{
\"code\": 200,
\"title\": \"\",
\"content\": \"履行你自己的職責\\n\\n1.宇宙的實質是順從與服從，掌控它的理性本身冇有任何行惡的理由，因為它不邪惡，它不會對任何事物行惡，也不會有任何事物因它而受到傷害。而萬物都是由這個理性產生並由它來完善的。\\n\\n2.不論你是寒冷還是溫暖，睏倦或是精神，遭人指責或是被人讚揚，在死亡的邊緣或是做其它什麼，隻要你是在履行自己的職責，就不要讓這些事對你造成影響。因為這就是生活的一個過程，我們死之前要經曆這一過程，在這一過程中我們做好自己手頭的工作就足夠了。\\n\\n3.看看自己的內心，不要讓任何獨特的品質及其價值離開你。\\n\\n4.所有存在的事物改變得很快，如果萬物是一個整體的話，它們或者幻化為蒸汽，向四周擴散開去。\\n\\n5.那支配一切的理性知道它自己的意願、行動和行動的原材料。\\n\\n6.你報複他人的最好方式就是不要變得和他們一樣。\\n\\n7.從一個社會活動到另一個社會活動的過渡過程中，你能在一件事情上找到快樂與安寧，那就是——想著神。\\n\\n8.支配的原則是產生和轉變自身的原則，它將自己塑造成它現在的樣子以及它想要成為的樣子，它使發生的一切也看起來如它所願。\\n\\n9.每個單獨事物都是遵循宇宙的本質來完成的，因為，它一定不是遵循萬物完成的其他本性——不是從外部領悟的本性，不是在這個本性內部被解讀的一個本性，也不是一個外部的獨立的本性。\\n\\n10.宇宙是一團混沌，或者說一個錯綜複雜的整體，是物質的擴散；又或者，它是統一、秩序和神的意誌。如果宇宙是前者，那麼我為什麼願意滯留在一個事物偶然結合在一起的無秩序中呢？除了最終我將如何化為泥土之外，為什麼我還要在意彆的事情呢？不論我做什麼，我的元素最終都要分解擴散，那麼我為什麼還要感到煩惱呢？但是如果宇宙是後者，我便堅定地崇拜與信任那宇宙的掌管者。\\n\\n11.當你在某種程度上為環境所迫而感到煩惱時，快速地迴歸自己吧，衝動消失之後不再迷失自己，因為通過不斷地練習，你對和諧的掌握就能達到更高的境界。\\n\\n12.如果你同時擁有後母和親母，你應當孝敬後母，但是你還是會不斷地迴歸自己的親母。現在就將宮廷和哲學當作你的後母和親母，迴歸哲學吧，在它那裡得到安寧，通過哲學，你在宮廷中遇到的事情就變得可以容忍了，你在宮廷上也會表現得隱忍。\\n\\n13.當我們麵前擺放著肉類食物的時候，我們得到這樣一個印象，那就是：這是一條魚的屍體，這是一隻鳥或者一頭豬的屍體，同樣地，弗樂納斯酒不過是一點葡萄汁，這件紫袍是用有殼水生生物的血液染紅的羊毛，這就是我們得到的印象，它們到達了事物本身，穿透了其本質，於是我們就看清了它們的本質。我們生活中的行動也應以同樣的方式進行，那些看起來最值得我們讚許的事物，我們應當看透它們的本質，看到它們毫無價值，從而剝去讚美它們的語言的華麗衣裳。因為表象對理智具有很強的扭曲作用，當你最確信你是在做值得你努力的事情時，這就是它最能欺騙你的時刻。可以再考慮一下克拉圖斯對齊諾克拉圖斯的評論。\\n\\n14.大眾欣賞的大部分事物都是最普通的物品，是一些靠內聚力或自然組織結為一體的東西，比方說石頭、木頭、無花果樹、樹藤和橄欖樹。比上麵理性一點的人欣賞的事物則是某個生命原則結合為一體的東西，例如禽群、獸群。那些更受理智支配的人欣賞的則是靠理性的靈魂結合為一體的事物，這並不是指宇宙的靈魂，而隻是在某方麵擁有技能的理智靈魂，或者那些熟知彆的領域的靈魂，又或者僅僅是一個擁有一些堅定追隨者的理性靈魂。一個尊重理性的靈魂，是普遍存在的並適合於政治生活的，它除了以下事物外，不會再在乎任何事情：首要的是，他的靈魂的狀態與活動始終與理性和社會生活相一致；其次，他和他的同類人為了達到這一目的而合作。\\n\\n15．有一些事物迅速地到來，另外一些則迅速地消逝，而即將到來的事物的一些部分也已經不複存在。運動和變化不斷地更新世界，正如不間斷的時間一直在更新著無數個時代。在這流淌的河流中，冇有什麼是永恒的，那些轉瞬即逝的事物，究竟有什麼是值得人們重視的呢？這就像一個人愛上了那飛過的麻雀，但是麻雀卻立馬冇有了蹤影。每個人的生命差不多都是這樣，就像血液蒸發和呼吸空氣一樣。因為事情就是如此，我們每時每刻都從空氣中吸進氣體，然後又吐了出來，整個呼吸過程莫不如此。你在出生時獲得的東西，最終都要變回原來的元素中去。\\n\\n16．植物的蒸騰作用不值得我們在乎，家畜和野獸的呼吸也不值得，通過表象獲取對事物的印象，像提線木偶一般被**之繩擺佈，成群結隊而行，從食物中獲取營養，這些都不是值得我們重視的事，這就好比我們要將食物中無用的部分去除一樣。那麼什麼纔是值得我們重視的呢？是得到他人的讚許嗎？不，我們不應在乎那言語上的諂媚，而來自大眾的讚揚就是一種言語上的諂媚。假設你放棄了這冇有價值的所謂名聲，那麼你究竟應當重視什麼呢？我的觀點是，按照恰當的方式推動自己，並將自己在乎的物件集中在你的職業與技藝都指向的地方。因為每一門技藝的目的都在於此，被創造的事情應當適應它被造時所設定的工作；不論是照看葡萄藤的種植者、馴馬師抑或是訓犬者，都應以此為目標。對年輕人的教育教導也應當有目標，而上麵的內容就是教育教導的價值所在。如果這一點做的好，你將不再追求任何其他東西。你還要重視許多其他的東西嗎？那麼你既不會自由，對自己的幸福也不會感到滿足，也無法剋製自己的激情。因為如若這樣，你必然會感到嫉妒，懷疑他人會將你在乎的那些東西拿走，暗算那些擁有你所在乎的東西的人。渴求這些東西的人必然會完全處於一種憂愁煩惱的狀態中，此外，他一定會常常指責神靈。而尊重自己的心靈並引以為榮，則會使你對自己感到滿意，與社會和諧，與神靈和諧，與神靈和諧指的就是讚頌神靈給予與指示的一切。\\n\\n17．你的上下左右都有元素在運動。但美德的運動卻不在此，它是一種更神聖的東西，它的前進幾乎是我們觀察不到的，它在自己的道路上快樂地行進。\\n\\n18．人們的行為是多麼奇怪啊！他們不會讚賞與自己同時代的人，也不會讚賞生活在自己身邊的人，卻想讓自己被後代稱頌，而那是一些他們從未見過或者永遠不會見到的人，這些人的讚賞竟被看得很重。你的先輩們也冇有讚揚過你，你便因此感到難過，上麵的舉動和這個行為幾乎同樣令人費解。\\n\\n19．如果有一件事你自己完成很困難，請不要認為它是人力完成不了的，但是如果完成一件事對人來說是可能的，而且這件事符合他的本性，那麼想一想，其實你也能做到這件事。\\n\\n20．假設有人在體育訓練中用指甲傷了你的麵板，或者在他衝向你的頭部時使你受了傷。我們不要表現出憤怒，也不要覺得受到了冒犯，在以後的日子也不要懷疑他是一個危險分子；但是，我們會對他有所警惕，隻不過不是將他作為敵人，也不是充滿猜疑，我們隻是安靜地躲開他。在生活的所有其他方麵你也這樣做吧，我們不要在意在體育館裡那些看似敵人的行為。因為，正如我所說的，不帶有任何猜疑或仇恨地躲避開，是我們力所能及的事。\\n\\n21.如果有人能夠向我展示我思想或行動上錯的地方，並使我信服，我將愉快地改正；因為我尋求真理，讓任何人都不會受到傷害的真理。然而，放縱自己的錯誤與無知的人是會受到傷害的。\\n\\n22.我履行我的職責，不會為其他的事物所困擾，因為它們或者是冇有生命的事物，或者是冇有理性的事物，或者是迷失方向不知道自己道路的事物。\\n\\n23.對於那冇有理性的動物和普通的一切的事物，你擁有理性而它們冇有，你要以一種慷慨大方的精神來使用它們。但是對於人類，由於他們擁有理性，你要以一種社會的精神來對待他們。在任何情況下都要向神靈禱告，不要為你花多少時間做這事感到困惑，因為即使隻花三個小時做這件事也是足夠的。\\n\\n24.馬其頓偉大的國王亞曆山大和他的馬伕死後被帶到了相同的地方，因為，他們或者被宇宙的同一個重要原則所處理，或者它們同樣地被分解為原子。\\n\\n25.想一想在一段不可分割的時間段裡，有多少影響身體及靈魂的事情在我們身上發生，這樣你再想想有更多事物甚至是所有事物都在那既是一體的、我們稱之為宇宙的東西中產生和存在，你就不會感到那麼驚奇了。\\n\\n26.如果有人向你提出這個一個問題：“Antoninus”這個名字怎樣寫呢？你說出每一字母時是否感到疲憊厭倦？如果他們生氣了，你是否也會變得憤怒？你是否還會鎮定地繼續說出每一個字母？在生活中你也應該記住，每一個責任都是由若乾部分組成的。你的義務是遵循原則，並且不要被對你生氣的人打擾，也不要向他們表露出你的憤怒，你應當繼續走你的路，完成你前麵的工作。\\n\\n27.不允許人們努力追求他們眼中適合他們本性並有利於他們的事物，那是多麼殘忍啊！當你因為人們犯錯誤而感到惱火時，你就會禁止他們做這些事。但是，他們追求這些事物是因為他們以為這些事物是適合於他們本性並對他們有利的，然而事實並非如此。那麼教導他們吧，向他們展示他們的錯誤所在，不要惱怒。\\n\\n28.死亡是感官印象的停止、是**的終結，是漫無邊際的思想的運動的停歇，是對軀體服務的終止。\\n\\n29.在生活中，當你的身體還冇有屈服的時候，你的靈魂就屈服了，這是個恥辱。\\n\\n塵世的生命隻有一個果實\\n\\n30．你要明白你生下來並不是為了要成為愷撒，你的色彩並不是那種染料染出來，所以你並不會成為愷撒。那麼，你要讓自己樸素、善良、純潔、嚴肅、不做作、有正義感、崇敬神靈、和善、友愛，儘全力去做所有該做的事情。你要不斷努力，使自己成為哲學想將你塑造成的那種人。尊重神靈，幫助他人。生命很短暫，塵世的生命隻有一個果實，那就是虔誠的意誌和社會行為。你的一切行為都要像安東尼烏斯的信徒一樣。總之，你要記住，他的虔誠，他表情的寧靜，他的溫柔，他對虛名的不屑，他對理解事物所儘的努力；他的每一行為都符合理性，一貫如此，他在所有事情上表現出鎮定穩重，他對手頭的每一件事都要仔細地檢查，力求清楚地理解它們；他包容那些不公正地責備他的人，卻不會責備他們；他辦事從不慌忙，他對誣衊誹謗充耳不聞；他仔細審查自己的儀態和行為，不指責彆人，不膽怯，不多疑，不詭辯；在住宿、床、衣服、食物和仆人等方麵，一點點東西就能令他滿足。他勤勞而有耐心。依靠簡簡單單一餐就能夠工作到晚上，除了通常的休息時間，他不會要求任何其他機會來放鬆自己，他對朋友感情堅定並且對他們一視同仁，對於反對自己意見的人給予極大的言論自由，當有人向他展示更好的事情，他是那麼地快樂，他對宗教極其虔誠，卻完全不迷信。你要模仿他全部的品行，這樣你在你最後時刻來臨的時候，就會擁有和他一樣好的良知。\\n\\n31.迴歸清醒的感知，喚回自己吧；當你從睡夢中醒來，意識到剛剛苦惱你的隻是一場夢而已，現在，在你清醒的時刻，你看待這些（有關你的事）應該像你看待那些（夢）一樣。\\n\\n32.我由一個小小的身體和一個靈魂構成。對於這個小小的身體來說，所有的事物都冇有什麼區彆，因為它感覺不到任何區彆。但對於領悟力來說，那些不是它自身活動產物的事物纔是無關緊要的。但隻要是它自身活動的產物，這些產物就在它的控製力之內。然而，在這些事物中又隻有與現在相關的事情才與眾不同，因為，頭腦中將來和過去的活動都是無關緊要的，即使它們是為了現在，也依舊如此。\\n\\n33.隻要手做手的工作、腳做腳的工作，那麼這些工作就都不違反本性。所以一個人隻要做的是人的工作，對於他來說，他的工作也不違反他的本性。而如果這工作不違反他的本性，它對他來說就絕非壞事。\\n\\n34.強盜、弑父者與暴君，他們曾享受過快樂嗎？\\n\\n35.有些工匠使自己在某種程度上適應於那些技藝不佳的工匠，同時他們又堅持著他們技藝的理性（原則），不能忍受放棄這門技藝，你難道冇有看到這些嗎？如果建築師和醫生作為人對自己的理性（他和神靈共通的理性）的尊重程度都比不上他們對自己技藝的尊重程度，那不是很奇怪嗎？\\n\\n36.亞洲、歐洲是宇宙的一角，所有的海洋隻是宇宙的一滴水。阿陀斯山聖山（阿陀斯山位於希臘海岸的哈爾基季基州，雅典以北）是宇宙的一個土塊，現在的時間是永恒中的一個點。萬物都是渺小的、變化的、會腐朽的。萬物都從那裡來，都是由宇宙的統治力量直接演變而成，或者由一係列相繼的變化產生。所以，獅子張開的下顎，有毒的物質，所有有害的物質，比方說荊棘、淤泥等，都是壯觀美麗事物演化而來的。不要認為它們是與你崇敬的事物不同，屬於另一個類彆，你應當形成這樣一個公正的看法，那就是所有事物的本源都是同一的。\\n\\n37．看見了現在事物的人就看見了全部，也看見了在永無止境的時間過去發生的一切和未來將要發生的一切，因為一切事物都屬於同一類彆同一形式。\\n\\n38．經常考慮一下宇宙中萬物的聯絡以及它們之間的相互關係。因為萬物都以某種方式互相關聯，也因此萬物都能彼此和睦相處，按照次序，一事物在另一事物之後出現，而這是由主動運動、互相合作以及物質的統一性引起的。\\n\\n39．對於命中註定的事物，要讓自己適應：那些你命中註定要生活在一起的人，你要愛他們，而且要真正地誠摯地愛他們。\\n\\n40.每一個器具、工具、器皿，如果它做了它被製造時設定的工作，那它就是好的，但是它的製造者並不在它那裡。在自然結合起來的物品裡麵，停留著製作它們的力量，這個力量一直存在於物品內部；那麼，應該更尊重這一力量，你應該想，如果你的生活和行動都以它的意誌為依據，那麼你內部的一切也都會與智慧符合。而宇宙中屬於它的那些事物也都與智慧符合。\\n\\n41.如果你認為不在自己力量範圍內的事物對你有好壞之分，那結果必然是這樣：如果一件壞事發生在你身上或者你失去好的事物，那你會譴責神靈，也會怨恨那些造成你的不幸或損失的人們，或者怨恨那些你懷疑造成這些的人們；其實我們這樣做是不公正的，因為我們覺得這些事物有區彆。但是如果我們隻將在自己力量範圍之內的事物判斷為好的或壞的，那麼你也就冇有理由指責神靈或是對他人抱有敵意了。\\n\\n42.我們都是為了同一個目標在共同努力，有一些人擁有知識和計劃，但另一些卻不知道他們要做什麼，就像睡夢中的人一樣。我想，他們就是赫拉克利特（古希臘哲學家、愛非斯派的創始人）所說的宇宙中發生的事情的勞動者與配合者。但是人們合作的方式也不一樣：那些給予最充分合作的人們，他們也會對發生的不好的事情感到不滿，對試圖反對和進行阻撓的人感到不滿，而宇宙需要這些合作者與配合者。明白自己屬於哪類的工作者，這件事要由你自己來解決，因為萬物的統治者必然會正確地用你，在他眼裡，你既擁有合作者的一部分潛質，也擁有為目標出謀劃策者的一部分潛質。但你不要使自己成為克裡西波斯所說的一個戲劇中刻薄荒唐的角色。\\n\\n冇有人能阻止你按本性生活\\n\\n43.太陽是否承擔了雨的工作，愛斯庫拉皮厄斯是否承擔了果樹（土地）的工作呢？每一顆星星又是怎樣做的呢？它們是不同的，但是它們不也是為了共同的目的在一起努力嗎？\\n\\n44.如果神靈對於我以及註定發生在我身上的事情，已經做出了決定，那麼他們的決定一定是合適的，因為很難想象冇有遠見卓識的神的存在。至於說對我的傷害，他們為什麼會有這一目的呢？這樣做對他們有什麼好處，對神靈保佑的特殊物件——整體會有什麼好處呢？但是即便他們對我冇有做出個彆的決定，至少他們一定為整體做出了安排，在這個總的安排裡麵依次發生的事情，我應當愉快地接受，並對它們感到滿足。但如果他們任何事都冇有決定——相信這一點其實很邪惡，但是如果我們真的相信了這一點，我們就不會祭祀，不會向神靈祈禱或起誓，相信神靈就在眼前並且與我們同在時我們會做的事情，現在全都不去做——但是如果神靈對於有關我們的事冇有做任何安排，我就能夠為自己做出決定，我就能夠探尋有用的事物；那些與自己的構造與本性一致的事物，就是對每一個人有用的東西。我的本性是理性的、社會性的，如果我是安東尼，那麼我的城市與國家就是羅馬；但是作為一個人來講，我的城市與國家就是這個世界。那麼，對於這些城市有用的東西，對我來說也是有用的。\\n\\n45.發生在每一個人身上的任何事情都是為了宇宙的利益：這應該就足夠了。但是繼而你會把這視為一個普遍真理，如果你遵循這一點，那麼對任何一個人有益的東西也就對其他人有益了。但是在這裡，“有益”這個詞表達的是通常所說的意義，它是一箇中性詞，既非褒義，也非貶義。\\n\\n46.正像在競技場和類似的地方上演的情況一樣，不斷觀看同一事物和相同場景使人厭倦，這一點應用在生活的全部也是一樣，因為所有在上與在下的事物都是相同的，它們有著相同的來源，那麼你打算看多久呢？\\n\\n47.你持續思考會發現，所有種類的人、所有種類的追求和所有的國家都消亡了，而你的思想甚至可以追溯回菲力斯遜、菲伯斯、奧裡更尼安。現在把你的思想轉向其他型別的人，轉向我們那個地方，那裡有許多偉大的演說家；那裡有許多高貴的哲學家：赫拉克利特、畢達哥拉斯和蘇格拉底；那裡有許多先代的英雄，以及其後追隨他們的將軍和暴君；除此以外，那裡還有尤多克烏斯、希帕爾克斯、阿基米德等擁有偉大天賦與傲人頭腦、熱愛勞作、多纔多藝並充滿自信的人，他們嘲弄那些看不透生命轉瞬即逝的人們，就像門尼帕斯和與他類似的人。想想這些，再想想他們都早已化為灰塵。那麼這對他們有什麼損害呢，這對完全冇有留下名字的人們又有什麼損害呢？在這裡隻有一件事有很大價值，那就是在真實與正義中度過你的一生，甚至對說謊者和不公正的人也保持友愛和善的態度。\\n\\n48.當你打算行樂時，想想那些生活在你身邊的人的美德，例如某人的勤奮，另一個人的謙遜，另一個人的寬容，以及其他人的好品質。因為生活在我們身邊的人在道德中儘最大可能展現出很多美德，冇有什麼能比這更令人快樂了。因此，我們必須將這些美德擺在麵前。\\n\\n49.你體重隻有那些，不夠300利特內，我猜想你不會因此感到不滿。那麼，你隻能活一些年數卻不能活更長時間，你也不要感到不滿，因為你應對分配給你的東西的數量感到滿足，所以對你生命的時間也感到滿足吧。\\n\\n50.讓我們努力去說服他們（人們）。但是當正義的原則指引我們反對他們的時候，我們就要違揹他們的意誌來行動。如果有人強行擋住了你的道路，你要使自己保持滿足和寧靜的狀態，同時你要利用這些障礙訓練出其他的德性，記住你的嘗試是有所保留的，你不要試圖去做不可能的事。那麼你究竟應該要什麼？這樣的努力應該是你想要的東西。——如果你應該履行的事情被完成了，你就達到了你的目的。\\n\\n50.一個熱愛虛名的人會考慮讓他人的行動對自己有利，那熱愛享樂的人會考慮讓他人的行動對自己的感覺有利，但是有領悟力的人則會考慮讓自己的行為對自己有利。\\n\\n52.對一件事不發表評論，使我們的靈魂不受到打擾，這是在我們能力範圍之內的，因為事物本身並冇有塑造我們想法的自然力量。\\n\\n53.要習慣於做他人的聆聽者，儘可能地用說話者的方式思考。\\n\\n54.那對蜂群不利的東西，對蜜蜂來說也不會是好的。\\n\\n55.如果水手辱罵舵手或者病人辱罵醫生，他們還會聽進彆人的意見嗎？這樣的話，舵手怎能保證船上人的安全，醫生又怎能保證他診視的病患者的健康呢？\\n\\n56.有多少與和我一同來到世界的人已經離開了人世。\\n\\n57.對於黃疸病人來說，蜂蜜是苦的；對於狂犬病人來說，水是令人害怕的；對於孩子來說，球是好玩的東西。那麼我為什麼要生氣呢？錯誤的觀念都比不上黃疸病人體內的膽汁或狂犬病人體內的毒素有力量，你是否會這樣想呢？\\n\\n58.冇有任何人能夠阻止你按照自己本性的理智來生活，冇有任何與宇宙本性理智相違背的事會發生在你身上。\\n\\n59.人們想要取悅的是哪一類人呢？是為了什麼目的，是通過何種手段來取悅他們呢？時間將迅速地掩埋一切事物，而它已經掩埋了多少事物啊！\\n\\n1. 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.\\n\\n2. 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 this 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).\\n\\n3. Look within. Let neither the peculiar quality of anything nor its value escape thee.\\n\\n4. All existing things soon change, and they will either be reduced to vapour, if indeed all substance is one, or they will be dispersed.\\n\\n5. The reason which governs knows what its own disposition is, and what it does, and on what material it works.\\n\\n6. The best way of avenging thyself is not to become like [the wrong doer].\\n\\n7. Take pleasure in one thing and rest in it, in passing from one social act to another social act, thinking of God.\\n\\n8. 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.\\n\\n9. 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 (xi. 1; vi. 40; viii. 50).\\n\\n10. 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).\\n\\n11. 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.\\n\\n12. 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 step-mother 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.\\n\\n13. 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.\\n\\n14. 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 conformable to reason and social life, and he co-operates to this end with those who are of the same kind as himself.\\n\\n15. 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.\\n\\n16. 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 horse-breaker, 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 honour 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.\\n\\n17. 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.\\n\\n18. 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.\\n\\n19. 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.\\n\\n20. In the gymnastic exercises suppose that a man has torn thee with his nails, and by dashing against thy head has inflicted a wound. Well, we neither show any signs of vexation, nor are we offended, nor do we suspect him afterward as a treacherous fellow; and yet we are on our guard against him, not however as an enemy, nor yet with suspicion, but we quietly get out of his way. Something like this let thy behaviour 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.\\n\\n21. If any man is able to convince me and show me that I do not think or act right, I will gladly change; for I seek the truth by which no man was ever injured. But he is injured who abides in his error and ignorance.\\n\\n22. 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.\\n\\n23. 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 toward 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.\\n\\n24. 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.\\n\\n25. 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.\\n\\n26. 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 toward those who are angry with thee to go on thy way and finish that which is set before thee.\\n\\n27. 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 toward 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.\\n\\n28. 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).\\n\\n29. It is a shame for the soul to be first to give way in this life, when thy body does not give way.\\n\\n30. 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 worshiper 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, not even requiring to relieve himself by any evacuations except at the usual hour; 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 (i, 16).\\n\\n31. 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].\\n\\n32. I consist of a little body and soul. Now to this little body all things are indifferent, for it is not able to perceive differences. But to the understanding those things only are 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.\\n\\n33. Neither the labour 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 labour contrary to nature, so long as it does the things of a man. But if the labour is not contrary to his nature, neither is it an evil to him.\\n\\n34. How many pleasures have been enjoyed by robbers, patricides, tyrants.\\n\\n35. 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?\\n\\n36. 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 proceeding 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).\\n\\n37. 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.\\n\\n38. 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).\\n\\n39. 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.\\n\\n40. Every instrument, too, 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.\\n\\n41. 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 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.\\n\\n42. 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 labourers 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 labours conduce to one end. But be not thou such a part as the mean and ridiculous verse in the play, which Chrysippus speaks of.\\n\\n43. Does the sun undertake to do the work of the rain, or ?sculapius 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?\\n\\n44. 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.\\n\\n45. 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.\\n\\n46. 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?\\n\\n47. Think continually that all kinds of men and 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 labour, 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.\\n\\n48. 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.\\n\\n49. Thou art not dissatisfied, I suppose, because thou weighest only so many litre 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.\\n\\n50. 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 using force stands in thy way, betake thyself to contentment and tranquillity, and at the same time employ the hindrance toward 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.\\n\\n51. 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.\\n\\n52. 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.\\n\\n53. Accustom thyself to attend carefully to what is said by another, and as much as it is possible, be in the speaker’s mind.\\n\\n54. That which is not good for the swarm, neither is it good for the bee.\\n\\n55. 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?\\n\\n56. How many together with whom I came into the world are already gone out of it.\\n\\n57. 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?\\n\\n58. 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.\\n\\n59. 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.\\n\\n\"
}