Humanitext Reader

Marcus Aurelius · Meditations §5.32.1

The Ignorant Souls and the Soul Knowing the Logos

Passage 133 of 486 · Greek

Summary

The author questions why ignorant souls perturb a knowledgeable soul, and defines the knowledgeable soul as one that understands the beginning, the end, and the Logos that governs the universe.

§5.32.1Διὰ τί συγχέουσιν ἄτεχνοι καὶ ἀμαθεῖς ψυχαὶ ἔντεχνον καὶ ἐπιστήμονα;
Why do unskillful and ignorant souls confuse a soul that possesses art and knowledge?
τίς οὖν ψυχὴ ἔντεχνος καὶ ἐπιστήμων;
Who then is the soul that possesses art and knowledge?
ἡ εἰδυῖα ἀρχὴν καὶ τέλος καὶ τὸν δι’ ὅλης τῆς οὐσίας διήκοντα λόγον καὶ διὰ παντὸς τοῦ αἰῶνος κατὰ περιόδους τεταγμένας οἰκονομοῦντα τὸ πᾶν.
It is the one that knows the beginning and the end, and the Logos that pervades all substance and administers the universe through all eternity according to appointed periods.

Notes

  1. §5.32.1ἔντεχνον καὶ ἐπιστήμονα — Accusative feminine singular of the adjectives ἔντεχνος (possessing art) and ἐπιστήμων (possessing knowledge). The noun ψυχήν (soul) is elliptically omitted, understood from the plural ψυχαί in the subject.
  2. §5.32.1ἡ εἰδυῖα — Perfect participle (feminine singular nominative of οἶδα) with the article, meaning "the one who knows," serving as the answer to the preceding question with "soul" (ψυχή) understood. It takes two coordinate objects: [1] ἀρχὴν καὶ τέλος (beginning and end) and [2] τὸν ... λόγον (the Logos). This λόγον is in turn modified by two present participles: διήκοντα (pervading) and οἰκονομοῦντα (administering).

Cite this passage

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations §5.32.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0562.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:5.32.1

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