Marcus Aurelius Antoninus to Himself - College of Stoic Philosophers

ii6 MARCUS ANTONINUS BOOK
it once more, and coalesce, and resume his con-
tributory place.
35 Each rational being shares (speaking generally)
the attributes of rational nature at large, among
others the following : as rational nature continually
modifies each form of obstruction or resistance,
subordinates it to the scheme of destiny, and so
incorporates it with itself, so too can the rational
being
convert each hindrance into material for
himself, and use it to further his endeavour.
36 Do not let the impression of life as a whole
confound you. Do not focus in one all the
train of possible and painful consequences ;
but as
each trouble comes, say to yourself What is
there here too hard to bear or to endure? and
you will be ashamed to avow it so. And yet
again remember, that you have not to bear up
against the future or the past, but always against
the present only. And even that you minimise,
when you strictly circumscribe it to itself, and
repudiate moral inability to hold out merely
against that.
37 Does Pantheia or does Pergamus still sit
beside the bier of Verus ? Chabrias or Diotimos
by Hadrian's ? Folly ! And
suppose they did,