BookFour
Thatwhichruleswithin,whenitisaccordingtonature,issoaffectedwithrespecttotheeventswhichhappen,thatitalwayseasilyadaptsitselftothatwhichisandispresentedtoit.Foritrequiresnodefinitematerial,butitmovestowardsitspurpose,undercertainconditionshowever;anditmakesamaterialforitselfoutofthatwhichopposesit,asfirelaysholdofwhatfallsintoit,bywhichasmalllightwouldhavebeenextinguished:butwhenthefireisstrong,itsoonappropriatestoitselfthematterwhichisheapedonit,andconsumesit,andriseshigherbymeansofthisverymaterial.
Letnoactbedonewithoutapurpose,norotherwisethanaccordingtotheperfectprinciplesofart.
Menseekretreatsforthemselves,housesinthecountry,sea-shores,andmountains;andthoutooartwonttodesiresuchthingsverymuch.Butthisisaltogetheramarkofthemostcommonsortofmen,foritisinthypowerwheneverthoushaltchoosetoretireintothyself.Fornowhereeitherwithmorequietormorefreedomfromtroubledoesamanretirethanintohisownsoul,particularlywhenhehaswithinhimsuchthoughtsthatbylookingintothemheisimmediatelyinperfecttranquility;andIaffirmthattranquilityisnothingelsethanthegoodorderingofthemind.Constantlythengivetothyselfthisretreat,andrenewthyself;andletthyprinciplesbebriefandfundamental,which,assoonasthoushaltrecurtothem,willbesufficienttocleansethesoulcompletely,andtosendtheebackfreefromalldiscontentwiththethingstowhichthoureturnest.Forwithwhatartthoudiscontented?Withthebadnessofmen?Recalltothymindthisconclusion,thatrationalanimalsexistforoneanother,andthattoendureisapartofjustice,andthatmendowronginvoluntarily;andconsiderhowmanyalready,aftermutualenmity,suspicion,hatred,andfighting,havebeenstretcheddead,reducedtoashes;andbequietatlast-Butperhapsthouartdissatisfiedwiththatwhichisassignedtotheeoutoftheuniverse-Recalltothyrecollectionthisalternative;eitherthereisprovidenceoratoms,fortuitousconcurrenceofthings;orremembertheargumentsbywhichithasbeenprovedthattheworldisakindofpoliticalcommunity,andbequietatlast-Butperhapscorporealthingswillstillfastenuponthee-Considerthenfurtherthatthemindminglesnotwiththebreath,whethermovinggentlyorviolently,whenithasoncedrawnitselfapartanddiscovereditsownpower,andthinkalsoofallthatthouhastheardandassentedtoaboutpainandpleasure,andbequietatlast-Butperhapsthedesireofthethingcalledfamewilltormentthee-Seehowsooneverythingisforgotten,andlookatthechaosofinfinitetimeoneachsideofthepresent,andtheemptinessofapplause,andthechangeablenessandwantofjudgementinthosewhopretendtogivepraise,andthenarrownessofthespacewithinwhichitiscircumscribed,andbequietatlast.Forthewholeearthisapoint,andhowsmallanookinitisthisthydwelling,andhowfewarethereinit,andwhatkindofpeoplearetheywhowillpraisethee.
Thisthenremains:Remembertoretireintothislittleterritoryofthyown,andabovealldonotdistractorstrainthyself,butbefree,andlookatthingsasaman,asahumanbeing,asacitizen,asamortal.Butamongthethingsreadiesttothyhandtowhichthoushaltturn,lettherebethese,whicharetwo.Oneisthatthingsdonottouchthesoul,fortheyareexternalandremainimmovable;butourperturbationscomeonlyfromtheopinionwhichiswithin.Theotheristhatallthesethings,whichthouseest,changeimmediatelyandwillnolongerbe;andconstantlybearinmindhowmanyofthesechangesthouhastalreadywitnessed.Theuniverseistransformation:lifeisopinion.
Ifourintellectualpartiscommon,thereasonalso,inrespectofwhichwearerationalbeings,iscommon:ifthisisso,commonalsoisthereasonwhichcommandsuswhattodo,andwhatnottodo;ifthisisso,thereisacommonlawalso;ifthisisso,wearefellow-citizens;ifthisisso,wearemembersofsomepoliticalcommunity;ifthisisso,theworldisinamannerastate.Forofwhatothercommonpoliticalcommunitywillanyonesaythatthewholehumanracearemembers?Andfromthence,fromthiscommonpoliticalcommunitycomesalsoourveryintellectualfacultyandreasoningfacultyandourcapacityforlaw;orwhencedotheycome?Forasmyearthlypartisaportiongiventomefromcertainearth,andthatwhichiswateryfromanotherelement,andthatwhichishotandfieryfromsomepeculiarsource(fornothingcomesoutofthatwhichisnothing,asnothingalsoreturnstonon-existence),soalsotheintellectualpartcomesfromsomesource.
Deathissuchasgenerationis,amysteryofnature;acompositionoutofthesameelements,andadecompositionintothesame;andaltogethernotathingofwhichanymanshouldbeashamed,foritisnotcontrarytothenatureofareasonableanimal,andnotcontrarytothereasonofourconstitution.
Itisnaturalthatthesethingsshouldbedonebysuchpersons,itisamatterofnecessity;andifamanwillnothaveitso,hewillnotallowthefig-treetohavejuice.Butbyallmeansbearthisinmind,thatwithinaveryshorttimeboththouandhewillbedead;andsoonnotevenyournameswillbeleftbehind.
Takeawaythyopinion,andthenthereistakenawaythecomplaint,"Ihavebeenharmed."Takeawaythecomplaint,"Ihavebeenharmed,"andtheharmistakenaway.
Thatwhichdoesnotmakeamanworsethanhewas,alsodoesnotmakehislifeworse,nordoesitharmhimeitherfromwithoutorfromwithin.
Thenatureofthatwhichisuniversallyusefulhasbeencompelledtodothis.
Considerthateverythingwhichhappens,happensjustly,andifthouobservestcarefully,thouwiltfindittobeso.Idonotsayonlywithrespecttothecontinuityoftheseriesofthings,butwithrespecttowhatisjust,andasifitweredonebyonewhoassignstoeachthingitsvalue.Observethenasthouhastbegun;andwhateverthoudoest,doitinconjunctionwiththis,thebeinggood,andinthesenseinwhichamanisproperlyunderstoodtobegood.Keeptothisineveryaction.
Donothavesuchanopinionofthingsashehaswhodoestheewrong,orsuchashewishestheetohave,butlookatthemastheyareintruth.
Amanshouldalwayshavethesetworulesinreadiness;theone,todoonlywhateverthereasonoftherulingandlegislatingfacultymaysuggestfortheuseofmen;theother,tochangethyopinion,ifthereisanyoneathandwhosetstheerightandmovestheefromanyopinion.Butthischangeofopinionmustproceedonlyfromacertainpersuasion,asofwhatisjustorofcommonadvantage,andthelike,notbecauseitappearspleasantorbringsreputation.
Hastthoureason?Ihave-Whythendostnotthouuseit?Forifthisdoesitsownwork,whatelsedostthouwish?
Thouhastexistedasapart.Thoushaltdisappearinthatwhichproducedthee;butratherthoushaltbereceivedbackintoitsseminalprinciplebytransmutation.
Manygrainsoffrankincenseonthesamealtar:onefallsbefore,anotherfallsafter;butitmakesnodifference.
Withintendaysthouwiltseemagodtothosetowhomthouartnowabeastandanape,ifthouwiltreturntothyprinciplesandtheworshipofreason.
Donotactasifthouwertgoingtolivetenthousandyears.Deathhangsoverthee.Whilethoulivest,whileitisinthypower,begood.
Howmuchtroubleheavoidswhodoesnotlooktoseewhathisneighboursaysordoesorthinks,butonlytowhathedoeshimself,thatitmaybejustandpure;orasAgathonsays,looknotroundatthedepravedmoralsofothers,butrunstraightalongthelinewithoutdeviatingfromit.
Hewhohasavehementdesireforposthumousfamedoesnotconsiderthateveryoneofthosewhorememberhimwillhimselfalsodieverysoon;thenagainalsotheywhohavesucceededthem,untilthewholeremembranceshallhavebeenextinguishedasitistransmittedthroughmenwhofoolishlyadmireandperish.Butsupposethatthosewhowillrememberareevenimmortal,andthattheremembrancewillbeimmortal,whatthenisthistothee?AndIsaynotwhatisittothedead,butwhatisittotheliving?Whatispraiseexceptindeedsofarasithasacertainutility?Forthounowrejectestunseasonablythegiftofnature,clingingtosomethingelse
Everythingwhichisinanywaybeautifulisbeautifulinitself,andterminatesinitself,nothavingpraiseaspartofitself.Neitherworsethennorbetterisathingmadebybeingpraised.Iaffirmthisalsoofthethingswhicharecalledbeautifulbythevulgar,forexample,materialthingsandworksofart.Thatwhichisreallybeautifulhasnoneedofanything;notmorethanlaw,notmorethantruth,notmorethanbenevolenceormodesty.Whichofthesethingsisbeautifulbecauseitispraised,orspoiledbybeingblamed?Issuchathingasanemeraldmadeworsethanitwas,ifitisnotpraised?Orgold,ivory,purple,alyre,alittleknife,aflower,ashrub?
Ifsoulscontinuetoexist,howdoestheaircontainthemfrometernity?-Buthowdoestheearthcontainthebodiesofthosewhohavebeenburiedfromtimesoremote?Forasherethemutationofthesebodiesafteracertaincontinuance,whateveritmaybe,andtheirdissolutionmakeroomforotherdeadbodies;sothesoulswhichareremovedintotheairaftersubsistingforsometimearetransmutedanddiffused,andassumeafierynaturebybeingreceivedintotheseminalintelligenceoftheuniverse,andinthiswaymakeroomforthefreshsoulswhichcometodwellthere.Andthisistheanswerwhichamanmightgiveonthehypothesisofsoulscontinuingtoexist.Butwemustnotonlythinkofthenumberofbodieswhicharethusburied,butalsoofthenumberofanimalswhicharedailyeatenbyusandtheotheranimals.Forwhatanumberisconsumed,andthusinamannerburiedinthebodiesofthosewhofeedonthem!Andneverthelessthisearthreceivesthembyreasonofthechangesofthesebodiesintoblood,andthetransformationsintotheaerialorthefieryelement.
Whatistheinvestigationintothetruthinthismatter?Thedivisionintothatwhichismaterialandthatwhichisthecauseofform,theformal.
Donotbewhirledabout,butineverymovementhaverespecttojustice,andontheoccasionofeveryimpressionmaintainthefacultyofcomprehensionorunderstanding.
Everythingharmonizeswithme,whichisharmonioustothee,OUniverse.Nothingformeistooearlynortoolate,whichisinduetimeforthee.Everythingisfruittomewhichthyseasonsbring,ONature:fromtheeareallthings,intheeareallthings,totheeallthingsreturn.Thepoetsays,DearcityofCecrops;andwiltnotthousay,DearcityofZeus?
Occupythyselfwithfewthings,saysthephilosopher,ifthouwouldstbetranquil-Butconsiderifitwouldnotbebettertosay,Dowhatisnecessary,andwhateverthereasonoftheanimalwhichisnaturallysocialrequires,andasitrequires.Forthisbringsnotonlythetranquilitywhichcomesfromdoingwell,butalsothatwhichcomesfromdoingfewthings.Forthegreatestpartofwhatwesayanddobeingunnecessary,ifamantakesthisaway,hewillhavemoreleisureandlessuneasiness.Accordinglyoneveryoccasionamanshouldaskhimself,Isthisoneoftheunnecessarythings?Nowamanshouldtakeawaynotonlyunnecessaryacts,butalso,unnecessarythoughts,forthussuperfluousactswillnotfollowafter.
Tryhowthelifeofthegoodmansuitsthee,thelifeofhimwhoissatisfiedwithhisportionoutofthewhole,andsatisfiedwithhisownjustactsandbenevolentdisposition.
Hastthouseenthosethings?Lookalsoatthese.Donotdisturbthyself.Makethyselfallsimplicity.Doesanyonedowrong?Itistohimselfthathedoesthewrong.Hasanythinghappenedtothee?Well;outoftheuniversefromthebeginningeverythingwhichhappenshasbeenapportionedandspunouttothee.Inaword,thylifeisshort.Thoumustturntoprofitthepresentbytheaidofreasonandjustice.Besoberinthyrelaxation.
Eitheritisawell-arrangeduniverseorachaoshuddledtogether,butstillauniverse.Butcanacertainordersubsistinthee,anddisorderintheAll?Andthistoowhenallthingsaresoseparatedanddiffusedandsympathetic.
Ablackcharacter,awomanishcharacter,astubborncharacter,bestial,childish,animal,stupid,counterfeit,scurrilous,fraudulent,tyrannical.
Ifheisastrangertotheuniversewhodoesnotknowwhatisinit,nolessisheastrangerwhodoesnotknowwhatisgoingoninit.Heisarunaway,whofliesfromsocialreason;heisblind,whoshutstheeyesoftheunderstanding;heispoor,whohasneedofanother,andhasnotfromhimselfallthingswhichareusefulforlife.Heisanabscessontheuniversewhowithdrawsandseparateshimselffromthereasonofourcommonnaturethroughbeingdispleasedwiththethingswhichhappen,forthesamenatureproducesthis,andhasproducedtheetoo:heisapiecerentasunderfromthestate,whotearshisownsoulfromthatofreasonableanimals,whichisone.
Theoneisaphilosopherwithoutatunic,andtheotherwithoutabook:hereisanotherhalfnaked:BreadIhavenot,hesays,andIabidebyreason-AndIdonotgetthemeansoflivingoutofmylearning,andIabidebymyreason.
Lovetheart,poorasitmaybe,whichthouhastlearned,andbecontentwithit;andpassthroughtherestoflifelikeonewhohasintrustedtothegodswithhiswholesoulallthathehas,makingthyselfneitherthetyrantnortheslaveofanyman.
Consider,forexample,thetimesofVespasian.Thouwiltseeallthesethings,peoplemarrying,bringingupchildren,sick,dying,warring,feasting,trafficking,cultivatingtheground,flattering,obstinatelyarrogant,suspecting,plotting,wishingforsometodie,grumblingaboutthepresent,loving,heapinguptreasure,desiringcounsulship,kinglypower.Wellthen,thatlifeofthesepeoplenolongerexistsatall.Again,removetothetimesofTrajan.Again,allisthesame.Theirlifetooisgone.Inlikemannerviewalsotheotherepochsoftimeandofwholenations,andseehowmanyaftergreateffortssoonfellandwereresolvedintotheelements.Butchieflythoushouldstthinkofthosewhomthouhastthyselfknowndistractingthemselvesaboutidlethings,neglectingtodowhatwasinaccordancewiththeirproperconstitution,andtoholdfirmlytothisandtobecontentwithit.Andhereinitisnecessarytorememberthattheattentiongiventoeverythinghasitspropervalueandproportion.Forthusthouwiltnotbedissatisfied,ifthouappliestthyselftosmallermattersnofurtherthanisfit.
Thewordswhichwereformerlyfamiliararenowantiquated:soalsothenamesofthosewhowerefamedofold,arenowinamannerantiquated,Camillus,Caeso,Volesus,Leonnatus,andalittleafteralsoScipioandCato,thenAugustus,thenalsoHadrianandAntoninus.Forallthingssoonpassawayandbecomeameretale,andcompleteoblivionsoonburiesthem.AndIsaythisofthosewhohaveshoneinawondrousway.Fortherest,assoonastheyhavebreathedouttheirbreath,theyaregone,andnomanspeaksofthem.And,toconcludethematter,whatisevenaneternalremembrance?Amerenothing.Whatthenisthataboutwhichweoughttoemployourseriouspains?Thisonething,thoughtsjust,andactssocial,andwordswhichneverlie,andadispositionwhichgladlyacceptsallthathappens,asnecessary,asusual,asflowingfromaprincipleandsourceofthesamekind.
WillinglygivethyselfuptoClotho,oneoftheFates,allowinghertospinthythreadintowhateverthingsshepleases.
Everythingisonlyforaday,boththatwhichremembersandthatwhichisremembered.
Observeconstantlythatallthingstakeplacebychange,andaccustomthyselftoconsiderthatthenatureoftheUniverselovesnothingsomuchastochangethethingswhichareandtomakenewthingslikethem.Foreverythingthatexistsisinamannertheseedofthatwhichwillbe.Butthouartthinkingonlyofseedswhicharecastintotheearthorintoawomb:butthisisaveryvulgarnotion.
Thouwiltsoondie,andthouartnotyetsimple,notfreefromperturbations,norwithoutsuspicionofbeinghurtbyexternalthings,norkindlydisposedtowardsall;nordostthouyetplacewisdomonlyinactingjustly.
Examinemen-srulingprinciples,eventhoseofthewise,whatkindofthingstheyavoid,andwhatkindtheypursue.
Whatiseviltotheedoesnotsubsistintherulingprincipleofanother;noryetinanyturningandmutationofthycorporealcovering.Whereisitthen?Itisinthatpartoftheeinwhichsubsiststhepowerofformingopinionsaboutevils.Letthispowerthennotformsuchopinions,andalliswell.Andifthatwhichisnearesttoit,thepoorbody,isburnt,filledwithmatterandrottenness,neverthelessletthepartwhichformsopinionsaboutthesethingsbequiet,thatis,letitjudgethatnothingiseitherbadorgoodwhichcanhappenequallytothebadmanandthegood.Forthatwhichhappensequallytohimwholivescontrarytonatureandtohimwholivesaccordingtonature,isneitheraccordingtonaturenorcontrarytonature.
Constantlyregardtheuniverseasonelivingbeing,havingonesubstanceandonesoul;andobservehowallthingshavereferencetooneperception,theperceptionofthisonelivingbeing;andhowallthingsactwithonemovement;andhowallthingsarethecooperatingcausesofallthingswhichexist;observetoothecontinuousspinningofthethreadandthecontextureoftheweb.
Thouartalittlesoulbearingaboutacorpse,asEpictetususedtosay.
Itisnoevilforthingstoundergochange,andnogoodforthingstosubsistinconsequenceofchange.
Timeislikearivermadeupoftheeventswhichhappen,andaviolentstream;forassoonasathinghasbeenseen,itiscarriedaway,andanothercomesinitsplace,andthiswillbecarriedawaytoo.
Everythingwhichhappensisasfamiliarandwellknownastheroseinspringandthefruitinsummer;forsuchisdisease,anddeath,andcalumny,andtreachery,andwhateverelsedelightsfoolsorvexesthem.
Intheseriesofthingsthosewhichfollowarealwaysaptlyfittedtothosewhichhavegonebefore;forthisseriesisnotlikeamereenumerationofdisjointedthings,whichhasonlyanecessarysequence,butitisarationalconnection:andasallexistingthingsarearrangedtogetherharmoniously,sothethingswhichcomeintoexistenceexhibitnomeresuccession,butacertainwonderfulrelationship.
AlwaysrememberthesayingofHeraclitus,thatthedeathofearthistobecomewater,andthedeathofwateristobecomeair,andthedeathofairistobecomefire,andreversely.Andthinktooofhimwhoforgetswhitherthewayleads,andthatmenquarrelwiththatwithwhichtheyaremostconstantlyincommunion,thereasonwhichgovernstheuniverse;andthethingswhichdailymeetwithseemtothemstrange:andconsiderthatweoughtnottoactandspeakasifwewereasleep,foreveninsleepweseemtoactandspeak;andthatweoughtnot,likechildrenwholearnfromtheirparents,simplytoactandspeakaswehavebeentaught.
Ifanygodtoldtheethatthoushaltdieto-morrow,orcertainlyonthedayafterto-morrow,thouwouldstnotcaremuchwhetheritwasonthethirddayoronthemorrow,unlessthouwastinthehighestdegreemean-spirited-forhowsmallisthedifference?-Sothinkitnogreatthingtodieafterasmanyyearsasthoucanstnameratherthanto-morrow.
Thinkcontinuallyhowmanyphysiciansaredeadafteroftencontractingtheireyebrowsoverthesick;andhowmanyastrologersafterpredictingwithgreatpretensionsthedeathsofothers;andhowmanyphilosophersafterendlessdiscoursesondeathorimmortality;howmanyheroesafterkillingthousands;andhowmanytyrantswhohaveusedtheirpowerovermen-sliveswithterribleinsolenceasiftheywereimmortal;andhowmanycitiesareentirelydead,sotospeak,HeliceandPompeiiandHerculaneum,andothersinnumerable.Addtothereckoningallwhomthouhastknown,oneafteranother.Onemanafterburyinganotherhasbeenlaidoutdead,andanotherburieshim:andallthisinashorttime.Toconclude,alwaysobservehowephemeralandworthlesshumanthingsare,andwhatwasyesterdayalittlemucusto-morrowwillbeamummyorashes.Passthenthroughthislittlespaceoftimeconformablytonature,andendthyjourneyincontent,justasanolivefallsoffwhenitisripe,blessingnaturewhoproducedit,andthankingthetreeonwhichitgrew.
Belikethepromontoryagainstwhichthewavescontinuallybreak,butitstandsfirmandtamesthefuryofthewateraroundit.
UnhappyamIbecausethishashappenedtome-Notso,buthappyamI,thoughthishashappenedtome,becauseIcontinuefreefrompain,neithercrushedbythepresentnorfearingthefuture.Forsuchathingasthismighthavehappenedtoeveryman;buteverymanwouldnothavecontinuedfreefrompainonsuchanoccasion.Whythenisthatratheramisfortunethanthisagoodfortune?Anddostthouinallcasescallthataman-smisfortune,whichisnotadeviationfromman-snature?Anddoesathingseemtotheetobeadeviationfromman-snature,whenitisnotcontrarytothewillofman-snature?Well,thouknowestthewillofnature.Willthenthiswhichhashappenedpreventtheefrombeingjust,magnanimous,temperate,prudent,secureagainstinconsiderateopinionsandfalsehood;willitpreventtheefromhavingmodesty,freedom,andeverythingelse,bythepresenceofwhichman-snatureobtainsallthatisitsown?Remembertoooneveryoccasionwhichleadstheetovexationtoapplythisprinciple:notthatthisisamisfortune,butthattobearitnoblyisgoodfortune.
Itisavulgar,butstillausefulhelptowardscontemptofdeath,topassinreviewthosewhohavetenaciouslystucktolife.Whatmorethenhavetheygainedthanthosewhohavediedearly?Certainlytheylieintheirtombssomewhereatlast,Cadicianus,Fabius,Julianus,Lepidus,oranyoneelselikethem,whohavecarriedoutmanytobeburied,andthenwerecarriedoutthemselves.Altogethertheintervalissmallbetweenbirthanddeath;andconsiderwithhowmuchtrouble,andincompanywithwhatsortofpeopleandinwhatafeeblebodythisintervalislaboriouslypassed.Donotthenconsiderlifeathingofanyvalue.Forlooktotheimmensityoftimebehindthee,andtothetimewhichisbeforethee,anotherboundlessspace.Inthisinfinitythenwhatisthedifferencebetweenhimwholivesthreedaysandhimwholivesthreegenerations?
Alwaysruntotheshortway;andtheshortwayisthenatural:accordinglysayanddoeverythinginconformitywiththesoundestreason.Forsuchapurposefreesamanfromtrouble,andwarfare,andallartificeandostentatiousdisplay.