Humanitext Reader

Marcus Aurelius · Meditations §4.45.1

The Rational and Harmonious Connection of Events

Passage 95 of 486 · Greek

Summary

On the tightness of causal connection in the succession of events. It explains that all happenings, just like existing things in harmony, are not a bare succession but continuous under a wonderful rational connection.

§4.45.1Τὰ ἑξῆς ἀεὶ τοῖς προηγησαμένοις οἰκείως ἐπιγίνεται· οὐ γὰρ οἷον καταρίθμησίς τίς ἐστιν ἀπηρτημένως μόνον τὸ κατηναγκασμένον ἔχουσα, ἀλλὰ συνάφεια εὔλογος καὶ ὥσπερ συντέτακται συνηρμοσμένως τὰ ὄντα, οὕτως τὰ γινόμενα οὐ διαδοχὴν ψιλήν, ἀλλὰ θαυμαστήν τινα οἰκειότητα ἐμφαίνει.
What follows always succeeds what went before in a closely related way; for it is not like a mere enumeration of disconnected things containing only what is necessary, but a rational connection; and just as things which exist are coordinated in harmony, so things which come to be manifest not a bare succession, but a certain wonderful affinity.

Notes

  1. 4.45.1οὐ γὰρ οἷον καταρίθμησίς τίς ἐστιν ἀπηρτημένως μόνον τὸ κατηναγκασμένον ἔχουσα, ἀλλὰ συνάφεια εὔλογος — The negative particle οὐ at the beginning correlates with ἀλλὰ to form the contrast "not... but rather...". The participle phrase μόνον τὸ κατηναγκασμένον ἔχουσα ("having only what is necessary") along with the adverb ἀπηρτημένως ("disconnectedly") modifying καταρίθμησις describes a state where things are merely listed in a mechanical or external necessity without internal rationality. After ἀλλὰ, the verb ἐστιν is omitted, completing the contrast: "it is not a kind of mere enumeration... but a rational connection."
  2. 4.45.1ὥσπερ συντέτακται συνηρμοσμένως τὰ ὄντα, οὕτως τὰ γινόμενα... — A correlative structure with ὥσπερ ("just as") and οὕτως ("so"). It contrasts the static and ontological "things that exist" (τὰ ὄντα), which are coordinated in harmony (συντέτακται συνηρμοσμένως), with the dynamic and temporal "things that come to be" (τὰ γινόμενα), showing that both share the cosmos's rational harmony (οἰκειότης).

Cite this passage

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations §4.45.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0562.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:4.45.1

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