120 be thou content with that which is the result of its activity, or 175 00:13:01.159 --> 00:13:05.480 it puts itself in motion once, and everything else comes by way of sequence 176 00:13:05.519 --> 00:13:11.639 in a manner. Or indivisible elements are the origin of all things. In 177 00:13:11.720 --> 00:13:15.360 a word, if there is a God, all is well, and if 178 00:13:15.480 --> 00:13:18.679 chance rules do not, thou also be governed by it. Soon will the 179 00:13:18.720 --> 00:13:22.759 earth cover us all? Then the earth too will change, and the things 180 00:13:22.799 --> 00:13:28.000 also which result from change will continue to change forever, and these again forever. 181 00:13:28.480 --> 00:13:31.879 For if a man reflects on the changes and transformations which follow one another, 182 00:13:33.000 --> 00:13:37.279 like wave after wave, and their rapidity, he will despise everything which 183 00:13:37.279 --> 00:13:37.919 is perishable.