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Enough of this wretched life and murmuring and apish tricks. Why art
thou disturbed? What is there new in this? What unsettles thee? Is
it the form of the thing? Look at it. Or is it the matter? Look at
it. But besides these there is nothing. Towards the gods, then, now
become at last more simple and better. It is the same whether we examine
these things for a hundred years or three. 

If any man has done wrong, the harm is his own. But perhaps he has
not done wrong. 

Either all things proceed from one intelligent source and come together
as in one body, and the part ought not to find fault with what is
done for the benefit of the whole; or there are only atoms, and nothing
else than mixture and dispersion. Why, then, art thou disturbed? Say
to the ruling faculty, Art thou dead, art thou corrupted, art thou
playing the hypocrite, art thou become a beast, dost thou herd and
feed with the rest? 

Either the gods have no power or they have power. If, then, they have
no power, why dost thou pray to them? But if they have power, why
dost thou not pray for them to give thee the faculty of not fearing
any of the things which thou fearest, or of not desiring any of the
things which thou desirest, or not being pained at anything, rather
than pray that any of these things should not happen or happen? for
certainly if they can co-operate with men, they can co-operate for
these purposes. But perhaps thou wilt say, the gods have placed them
in thy power. Well, then, is it not better to use what is in thy power
like a free man than to desire in a slavish and abject way what is
not in thy power? And who has told thee that the gods do not aid us
even in the things which are in our power? Begin, then, to pray for
such things, and thou wilt see. One man prays thus: How shall I be
able to lie with that woman? Do thou pray thus: How shall I not desire
to lie with her? Another prays thus: How shall I be released from
this? Another prays: How shall I not desire to be released? Another
thus: How shall I not lose my little son? Thou thus: How shall I not
be afraid to lose him? In fine, turn thy prayers this way, and see
what comes. 

Epicurus says, In my sickness my conversation was not about my bodily
sufferings, nor, says he, did I talk on such subjects to those who
visited me; but I continued to discourse on the nature of things as
before, keeping to this main point, how the mind, while participating
in such movements as go on in the poor flesh, shall be free from perturbations
and maintain its proper good. Nor did I, he says, give the physicians
an opportunity of putting on solemn looks, as if they were doing something
great, but my life went on well and happily. Do, then, the same that
he did both in sickness, if thou art sick, and in any other circumstances;
for never to desert philosophy in any events that may befall us, nor
to hold trifling talk either with an ignorant man or with one unacquainted
with nature, is a principle of all schools of philosophy; but to be
intent only on that which thou art now doing and on the instrument
by which thou doest it. 

When thou art offended with any man's shameless conduct, immediately
ask thyself, Is it possible, then, that shameless men should not be
in the world? It is not possible. Do not, then, require what is impossible.
For this man also is one of those shameless men who must of necessity
be in the world. Let the same considerations be present to thy mind
in the case of the knave, and the faithless man, and of every man
who does wrong in any way. For at the same time that thou dost remind
thyself that it is impossible that such kind of men should not exist,
thou wilt become more kindly disposed towards every one individually.
It is useful to perceive this, too, immediately when the occasion
arises, what virtue nature has given to man to oppose to every wrongful
act. For she has given to man, as an antidote against the stupid man,
mildness, and against another kind of man some other power. And in
all cases it is possible for thee to correct by teaching the man who
is gone astray; for every man who errs misses his object and is gone
astray. Besides wherein hast thou been injured? For thou wilt find
that no one among those against whom thou art irritated has done anything
by which thy mind could be made worse; but that which is evil to thee
and harmful has its foundation only in the mind. And what harm is
done or what is there strange, if the man who has not been instructed
does the acts of an uninstructed man? Consider whether thou shouldst
not rather blame thyself, because thou didst not expect such a man
to err in such a way. For thou hadst means given thee by thy reason
to suppose that it was likely that he would commit this error, and
yet thou hast forgotten and art amazed that he has erred. But most
of all when thou blamest a man as faithless or ungrateful, turn to
thyself. For the fault is manifestly thy own, whether thou didst trust
that a man who had such a disposition would keep his promise, or when
conferring thy kindness thou didst not confer it absolutely, nor yet
in such way as to have received from thy very act all the profit.
For what more dost thou want when thou hast done a man a service?
Art thou not content that thou hast done something conformable to
thy nature, and dost thou seek to be paid for it? Just as if the eye
demanded a recompense for seeing, or the feet for walking. For as
these members are formed for a particular purpose, and by working
according to their several constitutions obtain what is their own;
so also as man is formed by nature to acts of benevolence, when he
has done anything benevolent or in any other way conducive to the
common interest, he has acted conformably to his constitution, and
he gets what is his own. 

----------------------------------------------------------------------

BOOK TEN

Wilt thou, then, my soul, never be good and simple and one and naked,
more manifest than the body which surrounds thee? Wilt thou never
enjoy an affectionate and contented disposition? Wilt thou never be
full and without a want of any kind, longing for nothing more, nor
desiring anything, either animate or inanimate, for the enjoyment
of pleasures? Nor yet desiring time wherein thou shalt have longer
enjoyment, or place, or pleasant climate, or society of men with whom
thou mayest live in harmony? But wilt thou be satisfied with thy present
condition, and pleased with all that is about thee, and wilt thou
convince thyself that thou hast everything and that it comes from
the gods, that everything is well for thee, and will be well whatever
shall please them, and whatever they shall give for the conservation
of the perfect living being, the good and just and beautiful, which
generates and holds together all things, and contains and embraces
all things which are dissolved for the production of other like things?
Wilt thou never be such that thou shalt so dwell in community with
gods and men as neither to find fault with them at all, nor to be
condemned by them? 

Observe what thy nature requires, so far as thou art governed by nature
only: then do it and accept it, if thy nature, so far as thou art
a living being, shall not be made worse by it. 

And next thou must observe what thy nature requires so far as thou
art a living being. And all this thou mayest allow thyself, if thy
nature, so far as thou art a rational animal, shall not be made worse
by it. But the rational animal is consequently also a political (social)
animal. Use these rules, then, and trouble thyself about nothing else.

Everything which happens either happens in such wise as thou art formed
by nature to bear it, or as thou art not formed by nature to bear
it. If, then, it happens to thee in such way as thou art formed by
nature to bear it, do not complain, but bear it as thou art formed
by nature to bear it. But if it happens in such wise as thou art not
formed by nature to bear it, do not complain, for it will perish after
it has consumed thee. Remember, however, that thou art formed by nature
to bear everything, with respect to which it depends on thy own opinion
to make it endurable and tolerable, by thinking that it is either
thy interest or thy duty to do this. 

If a man is mistaken, instruct him kindly and show him his error.
But if thou art not able, blame thyself, or blame not even thyself.

Whatever may happen to thee, it was prepared for thee from all eternity;
and the implication of causes was from eternity spinning the thread
of thy being, and of that which is incident to it. 

Whether the universe is a concourse of atoms, or nature is a system,
let this first be established, that I am a part of the whole which
is governed by nature; next, I am in a manner intimately related to
the parts which are of the same kind with myself. For remembering
this, inasmuch as I am a part, I shall be discontented with none of
the things which are assigned to me out of the whole; for nothing
is injurious to the part, if it is for the advantage of the whole.
For the whole contains nothing which is not for its advantage; and
all natures indeed have this common principle, but the nature of the
universe has this principle besides, that it cannot be compelled even
by any external cause to generate anything harmful to itself. By remembering,
then, that I am a part of such a whole, I shall be content with everything
that happens. And inasmuch as I am in a manner intimately related
to the parts which are of the same kind with myself, I shall do nothing
unsocial, but I shall rather direct myself to the things which are
of the same kind with myself, and I shall turn an my efforts to the
common interest, and divert them from the contrary. Now, if these
things are done so, life must flow on happily, just as thou mayest
observe that the life of a citizen is happy, who continues a course
of action which is advantageous to his fellow-citizens, and is content
with whatever the state may assign to him. 

The parts of the whole, everything, I mean, which is naturally comprehended
in the universe, must of necessity perish; but let this be understood
in this sense, that they must undergo change. But if this is naturally
both an evil and a necessity for the parts, the whole would not continue
to exist in a good condition, the parts being subject to change and
constituted so as to perish in various ways. For whether did nature
herself design to do evil to the things which are parts of herself,
and to make them subject to evil and of necessity fall into evil,
or have such results happened without her knowing it? Both these suppositions,
indeed, are incredible. But if a man should even drop the term Nature
(as an efficient power), and should speak of these things as natural,
even then it would be ridiculous to affirm at the same time that the
parts of the whole are in their nature subject to change, and at the
same time to be surprised or vexed as if something were happening
contrary to nature, particularly as the dissolution of things is into
those things of which each thing is composed. For there is either
a dispersion of the elements out of which everything has been compounded,
or a change from the solid to the earthy and from the airy to the
aerial, so that these parts are taken back into the universal reason,
whether this at certain periods is consumed by fire or renewed by
eternal changes. And do not imagine that the solid and the airy part
belong to thee from the time of generation. For all this received
its accretion only yesterday and the day before, as one may say, from
the food and the air which is inspired. This, then, which has received
the accretion, changes, not that which thy mother brought forth. But
suppose that this which thy mother brought forth implicates thee very
much with that other part, which has the peculiar quality of change,
this is nothing in fact in the way of objection to what is said.

When thou hast assumed these names, good, modest, true, rational,
a man of equanimity, and magnanimous, take care that thou dost not
change these names; and if thou shouldst lose them, quickly return
to them. And remember that the term Rational was intended to signify
a discriminating attention to every several thing and freedom from
negligence; and that Equanimity is the voluntary acceptance of the
things which are assigned to thee by the common nature; and that Magnanimity
is the elevation of the intelligent part above the pleasurable or
painful sensations of the flesh, and above that poor thing called
fame, and death, and all such things. If, then, thou maintainest thyself
in the possession of these names, without desiring to be called by
these names by others, thou wilt be another person and wilt enter
on another life. For to continue to be such as thou hast hitherto
been, and to be tom in pieces and defiled in such a life, is the character
of a very stupid man and one overfond of his life, and like those
half-devoured fighters with wild beasts, who though covered with wounds
and gore, still intreat to be kept to the following day, though they
will be exposed in the same state to the same claws and bites. Therefore
fix thyself in the possession of these few names: and if thou art
able to abide in them, abide as if thou wast removed to certain islands
of the Happy. But if thou shalt perceive that thou fallest out of
them and dost not maintain thy hold, go courageously into some nook
where thou shalt maintain them, or even depart at once from life,
not in passion, but with simplicity and freedom and modesty, after
doing this one laudable thing at least in thy life, to have gone out
of it thus. In order, however, to the remembrance of these names,
it will greatly help thee, if thou rememberest the gods, and that
they wish not to be flattered, but wish all reasonable beings to be
made like themselves; and if thou rememberest that what does the work
of a fig-tree is a fig-tree, and that what does the work of a dog
is a dog, and that what does the work of a bee is a bee, and that
what does the work of a man is a man. 

Mimi, war, astonishment, torpor, slavery, will daily wipe out those
holy principles of thine. How many things without studying nature
dost thou imagine, and how many dost thou neglect? But it is thy duty
so to look on and so to do everything, that at the same time the power
of dealing with circumstances is perfected, and the contemplative
faculty is exercised, and the confidence which comes from the knowledge
of each several thing is maintained without showing it, but yet not
concealed. For when wilt thou enjoy simplicity, when gravity, and
when the knowledge of every several thing, both what it is in substance,
and what place it has in the universe, and how long it is formed to
exist and of what things it is compounded, and to whom it can belong,
and who are able both to give it and take it away? 

A spider is proud when it has caught a fly, and another when he has
caught a poor hare, and another when he has taken a little fish in
a net, and another when he has taken wild boars, and another when
he has taken bears, and another when he has taken Sarmatians. Are
not these robbers, if thou examinest their opinions? 

Acquire the contemplative way of seeing how all things change into
one another, and constantly attend to it, and exercise thyself about
this part of philosophy. For nothing is so much adapted to produce
magnanimity. Such a man has put off the body, and as he sees that
he must, no one knows how soon, go away from among men and leave everything
here, he gives himself up entirely to just doing in all his actions,
and in everything else that happens he resigns himself to the universal
nature. But as to what any man shall say or think about him or do
against him, he never even thinks of it, being himself contented with
these two things, with acting justly in what he now does, and being
satisfied with what is now assigned to him; and he lays aside all
distracting and busy pursuits, and desires nothing else than to accomplish
the straight course through the law, and by accomplishing the straight
course to follow God. 

What need is there of suspicious fear, since it is in thy power to
inquire what ought to be done? And if thou seest clear, go by this
way content, without turning back: but if thou dost not see clear,
stop and take the best advisers. But if any other things oppose thee,
go on according to thy powers with due consideration, keeping to that
which appears to be just. For it is best to reach this object, and
if thou dost fail, let thy failure be in attempting this. He who follows
reason in all things is both tranquil and active at the same time,
and also cheerful and collected. 

Inquire of thyself as soon as thou wakest from sleep, whether it will
make any difference to thee, if another does what is just and right.
It will make no difference. 

Thou hast not forgotten, I suppose, that those who assume arrogant
airs in bestowing their praise or blame on others, are such as they
are at bed and at board, and thou hast not forgotten what they do,
and what they avoid and what they pursue, and how they steal and how
they rob, not with hands and feet, but with their most valuable part,
by means of which there is produced, when a man chooses, fidelity,
modesty, truth, law, a good daemon (happiness)? 

To her who gives and takes back all, to nature, the man who is instructed
and modest says, Give what thou wilt; take back what thou wilt. And
he says this not proudly, but obediently and well pleased with her.

Short is the little which remains to thee of life. Live as on a mountain.
For it makes no difference whether a man lives there or here, if he
lives everywhere in the world as in a state (political community).
Let men see, let them know a real man who lives according to nature.
If they cannot endure him, let them kill him. For that is better than
to live thus as men do. 

No longer talk at all about the kind of man that a good man ought
to be, but be such. 

Constantly contemplate the whole of time and the whole of substance,
and consider that all individual things as to substance are a grain
of a fig, and as to time, the turning of a gimlet. 

Look at everything that exists, and observe that it is already in
dissolution and in change, and as it were putrefaction or dispersion,
or that everything is so constituted by nature as to die.

Consider what men are when they are eating, sleeping, generating,
easing themselves and so forth. Then what kind of men they are when
they are imperious and arrogant, or angry and scolding from their
elevated place. But a short time ago to how many they were slaves
and for what things; and after a little time consider in what a condition
they will be. 

That is for the good of each thing, which the universal nature brings
to each. And it is for its good at the time when nature brings it.

"The earth loves the shower"; and "the solemn aether loves": and the
universe loves to make whatever is about to be. I say then to the
universe, that I love as thou lovest. And is not this too said, that
"this or that loves (is wont) to be produced"? 

Either thou livest here and hast already accustomed thyself to it,
or thou art going away, and this was thy own will; or thou art dying
and hast discharged thy duty. But besides these things there is nothing.
Be of good cheer, then. 

Let this always be plain to thee, that this piece of land is like
any other; and that all things here are the same with things on top
of a mountain, or on the sea-shore, or wherever thou choosest to be.
For thou wilt find just what Plato says, Dwelling within the walls
of a city as in a shepherd's fold on a mountain. 

What is my ruling faculty now to me? And of what nature am I now making
it? And for what purpose am I now using it? Is it void of understanding?
Is it loosed and rent asunder from social life? Is it melted into
and mixed with the poor flesh so as to move together with it?

He who flies from his master is a runaway; but the law is master,
and he who breaks the law is a runaway. And he also who is grieved
or angry or afraid, is dissatisfied because something has been or
is or shall be of the things which are appointed by him who rules
all things, and he is Law, and assigns to every man what is fit. He
then who fears or is grieved or is angry is a runaway. 

A man deposits seed in a womb and goes away, and then another cause
takes it, and labours on it and makes a child. What a thing from such
a material! Again, the child passes food down through the throat,
and then another cause takes it and makes perception and motion, and
in fine life and strength and other things; how many and how strange
I Observe then the things which are produced in such a hidden way,
and see the power just as we see the power which carries things downwards
and upwards, not with the eyes, but still no less plainly.

Constantly consider how all things such as they now are, in time past
also were; and consider that they will be the same again. And place
before thy eyes entire dramas and stages of the same form, whatever
thou hast learned from thy experience or from older history; for example,
the whole court of Hadrian, and the whole court of Antoninus, and
the whole court of Philip, Alexander, Croesus; for all those were
such dramas as we see now, only with different actors. 

Imagine every man who is grieved at anything or discontented to be
like a pig which is sacrificed and kicks and screams. 

Like this pig also is he who on his bed in silence laments the bonds
in which we are held. And consider that only to the rational animal
is it given to follow voluntarily what happens; but simply to follow
is a necessity imposed on all. 

Severally on the occasion of everything that thou doest, pause and
ask thyself, if death is a dreadful thing because it deprives thee
of this. 

When thou art offended at any man's fault, forthwith turn to thyself
and reflect in what like manner thou dost err thyself; for example,
in thinking that money is a good thing, or pleasure, or a bit of reputation,
and the like. For by attending to this thou wilt quickly forget thy
anger, if this consideration also is added, that the man is compelled:
for what else could he do? or, if thou art able, take away from him
the compulsion. 

When thou hast seen Satyron the Socratic, think of either Eutyches
or Hymen, and when thou hast seen Euphrates, think of Eutychion or
Silvanus, and when thou hast seen Alciphron think of Tropaeophorus,
and when thou hast seen Xenophon think of Crito or Severus, and when
thou hast looked on thyself, think of any other Caesar, and in the
case of every one do in like manner. Then let this thought be in thy
mind, Where then are those men? Nowhere, or nobody knows where. For
thus continuously thou wilt look at human things as smoke and nothing
at all; especially if thou reflectest at the same time that what has
once changed will never exist again in the infinite duration of time.
But thou, in what a brief space of time is thy existence? And why
art thou not content to pass through this short time in an orderly
way? What matter and opportunity for thy activity art thou avoiding?
For what else are all these things, except exercises for the reason,
when it has viewed carefully and by examination into their nature
the things which happen in life? Persevere then until thou shalt have
made these things thy own, as the stomach which is strengthened makes
all things its own, as the blazing fire makes flame and brightness
out of everything that is thrown into it. 

Let it not be in any man's power to say truly of thee that thou art
not simple or that thou are not good; but let him be a liar whoever
shall think anything of this kind about thee; and this is altogether
in thy power. For who is he that shall hinder thee from being good
and simple? Do thou only determine to live no longer, unless thou
shalt be such. For neither does reason allow thee to live, if thou
art not such. 

What is that which as to this material (our life) can be done or said
in the way most conformable to reason. For whatever this may be, it
is in thy power to do it or to say it, and do not make excuses that
thou art hindered. Thou wilt not cease to lament till thy mind is
in such a condition that, what luxury is to those who enjoy pleasure,
such shall be to thee, in the matter which is subjected and presented
to thee, the doing of the things which are conformable to man's constitution;
for a man ought to consider as an enjoyment everything which it is
in his power to do according to his own nature. And it is in his power
everywhere. Now, it is not given to a cylinder to move everywhere
by its own motion, nor yet to water nor to fire, nor to anything else
which is governed by nature or an irrational soul, for the things
which check them and stand in the way are many. But intelligence and
reason are able to go through everything that opposes them, and in
such manner as they are formed by nature and as they choose. Place
before thy eyes this facility with which the reason will be carried
through all things, as fire upwards, as a stone downwards, as a cylinder
down an inclined surface, and seek for nothing further. For all other
obstacles either affect the body only which is a dead thing; or, except
through opinion and the yielding of the reason itself, they do not
crush nor do any harm of any kind; for if they did, he who felt it
would immediately become bad. Now, in the case of all things which
have a certain constitution, whatever harm may happen to any of them,
that which is so affected becomes consequently worse; but in the like
case, a man becomes both better, if one may say so, and more worthy
of praise by making a right use of these accidents. And finally remember
that nothing harms him who is really a citizen, which does not harm
the state; nor yet does anything harm the state, which does not harm
law (order); and of these things which are called misfortunes not
one harms law. What then does not harm law does not harm either state
or citizen. 

To him who is penetrated by true principles even the briefest precept
is sufficient, and any common precept, to remind him that he should
be free from grief and fear. For example- 

Leaves, some the wind scatters on the ground- 
So is the race of men. Leaves, also, are thy children; and leaves,
too, are they who cry out as if they were worthy of credit and bestow
their praise, or on the contrary curse, or secretly blame and sneer;
and leaves, in like manner, are those who shall receive and transmit
a man's fame to aftertimes. For all such things as these "are produced
in the season of spring," as the poet says; then the wind casts them
down; then the forest produces other leaves in their places. But a
brief existence is common to all things, and yet thou avoidest and
pursuest all things as if they would be eternal. A little time, and
thou shalt close thy eyes; and him who has attended thee to thy grave
another soon will lament. 

The healthy eye ought to see all visible things and not to say, I
wish for green things; for this is the condition of a diseased eye.
And the healthy hearing and smelling ought to be ready to perceive
all that can be heard and smelled. And the healthy stomach ought to
be with respect to all food just as the mill with respect to all things
which it is formed to grind. And accordingly the healthy understanding
ought to be prepared for everything which happens; but that which
says, Let my dear children live, and let all men praise whatever I
may do, is an eye which seeks for green things, or teeth which seek
for soft things. 

There is no man so fortunate that there shall not be by him when he
is dying some who are pleased with what is going to happen. Suppose
that he was a good and wise man, will there not be at last some one
to say to himself, Let us at last breathe freely being relieved from
this schoolmaster? It is true that he was harsh to none of us, but
I perceived that he tacitly condemns us.- This is what is said of
a good man. But in our own case how many other things are there for
which there are many who wish to get rid of us. Thou wilt consider
this then when thou art dying, and thou wilt depart more contentedly
by reflecting thus: I am going away from such a life, in which even
my associates in behalf of whom I have striven so much, prayed, and
cared, themselves wish me to depart, hoping perchance to get some
little advantage by it. Why then should a man cling to a longer stay
here? Do not however for this reason go away less kindly disposed
to them, but preserving thy own character, and friendly and benevolent
and mild, and on the other hand not as if thou wast torn away; but
as when a man dies a quiet death, the poor soul is easily separated
from the body, such also ought thy departure from men to be, for nature
united thee to them and associated thee. But does she now dissolve
the union? Well, I am separated as from kinsmen, not however dragged
resisting, but without compulsion; for this too is one of the things
according to nature. 

Accustom thyself as much as possible on the occasion of anything being
done by any person to inquire with thyself, For what object is this
man doing this? But begin with thyself, and examine thyself first.

Remember that this which pulls the strings is the thing which is hidden
within: this is the power of persuasion, this is life, this, if one
may so say, is man. In contemplating thyself never include the vessel
which surrounds thee and these instruments which are attached about
it. For they are like to an axe, differing only in this that they
grow to the body. For indeed there is no more use in these parts without
the cause which moves and checks them than in the weaver's shuttle,
and the writer's pen and the driver's whip. 

----------------------------------------------------------------------

BOOK ELEVEN

These are the properties of the rational soul: it sees itself, analyses
itself, and makes itself such as it chooses; the fruit which it bears
itself enjoys- for the fruits of plants and that in animals which
corresponds to fruits others enjoy- it obtains its own end, wherever
the limit of life may be fixed. Not as in a dance and in a play and
in such like things, where the whole action is incomplete, if anything
cuts it short; but in every part and wherever it may be stopped, it
makes what has been set before it full and complete, so that it can
say, I have what is my own. And further it traverses the whole universe,
and the surrounding vacuum, and surveys its form, and it extends itself
into the infinity of time, and embraces and comprehends the periodical
renovation of all things, and it comprehends that those who come after
us will see nothing new, nor have those before us seen anything more,
but in a manner he who is forty years old, if he has any understanding
at all, has seen by virtue of the uniformity that prevails all things
which have been and all that will be. This too is a property of the
rational soul, love of one's neighbour, and truth and modesty, and
to value nothing more more than itself, which is also the property
of Law. Thus then right reason differs not at all from the reason
of justice. 

Thou wilt set little value on pleasing song and dancing and the pancratium,
if thou wilt distribute the melody of the voice into its several sounds,
and ask thyself as to each, if thou art mastered by this; for thou
wilt be prevented by shame from confessing it: and in the matter of
dancing, if at each movement and attitude thou wilt do the same; and
the like also in the matter of the pancratium. In all things, then,
except virtue and the acts of virtue, remember to apply thyself to
their several parts, and by this division to come to value them little:
and apply this rule also to thy whole life. 

What a soul that is which is ready, if at any moment it must be separated
from the body, and ready either to be extinguished or dispersed or
continue to exist; but so that this readiness comes from a man's own
judgement, not from mere obstinacy, as with the Christians, but considerately
and with dignity and in a way to persuade another, without tragic
show. 

Have I done something for the general interest? Well then I have had
my reward. Let this always be present to thy mind, and never stop
doing such good. 

What is thy art? To be good. And how is this accomplished well except
by general principles, some about the nature of the universe, and
others about the proper constitution of man? 

At first tragedies were brought on the stage as means of reminding
men of the things which happen to them, and that it is according to
nature for things to happen so, and that, if you are delighted with
what is shown on the stage, you should not be troubled with that which
takes place on the larger stage. For you see that these things must
be accomplished thus, and that even they bear them who cry out "O
Cithaeron." And, indeed, some things are said well by the dramatic
writers, of which kind is the following especially:- 

Me and my children if the gods neglect, 
This has its reason too. And again- 

We must not chale and fret at that which happens. And 

Life's harvest reap like the wheat's fruitful ear. And other things
of the same kind. 

After tragedy the old comedy was introduced, which had a magisterial
freedom of speech, and by its very plainness of speaking was useful
in reminding men to beware of insolence; and for this purpose too
Diogenes used to take from these writers. 

But as to the middle comedy which came next, observe what it was,
and again, for what object the new comedy was introduced, which gradually
sunk down into a mere mimic artifice. That some good things are said
even by these writers, everybody knows: but the whole plan of such
poetry and dramaturgy, to what end does it look! 

How plain does it appear that there is not another condition of life
so well suited for philosophising as this in which thou now happenest
to be. 

A branch cut off from the adjacent branch must of necessity be cut
off from the whole tree also. So too a man when he is separated from
another man has fallen off from the whole social community. Now as
to a branch, another cuts it off, but a man by his own act separates
himself from his neighbour when he hates him and turns away from him,
and he does not know that he has at the same time cut himself off
from the whole social system. Yet he has this privilege certainly
from Zeus who framed society, for it is in our power to grow again
to that which is near to us, and be to come a part which helps to
make up the whole. However, if it often happens, this kind of separation,
it makes it difficult for that which detaches itself to be brought
to unity and to be restored to its former condition. Finally, the
branch, which from the first grew together with the tree, and has
continued to have one life with it, is not like that which after being
cut off is then ingrafted, for this is something like what the gardeners
mean when they say that it grows with the rest of the tree, but that
it has not the same mind with it. 

As those who try to stand in thy way when thou art proceeding according
to right reason, will not be able to turn thee aside from thy proper
action, so neither let them drive thee from thy benevolent feelings
towards them, but be on thy guard equally in both matters, not only
in the matter of steady judgement and action, but also in the matter
of gentleness towards those who try to hinder or otherwise trouble
thee. For this also is a weakness, to be vexed at them, as well as
to be diverted from thy course of action and to give way through fear;
for both are equally deserters from their post, the man who does it
through fear, and the man who is alienated from him who is by nature
a kinsman and a friend. 

There is no nature which is inferior to art, for the arts imitate
the nature of things. But if this is so, that nature which is the
most perfect and the most comprehensive of all natures, cannot fall
short of the skill of art. Now all arts do the inferior things for
the sake of the superior; therefore the universal nature does so too.
And, indeed, hence is the origin of justice, and in justice the other
virtues have their foundation: for justice will not be observed, if
we either care for middle things (things indifferent), or are easily
deceived and careless and changeable. 

If the things do not come to thee, the pursuits and avoidances of
which disturb thee, still in a manner thou goest to them. Let then
thy judgement about them be at rest, and they will remain quiet, and
thou wilt not be seen either pursuing or avoiding. 

The spherical form of the soul maintains its figure, when it is neither
extended towards any object, nor contracted inwards, nor dispersed
nor sinks down, but is illuminated by light, by which it sees the
truth, the truth of all things and the truth that is in itself.

Suppose any man shall despise me. Let him look to that himself. But
I will look to this, that I be not discovered doing or saying anything
deserving of contempt. Shall any man hate me? Let him look to it.
But I will be mild and benevolent towards every man, and ready to
show even him his mistake, not reproachfully, nor yet as making a
display of my endurance, but nobly and honestly, like the great Phocion,
unless indeed he only assumed it. For the interior parts ought to
be such, and a man ought to be seen by the gods neither dissatisfied
with anything nor complaining. For what evil is it to thee, if thou
art now doing what is agreeable to thy own nature, and art satisfied
with that which at this moment is suitable to the nature of the universe,
since thou art a human being placed at thy post in order that what
is for the common advantage may be done in some way? 

Men despise one another and flatter one another; and men wish to raise
themselves above one another, and crouch before one another.

How unsound and insincere is he who says, I have determined to deal
with thee in a fair way.- What art thou doing, man? There is no occasion
to give this notice. It will soon show itself by acts. The voice ought
to be plainly written on the forehead. Such as a man's character is,
he immediately shows it in his eyes, just as he who is beloved forthwith
reads everything in the eyes of lovers. The man who is honest and
good ought to be exactly like a man who smells strong, so that the
bystander as soon as he comes near him must smell whether he choose
or not. But the affectation of simplicity is like a crooked stick.
Nothing is more disgraceful than a wolfish friendship (false friendship).
Avoid this most of all. The good and simple and benevolent show all
these things in the eyes, and there is no mistaking. 

As to living in the best way, this power is in the soul, if it be
indifferent to things which are indifferent. And it will be indifferent,
if it looks on each of these things separately and all together, and
if it remembers that not one of them produces in us an opinion about
itself, nor comes to us; but these things remain immovable, and it
is we ourselves who produce the judgements about them, and, as we
may say, write them in ourselves, it being in our power not to write
them, and it being in our power, if perchance these judgements have
imperceptibly got admission to our minds, to wipe them out; and if
we remember also that such attention will only be for a short time,
and then life will be at an end. Besides, what trouble is there at
all in doing this? For if these things are according to nature, rejoice
in them, and they will be easy to thee: but if contrary to nature,
seek what is conformable to thy own nature, and strive towards this,
even if it bring no reputation; for every man is allowed to seek his
own good. 

Consider whence each thing is come, and of what it consists, and into
what it changes, and what kind of a thing it will be when it has changed,
and that it will sustain no harm. 

If any have offended against thee, consider first: What is my relation
to men, and that we are made for one another; and in another respect,
I was made to be set over them, as a ram over the flock or a bull
over the herd. But examine the matter from first principles, from
this: If all things are not mere atoms, it is nature which orders
all things: if this is so, the inferior things exist for the sake
of the superior, and these for the sake of one another. 

Second, consider what kind of men they are at table, in bed, and so
forth: and particularly, under what compulsions in respect of opinions
they are; and as to their acts, consider with what pride they do what
they do. 

Third, that if men do rightly what they do, we ought not to be displeased;
but if they do not right, it is plain that they do so involuntarily
and in ignorance. For as every soul is unwillingly deprived of the
truth, so also is it unwillingly deprived of the power of behaving
to each man according to his deserts. Accordingly men are pained when
they are called unjust, ungrateful, and greedy, and in a word wrong-doers
to their neighbours. 

Fourth, consider that thou also doest many things wrong, and that
thou art a man like others; and even if thou dost abstain from certain
faults, still thou hast the disposition to commit them, though either
through cowardice, or concern about reputation, or some such mean
motive, thou dost abstain from such faults. 

Fifth, consider that thou dost not even understand whether men are
doing wrong or not, for many things are done with a certain reference
to circumstances. And in short, a man must learn a great deal to enable
him to pass a correct judgement on another man's acts. 

Sixth, consider when thou art much vexed or grieved, that man's life
is only a moment, and after a short time we are all laid out dead.

Seventh, that it is not men's acts which disturb us, for those acts
have their foundation in men's ruling principles, but it is our own
opinions which disturb us. Take away these opinions then, and resolve
to dismiss thy judgement about an act as if it were something grievous,
and thy anger is gone. How then shall I take away these opinions?
By reflecting that no wrongful act of another brings shame on thee:
for unless that which is shameful is alone bad, thou also must of
necessity do many things wrong, and become a robber and everything
else. 

Eighth, consider how much more pain is brought on us by the anger
and vexation caused by such acts than by the acts themselves, at which
we are angry and vexed. 

Ninth, consider that a good disposition is invincible, if it be genuine,
and not an affected smile and acting a part. For what will the most
violent man do to thee, if thou continuest to be of a kind disposition
towards him, and if, as opportunity offers, thou gently admonishest
him and calmly correctest his errors at the very time when he is trying
to do thee harm, saying, Not so, my child: we are constituted by nature
for something else: I shall certainly not be injured, but thou art
injuring thyself, my child.- And show him with gentle tact and by
general principles that this is so, and that even bees do not do as
he does, nor any animals which are formed by nature to be gregarious.
And thou must do this neither with any double meaning nor in the way
of reproach, but affectionately and without any rancour in thy soul;
and not as if thou wert lecturing him, nor yet that any bystander
may admire, but either when he is alone, and if others are present...

Remember these nine rules, as if thou hadst received them as a gift
from the Muses, and begin at last to be a man while thou livest. But
thou must equally avoid flattering men and being veied at them, for
both are unsocial and lead to harm. And let this truth be present
to thee in the excitement of anger, that to be moved by passion is
not manly, but that mildness and gentleness, as they are more agreeable
to human nature, so also are they more manly; and he who possesses
these qualities possesses strength, nerves and courage, and not the
man who is subject to fits of passion and discontent. For in the same
degree in which a man's mind is nearer to freedom from all passion,
in the same degree also is it nearer to strength: and as the sense
of pain is a characteristic of weakness, so also is anger. For he
who yields to pain and he who yields to anger, both are wounded and
both submit. 

But if thou wilt, receive also a tenth present from the leader of
the Muses (Apollo), and it is this- that to expect bad men not to
do wrong is madness, for he who expects this desires an impossibility.
But to allow men to behave so to others, and to expect them not to
do thee any wrong, is irrational and tyrannical. 

There are four principal aberrations of the superior faculty against
which thou shouldst be constantly on thy guard, and when thou hast
detected them, thou shouldst wipe them out and say on each occasion
thus: this thought is not necessary: this tends to destroy social
union: this which thou art going to say comes not from the real thoughts;
for thou shouldst consider it among the most absurd of things for
a man not to speak from his real thoughts. But the fourth is when
thou shalt reproach thyself for anything, for this is an evidence
of the diviner part within thee being overpowered and yielding to
the less honourable and to the perishable part, the body, and to its
gross pleasures. 

Thy aerial part and all the fiery parts which are mingled in thee,
though by nature they have an upward tendency, still in obedience
to the disposition of the universe they are overpowered here in the
compound mass (the body). And also the whole of the earthy part in
thee and the watery, though their tendency is downward, still are
raised up and occupy a position which is not their natural one. In
this manner then the elemental parts obey the universal, for when
they have been fixed in any place perforce they remain there until
again the universal shall sound the signal for dissolution. Is it
not then strange that thy intelligent part only should be disobedient
and discontented with its own place? And yet no force is imposed on
it, but only those things which are conformable to its nature: still
it does not submit, but is carried in the opposite direction. For
the movement towards injustice and intemperance and to anger and grief
and fear is nothing else than the act of one who deviates from nature.
And also when the ruling faculty is discontented with anything that
happens, then too it deserts its post: for it is constituted for piety
and reverence towards the gods no less than for justice. For these
qualities also are comprehended under the generic term of contentment
with the constitution of things, and indeed they are prior to acts
of justice. 

He who has not one and always the same object in life, cannot be one
and the same all through his life. But what I have said is not enough,
unless this also is added, what this object ought to be. For as there
is not the same opinion about all the things which in some way or
other are considered by the majority to be good, but only about some
certain things, that is, things which concern the common interest;
so also ought we to propose to ourselves an object which shall be
of a common kind (social) and political. For he who directs all his
own efforts to this object, will make all his acts alike, and thus
will always be the same. 

Think of the country mouse and of the town mouse, and of the alarm
and trepidation of the town mouse. 

Socrates used to call the opinions of the many by the name of Lamiae,
bugbears to frighten children. 

The Lacedaemonians at their public spectacles used to set seats in
the shade for strangers, but themselves sat down anywhere.

Socrates excused himself to Perdiccas for not going to him, saying,
It is because I would not perish by the worst of all ends, that is,
I would not receive a favour and then be unable to return it.

In the writings of the Ephesians there was this precept, constantly
to think of some one of the men of former times who practised virtue.

The Pythagoreans bid us in the morning look to the heavens that we
may be reminded of those bodies which continually do the same things
and in the same manner perform their work, and also be reminded of
their purity and nudity. For there is no veil over a star.

Consider what a man Socrates was when he dressed himself in a skin,
after Xanthippe had taken his cloak and gone out, and what Socrates
said to his friends who were ashamed of him and drew back from him
when they saw him dressed thus. 

Neither in writing nor in reading wilt thou be able to lay down rules
for others before thou shalt have first learned to obey rules thyself.
Much more is this so in life. 

A slave thou art: free speech is not for thee. 
And my heart laughed within. 
And virtue they will curse, speaking harsh words. 
To look for the fig in winter is a madman's act: such is he who looks
for his child when it is no longer allowed. 

When a man kisses his child, said Epictetus, he should whisper to
himself, "To-morrow perchance thou wilt die."- But those are words
of bad omen.- "No word is a word of bad omen," said Epictetus, "which
expresses any work of nature; or if it is so, it is also a word of
bad omen to speak of the ears of corn being reaped." 

The unripe grape, the ripe bunch, the dried grape, all are changes,
not into nothing, but into something which exists not yet.

No man can rob us of our free will. 
Epictetus also said, A man must discover an art (or rules) with respect
to giving his assent; and in respect to his movements he must be careful
that they be made with regard to circumstances, that they be consistent
with social interests, that they have regard to the value of the object;
and as to sensual desire, he should altogether keep away from it;
and as to avoidance (aversion) he should not show it with respect
to any of the things which are not in our power. 

The dispute then, he said, is not about any common matter, but about
being mad or not. 

Socrates used to say, What do you want? Souls of rational men or irrational?-
Souls of rational men.- Of what rational men? Sound or unsound?- Sound.-
Why then do you not seek for them?- Because we have them.- Why then
do you fight and quarrel? 

----------------------------------------------------------------------

BOOK TWELVE

All those things at which thou wishest to arrive by a circuitous
road, thou canst have now, if thou dost not refuse them to thyself.
And this means, if thou wilt take no notice of all the past, and trust
the future to providence, and direct the present only conformably
to piety and justice. Conformably to piety, that thou mayest be content
with the lot which is assigned to thee, for nature designed it for
thee and thee for it. Conformably to justice, that thou mayest always
speak the truth freely and without disguise, and do the things which
are agreeable to law and according to the worth of each. And let neither
another man's wickedness hinder thee, nor opinion nor voice, nor yet
the sensations of the poor flesh which has grown about thee; for the
passive part will look to this. If then, whatever the time may be
when thou shalt be near to thy departure, neglecting everything else
thou shalt respect only thy ruling faculty and the divinity within
thee, and if thou shalt be afraid not because thou must some time
cease to live, but if thou shalt fear never to have begun to live
according to nature- then thou wilt be a man worthy of the universe
which has produced thee, and thou wilt cease to be a stranger in thy
native land, and to wonder at things which happen daily as if they
were something unexpected, and to be dependent on this or that.

God sees the minds (ruling principles) of all men bared of the material
vesture and rind and impurities. For with his intellectual part alone
he touches the intelligence only which has flowed and been derived
from himself into these bodies. And if thou also usest thyself to
do this, thou wilt rid thyself of thy much trouble. For he who regards
not the poor flesh which envelops him, surely will not trouble himself
by looking after raiment and dwelling and fame and such like externals
and show. 

The things are three of which thou art composed, a little body, a
little breath (life), intelligence. Of these the first two are thine,
so far as it is thy duty to take care of them; but the third alone
is properly thine. Therefore if thou shalt separate from thyself,
that is, from thy understanding, whatever others do or say, and whatever
thou hast done or said thyself, and whatever future things trouble
thee because they may happen, and whatever in the body which envelops
thee or in the breath (life), which is by nature associated with the
body, is attached to thee independent of thy will, and whatever the
external circumfluent vortex whirls round, so that the intellectual
power exempt from the things of fate can live pure and free by itself,
doing what is just and accepting what happens and saying the truth:
if thou wilt separate, I say, from this ruling faculty the things
which are attached to it by the impressions of sense, and the things
of time to come and of time that is past, and wilt make thyself like
Empedocles' sphere, 

All round, and in its joyous rest reposing; and if thou shalt strive
to live only what is really thy life, that is, the present- then thou
wilt be able to pass that portion of life which remains for thee up
to the time of thy death, free from perturbations, nobly, and obedient
to thy own daemon (to the god that is within thee). 

I have often wondered how it is that every man loves himself more
than all the rest of men, but yet sets less value on his own opinion
of himself than on the opinion of others. If then a god or a wise
teacher should present himself to a man and bid him to think of nothing
and to design nothing which he would not express as soon as he conceived
it, he could not endure it even for a single day. So much more respect
have we to what our neighbours shall think of us than to what we shall
think of ourselves. 

How can it be that the gods after having arranged all things well
and benevolently for mankind, have overlooked this alone, that some
men and very good men, and men who, as we may say, have had most communion
with the divinity, and through pious acts and religious observances
have been most intimate with the divinity, when they have once died
should never exist again, but should be completely extinguished?

But if this is so, be assured that if it ought to have been otherwise,
the gods would have done it. For if it were just, it would also be
possible; and if it were according to nature, nature would have had
it so. But because it is not so, if in fact it is not so, be thou
convinced that it ought not to have been so:- for thou seest even
of thyself that in this inquiry thou art disputing with the diety;
and we should not thus dispute with the gods, unless they were most
excellent and most just;- but if this is so, they would not have allowed
anything in the ordering of the universe to be neglected unjustly
and irrationally. 

Practise thyself even in the things which thou despairest of accomplishing.
For even the left hand, which is ineffectual for all other things
for want of practice, holds the bridle more vigorously than the right
hand; for it has been practised in this. 

Consider in what condition both in body and soul a man should be when
he is overtaken by death; and consider the shortness of life, the
boundless abyss of time past and future, the feebleness of all matter.

Contemplate the formative principles (forms) of things bare of their
coverings; the purposes of actions; consider what pain is, what pleasure
is, and death, and fame; who is to himself the cause of his uneasiness;
how no man is hindered by another; that everything is opinion.

In the application of thy principles thou must be like the pancratiast,
not like the gladiator; for the gladiator lets fall the sword which
he uses and is killed; but the other always has his hand, and needs
to do nothing else than use it. 

See what things are in themselves, dividing them into matter, form
and purpose. 

What a power man has to do nothing except what God will approve, and
to accept all that God may give him. 

With respect to that which happens conformably to nature, we ought
to blame neither gods, for they do nothing wrong either voluntarily
or involuntarily, nor men, for they do nothing wrong except involuntarily.
Consequently we should blame nobody. 

How ridiculous and what a stranger he is who is surprised at anything
which happens in life. 

Either there is a fatal necessity and invincible order, or a kind
Providence, or a confusion without a purpose and without a director
(Book IV). If then there is an invincible necessity, why dost thou
resist? But if there is a Providence which allows itself to be propitiated,
make thyself worthy of the help of the divinity. But if there is a
confusion without governor, be content that in such a tempest thou
hast in thyself a certain ruling intelligence. And even if the tempest
carry thee away, let it carry away the poor flesh, the poor breath,
everything else; for the intelligence at least it will not carry away.

Does the light of the lamp shine without losing its splendour until
it is extinguished; and shall the truth which is in thee and justice
and temperance be extinguished before thy death? 

When a man has presented the appearance of having done wrong, say,
How then do I know if this is a wrongful act? And even if he has done
wrong, how do I know that he has not condemned himself? and so this
is like tearing his own face. Consider that he, who would not have
the bad man do wrong, is like the man who would not have the fig-tree
to bear juice in the figs and infants to cry and the horse to neigh,
and whatever else must of necessity be. For what must a man do who
has such a character? If then thou art irritable, cure this man's
disposition. 

If it is not right, do not do it: if it is not true, do not say it.
For let thy efforts be- 

In everything always observe what the thing is which produces for
thee an appearance, and resolve it by dividing it into the formal,
the material, the purpose, and the time within which it must end.

Perceive at last that thou hast in thee something better and more
divine than the things which cause the various affects, and as it
were pull thee by the strings. What is there now in my mind? Is it
fear, or suspicion, or desire, or anything of the kind? 

First, do nothing inconsiderately, nor without a purpose. Second,
make thy acts refer to nothing else than to a social end.

Consider that before long thou wilt be nobody and nowhere, nor will
any of the things exist which thou now seest, nor any of those who
are now living. For all things are formed by nature to change and
be turned and to perish in order that other things in continuous succession
may exist. 

Consider that everything is opinion, and opinion is in thy power.
Take away then, when thou choosest, thy opinion, and like a mariner,
who has doubled the promontory, thou wilt find calm, everything stable,
and a waveless bay. 

Any one activity whatever it may be, when it has ceased at its proper
time, suffers no evil because it has ceased; nor he who has done this
act, does he suffer any evil for this reason that the act has ceased.
In like manner then the whole which consists of all the acts, which
is our life, if it cease at its proper time, suffers no evil for this
reason that it has ceased; nor he who has terminated this series at
the proper time, has he been ill dealt with. But the proper time and
the limit nature fixes, sometimes as in old age the peculiar nature
of man, but always the universal nature, by the change of whose parts
the whole universe continues ever young and perfect. And everything
which is useful to the universal is always good and in season. Therefore
the termination of life for every man is no evil, because neither
is it shameful, since it is both independent of the will and not opposed
to the general interest, but it is good, since it is seasonable and
profitable to and congruent with the universal. For thus too he is
moved by the deity who is moved in the same manner with the deity
and moved towards the same things in his mind. 

These three principles thou must have in readiness. In the things
which thou doest do nothing either inconsiderately or otherwise than
as justice herself would act; but with respect to what may happen
to thee from without, consider that it happens either by chance or
according to Providence, and thou must neither blame chance nor accuse
Providence. Second, consider what every being is from the seed to
the time of its receiving a soul, and from the reception of a soul
to the giving back of the same, and of what things every being is
compounded and into what things it is resolved. Third, if thou shouldst
suddenly be raised up above the earth, and shouldst look down on human
things, and observe the variety of them how great it is, and at the
same time also shouldst see at a glance how great is the number of
beings who dwell around in the air and the aether, consider that as
often as thou shouldst be raised up, thou wouldst see the same things,
sameness of form and shortness of duration. Are these things to be
proud of? 

Cast away opinion: thou art saved. Who then hinders thee from casting
it away? 

When thou art troubled about anything, thou hast forgotten this, that
all things happen according to the universal nature; and forgotten
this, that a man's wrongful act is nothing to thee; and further thou
hast forgotten this, that everything which happens, always happened
so and will happen so, and now happens so everywhere; forgotten this
too, how close is the kinship between a man and the whole human race,
for it is a community, not of a little blood or seed, but of intelligence.
And thou hast forgotten this too, that every man's intelligence is
a god, and is an efflux of the deity; and forgotten this, that nothing
is a man's own, but that his child and his body and his very soul
came from the deity; forgotten this, that everything is opinion; and
lastly thou hast forgotten that every man lives the present time only,
and loses only this. 

Constantly bring to thy recollection those who have complained greatly
about anything, those who have been most conspicuous by the greatest
fame or misfortunes or enmities or fortunes of any kind: then think
where are they all now? Smoke and ash and a tale, or not even a tale.
And let there be present to thy mind also everything of this sort,
how Fabius Catullinus lived in the country, and Lucius Lupus in his
gardens, and Stertinius at Baiae, and Tiberius at Capreae and Velius
Rufus (or Rufus at Velia); and in fine think of the eager pursuit
of anything conjoined with pride; and how worthless everything is
after which men violently strain; and how much more philosophical
it is for a man in the opportunities presented to him to show

THE END

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Translation of "The Deeds of the Divine Augustus" by Augustus is
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