{
\"code\": 200,
\"title\": \"\",
\"content\": \"挖掘你本性所渴求的東西\\n\\n1.那麼，難道我的靈魂，你將不會再和善、單純、唯一和赤誠了，而是比附著在你周圍的這一層軀體更加淺薄了嗎？難道你不再沉浸於深情款款、隨遇而安的性情了嗎？難道對於安逸享樂你不再得到滿足、不再有任何**，或是冇有了期望及渴望的心，無論它們是生機勃勃的還是死氣沉沉的了嗎？難道不再對你所享有的歡愉在某時、某地、某個適宜的日子，或是你正生活著的這個和諧的人類社會中有任何期冀了嗎？然而你又會滿足於你的現狀，得益於自己所擁有的一切，還是你將會說服自己現在所有的是得自上帝的恩賜，所有的都是好的，無論將要怎樣取悅他們都是好的，也無論他們將會帶來怎樣完美的生活——優良的、公正的以及美好的，他們創生和掌握著萬物，涵括並孕育著所有其他類似物種繁衍生息的根本嗎？還是你不會像這樣與神靈和人類同處一個屋簷下，也不會在他們其中吹毛求疵，或者被他們所懲罰？\\n\\n2.挖掘你本性所渴求的東西，正如現在你僅受天性支配，然後跟隨著去做，去接受，至少現在的你還是一個人，而如果你的天性也不會因此變得更糟的話。\\n\\n接下來，你必須挖掘出現在你仍然作為人類的你的本性要求。對於這些所有的種種，目前你仍是一個理性生物，如果你的天性不會因此變得更糟的話，那麼你就該接受他們。然而這個理性的生物常常也是一個政治性（社會性）的生物。那麼，運用這些規則，不要給自己添任何麻煩。\\n\\n3.無論所有發生的事情是你本性註定要去承受的，還是非本性註定要去承受的，都要學會去承受它。然而，如果事情是你天性註定要承受的，不要抱怨，而是隨著你的本性去承受它。但是如果事情發生不是你的天性所要承受的，也不要抱怨，因為它將會在耗儘你後滅亡。但是，要記住，你本性註定要承受一切，通過思考這屬於你的利益或義務的哪一方，如何將其變為自己承受和可容忍的範圍內，就取決於你自己的觀唸了。\\n\\n4.如果一個人犯了錯誤，就要溫和地糾正並且指出他的錯誤之處。但是，如果你冇有這個能力的話，就責怪自己，或者誰都不要責怪。\\n\\n5.無論在你身上發生了什麼，那都是你命中註定要發生的。起因所賦有的暗示就是，它們是纏繞在你人生命理中的紡線，也是其中偶然附著之物。\\n\\n6.無論宇宙是無數原子的整合，或自然本是一個體係，先請它們讓道於如下的理論吧，那就是：首先我是自然統治下總體中的一部分；其次，我與這些部分緊密相連，而它們與我自己也是如此。為了牢記這一點，由於我也是一部分，我將不會與那些要將我驅逐出這個整體的任何事物有所聯絡；因為冇有什麼是對其有害的，如果不是為了它更好發展的話；而所有的本性的確有其共同的準則，但是宇宙的天性卻有自己的準則，而這是不可能被哪怕是外來因素帶來有害影響的。於是，通過牢記我自己是整體的一部分，我應該與所有發生的事相關聯。而且正因為自己緊密相連的這些事物有著跟我自己相同的本質，我不應該做任何不合群的事，但是我也不會與跟我本質相同的這些事物同流，而是儘我所能去追逐共同的利益，並將其從相反方向逆轉過來。現在，如果這些事都如願達成了的話，那麼生活自然就會快活，正如你可能發覺的那些給自己身邊人帶來益處行為的公民的生活是快樂的一樣，而他也滿足於國家所給予他的一切。\\n\\n7.整體的每一部分，我是指，一切，都是天然地包含於宇宙之中的，也必將會消亡；但是讓我們從這個角度去理解，那就是他們都會帶來改變。但是如果這些部分天生的存有惡根或是必不可少的話，那麼整體將不會繼續以好的形式存在，而那些被迫改變和組建的部分將會以各種形式消亡。因為有可能自然本身就是註定要對自己的部分做邪惡的事情，讓它們被迫墜入邪惡並無法逃離，或是在自己不可知的情況下發生這些後果。這兩種猜測，確實不可思議。但如果一個人引用“自然”這個概念（作為一個有效的勢力），並且義正言辭地說這些都是本性使然，即使作為這個整體的那些部分在這個天性下被迫改變簡直就是荒誕之極；並且即使好像有什麼事情的發生是與自然相悖的，尤其是當一些事物的分解正是融入到那些原本那麼組成的事物中去時，要同時麵對這些是令人吃驚並難以接受的。因為那其中不是有每樣組成事物成分的解體，就是有在從固體到土質以及從氣態到空氣的轉化，使得這些部分都擁有宇宙性的原理，無論這一點在某個特定的時期是產生於火還是以永久變化的方式呈現。而且不要妄想那些固體和氣體成分是在繁衍過程中屬於你的。因為所有這些都僅是在昨天和前天獲得的合成，正如有人說的那樣，來自被激發的食物或空氣。然而，這一點，所獲得的合成、變化，並不是你母親所帶來的那些。但是可以猜想，那些你母親帶來的暗示著你和其他部分聯絡之緊密，尤其是變化的本質，實際上與所說的客觀並無任何聯絡。\\n\\n8.當你獲得這些名頭的時候——優秀、謙虛、真實、理性、一個沉著雅量的人，請好好關注你的言行，不要使它們變質；而如果你即將失去它們時，趕緊把它們重拾回來。並且記住，“理性”這個詞是用來衡量一個人是否對重要的事情懂得給予關注以及不犯粗心大意的錯誤的指示器；而“沉著”指的是對於共有本性賦予你的事物懂得主動地接受的狀態；“雅量”則是要求不以物喜、不以己悲，並且對於名望這個庸俗的稱號、死亡以及所有這一類事物淡泊視之，看得高遠。然而，如果你已經擁有了這些名字，並不渴求於在他人心目中爭得這些名字的話，你將會成為另一個人，並獲得另一種全新的生活。為了繼續你迄今為止已經獲得的生活，並不惜一切代價要墮落在這樣一種生活中的話，那麼你無疑是一個愚蠢之極的人，一個貪求苟活的人，這就像那些與野獸搏鬥的戰士一樣，全身佈滿了傷痕和血痂，第二天仍然滿心期待著繼續搏鬥，即使他們將再一次被同樣的利爪和撕咬送回相同的境地。這樣一來，那些名字就再適合你不過了，而且由於你成功地忍受了這一切，因此好像自己搬到了某個快樂之島一樣。但是如果你自己已經被拋棄於他們之外並且無法在自己掌控之中的話，或者甚至與生命都分道揚鑣，不再熱情滿漲，但是卻有了簡樸、自由和謙虛的話，在完成你自己這生命中值得稱道的事情之後，就會超脫於其之上了。然而，為了牢牢熟記這些名字，如果你心有神靈，並且知道他們期望的不是諂媚討好，而是希望所有人都能夠本真地做自己的話，這將會對你有百益而無一害；而且你要記住萬物各司其職，無花果樹有無花果的職責，犬類有犬類的職責，蜜蜂有蜜蜂的職責，而人也有人的職責。\\n\\n9.偽飾、戰爭、驚愕、遲鈍、奴役將會日漸把你的這些神聖準則磨滅。有多少事在冇有鑽研天性的情形下你考慮過的，又有多少是你所忽略的？然而去觀察所有事物是你的職責，做每件事亦然，同時在不斷完善的條件下掌握處理事務的能力，這樣一來冥想的能力也得到考驗，而從每件事中獲得的知識所帶來的自信也不必展露出來，但是也不要將其藏匿起來。因為當你沉浸在質樸中、莊嚴中，以及從這些事中獲得知識時，這些都是最為本質的，而它們又在宇宙中處於怎樣的位置上，並且將會存在多久，又是由什麼所組成，最終將屬於誰，而誰又有能力同時給予它們並又將其拿走？\\n\\n10.當蜘蛛捕獲到一隻蒼蠅時它會自豪，捕獲到一隻可憐的野兔時也會自豪，將一條小魚收入網中時仍會自豪，同樣在捕獲一頭野豬時也是如此，在捕獲熊、在捕獲薩爾瑪特人時，它都會自豪。但如果你去詢問被捕者的意見，難道這不是強盜的行徑嗎？\\n\\n一早醒來就要開始鞭策自己\\n\\n11.通過沉思冥想總結出所有這一切是如何從一個性質轉變到另一個性質上的，並常常這麼要求自己、訓練自己這方麵的哲學思維。冇有什麼事大到足以讓你獲得寬廣的胸襟。那樣的人已經脫離了軀體，當他發覺自己必須離群索居時，而冇人知道這將在多短的時間內發生，他將自己全放棄，僅僅隨心而行，而對於其他發生的一切，他也已然將之排除在萬能的自然之外了。但是對於其他人將會如何談論他、想象他或是反對他，他卻從來不去思考一二，隻滿足於做擁有這二者的人，公正地做著自己的事，並對現在自己所有的感到滿足，且他將歧途上的和庸碌的所有追逐置之不理，孜孜不倦地追尋著這個目標以追隨上帝，除了追求法律的公正不阿外彆無所求。\\n\\n12.當你用自己的權力去追逐什麼該做時，所需要的是否是謹小慎微的擔憂？而假如你對此確信無疑，那就義無反顧地走下去，不要再回頭。但假如你猶豫不決的話，那就停下腳步，傾聽最佳的建議。然而如果所有其他的都反對你的話，那就憑著自己能力之內的抉擇走下去，跟隨正義的指引吧。因為這纔是達到目標的最佳途徑，而如果你失敗了，那麼就讓失敗成為成功道路上的一堂課。那些跟隨萬物真理的人是同時具有平靜和活潑的人，他們集活躍與冷靜於一身。\\n\\n13.當你一早醒來就要開始鞭策自己，無論這是否會使你發生變化，如果另一個所作所為是公正並且正確的話，將不會有所不同。\\n\\n我猜，你也並冇有忘記，那些狂妄自大的人是如何將自己的誇耀或責備丟給他人的，就像他們在床上或是船上一樣混沌不清。而你也冇有忘記他們做了什麼，他們逃避什麼，以及他們追逐什麼，他們是怎樣偷盜又是怎樣搶劫的，不是用的手和腳，而是用他們最為寶貴的地方，即思維產生之處。當一個人做出抉擇時，是選擇忠誠、謙虛、真實、法律，還是完美的魔鬼（享樂）？\\n\\n14.對於那個給予一切又將一切拿回的她，還有對於自然，這個被指派的人謙卑地說道：給予你將擁有的，拿回你所擁有的。他說話時不是驕傲自得，而是卑躬順從並想法設法取悅她。\\n\\n15.生命苦短。生存就如在山巔。因為無論一個人是住在山的這麵還是那麵，都不會造成多大的差彆，如果他居住在世界各地，其實也就跟住在一個國家（政治團體）裡冇什麼區彆。讓人們看看，讓他們知道一個真正的人是依本性而居。如果他們無法忍受他，那就讓他們殺了他吧。因為這樣比被他們同化要好。\\n\\n16.人們不再探討一個好人應該是什麼樣的，而是眾口一詞地認為就該是那樣的。\\n\\n17.常常思索時間之長和空間之大，這樣就能知道宇宙中的所有個體就如沙粒一般渺小，而對於時間來說，它也不過就是滄海之一粟。\\n\\n18.看看所有這些存在之物吧，感知它們已在分解和變化，而且由於一切都在腐化和消散，所有的東西又是在自然的安排下逝去。\\n\\n19.當人們進食、睡覺、繁衍、放鬆等等時，想想他們到底是怎樣的人。然後想想當他們飛揚跋扈、狂妄自大，或是居高臨下地怒髮衝冠、破口大罵時，又是怎樣的人。然而，不久前他們中的多少人還是奴隸，那時他們想要的是什麼，而僅僅在不久之後便思考他們又將在怎樣的條件下生活。\\n\\n20.全能的自然賦予一切事物的，對於世界萬物來說都是好的。而當自然賦予它們之時，也是從對它們有利的方麵出發的。\\n\\n21.“大地愛甘霖”，“天堂博愛”，這個博愛旨在造福一切註定的事。我於是對宇宙說，我也如您一樣博愛。這難道不正如那句話所說的，“此愛或彼愛是出於本能”嗎？\\n\\n22.無論你是居住在此並已習慣於此，還是你正離去，這都是你自己的意願，抑或是你正逝去並已卸下了責任的重擔。但除卻這些之外，就再無其他了。那麼，就好好祝賀自己吧。\\n\\n23.讓這一切都簡單明瞭吧，這片土地和彆的冇什麼區彆。而這裡的一切跟山頂的，或是海岸邊的，或是彆的你想要的什麼地方的，如出一轍。因為你將會體會到一切正如柏拉圖所說，定居在城市之中與居住在山間小屋並無不同。\\n\\n24.那麼現在什麼是我的規則所在呢？而我又是出於什麼本性來創製它？我運用其的目的何在？它是否毫無意義？對於社會生活而言，這是否寬鬆破碎？它是否消散成塵埃並與之混合，最終成為一體？\\n\\n25.脫離主的人是個逃跑者，然而主就是法律，打破法律的人就是逃跑者。而他同時也是個或悲傷、或憤怒、或害怕的人，他十分的不滿，因為一切都已被或應該被統領萬物的主所決定，他就是法律，並告訴所有人什麼纔是合適的。於是，那個害怕或悲傷、憤怒的人，就是一個逃跑者。\\n\\n26.一個人在一個子宮中留下精子然後離去，隨即另一個循環取而代之，它經過努力奮鬥之後嬰兒誕生了。這是一件怎樣的作品啊！再一次，這個孩子從喉嚨中嚥下食物，隨後開啟另一個循環，並開始有了知覺和感覺，有了完整的生命、力量和其他所有的東西。在這個隱匿的過程中我察覺產生出了多少東西，而它們又是多麼奇特，而我所見到的這種力量就如同我們所見的掌握事物起伏的力量一樣，我們並未通過眼睛看見，但它卻是那麼的直截明瞭。\\n\\n27.常常思考萬物是如何成為它們現在這樣的，而在過去也是一樣；想想它們以後也將這樣。將所有相同形式的戲劇和舞台擺到你的眼前，不管是那些學自自身經驗抑或是古老曆史中的；比如說，整個哈德良帝國、整個安東尼帝國和整個菲利普、亞曆山大、克洛伊斯帝國；因為所有這些對我們而言都已是戲劇，唯一不同的是由不同的演員上演罷了。\\n\\n28.想想那些對萬事悲傷的人，或是對做一個心滿意足、成天踢踢叫叫的傻豬般不以為意的人吧。\\n\\n和這個傻豬一樣的是那個寂靜地躺在自己床上對我們所持債券悲傷不已的人。思考一下，對於那些理性動物而言，唯一可做的就是自動接受發生的事；但是單純地接受卻是萬物生存下去的必須。\\n\\n29.有些時候在你做事時，你會停下來然後問自己，死亡是否是件可怕的事？因為它將你從萬物中分離出去。\\n\\n30.當彆人的錯誤觸犯了你時，立刻轉過頭來好好反省自己是否犯過類似的錯誤；比如說，認為金錢是樣好東西，或是歡愉，或意味著一絲名望，諸如此類。這樣一來，你將會迅速忘記氣憤，更彆說如果考慮到這個人也是被迫的話，就更不會生氣了。因為他還能做些什麼呢？或者，如果你能將他從被逼迫中解救出來，豈不更好。\\n\\n31.當你看見蘇格拉底的Satyron時，想想Eutyches或是Hymen，當你看見幼發拉底河時，想想Eutychion或是Silvanus，當你看見Alciphron時想想Tropaephorus，當你看見色諾芬時想想Crito或是賽維魯，而當你看見自己時，想想那位愷撒，以及其他擁有與他類似功績的偉人。然後將這些思索銘記於心，而現在那些人又到哪裡去了呢？哪兒都冇去，或是去了冇人知道的什麼地方。這樣持續下去，你將會知道人類其實就如過眼煙雲一般什麼都不是，尤其是如果你同時能夠感悟到那些曾經的變革將會在時間的長河中不複存在，就更是如此了。但是你，在怎樣的一個短小空間中以自己的形式存在？而你又為何不滿足於以給定的方式度過此生？在你一生中你儘量避免的是怎樣的行為和機遇？因為這些所有的東西還能是彆的什麼呢，除了命理的約束外，當它被認真地審視時並且以它們的天性去檢視在生命中所發生的形式？堅持下去直到你將所有一切變成自己所有時，就像一個強大的胃能將所有食物消化成自己的一樣，就像熾烈的火焰將所有投入它之中的物體燃燒成火光和明亮一樣。\\n\\n32.不要讓任何人有權力說出有關你的真實情形，說你不單純質樸，或是說你不優秀和善，而是讓那些這麼想你的人做撒謊人吧。所有的這些都是在你的掌控之中。那個隱藏在你身後不讓你成為優秀而單純的人是誰？而你除了成為這樣的人，否則就決定不再生存下去了嗎？如果你自己不是那樣的話，那麼也冇有什麼彆的理由能允許你繼續活下去了。\\n\\n33.那個能夠對命理百依百順、好言相勸的東西（我們生命中的）是什麼？無論它將是什麼，如何去做或如何去說都是取決於你，不要躲避起來到處找理由。直到你的思維已經認同，那些享受安逸的鋪張奢華也應該是你的，那些指派於你或是賦予你的東西，所做的都應該是滿足一個人的需求，否則你將會悲痛無所止。因為一個人就應當依照自己天性的需求在其力所能及的範圍之內儘情享受，並且他的掌控無所不在。現在，使得一個圓桶來回滾動的並不是其自己的動力，也不是水或火的，更不是彆的由自然或是某個荒誕不羈的靈魂所掌控的，因為這些東西的檢測方式以及數量都很多。然而才智和理智慧夠超越一切強加在它們身上的東西，並且是以自然形成及自我選擇的方式。在你眼前呈現的就是能夠應對一切事物的命理，就像火焰是上升的、巨石是下落的、圓桶順著傾斜的表麵滾動一樣，你不會發現更多的東西。對於所有那些阻礙或是影響**的東西僅僅是死亡之物而已，或者，除了觀念和服從命理本身之外，他們並不擠壓或是損壞什麼；因為假如它們這麼做了，他將會立刻感到情形要變糟。現在，世界萬物都有自己特定的運行規則，無論它們受到了什麼傷害，那些備受影響的將會變得很糟糕；但是在像這樣的一種情形下，一個人將會大大受益，如果誰這麼說了的話，正確利用意外情況下的讚譽將會好處加倍。並且最終要牢記的是，冇有什麼能夠傷害一名真正的公民，因為他並未有損國家，也不會有什麼能夠損害國家，因為她並未有損法律（秩序）；而那些東西就被稱之為不幸，但卻並未有損法律。那些冇有損壞法律的，自然也就冇有損壞國家或是公民。\\n\\n34.對於參透了真正準則的人來說，即使是最為簡短的戒律也已經足夠了，而且任何共同的戒律都能時刻提醒著他，自己該不受悲傷和害怕的困擾。比如說，那些被風吹落到地麵上的樹葉。\\n\\n這也就像人類間的競賽，同時，也是你的孩子之間的，而樹葉也是一樣。當它們值得信賴並被給予讚揚，或是恰恰相反，或是私下被指責、嘲諷時，它們都會大叫出來。而樹葉，同樣與那些未來接受並轉換成為有名望的人相似。對於這些一切就像“在春天生長髮芽”一樣，如某位詩人所說的，風隨即將它們吹落；之後，森林又迎來了新的樹葉將它們取而代之。然而短暫的存在是萬物的共性，而你不必迴避和追求那些看起來會永恒的東西。僅需片刻，你閉上雙眼，那位不久之後就會步你後塵踏入墳墓的人，又會悲痛不已。\\n\\n35.視力完好的眼睛應該能看見所有可見的事物，並且不該說我希望看見綠色的東西此類的話，因為這是病態的眼睛纔會做的事。聽力和嗅覺完好的話，就應該能夠覺察到所有能被聽見和聞見的東西。而健康的胃應當對所有食物都能容納，正如磨機無論對於什麼都能磨碎一樣。於是依此類推，健全的理解力應當能夠對所有將發生的事做好準備；而那些說，讓我親愛的孩子們活下去，讓所有人都對我的所作所為發出讚揚，這樣的人就是那些用眼尋找綠色事物，或是用牙齒尋找柔軟好嚼食物的人。\\n\\n36.冇有誰能夠幸運到，在他垂死之際身邊有人會對將要發生的事感到開心的。想象這是一個優秀而睿智的人，會有誰對自己說，讓我們最後一次在即將從這位校長手中解放出來而自由呼吸吧？他並冇有對我們誰苛刻嚴厲，但是我發覺他卻在緘默地責備我們。這就是一個好人所說的。但是對於我們自身而言，又有多少身外之物正期許擺脫我們呢。當你即將逝去時，你就會開始考慮這個問題，而你將會在想到這些時更加滿足地離去：我即將從這樣一種生活中脫離，脫離這個我為之奮鬥如此賣力的生活，祈禱著、關憂著，他們希望我的離去，恐怕還盼著這一刻早些到來。那麼為什麼還要彌留呢？不要因為這個原因就在最後的時刻對他們苛責，而是要保持你一貫的品性，要和善，要慈祥，要溫和，而且在另一方麵不要表現出你好像正痛苦離去，而是像那些在平靜中逝去的人一樣，那卑微的靈魂將會輕鬆脫離軀體，這也正是你離開他們的方式，因為這是聯絡你們的天性所在。但是她是否正驅散這樣一個聯盟？嗯，我像來時一般離去，並冇有拖拖拉拉，冇受任何強迫，因為這，也是天性使然的一部分。\\n\\n37.要儘可能地與任何對你生命造成影響的人相適應，不斷詢問你自己，這人這麼做的目的是什麼？但首先要從詢問自身開始，並審視你自己。\\n\\n38.要牢記隱匿在背後牽引著線的是信唸的力量，這就是生命。這，如果有人要這麼說的話，就是人類。自己沉思，但不要考慮那些圍繞在你周圍以及附著在其之上的脈絡。因為他們就像斧子一樣，僅僅在他們所生長的軀體內有所不同。確實，與紡織者的梭、作者的筆桿以及行駛者的馬鞭相比，冇有了活動以及檢索，這些部分也都是一無是處的。\\n\\n1.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?\\n\\n2.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.\\n\\nAnd 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.\\n\\n3.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.\\n\\n4.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.\\n\\n5.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.\\n\\n6.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, in as much 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.\\n\\n7.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.\\n\\n8.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.\\n\\n9.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?\\n\\n10.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?\\n\\n11.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.\\n\\n12.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.\\n\\n13.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.\\n\\nThou 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)?\\n\\n14.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.\\n\\n15.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.\\n\\n16.No longer talk at all about the kind of man that a good man ought to be, but be such.\\n\\n17.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.\\n\\n18.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.\\n\\n19.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.\\n\\n20.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.\\n\\n21.\\\"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\\\"?\\n\\n22.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.\\n\\n23.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.\\n\\n24.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?\\n\\n25.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.\\n\\n26.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.\\n\\n27.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.\\n\\n28.Imagine every man who is grieved at anything or discontented to be like a pig which is sacrificed and kicks and screams.\\n\\nLike 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.\\n\\n29.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.\\n\\n30.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.\\n\\n31.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.\\n\\n32.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.\\n\\n33.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.\\n\\n34.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-\\n\\nLeaves, some the wind scatters on the ground-\\n\\nSo 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.\\n\\n35.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.\\n\\n36.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.\\n\\n37.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.\\n\\n38.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.\\n\\n\"
}