1. That which rules within, when it is according to nature, is so
affected with respect to the events which happen, that it always easily
adapts itself to that which is possible and is presented to it. For it
requires no definite material, but it moves towards its purpose, under
certain conditions, however; and it makes a material for itself out of
that which opposes it, as fire lays hold of what falls into it, by
which a small light would have been extinguished: but when the fire is
strong, it soon appropriates to itself the matter which is heaped on
it, and consumes it, and rises higher by means of this very material.
2. Let no act be done without a purpose, nor otherwise than according
to the perfect principles of art.
3. Men seek retreats for themselves, houses in the country, sea-shores,
and mountains; and thou too art wont to desire such things very much.
But this is altogether a mark of the most common sort of men, for it is
in thy power whenever thou shalt choose to retire into thyself. For
nowhere either with more quiet or more freedom from trouble does a man
retire than into his own soul, particularly when he has within him such
thoughts that by looking into them he is immediately in perfect
tranquillity; and I affirm that tranquillity is nothing else than the
good ordering of the mind. Constantly then give to thyself this
retreat, and renew thyself; and let thy principles be brief and
fundamental, which, as soon as thou shalt recur to them, will be
sufficient to cleanse the soul completely, and to send thee back free
from all discontent with the things to which thou returnest. For with
what art thou discontented? With the badness of men? Recall to thy mind
this conclusion, that rational animals exist for one another, and that
to endure is a part of justice, and that men do wrong involuntarily;
and consider how many already, after mutual enmity, suspicion, hatred,
and fighting, have been stretched dead, reduced to ashes; and be quiet
at last.—But perhaps thou art dissatisfied with that which is assigned
to thee out of the universe.—Recall to thy recollection this
alternative; either there is providence or atoms [fortuitous
concurrence of things]; or remember the arguments by which it has been
proved that the world is a kind of political community [and be quiet at
last].—But perhaps corporeal things will still fasten upon
thee.—Consider then further that the mind mingles not with the breath,
whether moving gently or violently, when it has once drawn itself apart
and discovered its own power, and think also of all that thou hast
heard and assented to about pain and pleasure [and be quiet at
last].—But perhaps the desire of the thing called fame will torment
thee.—See how soon everything is forgotten, and look at the chaos of
infinite time on each side of [the present], and the emptiness of
applause, and the changeableness and want of judgment in those who
pretend to give praise, and the narrowness of the space within which it
is circumscribed [and be quiet at last]. For the whole earth is a
point, and how small a nook in it is this thy dwelling, and how few are
there in it, and what kind of people are they who will praise thee.
This then remains: Remember to retire into this little territory of thy
own, and above all do not distract or strain thyself, but be free, and
look at things as a man, as a human being, as a citizen, as a mortal.
But among the things readiest to thy hand to which thou shalt turn, let
there be these, which are two. One is that things do not touch the
soul, for they are external and remain immovable; but our perturbations
come only from the opinion which is within. The other is that all these
things which thou seest, change immediately and will no longer be; and
constantly bear in mind how many of these changes thou hast already
witnessed. The universe is transformation: life is opinion.
4. If our intellectual part is common, the reason also, in respect of
which we are rational beings, is common: if this is so, common also is
the reason which commands us what to do, and what not to do; if this is
so, there is a common law also; if this is so, we are fellow-citizens;
if this is so, we are members of some political community; if this is
so, the world is in a manner a state. For of what other common
political community will any one say that the whole human race are
members? And from thence, from this common political community comes
also our very intellectual faculty and reasoning faculty and our
capacity for law; or whence do they come? For as my earthly part is a
portion given to me from certain earth, and that which is watery from
another element, and that which is hot and fiery from some peculiar
source (for nothing comes out of that which is nothing, as nothing also
returns to non-existence), so also the intellectual part comes from
some source.
5. Death is such as generation is, a mystery of nature; composition out
of the same elements, and a decomposition into the same; and altogether
not a thing of which any man should be ashamed, for it is not contrary
to [the nature of] a reasonable animal, and not contrary to the reason
of our constitution.
6. It is natural that these things should be done by such persons, it
is a matter of necessity; and if a man will not have it so, he will not
allow the fig-tree to have juice. But by all means bear this in mind,
that within a very short time both thou and he will be dead; and soon
not even your names will be left behind.
7. Take away thy opinion, and then there is taken away the complaint,
“I have been harmed.” Take away the complaint, “I have been harmed,”
and the harm is taken away.
8. That which does not make a man worse than he was, also does not make
his life worse, nor does it harm him either from without or from
within.
9. The nature of that which is [universally] useful has been compelled
to do this.
10. Consider that everything which happens, happens justly, and if thou
observest carefully, thou wilt find it to be so. I do not say only with
respect to the continuity of the series of things, but with respect to
what is just, and as if it were done by one who assigns to each thing
its value. Observe then as thou hast begun; and whatever thou dost, do
it in conjunction with this, the being good, and in the sense in which
a man is properly understood to be good. Keep to this in every action.
11. Do not have such an opinion of things as he has who does thee
wrong, or such as he wishes thee to have, but look at them as they are
in truth.
12. A man should always have these two rules in readiness; the one to
do only whatever the reason of the ruling and legislating faculty may
suggest for the use of men; the other, to change thy opinion, if there
is any one at hand who sets thee right and moves thee from any opinion.
But this change of opinion must proceed only from a certain persuasion,
as of what is just or of common advantage, and the like, not because it
appears pleasant or brings reputation.
13. Hast thou reason? I have.—Why then dost not thou use it? For if
this does its own work, what else dost thou wish?
14. Thou hast existed as a part. Thou shalt disappear in that which
produced thee; but rather thou shalt be received back into its seminal
principle by transmutation.
15. Many grains of frankincense on the same altar: one falls before,
another falls after; but it makes no difference.
16. Within ten days thou wilt seem a god to those to whom thou art now
a beast and an ape, if thou wilt return to thy principles and the
worship of reason.
17. Do not act as if thou wert going to live ten thousand years. Death
hangs over thee. While thou livest, while it is in thy power, be good.
18. How much trouble he avoids who does not look to see what his
neighbor says or does or thinks, but only to what he does himself, that
it may be just and pure; or, as Agathon says, look not round at the
depraved morals of others, but run straight along the line without
deviating from it.
19. He who has a vehement desire for posthumous fame does not consider
that every one of those who remember him will himself also die very
soon; then again also they who have succeeded them, until the whole
remembrance shall have been extinguished as it is transmitted through
men who foolishly admire and perish. But suppose that those who will
remember are even immortal, and that the remembrance will be immortal,
what then is this to thee? And I say not what is it to the dead, but
what is it to the living. What is praise, except indeed so far as it
has a certain utility? For thou now rejectest unseasonably the gift of
nature, clinging to something else….
20. Everything which is in any way beautiful is beautiful in itself,
and terminates in itself, not having praise as part of itself. Neither
worse then nor better is a thing made by being praised. I affirm this
also of the things which are called beautiful by the vulgar, for
example, material things and works of art. That which is really
beautiful has no need of anything; not more than law, not more than
truth, not more than benevolence or modesty. Which of these things is
beautiful because it is praised, or spoiled by being blamed? Is such a
thing as an emerald made worse than it was, if it is not praised? or
gold, ivory, purple, a lyre, a little knife, a flower, a shrub?
21. If souls continue to exist, how does the air contain them from
eternity?—But how does the earth contain the bodies of those who have
been buried from time so remote? For as here the mutation of these
bodies after a certain continuance, whatever it may be, and their
dissolution make room for other dead bodies, so the souls which are
removed into the air after subsisting for some time are transmuted and
diffused, and assume a fiery nature by being received into the seminal
intelligence of the universe, and in this way make room for the fresh
souls which come to dwell there. And this is the answer which a man
might give on the hypothesis of souls continuing to exist. But we must
not only think of the number of bodies which are thus buried, but also
of the number of animals which are daily eaten by us and the other
animals. For what a number is consumed, and thus in a manner buried in
the bodies of those who feed on them! And nevertheless this earth
receives them by reason of the changes [of these bodies] into blood,
and the transformations into the aerial or the fiery element.
What is the investigation into the truth in this matter? The division
into that which is material and that which is the cause of form [the
formal].
22. Do not be whirled about, but in every movement have respect to
justice, and on the occasion of every impression maintain the faculty
of comprehension [or understanding].
23. Everything harmonizes with me, which is harmonious to thee, O
Universe. Nothing for me is too early or too late, which is in due time
for thee. Everything is fruit to me which thy seasons bring, O Nature:
from thee are all things, in thee are all things, to thee all things
return. The poet says, Dear city of Cecrops; and wilt not thou say,
Dear city of Zeus?
24. Occupy thyself with few things, says the philosopher, if thou
wouldst be tranquil.—But consider if it would not be better to say, Do
what is necessary, and whatever the reason of the animal which is
naturally social requires, and as it requires. For this brings not only
the tranquillity which comes from doing well, but also that which comes
from doing few things. For the greatest part of what we say and do
being unnecessary, if a man takes this away, he will have more leisure
and less uneasiness. Accordingly, on every occasion a man should ask
himself, Is this one of the unnecessary things? Now a man should take
away not only unnecessary acts, but also unnecessary thoughts, for thus
superfluous acts will not follow after.
25. Try how the life of the good man suits thee, the life of him who is
satisfied with his portion out of the whole, and satisfied with his own
just acts and benevolent disposition.
26. Hast thou seen those things? Look also at these. Do not disturb
thyself. Make thyself all simplicity. Does any one do wrong? It is to
himself that he does the wrong. Has anything happened to thee? Well:
out of the universe from the beginning everything which happens has
been apportioned and spun out to thee. In a word, thy life is short.
Thou must turn to profit the present by the aid of reason and justice.
Be sober in thy relaxation.
27. Either it is a well-arranged universe[4] or a chaos huddled
together, but still a universe. But can a certain order subsist in
thee, and disorder in the All? And this too when all things are so
separated and diffused and sympathetic.
28. A black character, a womanish character, a stubborn character,
bestial, childish, animal, stupid, counterfeit, scurrilous, fraudulent,
tyrannical.
29. If he is a stranger to the universe who does not know what is in
it, no less is he a stranger who does not know what is going on in it.
He is a runaway, who flies from social reason; he is blind, who shuts
the eyes of the understanding; he is poor, who has need of another, and
has not from himself all things which are useful for life. He is an
abscess on the universe who withdraws and separates himself from the
reason of our common nature through being displeased with the things
which happen, for the same nature produces this, and has produced thee
too: he is a piece rent asunder from the state, who tears his own soul
from that of reasonable animals, which is one.
30. The one is a philosopher without a tunic, and the other without a
book: here is another half naked: Bread I have not, he says, and I
abide by reason—and I do not get the means of living out of my
learning, and I abide [by my reason].
31. Love the art, poor as it may be, which thou hast learned, and be
content with it; and pass through the rest of life like one who has
intrusted to the gods with his whole soul all that he has, making
thyself neither the tyrant nor the slave of any man.
32. Consider for example, the times of Vespasian. Thou wilt see all
these things, people marrying, bringing up children, sick, dying,
warring, feasting, trafficking, cultivating the ground, flattering,
obstinately arrogant, suspecting, plotting, wishing for some to die,
grumbling about the present, loving, heaping up treasure, desiring
consulship, kingly power. Well, then, that life of these people no
longer exists at all. Again, remove to the times of Trajan. Again, all
is the same. Their life too is gone. In like manner view also the other
epochs of time and of whole nations, and see how many after great
efforts soon fell and were resolved into the elements. But chiefly thou
shouldst think of those whom thou hast thyself known distracting
themselves about idle things, neglecting to do what was in accordance
with their proper constitution, and to hold firmly to this and to be
content with it. And herein it is necessary to remember that the
attention given to everything has its proper value and proportion. For
thus thou wilt not be dissatisfied, if thou appliest thyself to smaller
matters no further than is fit.
33. The words which were formerly familiar are now antiquated: so also
the names of those who were famed of old, are now in a manner
antiquated, Camillus, Caeso, Volesus, Leonnatus, and a little after
also Scipio and Cato, then Augustus, then also Hadrianus and Antoninus.
For all things soon pass away and become a mere tale, and complete
oblivion soon buries them. And I say this of those who have shone in a
wondrous way. For the rest, as soon as they have breathed out their
breath, they are gone, and no man speaks of them. And, to conclude the
matter, what is even an eternal remembrance? A mere nothing. What then
is that about which we ought to employ our serious pains? This one
thing, thoughts just, and acts social, and words which never lie, and a
disposition which gladly accepts all that happens, as necessary, as
usual, as flowing from a principle and source of the same kind.
34. Willingly give thyself up to Clotho [one of the fates], allowing
her to spin thy thread into whatever thing she pleases.
35. Everything is only for a day, both that which remembers and that
which is remembered.
36. Observe constantly that all things take place by change, and
accustom thyself to consider that the nature of the universe loves
nothing so much as to change the things which are and to make new
things like them. For everything that exists is in a manner the seed of
that which will be. But thou art thinking only of seeds which are cast
into the earth or into a womb: but this is a very vulgar notion.
37. Thou wilt soon die, and thou art not yet simple, nor free from
perturbations, nor without suspicion of being hurt by external things,
nor kindly disposed towards all; nor dost thou yet place wisdom only in
acting justly.
38. Examine men’s ruling principles, even those of the wise, what kind
of things they avoid, and what kind they pursue.
39. What is evil to thee does not subsist in the ruling principle of
another; nor yet in any turning and mutation of thy corporeal covering.
Where is it then? It is in that part of thee in which subsists the
power of forming opinions about evils. Let this power then not form
[such] opinions, and all is well. And if that which is nearest to it,
the poor body, is cut, burnt, filled with matter and rottenness,
nevertheless let the part which forms opinions about these things be
quiet; that is, let it judge that nothing is either bad or good which
can happen equally to the bad man and the good. For that which happens
equally to him who lives contrary to nature and to him who lives
according to nature, is neither according to nature nor contrary to
nature.
40. Constantly regard the universe as one living being, having one
substance and one soul; and observe how all things have reference to
one perception, the perception of this one living being; and how all
things act with one movement; and how all things are the co-operating
causes of all things which exist; observe too the continuous spinning
of the thread and the contexture of the web.
41. Thou art a little soul bearing about a corpse, as Epictetus used to
say (I. C. 19).
42. It is no evil for things to undergo change, and no good for things
to subsist in consequence of change.
43. Time is like a river made up of the events which happen, and a
violent stream; for as soon as a thing has been seen, it is carried
away, and another comes in its place, and this will be carried away
too.
44. Everything which happens is as familiar and well known as the rose
in spring and the fruit in summer; for such is disease, and death, and
calumny, and treachery, and whatever else delights fools or vexes them.
45. In the series of things, those which follow are always aptly fitted
to those which have gone before: for this series is not like a mere
enumeration of disjointed things, which has only a necessary sequence,
but it is a rational connection: and as all existing things are
arranged together harmoniously, so the things which come into existence
exhibit no mere succession, but a certain wonderful relationship (VI.
38; VII. 9; VII. 75, note).
46. Always remember the saying of Heraclitus, that the death of earth
is to become water, and the death of water is to become air, and the
death of air is to become fire, and reversely. And think too of him who
forgets whither the way leads, and that men quarrel with that with
which they are most constantly in communion, the reason which governs
the universe; and the things which they daily meet with seem to them
strange: and consider that we ought not to act and speak as if we were
asleep, for even in sleep we seem to act and speak; and that we ought
not, like children who learn from their parents, simply to act and
speak as we have been taught.
47. If any god told thee that thou shalt die to-morrow, or certainly on
the day after to-morrow, thou wouldst not care much whether it was on
the third day or on the morrow, unless thou wast in the highest degree
mean- spirited; for how small is the difference. So think it no great
thing to die after as many years as thou canst name rather than
to-morrow.
48. Think continually how many physicians are dead after often
contracting their eyebrows over the sick; and how many astrologers
after predicting with great pretensions the deaths of others; and how
many philosophers after endless discourses on death or immortality; how
many heroes after killing thousands; and how many tyrants who have used
their power over men’s lives with terrible insolence, as if they were
immortal; and how many cities are entirely dead, so to speak, Helice
and Pompeii and Herculaneum, and others innumerable. Add to the
reckoning all whom thou hast known, one after another. One man after
burying another has been laid out dead, and another buries him; and all
this in a short time. To conclude, always observe how ephemeral and
worthless human things are, and what was yesterday a little mucus,
to-morrow will be a mummy or ashes. Pass then through this little space
of time conformably to nature, and end thy journey in content, just as
an olive falls off when it is ripe, blessing nature who produced it,
and thanking the tree on which it grew.
49. Be like the promontory against which the waves continually break,
but it stands firm and tames the fury of the water around it.
Unhappy am I because this has happened to me? Not so, but happy am I,
though this has happened to me, because I continue free from pain,
neither crushed by the present nor fearing the future. For such a thing
as this might have happened to every man; but every man would not have
continued free from pain on such an occasion. Why then is that rather a
misfortune than this a good fortune? And dost thou in all cases call
that a man’s misfortune which is not a deviation from man’s nature? And
does a thing seem to thee to be a deviation from man’s nature, when it
is not contrary to the will of man’s nature? Well, thou knowest the
will of nature. Will then this which has happened prevent thee from
being just, magnanimous, temperate, prudent, secure against
inconsiderate opinions and falsehood; will it prevent thee from having
modesty, freedom, and everything else, by the presence of which man’s
nature obtains all that is its own? Remember too on every occasion
which leads thee to vexation to apply this principle: not that this is
a misfortune, but that to bear it nobly is good fortune.
50. It is a vulgar, but still a useful help towards contempt of death,
to pass in review those who have tenaciously stuck to life. What more
then have they gained than those who have died early? Certainly they
lie in their tombs somewhere at last, Cadicianus, Fabius, Julianus,
Lepidus, or any one else like them, who have carried out many to be
buried, and then were carried out themselves. Altogether the interval
is small [between birth and death]; and consider with how much trouble,
and in company with what sort of people, and in what a feeble body this
interval is laboriously passed. Do not then consider life a thing of
any value. For look to the immensity of time behind thee, and to the
time which is before thee, another boundless space. In this infinity
then what is the difference between him who lives three days and him
who lives three generations?
51. Always run to the short way; and the short way is the natural:
accordingly say and do everything in conformity with the soundest
reason. For such a purpose frees a man from trouble, and warfare, and
all artifice and ostentatious display.