Marcus Aurelius Antoninus to Himself - College of Stoic Philosophers

62 MARCUS ANTONINUS BOOK
are higher than things without ; and things with
reason than with breath alone.
17 Pursuit of the impossible is idiotcy ; yet for the
worthless to abstain from such pursuit is impossible.
18 Whatever comes upon a man, nature has
formed him to bear. The same trials befall
another ; from ignorance of what has happened,
or for show of superiority, he stands stedfast and
undemoralised. What !
placency more strong !
ignorance and self-com-
than wisdom For shame !
19 Things material cannot touch the soul in anyway
whatever, nor find entrance there, nor have power to
sway or move it. Soul is self-swayed, self-moved ;
and soul modifies the objects upon which it plays
into accord with the judgments. which it approves.
20 In one respect man stands to us in the closest
of all relations we must do good to them and bear
with them. But in so far as individuals obstruct
my proper action, man falls into the category of
things indifferent, just
wild beast. They may
as much as sun or wind or
indeed contravene some
particular action, but inner impulse and disposition
they cannot contravene, for these are subject to
reservation and also have inner modifying power.
For the understanding modifies and converts every