Humanitext Reader

Marcus Aurelius · Meditations §4.23.1

Harmony with Nature and the Universe as the City of Zeus

Passage 73 of 486 · Greek

Summary

The author declares his complete harmony with the universe and nature, acknowledging that all things come from and return to nature, and exhorts us to love the universe as the 'city of Zeus' in contrast to a poet's love for Athens.

§4.23.1Πᾶν μοι συναρμόζει ὃ σοὶ εὐάρμοστόν ἐστιν, ὦ κόσμε·
Everything harmonizes with me which is harmonious to you, O Universe.
οὐδέν μοι πρόωρον οὐδὲ ὄψιμον ὃ σοὶ εὔκαιρον.
Nothing is too early or too late for me which is in due time for you.
πᾶν μοι καρπὸς ὃ φέρουσιν αἱ σαὶ ὧραι, ὦ φύσις· ἐκ σοῦ πάντα, ἐν σοὶ πάντα, εἰς σὲ πάντα.
Everything is fruit to me which your seasons bring, O Nature: from you are all things, in you are all things, to you are all things.
ἐκεῖνος μέν φησιν· ʽὦ πόλι φίλη Κέκροπος· ʼ σὺ δὲ οὐκ ἐρεῖς· ʽὦ πόλι φίλη Διός; ʼ
That man says, 'O beloved city of Cecrops'; but will you not say, 'O beloved city of Zeus'?

Notes

  1. §4.23.1μοι ... σοὶ — The dative cases `μοι` (to me) and `σοὶ` (to you) are datives of relation (dativus relationis), indicating the point of view or standard of judgment ("for me", "for you"), contrasting cosmic order with individual inner harmony.
  2. §4.23.1ἐκ σοῦ πάντα, ἐν σοὶ πάντα, εἰς σὲ πάντα — The verb of existence (εἰσίν) is omitted. The contrast of the prepositions `ἐκ` (from), `ἐν` (in), and `εἰς` (into/to) concisely expresses the Stoic pantheistic view of Nature (`φύσις`) as the source, container, and final destination of all things.
  3. §4.23.1οὐκ ἐρεῖς — The second person singular future indicative ("will you not say") functions here not merely as a prediction, but as a rhetorical question conveying a strong exhortation or urging ("should you not say").

Cite this passage

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations §4.23.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0562.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:4.23.1

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