Humanitext Reader

Marcus Aurelius · Meditations §5.24.1

The Insignificance of the Individual in Universal Time and Fate

Passage 125 of 486 · Greek

Summary

The author urges the reader to reflect on the immense scale of universal substance, time, and fate, in order to realize how tiny and brief an individual's existence is.

§5.24.1Μέμνησο τῆς συμπάσης οὐσίας, ἧς ὀλίγιστον μετέχεις, καὶ τοῦ σύμπαντος αἰῶνος, οὗ βραχὺ καὶ ἀκαριαῖόν σοι διάστημα ἀφώρισται, καὶ τῆς εἱμαρμένης, ἧς πόστον εἶ μέρος;
Keep in mind the whole of substance, of which you participate in a tiny part, and the whole of time, of which a brief and momentary span has been allotted to you, and fate, of which what a fraction are you?

Notes

  1. §5.24.1ἧς ὀλίγιστον μετέχεις — With the verb μετέχω (to participate in, share), which normally governs the genitive, the neuter singular accusative ὀλίγιστον (superlative of ὀλίγος) functions adverbially or as a direct object to specify the extremely small share one has in the whole (ἧς).
  2. §5.24.1πόστον — The interrogative adjective πόστος (how small a fraction, which of what number) implies an infinitesimally small part relative to the whole, forming a rhetorical question that emphasizes the insignificance of an individual's portion within the vastness of fate.

Cite this passage

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations §5.24.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0562.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:5.24.1

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