Humanitext Reader

Marcus Aurelius · Meditations §12.12.1

Why Neither Gods Nor Humans Should Be Blamed

Passage 463 of 486 · Greek

Summary

The author explains why neither gods nor men, and consequently no one, should be blamed, based on the nature of their respective actions.

§12.12.1Μήτε θεοῖς μεμπτέον· οὐδὲν γὰρ ἑκόντες ἢ ἄκοντες ἁμαρτάνουσι· μήτε ἀνθρώποις· οὐδὲν γὰρ οὐχὶ ἄκοντες.
Neither must one blame the gods; for they commit no error, either willingly or unwillingly; nor must one blame men; for they commit nothing except unwillingly.
ὥστε οὐδενὶ μεμπτέον.
Consequently, one must blame no one.

Notes

  1. 12.12.1μεμπτέον — Impersonal verbal adjective in -τέος from the verb μέμφομαι ('to blame'), governing the dative (θεοῖς, ἀνθρώποις, οὐδενὶ) as the object of blame, expressing necessity or obligation.
  2. 12.12.1οὐδὲν γὰρ οὐχὶ ἄκοντες — An elliptical construction with the verb ἁμαρτάνουσι ('commit error') omitted from the previous clause. The double negation (οὐδὲν ... οὐχί) modifies the adjective ἄκοντες ('unwillingly'), meaning 'they commit nothing except unwillingly' (i.e., all their errors are involuntary).

Cite this passage

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations §12.12.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0562.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:12.12.1

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