Humanitext Reader

Marcus Aurelius · Meditations §1.12.1

Lessons from Alexander: Not Using Busyness as an Excuse

Passage 12 of 486 · Greek

Summary

Learning from Alexander the Platonist not to evade social duties toward associates by constantly offering the excuse of being busy.

§1.12.1Παρὰ Ἀλεξάνδρου τοῦ Πλατωνικοῦ τὸ μὴ πολλάκις μηδὲ χωρὶς ἀνάγκης λέγειν πρός τινα ἢ ἐν ἐπιστολῇ γράφειν ὅτι ἄσχολός εἰμι, μηδὲ διὰ τούτου τοῦ τρόπου συνεχῶς παραιτεῖσθαι τὰ κατὰ τὰς πρὸς τοὺς συμβιοῦντας σχέσεις καθήκοντα, προβαλλόμενον τὰ περιεστῶτα πράγματα.
From Alexander the Platonist, not frequently nor without necessity to say to anyone or write in a letter that "I am busy," nor in this manner continually to evade the duties required by our relations with those who live with us, putting forward as a pretext our surrounding circumstances.

Notes

  1. 1.12.1προβαλλόμενον — Present middle participle, accusative singular masculine. It agrees with the implied subject (ἐμέ, 'me') of the preceding infinitives (λέγειν, γράφειν, παραιτεῖσθαι). It means 'putting forward as a pretext' or 'holding up as an excuse'.
  2. 1.12.1τὰ περιεστῶτα πράγματα — The word περιεστῶτα is the perfect active participle (neuter plural accusative) of περιίστημι ('to surround'). Literally 'surrounding circumstances', it refers to pressing affairs or immediate duties at hand, acting as the direct object of the participle προβαλλόμενον.

Cite this passage

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations §1.12.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0562.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:1.12.1

Please note the AI-draft status of the translation and the date accessed.

Translation, notes and summary are AI-generated drafts, revised through reader feedback.