Humanitext Reader

Marcus Aurelius · Meditations §4.12.1

Acting for the Common Good and Readiness to Be Corrected

Passage 62 of 486 · Greek

Summary

The author explains two mindsets to be maintained always: doing only what the ruling and legislative reason suggests for the common good, and being ready to change one's mind upon valid correction, which must be based on justice or public utility, not on pleasure or glory.

§4.12.1Δύο ταύτας ἑτοιμότητας ἔχειν ἀεὶ δεῖ· τὴν μὲν πρὸς τὸ πρᾶξαι μόνον ὅπερ ἂν ὁ τῆς βασιλικῆς καὶ νομοθετικῆς λόγος ὑποβάλλῃ ἐπʼ ὠφελείᾳ ἀνθρώπων· τὴν δὲ πρὸς τὸ μεταθέσθαι, ἐὰν ἄρα τις παρῇ διορθῶν καὶ μετάγων ἀπό τινος οἰήσεως.
One must always have these two forms of readiness: one, to do only what the reason of the royal and legislative art suggests for the benefit of human beings; the other, to change one's mind if indeed someone is present who corrects and leads one away from some opinion.
τὴν μέντοι μεταγωγὴν ἀεὶ ἀπό τινος πιθανότητος, ὡς δικαίου ἢ κοινωφελοῦς, γίνεσθαι καὶ τὰ προηγμένα τοιαῦτα μόνον εἶναι δεῖ, οὐχ ὅτι ἡδὺ ἢ ἔνδοξον ἐφάνη.
However, this change of mind must always proceed from some convincing ground, such as what is just or of common utility, and the actions thus prompted must be only of this kind, and not because it appeared pleasant or glorious.

Notes

  1. §4.12.1τὴν μὲν — The accusative articles with particles, τὴν μὲν and τὴν δέ, are in apposition to the preceding accusative phrase δύο ταύτας ἑτοιμότητας, with the feminine noun ἑτοιμότητα ("readiness", "preparedness") being understood.
  2. §4.12.1τῆς βασιλικῆς καὶ νομοθετικῆς — Feminine genitive singular forms. The noun τέχνης ("art", "craft") is omitted here, so the phrase functions as a substantivized genitive modifying λόγος ("reason"), referring to the "royal and legislative art."
  3. §4.12.1τὴν μέντοι μεταγωγὴν ... γίνεσθαι καὶ τὰ προηγμένα τοιαῦτα μόνον εἶναι δεῖ — An accusative and infinitive construction governed by the impersonal verb δεῖ. The accusative τὴν μέντοι μεταγωγὴν is the subject of the infinitive γίνεσθαι, and the accusative τὰ προηγμένα is the subject of εἶναι. The latter, τὰ προηγμένα, refers to things that are prompted or led forward into action.

Cite this passage

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations §4.12.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0562.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:4.12.1

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