Humanitext Reader

Marcus Aurelius · Meditations §1.5.1

Lessons from His Tutor on Impartiality and Endurance

Passage 5 of 486 · Greek

Summary

The author recalls the lessons from his tutor, which include not taking sides in chariot races or gladiatorial factions, enduring labor, wanting little, working with his own hands, minding his own business, and not easily believing slander.

§1.5.1Παρὰ τοῦ τροφέως τὸ μήτε Πρασιανὸς μήτε Βενετιανὸς μήτε Παλμουλάριος ἢ Σκουτάριος γενέσθαι· καὶ τὸ φερέπονον καὶ ὀλιγοδεές· καὶ τὸ αὐτουργικὸν καὶ ἀπολύπραγμον· καὶ τὸ δυσπρόσδεκτον διαβολῆς.
From my tutor, not to have become a supporter of either the Greens or the Blues, or of either the Palmularii or the Scutarii; and endurance of labor, and to want little; and to work with one's own hands, and not to meddle in other people's affairs; and not to be ready to listen to slander.

Notes

  1. 1.5.1Πρασιανὸς μήτε Βενετιανὸς μήτε Παλμουλάριος ἢ Σκουτάριος — These refer to supporters of popular factions in Roman entertainment. Πρασιανός ("Green") and Βενετιανός ("Blue") are chariot-racing factions; Παλμουλάριος (the "small-shield" thraex supporters) and Σκουτάριος (the "large-shield" samnite or murmillo supporters) are gladiatorial factions. They derive from the Latin loanwords prasianus, venetianus, parmularius, and scutarius.
  2. 1.5.1τὸ δυσπρόσδεκτον διαβολῆς — The substantivized neuter adjective δυσπρόσδεκτον ("hard to accept / slow to admit") is construed with the objective genitive διαβολῆς ("slander / calumny"), meaning "not being ready to listen to slander."

Cite this passage

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations §1.5.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0562.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:1.5.1

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