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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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140 MARCUS ANTONINUS BOOK<br />

is a mot<strong>to</strong> for all schools alike. Stick only <strong>to</strong><br />

the work in hand, and. <strong>to</strong> the <strong>to</strong>ol you have for<br />

doing it.<br />

42 When some piece <strong>of</strong> shamelessness <strong>of</strong>fends<br />

you, ask yourself, Can the world go on without<br />

shameless people ? Certainly Then<br />

not !<br />

do not<br />

ask for the impossible. Here you see is one <strong>of</strong><br />

the shameless, whom the world cannot get on with-<br />

out. Similarly in any case <strong>of</strong> foul play or breach<br />

<strong>of</strong> faith or any other wrong, fall back on the<br />

same thought. When once you remember that<br />

the genus cannot be abolished, you will be more<br />

charitable <strong>to</strong> the individual. Another helpful<br />

plan is,<br />

at once <strong>to</strong> realise what virtue Nature has<br />

given <strong>to</strong> man <strong>to</strong> cope with the wrong. For she<br />

provides antidotes, such as gentleness <strong>to</strong> cope with<br />

the graceless, and other salves for other irritants.<br />

You can always try <strong>to</strong> convert the misguided ;<br />

for<br />

indeed every wrongdoer is really misguided and<br />

missing his proper<br />

mark. Besides what harm has<br />

he done <strong>to</strong> you ? for look none <strong>of</strong> the objects <strong>of</strong><br />

your ire has done anything that can inflict injury<br />

upon your understanding ; yet there, and there<br />

only, can evil or hurt <strong>to</strong> you find realisation.<br />

What is there wrong, pray, or shocking, in the

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