Latest / Logic Library / 09 - The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius

Transcript

09 - The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius · Logic Library

0:00
He who acts unjustly acts impiously. For since the universal Nature has made rational
0:08
animals for the sake of one another, to help one another according to their
0:12
deserts, but in no way to injure one another, he who transgresses her
0:17
will is clearly guilty of impiety towards the highest divinity. And he too,
0:24
who lies, is guilty of impiety to the same divinity. For the universal
0:30
nature is the nature of things that are, and things that are have a
0:35
relation to all things that come into existence. And further, this universal nature
0:42
is named truth, and is the prime cause of all things that are true.
0:49
He, then, who lies intentionally, is guilty of impiety inasmuch as
0:54
he acts unjustly by deceiving. And he who all soul lies unintentionally inasmuch as
1:03
he is at variance with the universal nature, and inasmuch as he disturbs the
1:07
order by fighting against the nature of the world. For he fights against it
1:12
who is moved of himself to that which is contrary to truth. For he
1:18
had received powers from nature through the neglect of which he is not able now
1:22
to distinguish falsehood from truth. And indeed, he who pursues pleasure as good
1:29
and avoids pain, as evil is guilty of impiety for of necessity. Such
1:34
a man must often find fault with the universal nature, alleging that it assigns
1:40
things to the bad and the good contrary to their deserts, because frequently the
1:45
bad are in the enjoyment of pleasure and possess the things which procure pleasure.
1:49
But the good have pain for their share, and the things which cause pain.
1:55
And further, he who is afraid of pain will sometimes also be afraid
1:59
of some things which will happen in the world. And even this is impiety.
2:06
And he who pursues pleasure will not abstain from injustice. And this is
2:10
plainly impiety. Now with respect to the things toward which the universal nature is
2:16
equally affected, for it would not have made both unless it was equally affected
2:22
towards both. Towards these, they who wish to follow nature should be of
2:27
the same mind with it, and equally affected with respect to pain, then,
2:32
and pleasure or death, and life or honor and dishonor which the Universal
2:38
Nature employs equally. Whoever is not equally affected is manifestly acting impiously. And
2:46
I say that the universal Nature employs them equally, instead of saying that they
2:52
are, they happen alike to those who are produced in continuous series, and
2:59
to those who come after them, by virtue of a certain original movement of
3:02
providence, according to which it moved from a certain being to this ordering of
3:07
things, having conceived certain principles of the things which were to be, and
3:14
having determined powers productive of beings and of changes, and of such like successions.
3:24
It would be a man's happiest lot to depart from mankind without having had
3:29
any taste of lying and hypocrisy, and luxury and pride. However, to
3:35
breathe out one's life when a man has had enough of these things is the
3:38
next best voyage, as the saying is hast thou determined to abide with vice,
3:46
and has not experience yet induced thee to fly from this pestilence, for
3:52
the destruction of the understanding is a pestilence much more indeed than any such corruption
3:57
and change of this atmosphere which sir us. For this corruption is a pestilence
4:02
of animals, so far as they are animals, But the other is a
4:06
pestilence of men, so far as they are Men. Do not despise death,
4:15
but be well content with it, since this too is one of those
4:20
things which nature wills for, such as it is to be young and to
4:26
grow old, and to increase, and to reach maturity, and to have
4:30
teeth and beard and gray hairs, and to beget and be pregnant, and
4:35
to bring forth, and all the other natural operations which the seasons of thy
4:41
life bring. Such also is dissolution. This, then, is consistent with
4:46
the character of a reflecting man, to be neither careless, nor impatient,
4:51
nor contemptuous with respect to death, but to wait for it as one of
4:57
the operations of nature. As thou now waitest for the time when the child
5:02
shall come out of thy wife's womb, so be ready for the time when
5:06
thy soul shall fall out of this envelope. But if thou requirest also a
5:13
vulgar kind of comfort which shall reach thy heart, thou wilt be made best
5:17
reconciled to death by observing the objects from which thou art going to be removed,
5:24
and the morals of those with whom thy soul will no longer be mingled.
5:29
For it is no way right to be offended with men, but it
5:33
is thy duty to care for them, and to bear with them gently,
5:38
and yet to remember that thy departure will be not from men who have the
5:42
same principles as thyself. For this is the only thing, if there be
5:47
any which could draw us the contrary way and attach us to life, to
5:53
be permitted to live with those who have the same principles as ourselves. But
6:00
now thou seest how great is the trouble arising from the discordance of those who
6:04
live together, So that thou mayst say, come quick, o death,
6:10
lest perchance I too should forget myself. He who does wrong does wrong against
6:19
himself. He who acts unjustly acts unjustly to himself, because he makes himself
6:28
bad. He often acts unjustly who does not do a certain thing, not
6:36
only he who does a certain thing. Thy present opinion founded on understanding,
6:46
and thy present conduct directed to social good, and thy present disposition of contentment
6:53
with everything which happens. That is enough wipe out imagination, check desire,
7:04
extinguish appetite, keep the ruling faculty in its own power. Among the animals
7:15
which have not reason, one life is distributed, But among reasonable animals,
7:21
one intelligent soul is distributed, just as there is one earth of all things
7:27
which are of an earthly nature, And we see by one light and breathe
7:31
one air. All of us that have the faculty of vision, and all
7:36
that have life, All things which participate in anything which is common to them,
7:47
all move towards that which is of the same kind with themselves. Everything
7:54
which is earthly turns toward the earth. Everything which is liquid flows together,
8:00
and everything which is of an aerial kind does the same, so that they
8:03
require something to keep them asunder. And the application of force. Fire indeed
8:11
moves upwards on account of the elemental fire. But it is so ready to
8:16
be kindled together with all the fire which is here, that even every substance
8:20
which is somewhat dry is easily ignited, because there is less mingled with it
8:26
of that which is a hindrance to ignition. Accordingly than everything also which participates
8:33
in the common intelligent nature, moves in like manner towards that which is of
8:39
the same kind with itself, or moves even more, for so much as
8:43
it is superior in comparison with all other things. In the same degree,
8:48
also it is more ready to mingle with and to be refused with, that
8:52
which is akin to it. Accordingly, among animals devoid of reason, we
8:58
find swarms of bees, and herds of cattle, and the nurture of young
9:03
birds, and in a manner loves. For even in animals there are souls,
9:09
and that power which brings them together is seen to exert itself in the
9:13
superior degree, and in such a way as never has been observed in plants,
9:18
or in stones, nor in trees. But in rational animals there are
9:22
political communities, and friendships, and families, and meetings of people, and
9:28
in wars, treaties and armistices. But in the things which are still superior,
9:33
even though they are separated from one another, unity in a manner exists,
9:39
as in the stars. Thus the ascent to the higher degree is able
9:45
to produce a sympathy even in things which are separated. See then what now
9:50
takes place. For only intelligent animals have now forgotten this mutual desire and inclination,
9:58
and in them alone the property of flowing together is not seen. But
10:03
still, though men strive to avoid this union, they are caught and held
10:07
by it, for their nature is too strong for them. And thou wilt
10:11
see what I say, if thou only observest, sooner than will one find
10:18
anything earthy which comes in contact with no earthy thing than a man altogether separated
10:24
from other men. Both man and God and the universe produce fruit at the
10:35
proper seasons each produces it. But if usage has especially fixed these terms to
10:41
the vine, and like things, this is nothing. Reason produces fruit both
10:46
for all and for itself, and there are produced from it other things of
10:52
the same kind as reason itself. If thou art able correct by teaching those
11:01
who do wrong, But if thou canst not, remember that indulgence is given
11:07
to thee for this purpose, and the gods too are indulgent to such persons,
11:13
and for some purposes they even help them to get health, wealth,
11:16
reputation. So kind they are, and it is in thy power also,
11:24
Or say, who hinders thee labor, not as one who is wretched,
11:33
nor yet as one who would be pitied or admired. But direct thy will
11:37
to one thing, only to put thyself in motion and to check thyself,
11:43
as the social reason requires. To day, I have got out of all
11:50
trouble, or rather I have cast out all trouble, for it was not
11:54
outside but within and in my opinions. All things are the same, familiar,
12:05
inexperience and ephemeral in time, and worthless in the matter. Everything now
12:11
is just as it was in the time of those whom we have buried.
12:20
Things stand outside of us themselves by themselves, neither knowing aught of themselves,
12:26
nor expressing any judgment. What is it, then, which does judge about
12:31
them? The ruling faculty, not in passivity, but in activity, lie
12:43
the evil and the good of the rational social animal, just as his virtue
12:48
and his vice lie not in passivity but in activity. For the stone which
12:58
has been thrown up, it is no evil to come down, nor indeed
13:03
any good to have been carried up penetrate inwards into men's leading principles. And
13:13
thou wilt see what judges thou art afraid of, and what kind of judges
13:18
they are of themselves. All things are changing, and thou thyself art in
13:26
continuous mutation, and in a manner, in continuous destruction, and the whole
13:33
universe too. It is thy duty to leave another man's wrongful act there where
13:41
it is termination of activity, cessation from movement and opinion. And in a
13:52
sense their death is no evil. Turn thy thoughts now to the consideration of
13:58
thy life, thy life as a child, as a youth, thy manhood,
14:03
thy old age. For in these also every change was a death.
14:09
Is anything to fear? Turn thy thoughts now to thy life under thy grandfather,
14:16
then to thy life under thy mother, then to thy life under thy
14:20
father. As thou findest many other differences and changes in terminations, ask thyself,
14:28
is this anything to fear? In like manner? Then neither are the
14:33
termination and cessation and change of thy whole life a thing to be afraid of.
14:43
Hasten to examine thy own ruling faculty, and that of the universe,
14:48
and that of thy neighbor. Thy own, that thou mayest make it just,
14:54
and that of the universe, that thou mayest remember of what thou art
14:58
a part, and that of thy neighbor, that thou mayst know whether he
15:03
has acted ignorantly or with knowledge, And that thou mayst also consider that his
15:07
ruling faculty is akin to thine. As thou art thyself a component part of
15:20
a social system, so let every act of thine be a component part of
15:24
social life. Whatever act of thine then has no reference, either immediately or
15:31
remotely to a social end. This tears asunder thy life, and does not
15:35
allow it to be one, and is of the nature of a mutiny.
15:41
Just as when in a popular assembly a man acting by himself stands apart from
15:46
the general agreement, quarrels of little children and their sports, and poor spirits
15:56
caring about dead bodies. Such is everything, and so what is exhibited in
16:02
the representation of the mansions of the dead strikes our eyes more clearly. Examine
16:12
into the quality of the form of an object, and detach it altogether from
16:18
its material part, and then contemplate it. Then determine the time the longest
16:25
which a thing of this peculiar form is naturally made to endure. Thou hast
16:34
endured infinite troubles through not being contented with thy ruling faculty when it does the
16:41
things which it is constituted by nature to do. But enough of this.
16:52
When another blames THEE or hates THEE, or when men say about THEE anything
16:56
injurious, approach their poor souls, penetrate within, and see what kind of
17:04
men they are. Thou wilt discover that there is no reason to take any
17:10
trouble that these men may have this or that opinion about thee However, thou
17:15
must be well disposed towards them, for by nature they are friends, and
17:22
the gods too aid them in all ways by dreams, by signs, toward
17:27
the attainment of those things on which they set a value. The periodic movements
17:38
of the universe are the same, up and down from age to age.
17:44
And either the universal intelligence puts itself in motion for every separate effect, And
17:49
if this is so, be thou content with that which is the result of
17:53
its activity. Or it puts itself in motion once, and everything else comes
18:00
by way of sequence in a manner. Or indivisible elements are the origin of
18:04
all things. In a word, if there is a god, all is
18:08
well, and if chance rules do not, thou also be governed by it.
18:17
Soon will the earth cover us all. Then the earth too will change,
18:22
and the things also which result from change will continue to change forever,
18:26
and these again forever. For if a man reflects on the changes in transformations
18:33
which follow one another, like wave after wave, and their rapidity, he
18:37
will despise everything which is perishable. The universal cause is like a winter torrent.
18:48
It carries everything along with it. But how worthless are all these poor
18:53
people who are engaged in matters political, and as they suppose our plain the
19:00
philosopher, all are drivelers. Well, then, man, do what nature
19:06
now requires. Set thyself in motion if it is in thy power, and
19:11
do not look about thee to see if any one will observe it, nor
19:15
yet expect Plato's republic. But be content if the smallest thing goes on well,
19:21
and consider such an event to be no small matter. For who can
19:26
change men's opinions? And without a change of opinions, what else is there
19:30
than the slavery of men who groan while they pretend to obey. Come now
19:37
and tell me of Alexander and Philippus, and Demetrius and Filarum. They themselves
19:42
shall judge whether they discovered what the common nature required and trained themselves accordingly.
19:49
But if they acted like tragedy heroes, no one has condemned me to imitate
19:55
them. Simple and modest is the work of philosophy. Draw me not aside
20:00
to insolence and pride. Look down from above on the countless herds of men
20:10
and their countless solemnities, and the infinity varied voyagings into storms and calms,
20:18
and the differences among those who are born, who live together and die.
20:22
And consider too the life lived by others in olden time, and the life
20:26
of those who will live after THEE, and the life now lived among barbarous
20:32
nations. And how many know not even thy name, and how many will
20:37
soon forget it, And how they who perhaps now are praising THEE will very
20:42
soon blame THEE. And that neither a posthumous name is of any value,
20:48
nor reputation, nor anything else. Let there be freedom from perturbations with ree
21:00
speck to the things which come from the external cause. And let there be
21:04
justice in the things done by virtue of the internal cause. That is,
21:08
let there be movement and action terminating in this in social acts, for this
21:15
is according to thy nature. Thou canst remove out of the way many useless
21:26
things, among those which disturb THEE, for they lie entirely in thy opinion.
21:32
And thou wilt then gain for thyself ample space by comprehending the whole universe
21:37
in thy mind, and by contemplating the eternity of time and observing the rapid
21:42
change of every several thing. How short is the time from birth to dissolution,
21:48
and the illimitable time before birth as well as the equally boundless time.
21:55
After dissolution, All that thou seest will quickly perish, and those who have
22:03
been spectators of its dissolution will very soon perish too. And he who dies
22:11
at the extremest old age will be brought into the same condition with him who
22:17
died prematurely. What are these men's leading principles? And about what kind of
22:26
things are they busy? And for what kind of reasons do they love and
22:30
honor? Imagine that thou seest their poor souls laid bare when they think that
22:37
they do harm by their blame or good by their praise. What an idea
22:45
loss is nothing else than change, But the universal nature delights in change,
22:52
and in obedience to her. All things are now done well, and from
22:56
eternity have been done in like form, and will be done to such time
23:02
without end. What then, dost thou say that all things have been and
23:07
all things always will be bad, and that no power has ever been found
23:11
in so many gods to rectify these things. But the world has been condemned
23:17
to be bound in never ceasing evil. The rottenness of the matter which is
23:26
the foundation of everything, water, dust, bones, filth, or again
23:33
marble rocks, the callosities of the earth, and gold and silver, and
23:37
sediments and garments, only bits of hair and purple dye, blood and everything
23:45
else is of the same kind. And that which is of the nature of
23:49
breath is also another thing of the same kind. Changing from this to that,
24:00
Enough of this wretched life and murmurings and apish tricks. Why art thou
24:03
disturbed? What is there new in this? What unsettles thee? Is it
24:10
the form of the thing? Look at it? Or is it the matter?
24:15
Look at it? But besides these there is nothing toward the gods.
24:21
Then now become at last more simple and better. It is the same whether
24:26
we examine these things for one hundred years or three. If any man has
24:34
done wrong, the harm is his own. But perhaps he has not done
24:40
wrong either. All things proceed from one intelligent source and come together as in
24:49
one body, and the part ought not to find fault with what is done
24:55
for the benefit of the whole. Or there are only atoms and nothing else
25:00
than mixture and dispersion. Why then, art thou disturbed? Say to the
25:04
ruling faculty, art thou dead, Art thou corrupted? Art thou playing the
25:11
hypocrite, Art thou become a beast, Dost thou herd and feed with the
25:15
rest. Either the gods have no power or they have power. If then
25:26
they have no power, why dost thou pray to them? But if they
25:30
have power, why dost thou not pray for them to give THEE the faculty
25:34
of not fearing any of the things which thou fearest, or of not desiring
25:40
any of the things which thou desirest, or not being pained at anything,
25:44
rather than pray that any of these things should not happen or happen. For
25:48
certainly, if they can cooperate with men, they can cooperate for these purposes.
25:56
But perhaps thou wilt say, the gods have placed them in thy power.
26:00
Well, then is it not better to use what is in thy power
26:03
like a free man, than to desire in a slavish and abject way what
26:07
is not in thy power? And who has told THEE that the gods do
26:12
not aid us even in the things which are in our power? Begin then
26:18
to pray for such things. And thou wilt see one man praise thus,
26:22
how shall I be able to lie with that woman? Do thou praise thus?
26:27
How shall I not desire to lie with her? Another praise? Thus?
26:33
How shall I be released from this another praise? How shall I not
26:37
desire to be released another? Thus? How shall I not lose my little
26:42
son? Thou? Thus? How shall I not be afraid to lose him?
26:48
In turn? Turn thy prayers this way and see what comes? Hepicurus
26:59
says, in my sickness, my conversation was not about my bodily sufferings,
27:04
Nor says he, did I talk on such subjects to those who visited me.
27:11
But I continued to discourse on the nature of things as before, keeping
27:15
to this main point. How the mind, while participating in such movements as
27:21
go on in the poor flesh, shall be free from perturbations and maintain its
27:26
proper good. Nor did I, he says, give the physicians an opportunity
27:32
of putting on solemn looks as if they were doing something great. But my
27:37
life went on well and happily. Do then the same that he did,
27:41
both in sickness, if thou art sick, and in any other circumstances.
27:45
For never to desert philosophy in any events that may befall us, nor to
27:51
hold trifling talk, either with an ignorant man or with one unacquainted with nature,
27:56
is a principle of all schools of philosophy. But to be intent only
28:02
on that which thou art now doing, and on the instrument by which thou
28:07
dost it. When thou art offended with any man's shameless conduct, immediately ask
28:18
thyself, is it possible then that shameless men should not be in the world?
28:25
It is not possible. Do then, require what is impossible? For
28:33
this man also is one of those shameless men who must, of necessity be
28:37
in the world. Let the same considerations be present thy mind in the case
28:44
of the nave and the faithless man, and of every man who does wrong
28:48
in any way. For at the same time that thou dost remind thyself that
28:52
it is impossible that such kind of men should not exist, thou wilt become
28:56
more kindly disposed toward every one individually. It is useful to perceive this too
29:03
immediately when the occasion arises that virtue Nature has given to man to oppose to
29:10
every wrongful act. For she has given to man as an antidote against the
29:15
stupid man mildness, and against another kind of man. Some other power,
29:21
And in all cases, it is possible for THEE to correct thy teaching the
29:26
man who is gone astray, For every man who errs misses his object and
29:30
has gone astray. Besides, wherein hast thou been injured? For thou wilt
29:36
find that no one among those against whom thou art irritated, has done anything
29:42
by which thy mind could be made worse. But that which is evil to
29:47
THEE and harmful has its foundation only in the mind. And what harm is
29:52
done, or what is there strange if the man who has not been instructed
29:56
does the acts of an uninstructed man? Consider whether thou shouldst not rather blame
30:03
thyself, because thou didst not expect such a man to err in such a
30:07
way. For thou hast means given THEE by thy reason to suppose that it
30:12
was likely that he would commit this error, And yet thou hast forgotten and
30:17
art amazed that he has erred. But most of all, when thou blamest
30:22
him as a father or ungrateful, turn thyself, for the fault is manifestly
30:27
thy own. Whether thou didst trust that a man who had such a disposition
30:33
would keep his promise, or when conferring thy kindness thou didst not confer it
30:38
absolutely, nor yet in such a way as to have received from thy very
30:44
act all a profit. For what more dost thou want when thou hast done
30:48
a man of service? Art thou not content that thou hast done something comfortable
30:56
to thy nature? And dost thou seek to be paid for it, just
31:00
as if the eye demanded a recompense for seeing, or the feat for walking.
31:04
For as these members are formed for a particular purpose, and by working
31:10
according to their several constitutions, obtain what is their own, so also as
31:17
man is formed by nature to acts of benevolence. When he has done anything
31:22
benevolent or in any other way conducive to the common interest, he has acted
31:26
conformably to his constitution, and he gets what is his own.