Humanitext Reader

Marcus Aurelius · Meditations §10.10.1

Those Who Boast of Their Prey and Their Nature as Robbers

Passage 384 of 486 · Greek

Summary

Just as a spider prides itself on catching a fly, humans boast of catching hares, fish, or even enemy tribesmen; however, if one examines their underlying principles, they are all equally robbers.

§10.10.1Ἀράχνιον μυῖαν θηρᾶσαν μέγα φρονεῖ, ἄλλος δὲ λαγίδιον, ἄλλος δὲ ὑποχῇ ἀφύην, ἄλλος δὲ συίδια, ἄλλος δὲ ἄρκτους, ἄλλος Σαρμάτας.
A spider is proud when it has caught a fly, and another man when he has caught a little hare, and another a minnow in a net, and another young wild boars, and another bears, and another Sarmatians.
οὗτοι γὰρ οὐ λῃσταί, ἐὰν τὰ δόγματα ἐξετάζῃς;
For are these not robbers, if you examine their principles?

Notes

  1. 10.10.1θηρᾶσαν — An aorist active participle, neuter nominative singular, from the verb θηράω, agreeing with the subject Ἀράχνιον (neuter singular noun). In the subsequent clauses starting with ἄλλος δὲ..., the masculine nominative participle θηράσας and the main verb μέγα φρονεῖ are understood to be omitted.
  2. 10.10.1ὑποχῇ — Dative singular of the noun ὑποχή (a landing net). It functions as a dative of instrument, meaning 'with a net' or 'by means of a net'.
  3. 10.10.1οὗτοι — Demonstrative pronoun, masculine plural nominative. Rather than referring solely to the captors of the Sarmatians immediately preceding it, it collectively designates all the 'hunters' listed above, from the spider to the humans. The context implies that if one examines their inner principles (δόγματα), they are all essentially 'robbers' (λῃσταί) preying on others.

Cite this passage

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations §10.10.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0562.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:10.10.1

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