Humanitext Reader

Marcus Aurelius · Meditations §5.22.1

Harm to the City and Citizen and Addressing Wrongdoers

Passage 123 of 486 · Greek

Summary

The author advises applying the rule that what does not harm the city does not harm the citizen to all impressions of injury, and suggests that if the city is harmed, one should not get angry but show the wrongdoer their oversight.

§5.22.1Ὃ τῇ πόλει οὐκ ἔστι βλαβερόν, οὐδὲ τὸν πολίτην βλάπτει.
That which is not harmful to the city does not harm the citizen either.
ἐπὶ πάσης τῆς τοῦ βεβλάφθαι φαντασίας τοῦτον ἔπαγε τὸν κανόνα· εἰ ἡ πόλις ὑπὸ τούτου μὴ βλάπτεται, οὐδὲ ἐγὼ βέβλαμμαι· εἰ δὲ ἡ πόλις βλάπτεται, οὐκ ὀργιστέον, ἀλλὰ δεικτέον τῷ βλάπτοντι τὴν πόλιν τί τὸ παρορώμενον.
On every presentation of being harmed, apply this rule: if the city is not harmed by this, neither am I harmed; but if the city is harmed, one must not be angry, but rather show to the one who harms the city what is being overlooked.

Notes

  1. §5.22.1τῆς τοῦ βεβλάφθαι φαντασίας — The articular perfect passive infinitive `τοῦ βεβλάφθαι` (having been harmed) functions as an appositive (explanatory) genitive qualifying the noun `φαντασίας` (presentation, impression). It translates to "every presentation of having been harmed."
  2. §5.22.1ὀργιστέον, ἀλλὰ δεικτέον — Verbal adjectives `ὀργιστέος` and `δεικτέος` in the neuter singular are used impersonally to express obligation or necessity ("one must..."). The dative agent (such as "you" or "us") is omitted. The latter `δεικτέον` governs the dative of person `τῷ βλάπτοντι` (to the one who harms) and the indirect question `τί τὸ παρορώμενον` (what is being overlooked) as its object.

Cite this passage

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations §5.22.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0562.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:5.22.1

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