§4.15.1Πολλὰ λιβανωτοῦ βωλάρια ἐπὶ τοῦ αὐτοῦ βωμοῦ· τὸ μὲν προκατέπεσεν, τὸ δʼ ὕστερον, διαφέρει δʼ οὐδέν.
Many grains of frankincense on the same altar; one falls before, another after, but it makes no difference.
Marcus Aurelius · Meditations §4.15.1
The Lack of Difference in When Grains of Incense Fall
Summary
It illustrates that though grains of frankincense on the same altar fall at different times, there is no essential difference between them.
Notes
- §4.15.1τὸ μὲν ..., τὸ δʼ — The definite article is used with μέν ... δέ as a pronoun, meaning "the one ..., the other ...". In the second clause (τὸ δʼ ὕστερον), the verb from the first clause, προκατέπεσεν (or the simple verb κατέπεσεν), is omitted.
- §4.15.1διαφέρει δʼ οὐδέν — The impersonal verb διαφέρει ("it makes a difference", "it matters") is combined with the neuter singular accusative οὐδέν functioning adverbially ("not at all"), meaning "it makes no difference at all".
Cite this passage
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations §4.15.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0562.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:4.15.1
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