Marcus Aurelius Antoninus to Himself - College of Stoic Philosophers

ix TO HIMSELF 127
momentum to the cosmic ordering of things,
by selecting certain germs of future existences,
and assigning to them productive capacities of
realisation, change, and phenomenal succession.
The truly gentle would pass from among men 2
untainted by falsehood, insincerity, luxury, or
pride : and
next best is, to grow disgusted with
these things before one breathes one's last. Or
can it be, that you are resolved to cleave fast to
evil, and that even experience does not prevail
upon you to shun the pestilence ? For corruption
of the understanding is a pestilence more deadly
far than any distemper or phase
ing atmosphere. 1
animals ;
of the surround-
That is death to animals, as
but this to men, as men.
Contemn not death, but give it welcome ; is 3
not death too a part of nature's will ? As youth
and age, as growth and prime, as the coming of
teeth and beard and grey hairs, as begetting and
pregnancy and bearing of children,
operations of nature, even all that '
as all other
life in its
seasons brings to pass,' even such is dissolution.
Therefore the rational man should not treat death
with impatience or repugnance or disdain, but
2 Lit. fneuma, on which see Introd. p. liv. pp.