Humanitext Reader

Marcus Aurelius · Meditations §11.15.1

Genuine Sincerity and Warning against False Friendship

Passage 427 of 486 · Greek

Summary

The author argues that straightforwardness and goodness should not be declared beforehand but should reveal themselves naturally in one's eyes and attitude, warning against simulated sincerity and deceitful friendship.

§11.15.1Ὡς σαπρὸς καὶ κίβδηλος ὁ λέγων· ἐγὼ προῄρημαι ἁπλῶς σοι προσφέρεσθαι. τί ποιεῖς, ἄνθρωπε;
How corrupt and insincere is the one who says, "I have made up my mind to deal with you in a straightforward manner." What are you doing, my friend?
τοῦτο οὐ δεῖ προλέγειν.
There is no need to announce this beforehand.
αὐτὸ φανήσεται· ἐπὶ τοῦ μετώπου γεγράφθαι ὀφείλει·
It will show of itself; it ought to be written on your forehead.
εὐθὺς ἡ φωνὴ τοιοῦτον ἠχεῖ, εὐθὺς ἐν τοῖς ὄμμασιν ἐξέχει, ὡς τῶν ἐραστῶν ἐν τῷ βλέμματι πάντα εὐθὺς γνωρίζει ὁ ἐρώμενος.
The voice immediately sounds with such a tone, it immediately stands out in the eyes, just as the beloved immediately recognizes everything in the glance of those who love.
τοιοῦτον ὅλως δεῖ τὸν ἁπλοῦν καὶ ἀγαθὸν εἶναι, οἶον γράσωνα, ἵνα ὁ παραστὰς ἅμα τῷ προσελθεῖν, θέλει οὐ θέλει, αἴσθηται.
The straightforward and good person ought to be entirely like this, like a person of strong odor, so that anyone standing near, as soon as he approaches, whether he wishes or not, perceives it.
ἐπιτήδευσις δὲ ἁπλότητος σκάλμη ἐστίν.
But the affectation of straightforwardness is a crooked knife.
οὐδέν ἐστιν αἴσχιον λυκοφιλίας· πάντων μάλιστα τοῦτο φεῦγε.
Nothing is more shameful than a wolfish friendship; avoid this above all things.
ὁ ἀγαθὸς καὶ ἁπλοῦς καὶ εὐμενὴς ἐν τοῖς ὄμμασιν ἔχουσι ταῦτα καὶ οὐ λανθάνει.
The good, straightforward, and benevolent person has these qualities in his eyes, and they do not escape notice.

Notes

  1. §11.15.1ὡς τῶν ἐραστῶν ἐν τῷ βλέμματι πάντα εὐθὺς γνωρίζει ὁ ἐρώμενος — ὡς is a conjunction introducing a comparison ("just as"). The genitive τῶν ἐραστῶν modifies the prepositional phrase ἐν τῷ βλέμματι. The subject of the clause is ὁ ἐρώμενος ("the beloved"), the verb is γνωρίζει ("recognizes"), and the object is πάντα ("all things").
  2. §11.15.1ἔχουσι ταῦτα καὶ οὐ λανθάνει — While the preceding coordinate singular subjects (ὁ ἀγαθὸς καὶ ἁπλοῦς καὶ εὐμενής) govern the plural verb ἔχουσι by synesis (construction according to sense), in the following clause καὶ οὐ λανθάνει, the neuter plural pronoun ταῦτα (the object of the previous clause) becomes the subject, taking the singular verb λανθάνει in accordance with the standard rule for neuter plural subjects ("and these things do not escape notice").

Cite this passage

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations §11.15.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0562.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:11.15.1

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