Humanitext Reader

Marcus Aurelius · Meditations §5.1.1-5.1.3

Rising in the Morning to Perform the Duties of a Human Being

Passage 102 of 486 · Greek

Summary

The author urges himself to overcome the reluctance to wake up in the morning by realizing that he was born to perform human duties and must act according to his nature, just as other creatures do.

§5.1.1Ὄρθρου, ὅταν δυσόκνως ἐξεγείρῃ, πρόχειρον ἔστω ὅτι ἐπὶ ἀνθρώπου ἔργον ἐγείρομαι·
In the morning, when you are reluctant to wake up, let this thought be at hand: "I am rising to do the work of a human being.
τί οὖν δυσκολαίνω, εἰ πορεύομαι ἐπὶ τὸ ποιεῖν ὧν ἕνεκεν γέγονα καὶ ὧν χάριν προῆγμαι εἰς τὸν κόσμον;
Why then am I dissatisfied, if I am going to do those things for which I was born and for the sake of which I was brought into the world?
ἢ ἐπὶ τοῦτο κατεσκεύασμαι, ἵνα κατακείμενος ἐν στρωματίοις ἐμαυτὸν θάλπω; ἀλλὰ τοῦτο ἥδιον. πρὸς τὸ ἥδεσθαι οὖν γέγονας, ὅλως δὲ σὺ πρὸς πεῖσιν ἢ πρὸς ἐνέργειαν;
Or was I made for this, that I should lie under the blankets and keep myself warm?" "But this is more pleasant." "Were you born then for pleasure, and overall for passivity rather than for activity?
οὐ βλέπεις τὰ φυτάρια, τὰ στρουθάρια, τοὺς μύρμηκας, τοὺς ἀράχνας, τὰς μελίσσας τὸ ἴδιον ποιούσας, τὸ καθ’ αὑτὰς συγκροτούσας κόσμον;
Do you not see the little plants, the sparrows, the ants, the spiders, the bees, doing their own work, and doing their part to order the world?
ἔπειτα σὺ οὐ θέλεις τὰ ἀνθρωπικὰ ποιεῖν;
And do you then not wish to do the work of a human being?
οὐ τρέχεις ἐπὶ τὸ κατὰ τὴν σὴν φύσιν; §5.1.2ἀλλὰ δεῖ καὶ ἀναπαύεσθαι. φημὶ κἀγώ·
Do you not run toward that which is according to your own nature?" "But it is necessary also to take rest." I say so too.
ἔδωκε μέντοι καὶ τούτου μέτρα ἡ φύσις καὶ τοῦ ἐσθίειν καὶ πίνειν καὶ ὅμως σὺ ὑπὲρ τὰ μέτρα, ὑπὲρ τὰ ἀρκοῦντα προχωρεῖς, ἐν δὲ ταῖς πράξεσιν οὐκέτι, ἀλλ’ ἐντὸς τοῦ δυνατοῦ.
However, nature has set bounds to this as well, and also to eating and drinking; and yet you go beyond the bounds, beyond what is sufficient; but in your actions you do so no longer, but stop within your capacity.
οὐ γὰρ φιλεῖς σεαυτόν, ἐπεί τοι καὶ τὴν φύσιν ἄν σου καὶ τὸ βούλημα ταύτης ἐφίλεις.
For you do not love yourself; otherwise you would have loved your nature and its will.
§5.1.3ἀλλ’ οἵ γε τὰς τέχνας ἑαυτῶν φιλοῦντες συγκατατήκονται τοῖς κατ’ αὐτὰς ἔργοις ἄλουτοι καὶ ἄσιτοι· σὺ τὴν φύσιν τὴν σαυτοῦ ἔλασσον τιμᾷς ἢ ὁ τορευτὴς τὴν τορευτικὴν ἢ ὁ ὀρχηστὴς τὴν ὀρχηστικὴν ἢ ὁ φιλάργυρος τὸ ἀργύριον ἢ ὁ κενόδοξος τὸ δοξάριον;
But those who love their respective crafts wear themselves down in the works belonging to them, without washing or eating; do you honor your own nature less than the sculptor honors sculpting, or the dancer dancing, or the lover of money his money, or the vain man his tiny fame?
καὶ οὗτοι, ὅταν προσπαθῶσιν, οὔτε φαγεῖν οὔτε κοιμηθῆναι θέλουσι μᾶλλον ἢ ταῦτα συναύξειν, πρὸς ἃ διαφέρονται· σοὶ δὲ αἱ κοινωνικαὶ πράξεις εὐτελέστεραι φαίνονται καὶ ἥσσονος σπουδῆς ἄξιαι;
And these people, when they are passionate, wish neither to eat nor to sleep rather than to increase those things to which they are devoted; but do social actions seem to you cheaper and worthy of less effort?

Notes

  1. §5.1.1δυσόκνως ἐξεγείρῃ — `ἐξεγείρῃ` is the second-person singular present middle/passive subjunctive of `ἐξεγείρω` (to awaken), used with `ὅταν` to express a general present condition. It is interpreted here in the middle sense as "you wake up" or "you rouse yourself," modified by the adverb `δυσόκνως` (reluctantly, sluggishly).
  2. §5.1.1πρὸς πεῖσιν ἢ πρὸς ἐνέργειαν — `πεῖσις` is a noun corresponding to the verb `πάσχω` (to experience, be affected), meaning here "passivity" or "susceptibility to external impressions." It is contrasted with active "activity" (`ἐνέργεια`), reflecting the Stoic view of human nature as destined for active duty rather than passive endurance of external influences.
  3. §5.1.2ἐπεί τοι καὶ τὴν φύσιν ἄν σου καὶ τὸ βούλημα ταύτης ἐφίλεις — The conjunction `ἐπεί` (since, otherwise) with the particle `τοι` is followed by the particle `ἄν` and the imperfect indicative `ἐφίλεις` (second-person singular of `φιλέω`, to love), forming the apodosis of a present counterfactual conditional (with the protasis "if you loved yourself" being implied). The syntax translates to: "otherwise you would have loved your nature and its will."
  4. §5.1.3πρὸς ἃ διαφέρονται — The verb `διαφέρονται` is the third-person plural present middle/passive of `διαφέρω` following the prepositional phrase `πρὸς ἅ` (toward which things). Rather than its common meaning of "to differ" or "to quarrel," it is used here in the passive/middle sense of "to be directed/carried toward," hence "to be devoted to" or "to commit oneself to."

Cite this passage

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations §5.1.1-5.1.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0562.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:5.1.1-5.1.3

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