1 Earliest Rome
1 Earliest Rome 1 Earliest Rome
Marcus Aurelius, Communings with Himself I. 6 13.5 A way of life From Diognetus 1 : to avoid idle enthusiasms; to disbelieve the utterances of miracle- workers and magicians about incantations and exorcisms of spirits and suchlike; not to be a quail-fancier or be excited about such things; to put up with frank speaking; to become familiar with philosophy and to listen first to the words of Baccheius, then of Tandasis and Marciam; to write dialogues in childhood; to long for a camp bed and a pelt and the other things which are part of Greek training. 3 1. This section of the Communing? acknowledges lessons he had learned from different influences in his life. Diognetus was Marcus' painting teacher. 2. Baccheius was a contemporary Platonic philosopher; the other two are unknown. 3. I.e. marks of an ascetic philosophical lifestyle. 13.5b Doctrines for a good life In this section (one of the introductory chapters to the second book of Communings) Marcus reviews some of the main elements of Stoic philosophy: providence, fortune, necessity, nature - and the gods. Marcus Aurelius, Communings with Himself II.3 The gods' work is full of providence: the work of fortune is not divorced from nature or the spinning and winding of the threads ordained by providence. Everything flows from the other world; and there is in addition necessity and the well-being of the whole universe, of which you are a part. To every part of nature a good is brought by the nature of the whole, and preserves that nature; the world is preserved as much by the changes of the compound bodies as by those of their individual elements. Let this be sufficient for you; let these always be your doctrines. Put aside your thirst for books, so that you may not die mumbling, but truly reconciled and grateful from your heart to the gods. 13.5c Living with the gods Marcus Aurelius, Communings with Himself V.27 'Live with the gods.' He is living with the gods who continuously displays his soul to them, as content with what they have apportioned, and as doing what is willed by the spirit, 1 the portion of himself which Zeus has given to each person to lead and guide him. And this spirit is each person's mind and reason. 1. The Greek word is 'daimon', the equivalent of the Latin genius. 357
13- P E R S P E C T I V E S 13.5 d The role of the emperor Marcus Aurelius, Communings with Himself VI.30 Take care not to be Caesarified, not to be dipped in the purple dye; for it does happen. So preserve yourself simple, good, pure, dignified, unaffected, the friend of justice, religious, kind, affectionate, strong for your proper work. Strive to continue to be the sort of person philosophy wanted to make you. Revere the gods, preserve people . . . 13.5e On prayer Prayer, Marcus argues, is properly concerned with our own attitudes, not particular benefits or rewards. See further: Rutherford (1989) 200-5. Marcus Aurelius, Communings with Himself IX.40 The gods are either powerless or powerful. If they are not powerful, why do you pray? But if they are powerful, why not rather pray for the gift of not fearing any of these things, or of not desiring any of them, or of not feeling grief for any of them, rather than that any one of them should be absent or present? For surely, if the can co-operate with humans, they can co-operate to these ends. But perhaps you will say: 'The gods put these things in my power.' Then is it not better to use what is in your power with a free spirit than to be concerned with what is not in your power in a spirit of slavery and abjection? And who said to you that the gods did not co-operate with us, even in relation to things in our power? Begin at least to pray about these things and you will see. This man prays:.'How may I sleep with that woman?' You should pray: 'How may I not desire to sleep with that woman?' Another prays: 'How may I be rid of that man?' You should pray: 'How may I not wish to be rid of him?' Another prays: 'How may I not lose my child?' You should pray: 'How may I not be afraid of losing him?' Turn your prayers round in this way and observe what happens. 13.5 f That the gods exist Marcus here provides two answers to a question commonly raised in Stoic philosophy: how can you prove the existence of the gods? See further: Rutherford (1989) 209-12. Marcus Aurelius, Communings with Himself XII.28 To those who ask 'Where have you seen the gods, or from where have you learned that they exist, that you worship them as you do?' First, they are visible even to the eyes; 1 secondly, I have not seen my own soul and yet I honour it. And so too with the gods, I experience their power every moment, from which I apprehend that they exist, and I revere them. 358
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13- P E R S P E C T I V E S<br />
13.5 d The role of the emperor<br />
Marcus Aurelius, Communings with Himself VI.30<br />
Take care not to be Caesarified, not to be dipped in the purple dye; for it does happen. So<br />
preserve yourself simple, good, pure, dignified, unaffected, the friend of justice, religious,<br />
kind, affectionate, strong for your proper work. Strive to continue to be the sort of<br />
person philosophy wanted to make you. Revere the gods, preserve people . . .<br />
13.5e On prayer<br />
Prayer, Marcus argues, is properly concerned with our own attitudes, not particular<br />
benefits or rewards.<br />
See further: Rutherford (1989) 200-5.<br />
Marcus Aurelius, Communings with Himself IX.40<br />
The gods are either powerless or powerful. If they are not powerful, why do you pray?<br />
But if they are powerful, why not rather pray for the gift of not fearing any of these<br />
things, or of not desiring any of them, or of not feeling grief for any of them, rather than<br />
that any one of them should be absent or present? For surely, if the can co-operate<br />
with humans, they can co-operate to these ends. But perhaps you will say: 'The gods put<br />
these things in my power.' Then is it not better to use what is in your power with a free<br />
spirit than to be concerned with what is not in your power in a spirit of slavery and<br />
abjection? And who said to you that the gods did not co-operate with us, even in relation<br />
to things in our power? Begin at least to pray about these things and you will see. This<br />
man prays:.'How may I sleep with that woman?' You should pray: 'How may I not desire<br />
to sleep with that woman?' Another prays: 'How may I be rid of that man?' You should<br />
pray: 'How may I not wish to be rid of him?' Another prays: 'How may I not lose my<br />
child?' You should pray: 'How may I not be afraid of losing him?' Turn your prayers<br />
round in this way and observe what happens.<br />
13.5 f That the gods exist<br />
Marcus here provides two answers to a question commonly raised in Stoic philosophy:<br />
how can you prove the existence of the gods?<br />
See further: Rutherford (1989) 209-12.<br />
Marcus Aurelius, Communings with Himself XII.28<br />
To those who ask 'Where have you seen the gods, or from where have you learned that they<br />
exist, that you worship them as you do?' First, they are visible even to the eyes; 1<br />
secondly, I<br />
have not seen my own soul and yet I honour it. And so too with the gods, I experience their<br />
power every moment, from which I apprehend that they exist, and I revere them.<br />
358
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