Humanitext Reader

Marcus Aurelius · Meditations §5.3.1

Following Nature Straightforwardly Despite Others' Blame

Passage 104 of 486 · Greek

Summary

The author advises to deem oneself worthy of words and deeds in accordance with nature without being distracted by others' blame, and to go straight on the single path pointed to by both one's own nature and the common nature.

§5.3.1Ἄξιον ἑαυτὸν κρῖνε παντὸς λόγου καὶ ἔργου τοῦ κατὰ φύσιν καὶ μή σε περισπάτω ἡ ἐπακολουθοῦσά τινων μέμψις ἢ λόγος, ἀλλά, εἰ καλὸν πεπρᾶχθαι ἢ εἰρῆσθαι, μὴ σεαυτὸν ἀπαξίου.
Deem yourself worthy of every word and deed that is in accordance with nature; and let not any ensuing blame or talk of certain people distract you, but if it is good to be done or spoken, do not think yourself unworthy of it.
ἐκεῖνοι μὲν γὰρ ἴδιον ἡγεμονικὸν ἔχουσι καὶ ἰδίᾳ ὁρμῇ χρῶνται· ἃ σὺ μὴ περιβλέπου, ἀλλ’ εὐθεῖαν πέραινε ἀκολουθῶν τῇ φύσει τῇ ἰδίᾳ καὶ τῇ κοινῇ, μία δὲ ἀμφοτέρων τούτων ὁδός.
For those people have their own ruling center and follow their own impulse; do not look around at these things, but go straight on, following your own nature and the common nature, for the path of both of these is one.

Notes

  1. 5.3.1Ἄξιον ἑαυτὸν κρῖνε — The verb κρίνω takes the accusative ἑαυτόν and the predicate adjective ἄξιον as an object complement, meaning "deem yourself worthy of." The adjective ἄξιος governs the genitive case, which is why παντὸς λόγου καὶ ἔργου is in the genitive.
  2. 5.3.1εἰ καλὸν πεπρᾶχθαι ἢ εἰρῆσθαι — In the conditional clause introduced by εἰ, the impersonal verb ἐστι is omitted, and the perfect passive infinitives πεπρᾶχθαι ("to have been done") and εἰρῆσθαι ("to have been spoken") function as the subject. Literally, "if to have been done or to have been spoken is good."
  3. 5.3.1ἃ σὺ μὴ περιβλέπου — The neuter plural accusative relative pronoun ἃ is used in a connecting sense at the beginning of the clause ("and these things"). Its antecedents are the "ruling center (ἡγεμονικόν)" and "impulse (ὁρμή)" of those people mentioned in the preceding sentence.
  4. 5.3.1εὐθεῖαν — The feminine accusative singular adjective εὐθεῖαν ("straight") is used with the ellipsis of the noun ὁδόν ("path/way"), functioning as the object of the verb πέραινε ("go through/traverse"). This omission is confirmed by the subsequent context: μία δὲ ἀμφοτέρων τούτων ὁδός ("for the path of both of these is one").

Cite this passage

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations §5.3.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0562.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:5.3.1

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