are now become obscure and obsolete; and so the names of men once
commonly known and famous, are now become in a manner obscure
and obsolete names. Camillus, Cieso, Volesius, Leonnatus;
not long after, Scipio, Cato, then Augustus, then Adrianus,
then Antoninus Pius: all these in a short time will be out of date,
and, as things of another world as it were, become fabulous.
And this I say of them, who once shined as the wonders of
their ages, for as for the rest, no sooner are they expired,
than with them all their fame and memory. And what is it then
that shall always be remembered? all is vanity. What is it that we
must bestow our care and diligence upon? even upon this only:
that our minds and wills be just; that our actions be charitable;
that our speech be never deceitful, or that our understanding
be not subject to error; that our inclination be always set
to embrace whatsoever shall happen unto us, as necessary,
as usual, as ordinary, as flowing from such a beginning, and such
a fountain, from which both thou thyself and all things are.
Willingly therefore, and wholly surrender up thyself unto
that fatal concatenation, yielding up thyself unto the fates,
to be disposed of at their pleasure.
XXIX. Whatsoever is now present, and from day to day hath its existence;
all objects of memories, and the minds and memories themselves,
incessantly consider, all things that are, have their being by change
and alteration. Use thyself therefore often to meditate upon this,
that the nature of the universe delights in nothing more, than in
altering those things that are, and in making others like unto them.
So that we may say, that whatsoever is, is but as it were the seed
of that which shall be. For if thou think that that only is seed,
which either the earth or the womb receiveth, thou art very simple.