Humanitext Reader

Marcus Aurelius · Meditations §1.6.1

Rejection of Superstition and Philosophical Rigor from Diognetus

Passage 6 of 486 · Greek

Summary

The author recalls learning from Diognetus to reject superstitions, embrace philosophy, and practice rigorous physical and mental self-discipline.

§1.6.1Παρὰ Διογνήτου τὸ ἀκενόσπουδον· καὶ τὸ ἀπιστητικὸν τοῖς ὑπὸ τῶν τερατευομένων καὶ γοήτων περὶ ἐπῳδῶν καὶ περὶ δαιμόνων ἀποπομπῆς καὶ τῶν τοιούτων λεγομένοις· καὶ τὸ μὴ ὀρτυγοτροφεῖν μηδὲ περὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα ἐπτοῆσθαι· καὶ τὸ ἀνέχεσθαι παρρησίας· καὶ τὸ οἰκειωθῆναι φιλοσοφίᾳ καὶ τὸ ἀκοῦσαι πρῶτον μὲν Βακχείου, εἶτα Τανδάσιδος καὶ Μαρκιανοῦ· καὶ τὸ γράψαι διαλόγους ἐν παιδί· καὶ τὸ σκίμποδος καὶ δορᾶς ἐπιθυμῆσαι καὶ ὅσα τοιαῦτα τῆς Ἑλληνικῆς ἀγωγῆς ἐχόμενα.
From Diognetus, not to busy oneself about trifling things; and not to believe what is said by miracle-mongers and jugglers about incantations and the driving away of demons and the like; and not to breed quails, nor to be passionate about such things; and to endure freedom of speech; and to become intimate with philosophy; and to have been a hearer first of Bacchius, then of Tandasis and Marcianus; and to have written dialogues in my youth; and to have desired a plank bed and a skin, and whatever else belongs to the Grecian discipline.

Notes

  1. 1.6.1ἀπιστητικὸν — The adjective ἀπιστητικός ('incredulous') takes the dative (here τοῖς ... λεγομένοις, 'what is said') to denote its object. The participle λεγομένοις is a passive expression, with the agent expressed by the prepositional phrase ὑπὸ τῶν τερατευομένων καὶ γοήτων ('by miracle-mongers and jugglers') and the topic introduced by περί.
  2. 1.6.1ἐχόμενα — The middle participle ἐχόμενος of the verb ἔχω governs the genitive case and means 'clinging to', 'belonging to', or 'connected with'. Here it governs the genitive τῆς Ἑλληνικῆς ἀγωγῆς ('the Grecian discipline') to refer to all practices associated with it.

Cite this passage

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations §1.6.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0562.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:1.6.1

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