Marcus Aurelius Antoninus to Himself - College of Stoic Philosophers

v TO HIMSELF 55
ing, it will make you one of those described
above ;
who indeed are misled by plausible appeals
to reason. Once master the true meaning, and
never fear that it will lead you into neglect of any
social act.'
An Athenian prayer Rain, rain, dear Zeus, 7
upon Athenian tilth and plains.
We should either
not pray at all, or else in this simple, noble sort
We talk of doctors' orders, and say : ^Escula- 8
pius has prescribed him horse exercise, or cold
baths, or walking barefoot. It is the same with
Nature's orders, when she prescribes disease,
mutilation, amputation,
disablement. Just
or some other form of
as doctors' orders mean such
and such treatment, ordered as specific for such
and such state of health, so every individual has
circumstances ordered for him specifically in the
way of destiny. Circumstances may
be said to
fit our case, just as masons talk of fitting
squared stones in bastions or pyramids, when
they adjust them so as to complete a given whole.
The adjustment is a perfect fit. Just as the
universe is the full sum of all the constituent
parts, so is destiny
the cause and sum of all
existent causes. The most unphilosophical recog-