Humanitext Reader

Marcus Aurelius · Meditations §10.30.1

Self-Reflection and Forgiveness for Others' Errors

Passage 404 of 486 · Greek

Summary

Marcus Aurelius advises that when offended by others' mistakes, one should immediately reflect on one's own similar errors, and appease anger by understanding that the other person acts under constraint.

§10.30.1Ὅταν προσκόπτῃς ἐπί τινος ἁμαρτίᾳ, εὐθὺς μεταβὰς ἐπιλογίζου τί παρόμοιον ἁμαρτάνεις· οἷον, ἀργύριον ἀγαθὸν εἶναι κρίνων ἢ τὴν ἡδονὴν ἢ τὸ δοξάριον καὶ κατ’ εἶδος.
When you are offended by anyone's mistake, immediately turn your attention and reflect on what similar mistake you commit; for example, judging money to be a good thing, or pleasure, or a bit of reputation, and other things of this kind.
τούτῳ γὰρ ἐπιβάλλων ταχέως ἐπιλήσῃ τῆς ὀργῆς, συμπροσπίπτοντος τοῦ ὅτι βιάζεται· τί γὰρ ποιήσει;
For by applying your mind to this, you will quickly forget your anger, as the fact that he is under constraint also occurs to you at the same time; for what else can he do?
ἤ, εἰ δύνασαι, ἄφελε αὐτοῦ τὸ βιαζόμενον.
Or, if you can, remove from him that which constrains him.

Notes

  1. §10.30.1κρίνων — Nominative masculine singular present participle, agreeing with the implied subject of the main verb (second person singular). Introduced by οἷον (for example), it illustrates the concrete content of the 'similar mistake' (τί παρόμοιον ἁμαρτάνεις) as the subject's own act of 'judging'. The subsequent phrases ἢ τὴν ἡδονὴν and ἢ τὸ δοξάριον are also coordinated as objects of κρίνων.
  2. §10.30.1συμπροσπίπτοντος τοῦ ὅτι βιάζεται — A genitive absolute construction. The noun clause with the genitive definite article, τοῦ ὅτι βιάζεται ('the fact that he is forced/under constraint'), functions as the subject of the present participle συμπροσπίπτοντος ('occurring at the same time'). The conjunction ὅτι introduces a noun clause indicating a fact.
  3. §10.30.1τὸ βιαζόμενον — The neuter singular accusative present participle of βιάζω (to force/constrain) with the definite article, functioning as a noun. Here, used in an active/middle sense to mean 'that which constrains him' or 'the factor/circumstance that forces him.'

Cite this passage

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations §10.30.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0562.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:10.30.1

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