Humanitext Reader

Marcus Aurelius · Meditations §5.6.1-5.6.2

Doing Good Naturally without Expecting Reward or Praise

Passage 107 of 486 · Greek

Summary

The author classifies human attitudes after doing a good deed into three types, presenting as ideal the state of being like a vine that naturally moves on to the next action without seeking recognition or even being conscious of its own virtue.

§5.6.1Ὁ μέν τίς ἐστιν, ὅταν τι δεξιὸν περί τινα πράξῃ, πρόχειρος καὶ λογίσασθαι αὐτῷ τὴν χάριν.
One person, when he has done a good turn to someone, is ready also to calculate the favor to him.
ὁ δὲ πρὸς μὲν τοῦτο οὐ πρόχειρος, ἄλλως μέντοι παρ’ ἑαυτῷ ὡς περὶ χρεώστου διανοεῖται καὶ οἶδεν ὃ πεποίηκεν.
Another is not ready to do this, but nevertheless in himself he thinks of the other as a debtor, and knows what he has done.
ὁ δέ τις τρόπον τινὰ οὐδὲ οἶδεν ὃ πεποίηκεν, ἀλλὰ ὅμοιός ἐστιν ἀμπέλῳ βότρυν ἐνεγκούσῃ καὶ μηδὲν ἄλλο προσεπιζητούσῃ μετὰ τὸ ἅπαξ τὸν ἴδιον καρπὸν ἐνηνοχέναι.
And another in a way does not even know what he has done, but is like a vine that has produced a cluster of grapes and seeks nothing more after once producing its own fruit.
§5.6.2ἵππος δραμών, κύων ἰχνεύσας, μέλισσα μέλι ποιήσασα, ἄνθρωπος δ’ εὖ ποιήσας οὐκ ἐπιβοᾶται, ἀλλὰ μεταβαίνει ἐφ’ ἕτερον, ὡς ἄμπελος ἐπὶ τὸ πάλιν ἐν τῇ ὥρᾳ τὸν βότρυν ἐνεγκεῖν.
A horse when it has run, a dog when it has tracked, a bee when it has made honey, and a man when he has done a good deed, does not cry out for attention, but passes on to another thing, like a vine to bear grapes again in due season.
ἐν τούτοις οὗν δεῖ εἶναι τοῖς τρόπον τινὰ ἀπαρακολουθήτως αὐτὸ ποιοῦσι. — ναί ἀλλ’ αὐτὸ τοῦτο δεῖ παρακολουθεῖν· ἴδιον γάρ, φησί, τοῦ κοινωνικοῦ τὸ αἰσθάνεσθαι, ὅτι κοινωνικῶς ἐνεργεῖ, καὶ νὴ Δία βούλεσθαι καὶ τὸν κοινωνὸν αἰσθέσθαι. —ἀληθὲς μέν ἐστιν ὃ λέγεις, τὸ δὲ νῦν λεγόμενον παρεκδέχῃ·
Among these, then, one ought to be: those who do this in a way unconsciously. — "Yes, but this very thing one ought to observe; for, someone says, it is characteristic of the social being to perceive that he is acting socially, and by Zeus, to wish that his fellow-partner also perceives it." — What you say is true, but you misunderstand what is now being said.
διὰ τοῦτο ἔσῃ εἶς ἐκείνων ὦν πρότερον ἐπεμνήσθην· καὶ γὰρ ἐκεῖνοι λογικῇ τινι πιθανότητι παράγονται.
Because of this, you will be one of those whom I mentioned before; for they too are led astray by a certain plausible reasoning.
ἐὰν δὲ θελήσῃς συνεῖναι τί ποτέ ἐστι τὸ λεγόμενον, μὴ φοβοῦ, μὴ παρὰ τοῦτο παραλίπῃς τι ἔργον κοινωνικόν.
But if you wish to understand what is being said, do not fear that on this account you will omit any social act.

Notes

  1. 5.6.1λογίσασθαι αὐτῷ τὴν χάριν — To calculate the favor to him. The dative αὐτῷ indicates the person affected (the recipient of the deed, from whom return is expected), and χάριν refers to favor or gratitude. It expresses the act of keeping a mental ledger of debt after doing a good deed.
  2. 5.6.2ἀπαρακολουθήτως — An adverb formed from the verb παρακολουθέω (to accompany with consciousness, to self-reflect) with the alpha privative. It means unconsciously or without self-reflection, describing the state of acting purely in accordance with one's nature without reflective awareness of one's own virtue.
  3. 5.6.2ναί ἀλλ’ αὐτὸ τοῦτο δεῖ παρακολουθεῖν — Marks the introduction of an imaginary interlocutor's objection: "Yes, but this very thing one ought to observe." The phrase ναί ἀλλ' is typical in Stoic diatribe to introduce a hypothetical objection (here, that a social being must be conscious of their social actions).
  4. 5.6.2μὴ φοβοῦ, μὴ παρὰ τοῦτο παραλίπῃς — Two μὴ clauses occur in succession. After the imperative μὴ φοβοῦ (do not fear), the second μὴ introduces an object clause of fearing (lest you omit...). The prepositional phrase παρὰ τοῦτο indicates cause: on account of this (i.e., this principle of unconscious action).

Cite this passage

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations §5.6.1-5.6.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0562.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:5.6.1-5.6.2

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