Marcus Aurelius Antoninus to Himself - College of Stoic Philosophers
Marcus Aurelius Antoninus to Himself - College of Stoic Philosophers Marcus Aurelius Antoninus to Himself - College of Stoic Philosophers
ii8 MARCUS ANTONINUS BOOK Sensation must see to that. Has impulse or endeavour suffered some check ? Well, without reservation, you if it was therein did reason a wrong ; accept the universal limitation, and forth- with the injury or contravention vanishes. But the freehold of the mind none other may con- travene ; fire cannot touch it, nor steel, nor tyrant, nor slander, nor any other thing ; so long as it abides " poised as a sphere self-orbed." 42 What right have I to vex myself, when I never yet wilfully vexed another ? 43 To every man his own good cheer. Be mine - health in the Inner Self; estranged from no man, and from no vicissitude of men, let me look on everything and accept everything with charitable eye, and use each according to its worth. 44 Harvest the present. Those who prefer pursuit of after-fame do not reflect that posterity will be men just like those who gall them now ; and that they too will be but mortal. And after all what matters to you the rattle of their voices, or the kind of views they entertain about you ? 45 Take me and cast me where you will. There I shall still have my deity within serene, content so long as it can feel and act after the ordering of
vin TO HIMSELF 119 its own constitution. Is change of place any good reason for my soul injuring and debasing itself by cringing, or craving, or cowering, or flinching? What indeed is worth that ? Nothing can befall a man that is not incidental 46 to men ; nor a cow, nor a vine, nor a stone, that is not proper to cows, vines, QT stones. Why chafe then at the occurrence of that which is customary and natural to each ? Nature brings nothing that you cannot bear. If you are pained by anything without, it is 47 not the thing agitates you, but your own judgment concerning the thing ; and this it is in your own power to efface. If the pain comes from inward state and disposition, who hinders you from correct- ing the principle at fault? If however the pain consists in not taking some action which you per- ceive to be wholesome, why prolong the pain ? than yourself bars the way.' ' not act rather than But some obstacle stronger ' Then grieve not ; the responsibility for inaction does not lie with you.' undone.' * But life is not worth living, with the act ' If so, take kindly leave of life, serenely owning the obstacle and dying he dies who succeeds.' even as I
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vin TO HIMSELF 119<br />
its own constitution. Is change <strong>of</strong> place any good<br />
reason for my soul injuring and debasing itself by<br />
cringing, or craving, or cowering, or flinching?<br />
What indeed is worth that ?<br />
Nothing<br />
can befall a man that is not incidental 46<br />
<strong>to</strong> men ; nor a cow, nor a vine, nor a s<strong>to</strong>ne,<br />
that is not proper <strong>to</strong> cows, vines, QT s<strong>to</strong>nes. Why<br />
chafe then at the occurrence <strong>of</strong> that which is<br />
cus<strong>to</strong>mary and natural <strong>to</strong> each ? Nature brings<br />
nothing that you<br />
cannot bear.<br />
If you are pained by anything without, it is 47<br />
not the thing agitates you, but your own judgment<br />
concerning the thing ; and this it is in your own<br />
power <strong>to</strong> efface. If the pain<br />
comes from inward<br />
state and disposition, who hinders you from correct-<br />
ing the principle at fault? If however the pain<br />
consists in not taking some action which you per-<br />
ceive <strong>to</strong> be wholesome, why<br />
prolong the pain ?<br />
than yourself bars the way.'<br />
'<br />
not act rather than<br />
But some obstacle stronger<br />
' Then grieve not ;<br />
the responsibility for inaction does not lie with<br />
you.'<br />
undone.'<br />
*<br />
But life is not worth living, with the act<br />
'<br />
If so, take kindly leave <strong>of</strong> life,<br />
serenely owning the obstacle and dying<br />
he dies who succeeds.'<br />
even as<br />
I
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