Humanitext Reader

Marcus Aurelius · Meditations §12.35.1

Freedom from the Fear of Death through Indifference to Time

Passage 485 of 486 · Greek

Summary

He explains that for a person who values only what is opportune, regards doing more or fewer rational actions as equal, and finds no difference in contemplating the universe for a longer or shorter time, even death is not to be feared.

§12.35.1Ὧι τὸ εὔκαιρον μόνον ἀγαθὸν καὶ ᾧ τὸ πλείους κατὰ λόγον ὀρθὸν πράξεις ἀποδοῦναι τῷ ὀλιγωτέρας ἐν ἴσῳ ἐστὶ καὶ ᾧ τὸν κόσμον θεωρῆσαι πλείονι ἢ ἐλάσσονι χρόνῳ οὐ διαφέρει, τούτῳ οὐδὲ ὁ θάνατος φοβερόν.
To him for whom only what is opportune is good, and for whom to perform more actions in accordance with right reason is equal to performing fewer, and for whom to contemplate the universe for a longer or a shorter time makes no difference—to this man not even death is a thing of dread.

Notes

  1. §12.35.1Ὧι ... καὶ ᾧ ... καὶ ᾧ ..., τούτῳ — Three relative clauses introduced by the relative pronoun ᾧ (dative of interest/reference, 'for whom') are coordinated by καί, all referring back to the demonstrative pronoun τούτῳ (dative) at the end of the sentence. The core structure is 'for the one who [does A, B, and C], for this man not even death is feared.'
  2. §12.35.1τῷ ὀλιγωτέρας — The neuter singular dative article τῷ, contrasting with the preceding articular infinitive τὸ πλείους ... πράξεις ἀποδοῦναι ('to perform more actions'), substantivizes the elided infinitive [ἀποδοῦναι], meaning 'to perform fewer [actions]'. The adjective ὀλιγωτέρας is feminine plural accusative, modifying the omitted noun πράξεις. This whole phrase serves as the object of comparison for ἐν ἴσῳ ('equal to').
  3. §12.35.1φοβερόν — Although the subject ὁ θάνατος ('death') is a masculine noun, the predicate adjective φοβερόν is in the neuter singular. This is a common Greek construction where the subject is treated as an abstract concept or general thing ('death is not a thing to be feared').

Cite this passage

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations §12.35.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0562.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:12.35.1

Please note the AI-draft status of the translation and the date accessed.

Translation, notes and summary are AI-generated drafts, revised through reader feedback.