Humanitext Reader

Marcus Aurelius · Meditations §4.11.1

Seeing Things as They Are Rather than as Insulters Judge

Passage 61 of 486 · Greek

Summary

The author advises not to judge things as an insulter does or wishes one to do, but to see things as they truly are in reality.

§4.11.1Μὴ τοιαῦτα ὑπολάμβανε, οἷα ὁ ὑβρίζων κρίνει ἢ οἷά σε κρίνειν βούλεται, ἀλλὰ ἴδε αὐτά, ὁποῖα κατʼ ἀλήθειάν ἐστιν.
Do not conceive of things in such a way as he who insults you judges them, or as he wishes you to judge them; but see them as they truly are in reality.

Notes

  1. §4.11.1σε κρίνειν βούλεται — The accusative σε functions as the subject of the infinitive κρίνειν, forming an accusative and infinitive construction dependent on the verb βούλεται ("he wishes"), meaning "he wishes you to judge."
  2. §4.11.1οἷα — A relative pronoun (neuter plural accusative) correlating with the preceding demonstrative τοιαῦτα ("such things"). The two clauses introduced by this pronoun specify the manner of judgment to be avoided.

Cite this passage

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations §4.11.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0562.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:4.11.1

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.