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Marcus Aurelius Antoninus to Himself - College of Stoic Philosophers

Marcus Aurelius Antoninus to Himself - College of Stoic Philosophers

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v TO HIMSELF 61<br />

man's true end lie in them, nor that which con-<br />

summates the end, <strong>to</strong> wit the good. Were any<br />

<strong>of</strong> these things appointed for man, contempt and<br />

mutiny against them could not be appointed like-<br />

wise ; nor could self- detachment from them be<br />

laudable ; nor, if they were truly goods, could<br />

going short <strong>of</strong> them minister <strong>to</strong> goodness.<br />

Whereas, the more a man deprives himself <strong>of</strong><br />

such things, or acquiesces in such deprivation, the<br />

better he becomes.<br />

Repeat impressions, and your understanding 16<br />

will assimilate itself <strong>to</strong> them ; for the soul takes<br />

the dye <strong>of</strong> its impressions. Steep it then con-<br />

stantly in such sequences<br />

as these : where life is<br />

possible, so <strong>to</strong>o is right life ; you live at court,<br />

then at court <strong>to</strong>o live aright. Or again for<br />

whatsoever purpose each thing is constituted,<br />

there<strong>to</strong> it tends ; and where<strong>to</strong> it tends, there lies<br />

its end ; and where its end is, there <strong>to</strong>o is each<br />

thing's gain and good. It follows that the good<br />

<strong>of</strong> the reasoning creature lies in social action ; for<br />

it has been long since shown, that we are made<br />

for social action. Is it not palpable, that the<br />

lower forms exist for the higher, and the higher<br />

for one another ? And things with breath <strong>of</strong> life

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