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Marcus Aurelius Antoninus to Himself - College of Stoic Philosophers

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144 MARCUS ANTONINUS BOOK<br />

if once regarded as a part <strong>of</strong> interest or else <strong>of</strong><br />

duty.<br />

4 If a man mistakes, reason with him kindly and<br />

point out his misconception. If you fail, blame<br />

yourself,<br />

or no one.<br />

5 Whatever befalls was fore -prepared for you<br />

from all time ; the wo<strong>of</strong> <strong>of</strong> causation was from all<br />

eternity weaving the realisation <strong>of</strong> your being, and<br />

that which should befall it.<br />

6 Be the world a<strong>to</strong>ms, or be it nature's growth,<br />

stand assured first, that I am a part <strong>of</strong> the whole,<br />

at nature's disposition ; secondly,<br />

that I am related<br />

<strong>to</strong> all the parts <strong>of</strong> like kind with myself. First<br />

then, inasmuch as I am a part, I shall not be dis-<br />

content with any portion assigned me from the<br />

whole : for nothing is hurtful <strong>to</strong> the part which<br />

is good for the whole. The whole contains nothing<br />

which is not for its own good ; this is true <strong>of</strong><br />

all nature's growths, with this addition in the case<br />

<strong>of</strong> the world-nature,<br />

that there is no external cause<br />

compelling it <strong>to</strong> generate anything hurtful <strong>to</strong> itself.<br />

Thus in the thought that I am a part <strong>of</strong> such a<br />

whole,<br />

I shall be content with all that comes <strong>to</strong><br />

pass. And, secondly, in so far as I own my rela-<br />

tion <strong>to</strong> the parts <strong>of</strong> like kind with myself, I shall

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