TheMeditations
ByMarcusAurelius
Written167A.C.E.
TranslatedbyGeorgeLong
TableofContents
BookOne
FrommygrandfatherVerusIlearnedgoodmoralsandthegovernmentofmytemper.
Fromthereputationandremembranceofmyfather,modestyandamanlycharacter.
Frommymother,pietyandbeneficence,andabstinence,notonlyfromevildeeds,butevenfromevilthoughts;andfurther,simplicityinmywayofliving,farremovedfromthehabitsoftherich.
Frommygreat-grandfather,nottohavefrequentedpublicschools,andtohavehadgoodteachersathome,andtoknowthatonsuchthingsamanshouldspendliberally.
Frommygovernor,tobeneitherofthegreennorofthebluepartyatthegamesintheCircus,norapartizaneitheroftheParmulariusortheScutariusatthegladiators-fights;fromhimtooIlearnedenduranceoflabour,andtowantlittle,andtoworkwithmyownhands,andnottomeddlewithotherpeople-saffairs,andnottobereadytolistentoslander.
FromDiognetus,nottobusymyselfabouttriflingthings,andnottogivecredittowhatwassaidbymiracle-workersandjugglersaboutincantationsandthedrivingawayofdaemonsandsuchthings;andnottobreedquailsforfighting,nortogivemyselfuppassionatelytosuchthings;andtoendurefreedomofspeech;andtohavebecomeintimatewithphilosophy;andtohavebeenahearer,firstofBacchius,thenofTandasisandMarcianus;andtohavewrittendialoguesinmyyouth;andtohavedesiredaplankbedandskin,andwhateverelseofthekindbelongstotheGreciandiscipline.
FromRusticusIreceivedtheimpressionthatmycharacterrequiredimprovementanddiscipline;andfromhimIlearnednottobeledastraytosophisticemulation,nortowritingonspeculativematters,nortodeliveringlittlehortatoryorations,nortoshowingmyselfoffasamanwhopractisesmuchdiscipline,ordoesbenevolentactsinordertomakeadisplay;andtoabstainfromrhetoric,andpoetry,andfinewriting;andnottowalkaboutinthehouseinmyoutdoordress,nortodootherthingsofthekind;andtowritemyletterswithsimplicity,liketheletterwhichRusticuswrotefromSinuessatomymother;andwithrespecttothosewhohaveoffendedmebywords,ordonemewrong,tobeeasilydisposedtobepacifiedandreconciled,assoonastheyhaveshownareadinesstobereconciled;andtoreadcarefully,andnottobesatisfiedwithasuperficialunderstandingofabook;norhastilytogivemyassenttothosewhotalkovermuch;andIamindebtedtohimforbeingacquaintedwiththediscoursesofEpictetus,whichhecommunicatedtomeoutofhisowncollection.
FromApolloniusIlearnedfreedomofwillandundeviatingsteadinessofpurpose;andtolooktonothingelse,notevenforamoment,excepttoreason;andtobealwaysthesame,insharppains,ontheoccasionofthelossofachild,andinlongillness;andtoseeclearlyinalivingexamplethatthesamemancanbebothmostresoluteandyielding,andnotpeevishingivinghisinstruction;andtohavehadbeforemyeyesamanwhoclearlyconsideredhisexperienceandhisskillinexpoundingphilosophicalprinciplesasthesmallestofhismerits;andfromhimIlearnedhowtoreceivefromfriendswhatareesteemedfavours,withoutbeingeitherhumbledbythemorlettingthempassunnoticed.
FromSextus,abenevolentdisposition,andtheexampleofafamilygovernedinafatherlymanner,andtheideaoflivingconformablytonature;andgravitywithoutaffectation,andtolookcarefullyaftertheinterestsoffriends,andtotolerateignorantpersons,andthosewhoformopinionswithoutconsideration:hehadthepowerofreadilyaccommodatinghimselftoall,sothatintercoursewithhimwasmoreagreeablethananyflattery;andatthesametimehewasmosthighlyveneratedbythosewhoassociatedwithhim:andhehadthefacultybothofdiscoveringandordering,inanintelligentandmethodicalway,theprinciplesnecessaryforlife;andhenevershowedangeroranyotherpassion,butwasentirelyfreefrompassion,andalsomostaffectionate;andhecouldexpressapprobationwithoutnoisydisplay,andhepossessedmuchknowledgewithoutostentation.
FromAlexanderthegrammarian,torefrainfromfault-finding,andnotinareproachfulwaytochidethosewhoutteredanybarbarousorsolecisticorstrange-soundingexpression;butdexterouslytointroducetheveryexpressionwhichoughttohavebeenused,andinthewayofanswerorgivingconfirmation,orjoininginaninquiryaboutthethingitself,notabouttheword,orbysomeotherfitsuggestion.
FromFrontoIlearnedtoobservewhatenvy,andduplicity,andhypocrisyareinatyrant,andthatgenerallythoseamonguswhoarecalledPatriciansareratherdeficientinpaternalaffection.
FromAlexanderthePlatonic,notfrequentlynorwithoutnecessitytosaytoanyone,ortowriteinaletter,thatIhavenoleisure;norcontinuallytoexcusetheneglectofdutiesrequiredbyourrelationtothosewithwhomwelive,byallegingurgentoccupations.
FromCatulus,nottobeindifferentwhenafriendfindsfault,evenifheshouldfindfaultwithoutreason,buttotrytorestorehimtohisusualdisposition;andtobereadytospeakwellofteachers,asitisreportedofDomitiusandAthenodotus;andtolovemychildrentruly.
FrommybrotherSeverus,tolovemykin,andtolovetruth,andtolovejustice;andthroughhimIlearnedtoknowThrasea,Helvidius,Cato,Dion,Brutus;andfromhimIreceivedtheideaofapolityinwhichthereisthesamelawforall,apolityadministeredwithregardtoequalrightsandequalfreedomofspeech,andtheideaofakinglygovernmentwhichrespectsmostofallthefreedomofthegoverned;Ilearnedfromhimalsoconsistencyandundeviatingsteadinessinmyregardforphilosophy;andadispositiontodogood,andtogivetoothersreadily,andtocherishgoodhopes,andtobelievethatIamlovedbymyfriends;andinhimIobservednoconcealmentofhisopinionswithrespecttothosewhomhecondemned,andthathisfriendshadnoneedtoconjecturewhathewishedordidnotwish,butitwasquiteplain.
FromMaximusIlearnedself-government,andnottobeledasidebyanything;andcheerfulnessinallcircumstances,aswellasinillness;andajustadmixtureinthemoralcharacterofsweetnessanddignity,andtodowhatwassetbeforemewithoutcomplaining.Iobservedthateverybodybelievedthathethoughtashespoke,andthatinallthathedidheneverhadanybadintention;andhenevershowedamazementandsurprise,andwasneverinahurry,andneverputoffdoingathing,norwasperplexednordejected,nordidheeverlaughtodisguisehisvexation,nor,ontheotherhand,washeeverpassionateorsuspicious.Hewasaccustomedtodoactsofbeneficence,andwasreadytoforgive,andwasfreefromallfalsehood;andhepresentedtheappearanceofamanwhocouldnotbedivertedfromrightratherthanofamanwhohadbeenimproved.Iobserved,too,thatnomancouldeverthinkthathewasdespisedbyMaximus,oreverventuretothinkhimselfabetterman.Hehadalsotheartofbeinghumorousinanagreeableway.
InmyfatherIobservedmildnessoftemper,andunchangeableresolutioninthethingswhichhehaddeterminedafterduedeliberation;andnovaingloryinthosethingswhichmencallhonours;andaloveoflabourandperseverance;andareadinesstolistentothosewhohadanythingtoproposeforthecommonweal;andundeviatingfirmnessingivingtoeverymanaccordingtohisdeserts;andaknowledgederivedfromexperienceoftheoccasionsforvigorousactionandforremission.AndIobservedthathehadovercomeallpassionforboys;andheconsideredhimselfnomorethananyothercitizen;andhereleasedhisfriendsfromallobligationtosupwithhimortoattendhimofnecessitywhenhewentabroad,andthosewhohadfailedtoaccompanyhim,byreasonofanyurgentcircumstances,alwaysfoundhimthesame.Iobservedtoohishabitofcarefulinquiryinallmattersofdeliberation,andhispersistency,andthatheneverstoppedhisinvestigationthroughbeingsatisfiedwithappearanceswhichfirstpresentthemselves;andthathisdispositionwastokeephisfriends,andnottobesoontiredofthem,noryettobeextravagantinhisaffection;andtobesatisfiedonalloccasions,andcheerful;andtoforeseethingsalongwayoff,andtoprovideforthesmallestwithoutdisplay;andtocheckimmediatelypopularapplauseandallflattery;andtobeeverwatchfuloverthethingswhichwerenecessaryfortheadministrationoftheempire,andtobeagoodmanageroftheexpenditure,andpatientlytoenduretheblamewhichhegotforsuchconduct;andhewasneithersuperstitiouswithrespecttothegods,nordidhecourtmenbygiftsorbytryingtopleasethem,orbyflatteringthepopulace;butheshowedsobrietyinallthingsandfirmness,andneveranymeanthoughtsoraction,norloveofnovelty.Andthethingswhichconduceinanywaytothecommodityoflife,andofwhichfortunegivesanabundantsupply,heusedwithoutarroganceandwithoutexcusinghimself;sothatwhenhehadthem,heenjoyedthemwithoutaffectation,andwhenhehadthemnot,hedidnotwantthem.Noonecouldeversayofhimthathewaseitherasophistorahome-bredflippantslaveorapedant;buteveryoneacknowledgedhimtobeamanripe,perfect,aboveflattery,abletomanagehisownandothermen-saffairs.Besidesthis,hehonouredthosewhoweretruephilosophers,andhedidnotreproachthosewhopretendedtobephilosophers,noryetwasheeasilyledbythem.Hewasalsoeasyinconversation,andhemadehimselfagreeablewithoutanyoffensiveaffectation.Hetookareasonablecareofhisbody-shealth,notasonewhowasgreatlyattachedtolife,noroutofregardtopersonalappearance,noryetinacarelessway,butsothat,throughhisownattention,heveryseldomstoodinneedofthephysician-sartorofmedicineorexternalapplications.Hewasmostreadytogivewaywithoutenvytothosewhopossessedanyparticularfaculty,suchasthatofeloquenceorknowledgeofthelaworofmorals,orofanythingelse;andhegavethemhishelp,thateachmightenjoyreputationaccordingtohisdeserts;andhealwaysactedconformablytotheinstitutionsofhiscountry,withoutshowinganyaffectationofdoingso.Further,hewasnotfondofchangenorunsteady,buthelovedtostayinthesameplaces,andtoemployhimselfaboutthesamethings;andafterhisparoxysmsofheadachehecameimmediatelyfreshandvigoroustohisusualoccupations.Hissecretswerenotbutveryfewandveryrare,andtheseonlyaboutpublicmatters;andheshowedprudenceandeconomyintheexhibitionofthepublicspectaclesandtheconstructionofpublicbuildings,hisdonationstothepeople,andinsuchthings,forhewasamanwholookedtowhatoughttobedone,nottothereputationwhichisgotbyaman-sacts.Hedidnottakethebathatunseasonablehours;hewasnotfondofbuildinghouses,norcuriousaboutwhatheate,noraboutthetextureandcolourofhisclothes,noraboutthebeautyofhisslaves.HisdresscamefromLorium,hisvillaonthecoast,andfromLanuviumgenerally.Weknowhowhebehavedtothetoll-collectoratTusculumwhoaskedhispardon;andsuchwasallhisbehaviour.Therewasinhimnothingharsh,norimplacable,norviolent,nor,asonemaysay,anythingcarriedtothesweatingpoint;butheexaminedallthingsseverally,asifhehadabundanceoftime,andwithoutconfusion,inanorderlyway,vigorouslyandconsistently.AndthatmightbeappliedtohimwhichisrecordedofSocrates,thathewasablebothtoabstainfrom,andtoenjoy,thosethingswhichmanyaretooweaktoabstainfrom,andcannotenjoywithoutexcess.Buttobestrongenoughbothtobeartheoneandtobesoberintheotheristhemarkofamanwhohasaperfectandinvinciblesoul,suchasheshowedintheillnessofMaximus.
TothegodsIamindebtedforhavinggoodgrandfathers,goodparents,agoodsister,goodteachers,goodassociates,goodkinsmenandfriends,nearlyeverythinggood.Further,IoweittothegodsthatIwasnothurriedintoanyoffenceagainstanyofthem,thoughIhadadispositionwhich,ifopportunityhadoffered,mighthaveledmetodosomethingofthiskind;but,throughtheirfavour,thereneverwassuchaconcurrenceofcircumstancesasputmetothetrial.Further,IamthankfultothegodsthatIwasnotlongerbroughtupwithmygrandfather-sconcubine,andthatIpreservedtheflowerofmyyouth,andthatIdidnotmakeproofofmyvirilitybeforetheproperseason,butevendeferredthetime;thatIwassubjectedtoarulerandafatherwhowasabletotakeawayallpridefromme,andtobringmetotheknowledgethatitispossibleforamantoliveinapalacewithoutwantingeitherguardsorembroidereddresses,ortorchesandstatues,andsuch-likeshow;butthatitisinsuchaman-spowertobringhimselfveryneartothefashionofaprivateperson,withoutbeingforthisreasoneithermeanerinthought,ormoreremissinaction,withrespecttothethingswhichmustbedoneforthepublicinterestinamannerthatbefitsaruler.Ithankthegodsforgivingmesuchabrother,whowasablebyhismoralcharactertorousemetovigilanceovermyself,andwho,atthesametime,pleasedmebyhisrespectandaffection;thatmychildrenhavenotbeenstupidnordeformedinbody;thatIdidnotmakemoreproficiencyinrhetoric,poetry,andtheotherstudies,inwhichIshouldperhapshavebeencompletelyengaged,ifIhadseenthatIwasmakingprogressinthem;thatImadehastetoplacethosewhobroughtmeupinthestationofhonour,whichtheyseemedtodesire,withoutputtingthemoffwithhopeofmydoingitsometimeafter,becausetheywerethenstillyoung;thatIknewApollonius,Rusticus,Maximus;thatIreceivedclearandfrequentimpressionsaboutlivingaccordingtonature,andwhatkindofalifethatis,sothat,sofarasdependedonthegods,andtheirgifts,andhelp,andinspirations,nothinghinderedmefromforthwithlivingaccordingtonature,thoughIstillfallshortofitthroughmyownfault,andthroughnotobservingtheadmonitionsofthegods,and,Imayalmostsay,theirdirectinstructions;thatmybodyhasheldoutsolonginsuchakindoflife;thatInevertouchedeitherBenedictaorTheodotus,andthat,afterhavingfallenintoamatorypassions,Iwascured;and,thoughIwasoftenoutofhumourwithRusticus,IneverdidanythingofwhichIhadoccasiontorepent;that,thoughitwasmymother-sfatetodieyoung,shespentthelastyearsofherlifewithme;that,wheneverIwishedtohelpanymaninhisneed,oronanyotheroccasion,IwasnevertoldthatIhadnotthemeansofdoingit;andthattomyselfthesamenecessityneverhappened,toreceiveanythingfromanother;thatIhavesuchawife,soobedient,andsoaffectionate,andsosimple;thatIhadabundanceofgoodmastersformychildren;andthatremedieshavebeenshowntomebydreams,bothothers,andagainstbloodspittingandgiddiness;andthat,whenIhadaninclinationtophilosophy,Ididnotfallintothehandsofanysophist,andthatIdidnotwastemytimeonwritersofhistories,orintheresolutionofsyllogisms,oroccupymyselfabouttheinvestigationofappearancesintheheavens;forallthesethingsrequirethehelpofthegodsandfortune.
AmongtheQuadiattheGranua.