Humanitext Reader

Marcus Aurelius · Meditations §12.16.1

Tolerating Wrongdoing and Curing Bad Dispositions

Passage 467 of 486 · Greek

Summary

Explains that when someone seems to do wrong, we cannot be sure it is a wrong, and even if it is, they have already punished themselves; moreover, expecting a bad person not to do wrong is like denying nature's necessity, so one should cure their disposition if possible.

§12.16.1Ἐπὶ τοῦ φαντασίαν παρασχόντος ὅτι ἥμαρτε· τί δαὶ οἶδα εἰ τοῦτο ἁμάρτημα;
In the case of one who has given you the impression that he did wrong: how do I know after all if this is a wrong?
εἰ δὲ καὶ ἥμαρτεν, ὅτι κατέκρινεν αὐτὸς ἑαυτόν, καὶ οὕτως ὅμοιον τοῦτο τῷ καταδρύπτειν τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ὄψιν.
And even if he did wrong, he has already condemned himself, and this is like tearing his own face.
Ὅτι ὁ μὴ θέλων τὸν φαῦλον ἁμαρτάνειν ὅμοιος τῷ μὴ θέλοντι τὴν συκῆν ὀπὸν ἐν τοῖς σύκοις φέρειν καὶ τὰ βρέφη κλαυθμυρίζεσθαι καὶ τὸν ἵππον χρεμετίζειν καὶ ὅσα ἄλλα ἀναγκαῖα.
He who does not wish the bad man to do wrong is like one who does not wish the fig tree to bear juice in its figs, and infants to cry, and the horse to neigh, and all other things that are necessary.
τί γὰρ πάθῃ τὴν ἕξιν ἔχων τοιαύτην;
For what else can he do, having such a disposition?
εἰ οὖν γοργὸς εἶ, ταύτην θεράπευσον.
If then you are clever, cure this disposition.

Notes

  1. 12.16.1Ἐπὶ τοῦ φαντασίαν παρασχόντος ὅτι ἥμαρτε — Combination of the preposition ἐπί with the genitive. The substantivized participle τοῦ παρασχόντος ("the one who presented") governs the clause ὅτι ἥμαρτε ("that he did wrong"), serving to introduce the topic: "In the case of one who has given the impression that..."
  2. 12.16.1ὅτι κατέκρινεν αὐτὸς ἑαυτόν — Here ὅτι either introduces a causal clause or functions with an ellipsis of a main verb of thinking/knowing (e.g., "know that...", "reflect that..."), presenting the fact "that he has condemned himself."
  3. 12.16.1τί γὰρ πάθῃ — The aorist subjunctive πάθῃ functions as a deliberative subjunctive expressing impossibility or inevitability. Literally "for what else could he experience/suffer?", emphasizing that given his disposition, he cannot act otherwise.
  4. 12.16.1γοργὸς — The adjective γοργός originally means "terrible", "quick", or "clever". Here it refers to being "sharp" or "skillful" enough to notice others' flaws, linking with the medical metaphor "cure" (θεράπευσον) in the latter half of the sentence.

Cite this passage

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations §12.16.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0562.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:12.16.1

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