Marcus Aurelius · Meditations §5.11.1

Self-Examination of the Ruling Soul's Current State

Passage 112 of 486 · Greek

Summary

Marcus Aurelius examines the state of his own soul, the ruling center, questioning whether it remains rational or has degenerated into that of a child, a tyrant, or a beast.

§5.11.1Πρὸς τί ποτε ἄρα νῦν χρῶμαι τῇ ἐμαυτοῦ ψυχῇ;

To what purpose, then, am I now using my own soul?

παρ’ ἕκαστα τοῦτο ἐπανερωτᾶν ἑαυτὸν καὶ ἐξετάζειν τί μοί ἐστι νῦν ἐν τούτῳ τῷ μορίῳ, ὃ δὴ ἡγεμονικὸν καλοῦσι, καὶ τίνος ἄρα νῦν ἔχω ψυχήν;

On every occasion, one must ask oneself this question and examine: what is now in this part of me which they call the ruling center, and whose soul, after all, do I have now?

μήτι παιδίου;

Is it that of a child?

μήτι μειρακίου;

Of a youth?

μήτι γυναικαρίου;

Of a silly woman?

μήτι τυράννου;

Of a tyrant?

μήτι κτήνους;

Of a beast?

μήτι θηρίου;

Of a wild beast?

Notes

§5.11.1ἐπανερωτᾶν καὶ ἐξετάζειν — These infinitives are used as 'imperative infinitives' in an independent sentence, expressing a self-directed command or exhortation ('one must question and examine') with the accusative subject ἑαυτόν.
§5.11.1τί μοί ἐστι — The dative μοί functions as a dative of possession, meaning 'what is there for me' or 'what do I have inside me,' inquiring into the current state or elements of his own ruling center.
§5.11.1μήτι — An interrogative particle expecting a negative answer ('Is it perhaps not...?'), expressing a sharp self-criticism. It governs the subsequent genitives (such as παιδίου), questioning if his soul has degenerated into an irrational state.

Cite this passage

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations §5.11.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0562.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:5.11.1

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