Wilt thou, then, my soul, never be good and simple and one and naked,
more manifest than the body which surrounds thee? Wilt thou never enjoy
an affectionate and contented disposition? Wilt thou never be full and
without a want of any kind, longing for nothing more, nor desiring
anything, either animate or inanimate, for the enjoyment of pleasures?
nor yet desiring time wherein thou shalt have longer enjoyment, or
place, or pleasant climate, or society of men with whom thou mayst live
in harmony? but wilt thou be satisfied with thy present condition, and
pleased with all that is about thee, and wilt thou convince thyself that
thou hast everything, and that it comes from the gods, that everything
is well for thee, and will be well whatever shall please them, and
whatever they shall give for the conservation of the perfect living
being,[A] the good and just and beautiful, which generates and holds
together all things, and contains and embraces all things which are
dissolved for the production of other like things? Wilt thou never be
such that thou shalt so dwell in community with gods and men as neither
to find fault with them at all, nor to be condemned by them?
[A] That is, God (iv. 40), as he is defined by Zeno. But the
confusion between gods and God is strange.
2. Observe what thy nature requires, so far as thou art governed by
nature only: then do it and accept it, if thy nature, so far as thou art
a living being, shall not be made worse by it. And next thou must
observe what thy nature requires so far as thou art a living being. And
all this thou mayst allow thyself, if thy nature, so far as thou art a
rational animal, shall not be made worse by it. But the rational animal
is consequently also a political [social] animal. Use these rules, then,
and trouble thyself about nothing else.
3. Everything which happens either happens in such wise as thou art
formed by nature to bear it, or as thou art not formed by nature to bear
it. If, then, it happens to thee in such way as thou art formed by
nature to bear it, do not complain, but bear it as thou art formed by
nature to bear it. But if it happens in such wise as thou art not formed
by nature to bear it, do not complain, for it will perish after it has
consumed thee. Remember, however, that thou art formed by nature to bear
everything, with respect to which it depends on thy own opinion to make
it endurable and tolerable, by thinking that it is either thy interest
or thy duty to do this.
4. If a man is mistaken, instruct him kindly and show him his error. But
if thou art not able, blame thyself, or blame not even thyself.
5. Whatever may happen to thee, it was prepared for thee from all
eternity; and the implication of causes was from eternity spinning the
thread of thy being, and of that which is incident to it (iii. 11; iv.
26).
6. Whether the universe is [a concourse of] atoms, or nature [is a
system], let this first be established, that I am a part of the whole
which is governed by nature; next, I am in a manner intimately related
to the parts which are of the same kind with myself. For remembering
this, inasmuch as I am a part, I shall be discontented with none of the
things which are assigned to me out of the whole; for nothing is
injurious to the part if it is for the advantage of the whole. For the
whole contains nothing which is not for its advantage; and all natures
indeed have this common principle, but the nature of the universe has
this principle besides, that it cannot be compelled even by any external
cause to generate anything harmful to itself. By remembering, then, that
I am a part of such a whole, I shall be content with everything that
happens. And inasmuch as I am in a manner intimately related to the
parts which are of the same kind with myself, I shall do nothing
unsocial, but I shall rather direct myself to the things which are of
the same kind with myself, and I shall turn all my efforts to the common
interest, and divert them from the contrary. Now, if these things are
done so, life must flow on happily, just as thou mayst observe that the
life of a citizen is happy, who continues a course of action which is
advantageous to his fellow-citizens, and is content with whatever the
state may assign to him.
7. The parts of the whole, everything, I mean, which is naturally
comprehended in the universe, must of necessity perish; but let this be
understood in this sense, that they must undergo change. But if this is
naturally both an evil and a necessity for the parts, the whole would
not continue to exist in a good condition, the parts being subject to
change and constituted so as to perish in various ways. For whether did
Nature herself design to do evil to the things which are parts of
herself, and to make them subject to evil and of necessity fall into
evil, or have such results happened without her knowing it? Both these
suppositions, indeed, are incredible. But if a man should even drop the
term Nature [as an efficient power], and should speak of these things as
natural, even then it would be ridiculous to affirm at the same time
that the parts of the whole are in their nature subject to change, and
at the same time to be surprised or vexed as if something were happening
contrary to nature, particularly as the dissolution of things is into
those things of which each thing is composed. For there is either a
dispersion of the elements out of which everything has been compounded,
or a change from the solid to the earthy and from the airy to the
aerial, so that these parts are taken back into the universal reason,
whether this at certain periods is consumed by fire or renewed by
eternal changes. And do not imagine that the solid and the airy part
belong to thee from the time of generation. For all this received its
accretion only yesterday and the day before, as one may say, from the
food and the air which is inspired. This, then, which has received [the
accretion], changes, not that which thy mother brought forth. But
suppose that this [which thy mother brought forth] implicates thee very
much with that other part, which has the peculiar quality [of change],
this is nothing in fact in the way of objection to what is said.[A]
[A] The end of this section is perhaps corrupt. The meaning is
very obscure. I have given that meaning which appears to be
consistent with the whole argument. The emperor here maintains
that the essential part of man is unchangeable, and that the
other parts, if they change or perish, do not affect that which
really constitutes the man. See the Philosophy of Antoninus, p.
56, note 2. Schultz supposed "thy mother" to mean nature,
[Greek: hê physis]. But I doubt about that.
8. When thou hast assumed these names, good, modest, true, rational, a
man of equanimity, and magnanimous, take care that thou dost not change
these names; and if thou shouldst lose them, quickly return to them. And
remember that the term Rational was intended to signify a discriminating
attention to every several thing, and freedom from negligence; and that
Equanimity is the voluntary acceptance of the things which are assigned
to thee by the common nature; and that Magnanimity is the elevation of
the intelligent part above the pleasurable or painful sensations of the
flesh, and above that poor thing called fame, and death, and all such
things. If, then, thou maintainest thyself in the possession of these
names, without desiring to be called by these names by others, thou wilt
be another person and wilt enter on another life. For to continue to be
such as thou hast hitherto been, and to be torn in pieces and defiled in
such a life, is the character of a very stupid man and one over-fond of
his life, and like those half-devoured fighters with wild beasts, who
though covered with wounds and gore, still intreat to be kept to the
following day, though they will be exposed in the same state to the same
claws and bites.[A] Therefore fix thyself in the possession of these few
names: and if thou art able to abide in them, abide as if thou wast
removed to certain islands of the Happy.[B] But if thou shalt perceive
that thou fallest out of them and dost not maintain thy hold, go
courageously into some nook where thou shalt maintain them, or even
depart at once from life, not in passion, but with simplicity and
freedom and modesty, after doing this one [laudable] thing at least in
thy life, to have gone out of it thus. In order, however to the
remembrance of these names, it will greatly help thee if thou
rememberest the gods, and that they wish not to be flattered, but wish
all reasonable beings to be made like themselves; and if thou
rememberest that what does the work of a fig-tree is a fig-tree, and
that what does the work of a dog is a dog, and that what does the work
of a bee is a bee, and that what does the work of a man is a man.
[A] See Seneca, Epp. 70, on these exhibitions which amused the
people of those days. These fighters were the Bestiarri, some
of whom may have been criminals; but even if they were, the
exhibition was equally characteristic of the depraved habits of
the spectators.
[B] The islands of the Happy, or the Fortunatae Insulae, are
spoken of by the Greek and Roman writers. They were the abode
of Heroes, like Achilles and Diomedes, as we see in the Scolion
of Harmodius and Aristogiton. Sertorius heard of the islands at
Cadiz from some sailors who had been there; and he had a wish
to go and live in them and rest from his troubles (Plutarch,
Sertorius, c. 8). In the Odyssey, Proteus told Menelaus that he
should not die in Argos, but be removed to a place at the
boundary of the earth where Rhadamanthus dwelt (Odyssey, iv.
565):--
"For there in sooth man's life is easiest:
Nor snow nor raging storm nor rain is there
But ever gently breathing gales of Zephyr
Oceanus sends up to gladden man."
It is certain that the writer of the Odyssey only follows some
old legend, without having any knowledge of any place which
corresponds to his description. The two islands which Sertorius
heard of may be Madeira and the adjacent island. Compare
Pindar, Ol. ii. 129.
9. Mimi,[A] war, astonishment, torpor, slavery, will daily wipe out
those holy principles of thine. + How many things without studying
nature dost thou imagine, and how many dost thou neglect?[B] But it is
thy duty so to look on and so to do everything, that at the same time
the power of dealing with circumstances is perfected, and the
contemplative faculty is exercised, and the confidence which comes from
the knowledge of each several thing is maintained without showing it,
but yet not concealed. For when wilt thou enjoy simplicity, when
gravity, and when the knowledge of every several thing, both what it is
in substance, and what place it has in the universe, and how long it is
formed to exist, and of what things it is compounded, and to whom it can
belong, and who are able both to give it and take it away?
[A] Corais conjectured [Greek: misos] "hatred" in place of
Mimi, Roman plays in which action and gesticulation were all or
nearly all.
[B] This is corrupt. See the addition of Schultz.
10. A spider is proud when it has caught a fly, and another when he has
caught a poor hare, and another when he has taken a little fish in a
net, and another when he has taken wild boars, and another when he has
taken bears, and another when he has taken Sarmatians. Are not these
robbers, if thou examinest their opinions?[A]
11. Acquire the contemplative way of seeing how all things change into
one another, and constantly attend to it, and exercise thyself about
this part [of philosophy]. For nothing is so much adapted to produce
magnanimity. Such a man has put off the body, and as he sees that he
must, no one knows how soon, go away from among men and leave everything
here, he gives himself up entirely to just doing in all his actions, and
in everything else that happens he resigns himself to the universal
nature. But as to what any man shall say or think about him or do
against him, he never even thinks of it, being himself contented with
these two things--with acting justly in what he now does, and being
satisfied with what is now assigned to him; and he lays aside all
distracting and busy pursuits, and desires nothing else than to
accomplish the straight course through the law[B] and by accomplishing
the straight course to follow God.
[A] Marcus means to say that conquerors are robbers. He himself
warred against Sarmatians, and was a robber, as he says, like
the rest. But compare the life of Avidius Cassius, c. 4, by
Vulcatius.
[B] By the law he means the divine law, obedience to the will
of God.
12. What need is there of suspicious fear, since it is in thy power to
inquire what ought to be done? And if thou seest clear, go by this way
content, without turning back; but if thou dost not see clear, stop and
take the best advisers. But if any other things oppose thee, go on
according to thy powers with due consideration, keeping to that which
appears to be just. For it is best to reach this object, and if thou
dost fail, let thy failure be in attempting this. He who follows reason
in all things is both tranquil and active at the same time, and also
cheerful and collected.
13. Inquire of thyself as soon as thou wakest from sleep whether it will
make any difference to thee if another does what is just and right. It
will make no difference (vi. 32; viii. 55).
Thou hast not forgotten, I suppose, that those who assume arrogant airs
in bestowing their praise or blame on others are such as they are at bed
and at board, and thou hast not forgotten what they do, and what they
avoid, and what they pursue, and how they steal and how they rob, not
with hands and feet, but with their most valuable part, by means of
which there is produced, when a man chooses, fidelity, modesty, truth,
law, a good daemon [happiness] (vii. 17)?
14. To her who gives and takes back all, to nature, the man who is
instructed and modest says, Give what thou wilt; take back what thou
wilt. And he says this not proudly, but obediently, and well pleased
with her.
15. Short is the little which remains to thee of life. Live as on a
mountain. For it makes no difference whether a man lives there or here,
if he lives everywhere in the world as in a state [political community].
Let me see, let them know a real man who lives according to nature. If
they cannot endure him, let them kill him. For that is better than to
live thus [as men do].
16. No longer talk at all about the kind of man that a good man ought to
be, but be such.
17. Constantly contemplate the whole of time and the whole of substance,
and consider that all individual things as to substance are a grain of a
fig, and as to time the turning of a gimlet.
18. Look at everything that exists, and observe that it is already in
dissolution and in change, and as it were putrefaction or dispersion, or
that everything is so constituted by nature as to die.
19. Consider what men are when they are eating, sleeping, generating,
easing themselves, and so forth. Then what kind of men they are when
they are imperious + and arrogant, or angry and scolding from their
elevated place. But a short time ago to how many they were slaves and
for what things; and after a little time consider in what a condition
they will be.
20. That is for the good of each thing, which the universal nature
brings to each. And it is for its good at the time when nature brings
it.
21. "The earth loves the shower;" and "the solemn ether loves;" and the
universe loves to make whatever is about to be. I say then to the
universe, that I love as thou lovest. And is not this too said that
"this or that loves [is wont] to be produced?"[A]
22. Either thou livest here and hast already accustomed thyself to it,
or thou art going away, and this was thy own will; or thou art dying and
hast discharged thy duty. But besides these things there is nothing. Be
of good cheer, then.
23. Let this always be plain to thee, that this piece of land is like
any other; and that all things here are the same with things on the top
of a mountain, or on the sea-shore, or wherever thou choosest to be. For
thou wilt find just what Plato says, Dwelling within the walls of a city
as in a shepherd's fold on a mountain. [The three last words are omitted
in the translation.][B]
[A] These words are from Euripides. They are cited by
Aristotle, Ethic. Nicom. viii. 1. Athenaeus (xiii. 296) and
Stobaeus quote seven complete lines beginning [Greek: era men
ombrou gaia]. There is a similar fragment of Aeschylus,
Danaides, also quoted by Athenaeus.
It was the fashion of the Stoics to work on the meanings of
words. So Antoninus here takes the verb [Greek: philei],
"loves," which has also the sense of "is wont," "uses," and the
like. He finds in the common language of mankind a
philosophical truth, and most great truths are expressed in the
common language of life; some understand them, but most people
utter them without knowing how much they mean.
[B] Plato, Theaet. 174 D.E. But compare the original with the
use that Antoninus has made of it.
24. What is my ruling faculty now to me? and of what nature am I now
making it? and for what purpose am I now using it? is it void of
understanding? is it loosed and rent asunder from social life? is it
melted into and mixed with the poor flesh so as to move together with
it?
25. He who flies from his master is a runaway; but the law is master,
and he who breaks the law is a runaway. And he also who is grieved or
angry or afraid, + is dissatisfied because something has been or is or
shall be of the things which are appointed by him who rules all things,
and he is Law and assigns to every man what is fit. He then who fears or
is grieved or is angry is a runaway.[A]
[A] Antoninus is here playing on the etymology, of [Greek:
nomos], law, assignment, that which assigns ([Greek: nemei]) to
every man his portion.
26. A man deposits seed in a womb and goes away, and then another cause
takes it and labors on it, and makes a child. What a thing from such a
material! Again, the child passes food down through the throat, and then
another cause takes it and makes perception and motion, and in fine,
life and strength and other things; how many and how strange! Observe
then the things which are produced in such a hidden way, and see the
power, just as we see the power which carries things downwards and
upwards, not with the eyes, but still no less plainly (vii. 85).
27. Constantly consider how all things such as they now are, in time
past also were; and consider that they will be the same again. And place
before thy eyes entire dramas and stages of the same form, whatever thou
hast learned from thy experience or from older history; for example, the
whole court of Hadrianus, and the whole court of Antoninus, and the
whole court of Philippus, Alexander, Croesus; for all those were such
dramas as we see now, only with different actors.
28. Imagine every man who is grieved at anything or discontented to be
like a pig which is sacrificed and kicks and screams.
Like this pig also is he who on his bed in silence laments the bonds in
which we are held. And consider that only to the rational animal is it
given to follow voluntarily what happens; but simply to follow is a
necessity imposed on all.
29. Severally on the occasion of everything that thou dost, pause and
ask thyself if death is a dreadful thing because it deprives thee of
this.
30. When thou art offended at any man's fault, forthwith turn to thyself
and reflect in what like manner thou dost err thyself; for example, in
thinking that money is a good thing, or pleasure, or a bit of
reputation, and the like. For by attending to this thou wilt quickly
forget thy anger, if this consideration also is added, that the man is
compelled: for what else could he do? or, if thou art able, take away
from him the compulsion.
31. When thou hast seen Satyron[A] the Socratic,+ think of either
Eutyches or Hymen, and when thou hast seen Euphrates, think of Eutychion
or Silvanus, and when thou hast seen Alciphron think of Tropaeophorus,
and when thou hast seen Xenophon, think of Crito[B] or Severus, and when
thou hast looked on thyself, think of any other Caesar, and in the case
of every one do in like manner. Then let this thought be in thy mind,
Where then are those men? Nowhere, or nobody knows where. For thus
continuously thou wilt look at human things as smoke and nothing at all;
especially if thou reflectest at the same time that what has once
changed will never exist again in the infinite duration of time. But
thou, in what a brief space of time is thy existence? And why art thou
not content to pass through this short time in an orderly way? What
matter and opportunity [for thy activity] art thou avoiding? For what
else are all these things, except exercises for the reason, when it has
viewed carefully and by examination into their nature the things which
happen in life? Persevere then until thou shalt have made these things
thy own, as the stomach which is strengthened makes all things its own,
as the blazing fire makes flame and brightness out of everything that is
thrown into it.
32. Let it not be in any man's power to say truly of thee that thou are
not simple or that thou art not good; but let him be a liar whoever
shall think anything of this kind about thee; and this is altogether in
thy power. For who is he that shall hinder thee from being good and
simple? Do thou only determine to live no longer unless thou shalt be
such. For neither does reason allow [thee to live], if thou art not
such.[C]
[A] Nothing is known of Satyron or Satyrion; nor, I believe, of
Eutyches or Hymen. Euphrates is honorably mentioned by
Epictetus (iii. 15, 8; iv. 8, 17). Pliny (Epp. i. 10) speaks
very highly of him. He obtained the permission of the Emperor
Hadrian to drink poison, because he was old and in bad health
(Dion Cassius, 69, c. 8).
[B] Crito is the friend of Socrates; and he was, it appears,
also a friend of Xenophon. When the emperor says "seen"
([Greek: idôn]), he does not mean with the eyes.
[C] Compare Epictetus, i. 29, 28.
33. What is that which as to this material [our life] can be done or
said in the way most conformable to reason? For whatever this may be, it
is in thy power to do it or to say it, and do not make excuses that thou
art hindered. Thou wilt not cease to lament till thy mind is in such a
condition that what luxury is to those who enjoy pleasure, such shall be
to thee, in the matter which is subjected and presented to thee, the
doing of the things which are conformable to man's constitution; for a
man ought to consider as an enjoyment everything which it is in his
power to do according to his own nature. And it is in his power
everywhere. Now, it is not given to a cylinder to move everywhere by its
own motion, nor yet to water nor to fire, nor to anything else which is
governed by nature or an irrational soul, for the things which check
them and stand in the way are many. But intelligence and reason are able
to go through everything that opposes them, and in such manner as they
are formed by nature and as they choose. Place before thy eyes this
facility with which the reason will be carried through all things, as
fire upwards, as a stone downwards, as a cylinder down an inclined
surface, and seek for nothing further. For all other obstacles either
affect the body only, which is a dead thing; or, except through opinion
and the yielding of the reason itself, they do not crush nor do any harm
of any kind; for if they did, he who felt it would immediately become
bad. Now, in the case of all things which have a certain constitution,
whatever harm may happen to any of them, that which is so affected
becomes consequently worse; but in the like case, a man becomes both
better, if one may say so, and more worthy of praise by making a right
use of these accidents. And finally remember that nothing harms him who
is really a citizen, which does not harm the state; nor yet does
anything harm the state, which does not harm law [order]; and of these
things which are called misfortunes not one harms law. What then does
not harm law does not harm either state or citizen.
34. To him who is penetrated by true principles even the briefest
precept is sufficient, and any common precept, to remind him that he
should be free from grief and fear. For example:--
"Leaves, some the wind scatters on the ground--
So is the race of men."[A]
Leaves, also, are thy children; and leaves, too, are they who cry out as
if they were worthy of credit and bestow their praise, or on the
contrary curse, or secretly blame and sneer; and leaves, in like manner,
are those who shall receive and transmit a man's fame to after-times.
For all such things as these "are produced in the season of spring," as
the poet says; then the wind casts them down; then the forest produces
other leaves in their places. But a brief existence is common to all
things, and yet thou avoidest and pursuest all things as if they would
be eternal. A little time, and thou shalt close thy eyes; and him who
has attended thee to thy grave another soon will lament.
[A] Homer, II., vi. 146.
35. The healthy eye ought to see all visible things and not to say, I
wish for green things; for this is the condition of a diseased eye. And
the healthy hearing and smelling ought to be ready to perceive all that
can be heard and smelled. And the healthy stomach ought to be with
respect to all food just as the mill with respect to all things which it
is formed to grind. And accordingly the healthy understanding ought to
be prepared for everything which happens; but that which says, Let my
dear children live, and let all men praise whatever I may do, is an eye
which seeks for green things, or teeth which seek for soft things.
36. There is no man so fortunate that there shall not be by him when he
is dying some who are pleased with what is going to happen.[A] Suppose
that he was a good and wise man, will there not be at least some one to
say to himself, Let us at last breathe freely, being relieved from this
schoolmaster? It is true that he was harsh to none of us, but I
perceived that he tacitly condemns us.--This is what is said of a good
man. But in our own case how many other things are there for which there
are many who wish to get rid of us? Thou wilt consider this, then, when
thou art dying, and thou wilt depart more contentedly by reflecting
thus: I am going away from such a life, in which even my associates in
behalf of whom I have striven so much, prayed, and cared, themselves
wish me to depart, hoping perchance to get some little advantage by it.
Why then should a man cling to a longer stay here? Do not, however, for
this reason go away less kindly disposed to them, but preserving thy own
character, and friendly and benevolent and mild, and on the other hand
not as if thou wast torn away; but as when a man dies a quiet death, the
poor soul is easily separated from the body, such also ought thy
departure from men to be, for nature united thee to them and associated
thee. But does she now dissolve the union? Well, I am separated as from
kinsmen, not however dragged resisting, but without compulsion; for
this, too, is one of the things according to nature.
[A] He says [Greek: kakon], but as he affirms in other places
that death is no evil, he must mean what others may call an
evil, and he means only "what is going to happen."
37. Accustom thyself as much as possible on the occasion of anything
being done by any person to inquire with thyself, For what object is
this man doing this? But begin with thyself, and examine thyself first.
38. Remember that this which pulls the strings is the thing which is
hidden within: this is the power of persuasion, this is life, this, if
one may so say, is man. In contemplating thyself never include the
vessel which surrounds thee and these instruments which are attached
about it. For they are like to an axe, differing only in this, that they
grow to the body. For indeed there is no more use in these parts without
the cause which moves and checks them than in the weaver's shuttle, and
the writer's pen, and the driver's whip.[A]
[A] See the Philosophy of Antoninus, p. 72, note.