“Look within. Within is the fountain of good, and it will ever bubble up, if thou wilt ever dig.”
Let then the ruling principle holding fast to
these things go straight on, and it has what is its own.
56. Consider thyself to be dead, and to have completed thy life up to
the present time; and live according to nature the remainder which is
allowed thee.
57. Love that only which happens to thee and is spun with the thread of
thy destiny. For what is more suitable?
58. In everything which happens keep before thy eyes those to whom the
same things happened, and how they were vexed, and treated them as
strange things, and found fault with them: and now where are they?
Nowhere. Why then dost thou too choose to act in the same way; and why
dost thou not leave these agitations which are foreign to nature to
those who cause them and those who are moved by them; and why art thou
not altogether intent upon the right way of making use of the things
which happen to thee? For then thou wilt use them well, and they will
be a material for thee [to work on]. Only attend to thyself, and
resolve to be a good man in every act which thou dost: and remember….
59. Look within. Within is the fountain of good, and it will ever
bubble up, if thou wilt ever dig.
60. The body ought to be compact, and to show no irregularity either in
motion or attitude. For what the mind shows in the face by maintaining
in it the expression of intelligence and propriety, that ought to be
required also in the whole body. But all these things should be
observed without affectation.
61. The art of life is more like the wrestler’s art than the dancer’s,
in respect of this, that it should stand ready and firm to meet onsets
which are sudden and unexpected.
62. Constantly observe who those are whose approbation thou wishest to
have, and what ruling principles they possess. For then thou wilt
neither blame those who offend involuntarily, nor wilt thou want their
approbation, if thou lookest to the sources of their opinions and
appetites.
63. Every soul, the philosopher says, is involuntarily deprived of
truth; consequently in the same way it is deprived of justice and
temperance and benevolence and everything of the kind. It is most
necessary to bear this constantly in mind, for thus thou wilt be more
gentle towards all.
“To live happily is an inward power of the soul.”
How rotten and insincere is he, that saith, I am resolved to carry
myself hereafter towards you with all ingenuity and simplicity. O man,
what doest thou mean! what needs this profession of thine? the thing
itself will show it. It ought to be written upon thy forehead. No sooner
thy voice is heard, than thy countenance must be able to show what is in
thy mind: even as he that is loved knows presently by the looks of his
sweetheart what is in her mind. Such must he be for all the world, that
is truly simple and good, as he whose arm-holes are offensive, that
whosoever stands by, as soon as ever he comes near him, may as it were
smell him whether he will or no. But the affectation of simplicity
is nowise laudable. There is nothing more shameful than perfidious
friendship. Above all things, that must be avoided. However true
goodness, simplicity, and kindness cannot so be hidden, but that as
we have already said in the very eyes and countenance they will show
themselves.
XV. To live happily is an inward power of the soul, when she is affected
with indifferency, towards those things that are by their nature
indifferent. To be thus affected she must consider all worldly objects
both divided and whole: remembering withal that no object can of itself
beget any opinion in us, neither can come to us, but stands without
still and quiet; but that we ourselves beget, and as it were print in
ourselves opinions concerning them. Now it is in our power, not to print
them; and if they creep in and lurk in some corner, it is in our
power to wipe them off. Remembering moreover, that this care and
circumspection of thine, is to continue but for a while, and then thy
life will be at an end. And what should hinder, but that thou mayest do
well with all these things? For if they be according to nature, rejoice
in them, and let them be pleasing and acceptable unto thee. But if
they be against nature, seek thou that which is according to thine own
nature, and whether it be for thy credit or no, use all possible speed
for the attainment of it: for no man ought to be blamed, for seeking his
own good and happiness.
“Nothing happens to any man which he is not formed by nature to bear”
Such as are thy habitual thoughts, such also will be the character
of thy mind; for the soul is dyed by the thoughts. Dye it then with a
continuous series of such thoughts as these: for instance, that where a
man can live, there he can also live well. But he must live in a
palace; well then, he can also live well in a palace. And again,
consider that for whatever purpose each thing has been constituted, for
this it has been constituted, and towards this it is carried; and its
end is in that towards which it is carried; and where the end is, there
also is the advantage and the good of each thing. Now the good for the
reasonable animal is society; for that we are made for society has been
shown above. Is it not plain that the inferior exists for the sake of
the superior? But the things which have life are superior to those
which have not life, and of those which have life the superior are
those which have reason.
17. To seek what is impossible is madness: and it is impossible that
the bad should not do something of this kind.
18. Nothing happens to any man which he is not formed by nature to
bear. The same things happen to another, and either because he does not
see that they have happened, or because he would show a great spirit,
he is firm and remains unharmed. It is a shame then that ignorance and
conceit should be stronger than wisdom.
19. Things themselves touch not the soul, not in the least degree; nor
have they admission to the soul, nor can they turn or move the soul:
but the soul turns and moves itself alone, and whatever judgments it
may think proper to make, such it makes for itself the things which
present themselves to it.
20. In one respect man is the nearest thing to me, so far as I must do
good to men and endure them. But so far as some men make themselves
obstacles to my proper acts, man becomes to me one of the things which
are indifferent, no less than the sun or wind or a wild beast. Now it
is true that these may impede my action, but they are no impediments to
my effects and disposition, which have the power of acting
conditionally and changing: for the mind converts and changes every
hindrance to its activity into an aid; and so that which is a hindrance
is made a furtherance to an act; and that which is an obstacle on the
road helps us on this road.
“Take away your 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.”
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.
It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live.
Such are life,
health, wealth, power, disease, poverty, and death. Life and death are
all men’s portion. Health, wealth, power, disease, and poverty happen
to men, indifferently to the good and to the bad; to those who live
according to nature and to those who do not. “Life,” says the emperor,
“is a warfare and a stranger’s sojourn, and after fame is oblivion”
(II. 17). After speaking of those men who have disturbed the world and
then died, and of the death of philosophers such as Heraclitus, and
Democritus, who was destroyed by lice, and of Socrates whom other lice
(his enemies) destroyed, he says: “What means all this? Thou hast
embarked, thou hast made the voyage, thou art come to shore; get out.
If indeed to another life, there is no want of gods, not even there.
But if to a state without sensation, thou wilt cease to be held by
pains and pleasures, and to be a slave to the vessel which is as much
inferior as that which serves it is superior: for the one is
intelligence and Deity; the other is earth and corruption” (III. 3). It
is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning
to live according to nature (XII. 1). Every man should live in such a
way as to discharge his duty, and to trouble himself about nothing
else. He should live such a life that he shall always be ready for
death, and shall depart content when the summons comes. For what is
death? “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” (VI. 28).
Death is such as generation is, a mystery of nature (IV. 5). In another
passage (IX. 3), the exact meaning of which is perhaps doubtful, he
speaks of the child which leaves the womb, and so he says the soul at
death leaves its envelope.
Antoninus’ opinion of a future life is nowhere clearly expressed. His
doctrine of the nature of the soul of necessity implies that it does
not perish absolutely, for a portion of the divinity cannot perish. The
opinion is at least as old as the time of Epicharmus and Euripides;
what comes from earth goes back to earth, and what comes from heaven,
the divinity, returns to him who gave it.
How much time he gains who does not look to see what his neighbour says or does or thinks, but only at what he does himself, to make it just and holy.
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.
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 tranquility; and I affirm that tranquility 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 judgement 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.
And if
all men refuse to believe that he lives a simple, modest, and contented
life, he is neither angry with any of them, nor does he deviate from
the way which leads to the end of life, to which a man ought to come
pure, tranquil, ready to depart, and without any compulsion perfectly
reconciled to his lot.
BOOK IV.
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.
The time of a mans life is as a point; the substance of it ever flowing, the sense obscure; and the whole composition of the body tending to corruption. His soul is restless, fortune uncertain, and fame doubtful; to be brief, as a stream so are all things belonging to the body; as a dream, or as a smoke, so are all that belong unto the soul. Our life is a warfare, and a mere pilgrimage. Fame after life is no better than oblivion. What is it then that will adhere and follow? Only one thing, philosophy. And philosophy doth consist in this, for a man to preserve that spirit which is within him, from all manner of contumelies and injuries, and above all pains or pleasures; never to do anything either rashly, or feignedly, or hypocritically: only to depend from himself, and his own proper actions: all things that happen unto him to embrace contentendly, as coming from Him from whom he himself also came; and above all things, with all meekness and a calm cheerfulness, to expect death, as being nothing else but the resolution of those elements, of which every creature is composed. And if the elements themselves suffer nothing by their perpetual conversion of one into another, that dissolution, and alteration, which is so common unto all, why should it be feared by any? Is not this according to nature? But nothing that is according to nature can be evil.
A man's soul doth wrong and disrespect itself first and especially,
when as much as in itself lies it becomes an aposteme, and as it were an
excrescency of the world, for to be grieved and displeased with anything
that happens in the world, is direct apostacy from the nature of the
universe; part of which, all particular natures of the world, are.
Secondly, when she either is averse from any man, or led by contrary
desires or affections, tending to his hurt and prejudice; such as are
the souls of them that are angry. Thirdly, when she is overcome by any
pleasure or pain. Fourthly, when she doth dissemble, and covertly and
falsely either doth or saith anything. Fifthly, when she doth either
affect or endeavour anything to no certain end, but rashly and without
due ratiocination and consideration, how consequent or inconsequent it
is to the common end. For even the least things ought not to be done,
without relation unto the end; and the end of the reasonable creatures
is, to follow and obey him, who is the reason as it were, and the law of
this great city, and ancient commonwealth.
XV. The time of a man's life is as a point; the substance of it ever
flowing, the sense obscure; and the whole composition of the body
tending to corruption. His soul is restless, fortune uncertain, and fame
doubtful; to be brief, as a stream so are all things belonging to the
body; as a dream, or as a smoke, so are all that belong unto the soul.
Our life is a warfare, and a mere pilgrimage. Fame after life is no
better than oblivion. What is it then that will adhere and follow? Only
one thing, philosophy. And philosophy doth consist in this, for a man to
preserve that spirit which is within him, from all manner of contumelies
and injuries, and above all pains or pleasures; never to do anything
either rashly, or feignedly, or hypocritically: wholly to depend from
himself and his own proper actions: all things that happen unto him to
embrace contentedly, as coming from Him from whom he himself also came;
and above all things, with all meekness and a calm cheerfulness, to
expect death, as being nothing else but the resolution of those
elements, of which every creature is composed. And if the elements
themselves suffer nothing by this their perpetual conversion of one into
another, that dissolution, and alteration, which is so common unto all,
why should it be feared by any? Is not this according to nature? But
nothing that is according to nature can be evil.
_Whilst I was at Carnuntum._
THE THIRD BOOK
I. A man must not only consider how daily his life wasteth and
decreaseth, but this also, that if he live long, he cannot be certain,
whether his understanding shall continue so able and sufficient,
for either discreet consideration, in matter of businesses; or for
contemplation: it being the thing, whereon true knowledge of things both
divine and human, doth depend. For if once he shall begin to dote,
his respiration, nutrition, his imaginative, and appetitive, and other
natural faculties, may still continue the same: he shall find no want of
them. But how to make that right use of himself that he should, how
to observe exactly in all things that which is right and just, how to
redress and rectify all wrong, or sudden apprehensions and imaginations,
and even of this particular, whether he should live any longer or no, to
consider duly; for all such things, wherein the best strength and vigour
of the mind is most requisite; his power and ability will be past and
gone.
For outward show is a wonderful perverter of the reason.
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.
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.
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].
As for thy thirst after books, away with it with all speed.
Whatsoever proceeds from the gods immediately, that any man will
grant totally depends from their divine providence. As for those
things that are commonly said to happen by fortune, even those must be
conceived to have dependence from nature, or from that first and general
connection, and concatenation of all those things, which more apparently
by the divine providence are administered and brought to pass.
All things flow from thence: and whatsoever it is that is, is both
necessary, and conducing to the whole (part of which thou art), and
whatsoever it is that is requisite and necessary for the preservation of
the general, must of necessity for every particular nature, be good and
behoveful. And as for the whole, it is preserved, as by the perpetual
mutation and conversion of the simple elements one into another, so
also by the mutation, and alteration of things mixed and compounded. Let
these things suffice thee; let them be always unto thee, as thy general
rules and precepts. As for thy thirst after books, away with it with all
speed, that thou die not murmuring and complaining, but truly meek and
well satisfied, and from thy heart thankful unto the gods.
THE SECOND BOOK
I. Remember how long thou hast already put off these things, and how
often a certain day and hour as it were, having been set unto thee by
the gods, thou hast neglected it. It is high time for thee to understand
the true nature both of the world, whereof thou art a part; and of that
Lord and Governor of the world, from whom, as a channel from the spring,
thou thyself didst flow: and that there is but a certain limit of time
appointed unto thee, which if thou shalt not make use of to calm and
allay the many distempers of thy soul, it will pass away and thou with
it, and never after return.
II. Let it be thy earnest and incessant care as a Roman and a man to
perform whatsoever it is that thou art about, with true and unfeigned
gravity, natural affection, freedom and justice: and as for all other
cares, and imaginations, how thou mayest ease thy mind of them.
“Our life is what our thoughts make it.”
“To the wise, life is a problem; to the fool, a solution”
“Be content with what you are, and wish not change; nor dread your last day, nor long for it”
“He who lives in harmony with himself lives in harmony with the universe.”
“A mans worth is no greater than the worth of his ambitions”
“When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive - to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.”
“The best revenge is to be unlike him who performed the injury”
“The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts: therefore, guard accordingly, and take care that you entertain no notions unsuitable to virtue and reasonable nature.”
“How ridiculous and unrealistic is the man who is astonished at anything that happens in life.”
