Humanitext Reader

Marcus Aurelius · Meditations §3.5.1

Guiding Life by the Inner Divinity and Self-Reliance

Passage 39 of 486 · Greek

Summary

The author advises acting with intention and social responsibility, maintaining internal simplicity and self-sufficiency under the guidance of the inner god, and standing erect on one's own.

§3.5.1Μήτε ἀκούσιος ἐνέργει μήτε ἀκοινώνητος μήτε ἀνεξέταστος μήτε ἀνθελκόμενος· μήτε κομψεία τὴν διάνοιάν σου καλλωπιζέτω· μήτε πολυρρήμων μήτε πολυπράγμων ἔσο.
Act neither unwillingly nor unsocially nor without examination nor as if dragged in opposite directions; and let no micro-refinement of language adorn your mind; and be neither a man of many words nor a busybody.
ἔτι δὲ ὁ ἐν σοὶ θεὸς ἔστω προστάτης ζῴου ἄρρενος καὶ πρεσβύτου καὶ πολιτικοῦ καὶ Ῥωμαίου καὶ ἄρχοντος, ἀνατεταχότος ἑαυτόν, οἷος ἂν εἴη τις περιμένων τὸ ἀνακλητικὸν ἐκ τοῦ βίου εὔλυτος, μήτε ὅρκου δεόμενος μήτε ἀνθρώπου τινὸς μάρτυρος.
Moreover, let the god within you be the guardian of a living being who is male, mature, political, a Roman, and a ruler, one who has taken his post, like one who is waiting for the signal to retreat from life, ready to depart, needing neither an oath nor any man as a witness.
ἐνέστω δὲ τὸ φαιδρὸν καὶ τὸ ἀπροσδεὲς τῆς ἔξωθεν ὑπηρεσίας καὶ τὸ ἀπροσδεὲς ἡσυχίας, ἣν ἄλλοι παρέχουσιν.
And let there be within you cheerfulness, and no need of help from without, nor of that peace which others give.
ὀρθὸν οὖν εἶναι χρή, οὐχὶ ὀρθούμενον.
One must therefore stand erect, not be kept erect.

Notes

  1. §3.5.1ἐνέργει — Second-person singular present active imperative of the verb ἐνεργέω ('act', 'work'). It should not be confused with the noun ἐνέργεια or an infinitive; it functions as the main verb of the commanding clause.
  2. §3.5.1ἀνατεταχότος — Genitive masculine singular of the perfect active participle of ἀνατάσσω ('order', 'arrange'). It modifies the preceding series of genitive nouns (ζῴου... καὶ ἄρχοντος), with ἑαυτόν as its direct object, meaning 'having arranged/disciplined himself'.
  3. §3.5.1εὔλυτος — Nominative masculine singular adjective ('easily loosed', 'ready to depart'). The syntax shifts from the preceding genitive chain (ζῴου...) to the nominative via the comparative clause οἷος ἂν εἴη τις ('such as one would be'), modifying the subject of this comparative clause.
  4. §3.5.1ὀρθούμενον — Accusative neuter singular of the present passive participle of ὀρθόω ('make straight', 'set erect'). It functions as a predicate accusative modifying the implied subject of the infinitive εἶναι. It contrasts the active state of being upright (the adjective ὀρθόν) with the passive state of being held or kept upright by others.

Cite this passage

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations §3.5.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0562.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:3.5.1

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