Marcus Aurelius · Meditations §4.32.1-4.32.2

Vanished Generations and Adhering to One's Nature

Passage 82 of 486 · Greek

Summary

By recalling the times of past emperors, the author shows how countless people led identical lives only to vanish, emphasizing the importance of staying true to one's own constitution and giving appropriate attention to each action.

§4.32.1Ἐπινόησον λόγου χάριν τοὺς ἐπὶ Οὐεσπασιανοῦ καιρούς, ὄψει τὰ αὐτὰ πάντα γαμοῦντας, παιδοτροφοῦντας, νοσοῦντας, ἀποθνῄσκοντας, πολεμοῦντας, ἑορτάζοντας, ἐμπορευομένους, γεωργοῦντας, κολακεύοντας, αὐθαδιζομένους, ὑποπτεύοντας, ἐπιβουλεύοντας, ἀποθανεῖν τινας εὐχομένους, γογγύζοντας ἐπὶ τοῖς παροῦσιν, ἐρῶντας, θησαυρίζοντας, ὑπατείας, βασιλείας ἐπιθυμοῦντας·

Think, for example, of the times of Vespasian, and you will see all the same things: people marrying, bringing up children, falling sick, dying, fighting, feasting, trading, farming, flattering, being arrogant, suspecting, plotting, praying for the death of others, grumbling at their present lot, loving, hoarding, desiring consulships and kingships.

οὐκοῦν ἐκεῖνος μὲν ὁ τούτων βίος οὐκέτι οὐδαμοῦ.

Well, then, that life of theirs is no longer anywhere.

§4.32.2πάλιν ἐπὶ τοὺς καιροὺς τοὺς Τραιανοῦ μετάβηθι· πάλιν τὰ αὐτὰ πάντα· τέθνηκε κἀκεῖνος ὁ βίος.

Pass on again to the times of Trajan; again, all the same things; that life too is dead.

ὁμοίως καὶ τὰς ἄλλας ἐπιγραφὰς χρόνων καὶ ὅλων ἐθνῶν ἐπιθεώρει καὶ βλέπε, πόσοι κατενταθέντες μετὰ μικρὸν ἔπεσον καὶ ἀνελύθησαν εἰς τὰ στοιχεῖα·

In like manner contemplate also the other records of times and of entire nations, and see how many, after straining hard, fell after a little while and were dissolved into the elements.

μάλιστα δὲ ἀναπολητέον ἐκείνους, οὓς αὐτὸς ἔγνως κενὰ σπωμένους, ἀφέντας ποιεῖν τὸ κατὰ τὴν ἰδίαν κατασκευὴν καὶ τούτου ἀπρὶξ ἔχεσθαι καὶ τούτῳ ἀρκεῖσθαι.

But above all, you must recall those whom you yourself knew, who were straining after empty things, neglecting to do what was in accordance with their own constitution, and to hold fast to this and be content with it.

ἀναγκαῖον δὲ ὧδε τὸ μεμνῆσθαι, ὅτι καὶ ἡ ἐπιστροφὴ καθ’ ἑκάστην πρᾶξιν ἰδίαν ἀξίαν ἔχει καὶ συμμετρίαν· οὕτως γὰρ οὐκ ἀποδυσπετήσεις, ἐὰν μὴ ἐπὶ πλέον, ἢ προσῆκε, περὶ τὰ ἐλάσσω καταγίνῃ.

And it is necessary here to remember that the attention given to each action has its own proper value and proportion; for in this way you will not grow discouraged, unless you occupy yourself more than is fitting with lesser things.

Notes

4.32.1ὄψει τὰ αὐτὰ πάντα γαμοῦντας — The accusative present participles (γαμοῦντας, etc.) serve as predicate participles agreeing with an unexpressed accusative plural object (such as 'people') of the verb ὄψει ('you will see').
4.32.2ἀφέντας ποιεῖν τὸ κατὰ τὴν ἰδίαν κατασκευὴν καὶ τούτου ἀπρὶξ ἔχεσθαι καὶ τούτῳ ἀρκεῖσθαι — The aorist active participle ἀφέντας (from ἀφίημι, accusative plural masculine) modifies the preceding ἐκείνους and governs three coordinate infinitives: ποιεῖν, ἔχεσθαι (which takes the genitive τούτου), and ἀρκεῖσθαι (which takes the dative τούτῳ).
4.32.2ἐὰν μὴ ἐπὶ πλέον, ἢ προσῆκε, περὶ τὰ ἐλάσσω καταγίνῃ — The conditional clause is introduced by ἐὰν μὴ and goes with the subjunctive verb καταγίνῃ. In the parenthetical comparison ἢ προσῆκε, the verb προσῆκε is the imperfect of the impersonal προσήκει ('it is fitting'), meaning 'more than was fitting'.

Cite this passage

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations §4.32.1-4.32.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0562.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:4.32.1-4.32.2

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