Category: Marcus Aurelius Meditations

Wipe off all idle fancies, and say unto thyself incessantly;

Now if I will, it is in my power to keep out of this my soul all wickedness, all lust, and concupiscences, all trouble and confusion.

But on the contrary to behold and consider all things according to their true nature, and to carry myself towards everything according to its true worth.

Remember then this thy power that nature hath given thee.

What pain soever thou art in,

let this presently come to thy mind;

that it is not a thing whereof thou needest to be ashamed, neither is it a thing whereby thy understanding, that hath the government of all, can be made worse.

For neither in regard of the substance of it, nor in regard of the end of it (which is, to intend the common good) can it alter and corrupt it.

This also of Epicurus mayst thou in most pains find some help of, that it is ‘neither intolerable, nor eternal;’ so thou keep thyself to the true bounds and limits of reason and give not way to opinion.

This also thou must consider, that many things there be, which oftentimes unsensibly trouble and vex thee,

as not armed against them with patience, because they go not ordinarily under the name of pains,

which in very deed are of the same nature as pain; as to slumber unquietly, to suffer heat, to want appetite: when therefore any of these things make thee discontented, check thyself with these words:

Now hath pain given thee the foil; thy courage hath failed thee.

The art of true living in this world is more like a wrestler’s, than a dancer’s practice.

For in this they both agree, to teach a man whatsoever falls upon him, that he may be ready for it,

AND THAT NOTHING MAY CAST HIM DOWN.

Thou must use thyself also to keep thy body fixed and steady; free from all loose fluctuant either motion, or posture.

And as upon thy face and looks, thy mind hath easily power over them to keep them to that which is grave and decent; so let it challenge the same power over the whole body also.

But so observe all things in this kind, as that it be without any manner of affectation.

Look not about upon other men’s minds and understandings; but look right on forwards whither nature, both that of the universe, in those things that happen unto thee; and thine in particular, in those things that are done by thee: doth lead, and direct thee.

Now every one is bound to do that, which is consequent and agreeable to that end which by his true natural constitution he was ordained unto.

As for all other things, they are ordained for the use of reasonable creatures: as in all things we see that, that which is worse and inferior, is made for that which is better.

Reasonable creatures, they are ordained one for another.

That therefore which is chief in every man’s constitution, is, that he intend the common good.

The second is, that he yield not to any lusts and motions of the flesh.

For it is the part and privilege of the reasonable and intellective faculty, that she can so bound herself, as that neither the sensitive, nor the appetitive faculties, may not anyways prevail upon her.

For both these are brutish. And therefore over both she challengeth mastery, and cannot anyways endure, if in her right temper, to be subject unto either. And this indeed most justly. For by nature she was ordained to command all in the body.

The third thing proper to man by his constitution, is, to avoid all rashness and precipitancy; and not to be subject to error.

To these things then, let the mind apply herself and go straight on, without any distraction about other things, and she hath her end, and by consequent her happiness.

He hath a stronger body, and is a better wrestler than I.

What then? Is he more bountiful? Is he more modest?

Doth he bear all adverse chances with more equanimity: or with his neighbor’s offences with more meekness and gentleness than I?

It is a princely thing to do well, and to be ill-spoken of.

It is a shameful thing that the face should be subject unto the mind, to be put into what shape it will, and to be dressed by it as it will;

And that the mind should not bestow so much care upon herself, as to fashion herself, and to dress herself as best becometh her.

All things (saith he) are by certain order and appointment. And what if the elements only.

It will suffice to remember, that all things in general are by certain order and appointment: or if it be but few.

And as concerning death, that either dispersion, or the atoms, or annihilation, or extinction, or translation will ensue.

And as concerning pain, that which is intolerable is soon ended by death;

And that which holds long must needs be tolerable;

And that the mind in the meantime (which is all in all) may by way of interclusion, or interception, by stopping all manner of commerce and sympathy with the body, still retain its own tranquility.

Thy understanding is not made worse by it. As for those parts that suffer, let them, if they can, declare their grief themselves.

As for praise and commendation, view their mind and understanding, what estate they are in; what kind of things they fly, and what things they seek after:

And that as in the seaside, whatsoever was before to be seen, is by the continual succession of new heaps of sand cast up one upon another, soon hid and covered; so in this life, all former things by those which immediately succeed.

Fancy not to thyself things future, as though they were present but of those that are present,

take some aside, that thou takest most benefit of, and consider of them particularly, how wonderfully thou wouldst want them, if they were not present.

But take heed withal, lest that whilst thou dust settle thy contentment in things present, thou grow in time so to overprize them, as that the want of them (whensoever it shall so fall out) should be a trouble and a vexation unto thee.

Wind up thyself into thyself.

Such is the nature of thy reasonable commanding part, as that if it exercise justice, and have by that means tranquility within itself, it doth rest fully satisfied with itself without any other thing.