Humanitext Reader

Marcus Aurelius · Meditations §5.34.1

A Smooth Life and Two Traits of Rational Souls

Passage 135 of 486 · Greek

Summary

The author explains that one can always live smoothly by thinking and acting systematically, and identifies two common traits of all rational souls: being unhindered by others, and finding the good in just action while ending desire there.

§5.34.1Δύνασαι ἀεὶ εὐροεῖν, εἴ γε καὶ εὐοδεῖν, εἴ γε καὶ ὁδῷ ὑπολαμβάνειν καὶ πράσσειν.
You can always flow smoothly, if indeed you can also make a good journey, if indeed you can also think and act in an orderly way.
δύο ταῦτα κοινὰ τῇ τε τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ τῇ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου καὶ παντὸς λογικοῦ ζῴου ψυχῇ· τὸ μὴ ἐμποδίζεσθαι ὑπ’ ἄλλου καὶ τὸ ἐν τῇ δικαικῇ διαθέσει καὶ πράξει ἔχειν τὸ ἀγαθὸν καὶ ἐνταῦθα τὴν ὄρεξιν ἀπολήγειν.
These two things are common to the soul of God, and of man, and of every rational living being: not to be hindered by another, and to have the good in a just disposition and action, and to terminate desire here.

Notes

  1. §5.34.1εὐοδεῖν — An infinitive depending on the verb δύνασαι from the preceding clause. The main verb δύνασαι is omitted in the conditional clause introduced by εἴ γε καὶ.
  2. §5.34.1ὁδῷ — The dative of ὁδός (way/road), used here adverbially as a dative of manner or means to signify 'in an orderly way', 'methodically', or 'systematically'.
  3. §5.34.1ἀπολήγειν — An intransitive infinitive meaning 'to cease' or 'to terminate'. With τὴν ὄρεξιν (desire) as its subject accusative, the phrase means 'that desire should terminate here'.

Cite this passage

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations §5.34.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0562.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:5.34.1

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