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Catalogue / No. 44

Meditations

Marcus Aurelius

PhilosophyRoman 180 69k words

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Contents

1Twelfth Book 2His First Book 3I. Of my grandfather Verus I have learned to be gentle 4II. Of him that brought me up, not to be fondly addicted to 5IV. To Rusticus I am beholding, that I first entered into 6V. From Apollonius, true liberty, and unvariable steadfastness,7VI. Of Sextus, mildness and the pattern of a family governed with 8IX. Of Alexander the Platonic, not often nor without great necessity 9X. Of Catulus, not to contemn any friend's expostulation,10XI. From my brother Severus, to be kind and loving to all them 11XII. From Claudius Maximus, in all things to endeavour to have power 12XIV. From the gods I received that I had good grandfathers,13XV. In the country of the Quadi at Granua, these. Betimes in 14XVII. Whatsoever proceeds from the gods immediately, that any 15I. Remember how long thou hast already put off these things,16IV Why should any of these things that happen externally,17VIII. Whatsoever thou dost affect, whatsoever thou dost project,18X. It is the part of a man endowed with a good understanding faculty,19XI. Consider with thyself how man, and by what part of his, is joined 20XII. If thou shouldst live three thousand, or as many as ten 21XIII. Remember that all is but opinion and conceit, for those things 22XIV. A man's soul doth wrong and disrespect itself first 23I. A man must not only consider how daily his life wasteth 24II. This also thou must observe, that whatsoever it is that naturally 25III. Hippocrates having cured many sicknesses, fell sick himself 26IV. Spend not the remnant of thy days in thoughts and fancies 27V. Do nothing against thy will, nor contrary to the community,28VI. To be cheerful, and to stand in no need, either of other 29IX. In the mind that is once truly disciplined and purged, thou canst 30X. Use thine opinative faculty with all honour and respect,31XI. To these ever-present helps and mementoes, let one more be added,32XIII. If thou shalt intend that which is present, following the rule 33XIV. As physicians and chirurgeons have always their instruments 34XVII. To be capable of fancies and imaginations, is common to man 35I. That inward mistress part of man if it be in its own true 36VI. Such and such things, from such and such causes, must of 37VII. Let opinion be taken away, and no man will think himself wronged.38X. These two rules, thou must have always in a readiness.39XVI. He who is greedy of credit and reputation after 40XVIII. Not to wander out of the way, but upon every motion and desire,41XX. They will say commonly, Meddle not with many things,42XXIV. He is a true fugitive, that flies from reason, by which 43XXVIII. Those words which once were common and ordinary,44XXX. Thou art now ready to die, and yet hast thou not 45XXXII. In another man's mind and understanding thy evil Cannot subsist,46XXXIII. Ever consider and think upon the world as being but one 47XXXIV. What art thou, that better and divine part excepted,48XXXVI. Whatsoever doth happen in the world, is, in the course of nature,49XXXVII. Let that of Heraclitus never be out of thy mind,50XXXVIII. Even as if any of the gods should tell thee,51XXXIX. Let it be thy perpetual meditation, how many physicians who once 52XL. Thou must be like a promontory of the sea, against which 53I. In the morning when thou findest thyself unwilling to rise,54III. Think thyself fit and worthy to speak, or to do anything 55IV. I continue my course by actions according to nature,56V. No man can admire thee for thy sharp acute language,57VIII. As we say commonly, The physician hath prescribed unto this 58IX. Be not discontented, be not disheartened, be not out of hope,59XII. What those things are in themselves, which by the greatest 60XIII. All that I consist of, is either form or matter.61XV. Such as thy thoughts and ordinary cogitations are,62XVI. To desire things impossible is the part of a mad man.63XX. Let not that chief commanding part of thy soul be ever 64XXI. To live with the Gods. He liveth with the Gods,65XXII. Be not angry neither with him whose breath, neither with him 66XXIV. That rational essence by which the universe is governed,67XXVI. Why should imprudent unlearned souls trouble that which is 68XXVII. Within a very little while, thou wilt be either ashes,69XXVIII. Thou mayest always speed, if thou wilt but make 70XXIX. If this neither be my wicked act, nor an act anyways depending 71XXX. Let death surprise rue when it will, and where it will,72I. The matter itself, of which the universe doth consist,73III. Look in, let not either the proper quality, or the true worth 74IV. All substances come soon to their change, and either 75VI. Let this be thy only joy, and thy only comfort, from one 76VII. The rational commanding part, as it alone can stir up 77VIII. According to the nature of the universe all things particular are 78X. If it were that thou hadst at one time both a stepmother,79XI. How marvellous useful it is for a man to represent unto 80XIII. Those things which the common sort of people do admire,81XIV. Some things hasten to be, and others to he no more.82XVIII. Do not ever conceive anything impossible to man,83XIX. Suppose that at the palestra somebody hath all to-torn thee 84XX. If anybody shall reprove me, and shall make it apparent 85XXIII Consider how many different things, whether they concern our bodies,86XXV. Is it not a cruel thing to forbid men to affect those things,87XXVII. If in this kind of life thy body be able to hold out,88XXVIII. Do all things as becometh the disciple of Antoninus Pius.89XXIX. Stir up thy mind, and recall thy wits again from thy 90XXX. I consist of body and soul. Unto my body all things are indifferent,91XXXI. As long as the foot doth that which belongeth unto it 92XXXII. Dost thou not see, how even those that profess 93XXXIV He that seeth the things that are now, hath Seen 94XXXV. Fit and accommodate thyself to that estate and to those occurrences,95XXXVI. What things soever are not within the proper power 96XXXVII. We all work to one effect, some willingly, and with a rational 97XXXIX. If so be that the Gods have deliberated in 98XL. Whatsoever in any kind doth happen to any one,99The Seventh Book 100II. What fear is there that thy dogmata, or philosophical 101IV. Word after word, every one by itself, must the things that 102VI. Let not things future trouble thee. For if necessity so 103VII. Whatsoever is material, doth soon vanish away into the common 104VIII. To a reasonable creature, the same action is both according 105X. As several members in one body united, so are reasonable 106XV. Is any man so foolish as to fear change, to which all things 107XVI. Through the substance of the universe, as through a torrent 108XVIII. An angry countenance is much against nature, and it is 109XX. Fancy not to thyself things future, as though they were 110XXI. Wipe off all opinion stay the force and violence 111XXIV. Out of Antisthenes. 'It is a princely thing to do well,112XXV. Out of several poets and comics. 'It will but little 113XXVI. Out of Plato. 'My answer, full of justice and equity,114XXVII. To look back upon things of former ages, as upon the manifold 115XXVIII. He hath a stronger body, and is a better wrestler 116XXIX. Where the matter may be effected agreeably to that reason,117XXXI. As one who had lived, and were now to die by right,118XXXIII. The art of true living in this world is more like a wrestler's,119XXXIV. Thou must continually ponder and consider with thyself,120XXXV. What pain soever thou art in, let this presently come 121XXXVI. Take heed lest at any time thou stand so affected,122XXXVII. How know we whether Socrates were so eminent indeed, and of 123XXXVIII. For it is a thing very possible, that a man 124XL. Then hath a man attained to the estate of perfection in his 125I. This also, among other things, may serve to keep thee 126II. Upon every action that thou art about, put this question 127IV. What they have done, they will still do, although thou 128V. That which the nature of the universe dotb busy 129IX. Repentance is an inward and self-reprehension for the neglect 130X. This, what is it in itself, and by itself, according to its 131XI. When thou art hard to he stirred up and awaked out of 132XII. As every fancy and imagination presents itself unto thee, consider 133XIV. Remember, that to change thy mind upon occasion, and to 134XVI. Whatsoever dieth and falleth, however and wheresoever it die and 135XVIII. Nature hath its end as well in the end and final consummation 136XIX. As one that tosseth up a ball. And what is a.137XX. That which must be the subject of thy consideration,138XXVIII. Whether thou speak in the Senate or whether thou speak 139XXX. Contract thy whole life to the measure and proportion of one 140XXXI. Receive temporal blessings without ostentation, when they are sent 141XXXII. If ever thou sawest either a hand, or a foot, or a head 142XXXIII. As almost all her other faculties and properties 143XXXIV. Let not the general representation unto thyself of the wretchedness 144XXXVII. In the whole constitution of man, I see not any virtue 145XXXVIII. If thou canst but withdraw conceit and opinion concerning 146XXXIX. That which is a hindrance of the senses, is an evil to 147I. He that is unjust, is also impious. For the nature 148II. It were indeed more happy and comfortable, for a man to 149V. If my present apprehension of the object be right,150VIII. Man, God, the world, every one in their kind, bear some fruits.151X. Labour not as one to whom it is appointed to be wretched,152XIII. The things themselves that affect us, they stand without doors,153XVI. Sift their minds and understandings, and behold what men they be,154XVII. All things that are in the world, are always in the estate 155XX. As occasion shall require, either to thine own understanding,156XXI. As thou thyself, whoever thou art, were made for the perfection 157XXIV. Infinite are the troubles and miseries, that thou hast already been 158XXV. When any shall either impeach thee with false accusations,159XXVI. Up and down, from one age to another, go the ordinary things 160XXVII. Within a while the earth shall cover us all, and then she 161XXVIII. And these your professed politicians, the only true 162XXIX. From some high place as it were to look down, and to behold 163XXX. Many of those things that trouble and straiten thee, it is in thy 164XXXI. To comprehend the whole world together in thy mind,165XXXIII. Loss and corruption, is in very deed nothing else but change 166XXXVI. It is all one to see these things for a hundred of years 167XXXVII. If he have sinned, his is the harm, not mine.168XXXVIII. Either all things by the providence of reason happen 169XL. Either the Gods can do nothing for us at all, or they can 170The Tenth Book 171II. As one who is altogether governed by nature, let it be thy care 172III. Whatsoever doth happen unto thee, thou art naturally 173IV. Him that offends, to teach with love and meek ness, and to show 174V. Whatsoever it be that happens unto thee, it is that which from all 175VI. Either with Epicurus, we must fondly imagine the atoms 176VIII. Now that thou hast taken these names upon thee of good,177X. As the spider, when it hath caught the fly that it hunted after,178XI. To find out, and set to thyself some certain way and method 179XV. In the morning as soon as thou art awaked, when thy judgment,180XVII. So live as indifferent to the world and all worldly objects,181XVIII. Make it not any longer a matter of dispute or discourse,182XXI. That is best for every one, that the common nature of all doth 183XXII. The earth, saith the poet, doth often long after the rain.184XXIII. Either thou dost Continue in this kind of life and that is it,185XXIV Let it always appear and be manifest unto thee that solitariness,186XXVI. From man is the seed, that once cast into the womb man hath 187XXVIII. As a pig that cries and flings when his throat is cut,188XXIX. Whatsoever it is that thou goest about, consider of it by thyself,189XXX. When thou art offended with any man's transgression,190XXXI. When thou seest Satyro, think of Socraticus and Eutyches,191XXXII. What a subject, and what a course of life is it,192XXXIII. Let it not be in any man's power, to say truly of thee,193XXXIV. As he that is bitten by a mad dog, is afraid of everything 194XXXV. A good eye must be good to see whatsoever is to be seen,195XXXVIII. Remember, that that which sets a man at work,196The Eleventh Book 197V. Tragedies were at first brought in and instituted,198VI. How clearly doth it appear unto thee, that no other course 199VII. A branch cut off from the continuity of that which was next 200VIII. To grow together like fellow branches in matter of good 201IX. It is not possible that any nature should be inferior 202XIV. How rotten and insincere is he, that saith, I am resolved to carry 203XV. To live happily is an inward power of the soul, when she is 204XVI. Of everything thou must consider from whence it came,205XVII. Four several dispositions or inclinations there be of the mind 206XX. Remember the fable of the country mouse and the city mouse,207XXI. Socrates was wont to call the common conceits and opinions of men,208XXII. The Lacedaemonians at their public spectacles were wont 209XXIII. What Socrates answered unto Perdiccas, why he did not come 210XXVI. How Socrates looked, when he was fain to gird himself 211XXVII. In matter of writing or reading thou must needs be taught 212I. Whatsoever thou doest hereafter aspire unto, thou mayest even now 213II. God beholds our minds and understandings, bare and naked 214III. I have often wondered how it should come to pass,215VII. All worldly things thou must behold and consider, dividing them 216VIII. How happy is man in this his power that hath been granted 217X. How ridiculous and strange is he, that wonders at anything 218XII. At the conceit and apprehension that such and such a one 219XV. It is high time for thee, to understand that there is somewhat 220XVI. Remember that all is but opinion, and all opinion depends of 221XVII. No operation whatsoever it he, ceasing for a while,222XIX. Cast away from thee opinion, and thou art safe.223XX. Let thy thoughts ever run upon them, who once for some one thing 224XXI. To them that ask thee, Where hast thou seen the Gods,225XXII. Herein doth consist happiness of life, for a man to know 226XXIII. There is but one light of the sun, though it be 227XXV. What a small portion of vast and infinite eternity it is, that is 228XXVII. To stir up a man to the contempt of death this among 229Book I. I "Both To Frequent" (4). Gr. To Mh, C. Conjectures To Me.230Book II. Is Usually Reckoned To Begin. Book Ii Iii. Do, Soul"231Book IV. Xv. "Agathos" (18): This Is Probably Not A Proper Name,232Book V. Xiv. Katorqwseiz (15): Acts Of "Rightness"233Book VII. Ix. C. Translates His Conjecture Mh For H.234Book X. Xxii. The Greek Means, "Paltry Breath Bearing Up Corpses,235Book XI. V. "Cithaeron" (6) : Oedipus Utters This Cry After Discovering