1. The substance of the universe is obedient and compliant; and the
reason which governs it has in itself no cause 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.
2. 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 of or praised; and whether dying or doing
something else. For it is one of the acts of life, this act by which we
die: it is sufficient then in this act also to do well what we have in
hand (vi. 22, 28).
3. Look within. Let neither the peculiar quality of anything nor its
value escape thee.
4. All existing things soon change, and they will either be reduced to
vapor, if indeed all substance is one, or they will be dispersed.
5. The reason which governs knows what its own disposition is, and what
it does, and on what material it works.
6. The best way of avenging thyself is not to become like [the wrong-
doer].
7. Take pleasure in one thing and rest in it, in passing from one
social act to another social act, thinking of God.
8. 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 appear to itself to be such as it wills.
9. 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 (XL 1; VI. 40; VIII. 50).
10. 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 and 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 (IV. 27).
11. 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.
12. If thou hadst a step-mother and a mother at the same time, thou
wouldst be dutiful to thy step-mother, but still 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.
13. When we have meat before us and 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 Falernian is only a
little grape-juice, and this purple robe some sheep’s wool dyed with
the blood of a shell-fish: 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.
14. 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 a 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, but rational 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, a soul 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 activity comformable to reason and social
life, and he co-operates to this end with those who are of the same
kind as himself.
15. Some things are hurrying into existence, and 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,
just 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 has 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. For
such as it is to have once 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 element from which thou didst
first draw it.
16. Neither is transpiration, as in plants, a thing to be valued, nor
respiration, as in domesticated animals and 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 and
parting with the useless part of our 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 a 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; and both the
vine planter who looks after the vine, and the horsebreaker, and he who
trains the dog, seek this end. But the education and the teaching of
youth aim at something. In 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 be
neither 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 in agreement with the gods, that is, praising
all that they give and have ordered.
17. 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.
18. 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 ever will see, this
they set much value on. But this is very much the same as if thou
shouldst be grieved because those who have lived before thee did not
praise thee.
19. 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.
20. 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 afterwards as a treacherous fellow; and yet we are on our
guard against him, not however as an enemy, nor yet with suspicion, but
we quietly get out of his way. Something like this let thy behavior be
in all the 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 nor hatred.
21. If any man is able to convince me and show me that I do not think
or act rightly, 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.
22. 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.
23. 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 a 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.
24. Alexander the Macedonian and his groom by death were brought to the
same state; for either they were received among the same seminal
principles of the universe, or they were alike dispersed among the
atoms.
25. 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 wilt not wonder if many more things, or rather all
things which come into existence in that which is the one and all,
which we call Cosmos, exist in it at the same time.
26. If any man should propose to thee the question, how the name
Antoninus is written, wouldst thou with a straining of the voice utter
each letter? What then if they grow angry, wilt thou be angry too? Wilt
thou not go on with composure and number every letter? Just so then in
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.
27. How cruel it is not to allow men to strive after the things which
appear to them to be suitable to their nature and profitable! And 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 things
because they suppose them to be suitable to their nature and profitable
to them.—But it is not so.—Teach them then, and show them without being
angry.
28. Death is a cessation of the impressions 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
(II. 12).
29. It is a shame for the soul to be first to give way in this life,
when thy body does not give way.
30. Take care that thou art not made into a Caesar, that thou art not
dyed with this dye; for such things happen. Keep thyself then simple,
good, pure, serious, free from affectation, a friend of justice, a
worshipper of the gods, kind, affectionate, strenuous in all proper
acts. Strive to continue to be such as philosophy wished to make thee.
Reverence the gods, and help men. Short is life. There is only one
fruit of this terrene life,—a pious disposition 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
carefully examined it and clearly understood it; and how he bore with
those who blamed him unjustly without blaming them in return; how he
did nothing in a hurry; and how he 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 a sophist; 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; and his firmness and
uniformity in his friendships; and how he tolerated freedom of speech
in 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 mayest have as good a
conscience, when thy last hour comes, as he had.
31. Return to thy sober senses and call thyself back; and when thou
hast roused thyself from sleep and hast perceived that they were only
dreams which troubled thee, now in thy waking hours look at these [the
things about thee] as thou didst look at those [the dreams].
32. I consist of a little body and a 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 indifferent which are not
the works of its own activity. But whatever things are the works of its
own activity, all these 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.
33. 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 and the
hand the hand’s. So then neither to a man as a man is his labor
contrary to nature, so long as it does the things of a man. But if the
labor is not contrary to his nature, neither is it an evil to him.
34. How many pleasures have been enjoyed by robbers, patricides,
tyrants.
35. Dost thou not see how the handicraftsmen accommodate themselves up
to a certain point to those who 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 physician shall have more respect to the reason [the
principles] of their own arts than man to his own reason, which is
common to him and the gods?
36. Asia, Europe, are corners of the universe; all the sea a drop in
the universe; Athos a little clod of 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 preceding or by way of sequence. And accordingly the lion’s
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
then imagine that they are of another kind from that which thou dost
venerate, but form a just opinion of the source of all (VII. 75).
37. 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.
38. 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 conspiration and the unity of
the substance (ix. 1).
39. Adapt thyself to the things with which thy lot has been cast: and
the men among whom thou hast received thy portion, love them, but do it
truly [sincerely].
40. Every instrument, tool, vessel, if it does that for which it has
been made, is well, and yet he who made it is not there. But in the
things which are held together by nature there is within, and there
abides in, them the power which made them; wherefore the more is it 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.
41. 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 befall thee, or the loss of such a good thing, thou
wilt not 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 these 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
fault with God or standing in a hostile attitude to man.
42. 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 Heraclitus, I think, who says that they are
laborers and co-operators in the things which take place in the
universe. But men co-operate 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 had 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 Chrysippus speaks of.
43. Does the sun undertake to do the work of the rain, or Aesculapius
the work of the Fruit-bearer [the earth]? And how is it with respect to
each of the stars, are they not different and yet they work together to
the same end?
44. 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 determine about none
of the things which concern us, I am able to determine about myself,
and I can inquire about that which is useful; and that is useful to
every man which is conformable to his own constitution and nature. But
my nature is rational and social; and my city and country, so far as I
am Antoninus, 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.
45. Whatever happens to every man, this is for the interest of the
universal: this might be sufficient. But further thou wilt observe this
also as 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 said of things of the
middle kind [neither good nor bad].
46. As it happens to thee in the amphitheatre and 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?
47. Think continually that all kinds of men and men of all kinds of
pursuits and of all nations are dead, so that thy thoughts come down
even to Philistion and Phoebus and Origanion. Now turn thy thoughts to
the other kinds [of men]. To that place then we must remove, where
there are so many great orators, and so many noble philosophers,
Heraclitus, Pythagoras, Socrates; so many heroes of former days, and so
many generals after them, and tyrants; besides these, Eudoxus,
Hipparchus, Archimedes, and other men of acute natural talents, great
minds, lovers of labor, versatile, confident, mockers even of the
perishable and ephemeral life of man, as Menippus 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 a benevolent disposition even to liars
and unjust men.
48. When thou wishest to delight thyself, think of the virtues of those
who live with thee; for instance, the activity of one, and the modesty
of another, and the liberality of a third, and some other good quality
of a fourth. For nothing delights so much as the examples of the
virtues, when they are exhibited in the morals of those who live with
us and present themselves in abundance, as far as is possible.
Wherefore we must keep them before us.
49. Thou art not dissatisfied, I suppose, because thou weighest only so
many litrae 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.
50. Let us try to persuade them [men]. But act even against their will,
when the principles of justice lead that way. If however any man by
using force stands in thy way, betake thyself to contentment and
tranquillity, and at the same time employ the hindrance towards the
exercise of some other virtue; and remember that thy attempt was with a
reservation [conditionally], that thou didst not desire to do
impossibilities. What then didst thou desire?—Some such effort as
this.—But thou attainest thy object, if the things to which thou wast
moved are [not] accomplished.
51. 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.
52. 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 our judgments.
53. Accustom thyself to attend carefully to what is said by another,
and as much as it is possible, be in the speaker’s mind.
54. That which is not good for the swarm, neither is it good for the
bee.
55. If sailors abused the helmsman, or the sick the doctor, would they
listen to anybody else; or how could the helmsman secure the safety of
those in the ship, or the doctor the health of those whom he attends?
56. How many together with whom I came into the world are already gone
out of it.
57. 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 jaundiced or the poison in him who is
bitten by a mad dog?
58. No man will hinder thee from living according to the reason of thy
own nature: nothing will happen to thee contrary to the reason of the
universal nature.
59. What kind of people are those whom men wish to please, and for what
objects, and by what kind of acts? How soon will time cover all things,
and how many it has covered already.