Humanitext Reader

Marcus Aurelius · Meditations §4.26.1

Simplicity of Mind and Proper Use of the Present

Passage 76 of 486 · Greek

Summary

The author advises keeping oneself simple, recognizing that another's wrongdoing only harms themselves, and accepting all events as pre-determined by the universe, while urging to live the short span of life with reason and justice.

§4.26.1Ἑώρακας ἐκεῖνα, ἴδε καὶ ταῦτα.
You have seen those things; look also at these.
σεαυτὸν μὴ τάρασσε· ἅπλωσον σεαυτόν.
Do not trouble yourself; simplify yourself.
ἁμαρτάνει τις;
Does someone do wrong?
ἑαυτῷ ἁμαρτάνει.
He does wrong to himself.
συμβέβηκέ σοί τι;
Has something happened to you?
καλῶς· ἐκ τῶν ὅλων ἀπ̓ ἀρχῆς σοι συγκαθείμαρτο καὶ συνεκλώθετο πᾶν τὸ συμβαῖνον.
It is well; everything that happens was from the beginning co-destined for you and spun together with your fate from the whole.
τὸ δ’ ὅλον, βραχὺς ὁ βίος· κερδαντέον τὸ παρὸν σὺν εὐλογιστίᾳ καὶ δίκῃ.
In short, life is short; we must turn the present to account with right reasoning and justice.
νῆφε ἀνειμένως.
Be sober, without strain.

Notes

  1. §4.26.1ἑαυτῷ ἁμαρτάνει — The pronoun ἑαυτῷ is a dative of disadvantage, indicating that the wrong committed by someone ultimately brings harm or disadvantage to that person themselves.
  2. §4.26.1συγκαθείμαρτο καὶ συνεκλώθετο — The prefix συν- in both verbs expresses the Stoic cosmological view that all events are interconnected and co-destined in harmony with the whole of the universe (ἐκ τῶν ὅλων).
  3. §4.26.1τὸ δ’ ὅλον — An adverbial accusative phrase meaning "in short" or "on the whole," introducing a concise summary.
  4. §4.26.1ἀνειμένως — An adverb derived from the perfect passive participle of ἀνίημι ("to relax"). Here it means "without tension" or "calmly." Combined with νῆφε ("keep sober"), it advises a balanced Stoic state of mind: remaining rational and alert without over-tension.

Cite this passage

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations §4.26.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0562.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:4.26.1

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