Humanitext Reader

Marcus Aurelius · Meditations §5.9.1

Returning to Philosophy as a Remedy Without Despair

Passage 110 of 486 · Greek

Summary

The author advises not to despond even if one cannot act consistently from right principles, but to return to philosophy as a healing remedy rather than a harsh schoolmaster, finding true rest in reason.

§5.9.1Μὴ σικχαίνειν μηδὲ ἀπαυδᾶν μηδὲ ἀποδυσπετεῖν, εἰ μὴ καταπυκνοῦταί σοι τὸ ἀπὸ δογμάτων ὀρθῶν ἕκαστα πράσσειν, ἀλλὰ ἐκκρουσθέντα πάλιν ἐπανιέναι καὶ ἀσμενίζειν, εἰ τὰ πλείω ἀνθρωπικώτερα, καὶ φιλεῖν τοῦτο, ἐφ̓ ὃ ἐπανέρχῃ, καὶ μὴ ὡς πρὸς παιδαγωγὸν τὴν φιλοσοφίαν ἐπανιέναι, ἀλλ’ ὡς οἱ ὀφθαλμιῶντες πρὸς τὸ σπογγάριον καὶ τὸ ᾠόν, ὡς ἄλλος πρὸς κατάπλασμα, ὡς πρὸς καταιόνησιν.
Do not feel disgust, nor give up, nor despond, if it does not constantly happen to you to act in each thing from right principles; but when you have been repulsed, return again, and be content if the majority of your actions are more suited to a human being, and love this to which you return, and do not return to philosophy as to a schoolmaster, but as those with sore eyes return to the sponge and the egg, or as another to a plaster, or to a poultice.
οὕτως γὰρ οὐδὲν ἐπιδείξῃ τὸ πειθαρχεῖν τῷ λόγῳ, ἀλλὰ προσαναπαύσῃ αὐτῷ.
For in this way you will not display your obedience to reason as a show, but you will find rest in it.
μέμνησο δὲ ὅτι φιλοσοφία μόνα θέλει ἃ ἡ φύσις σου θέλει· σὺ δὲ ἄλλο ἤθελες οὐ κατὰ φύσιν.
And remember that philosophy wills only what your nature wills; but you willed something else not in accordance with nature.
τί γὰρ τούτων προσηνέστερον;
For what is more agreeable than these things?
ἡ γὰρ ἡδονὴ οὐχὶ διὰ τοῦτο σφάλλει;
For does not pleasure deceive us for this very reason?
ἀλλὰ θέασαι, εἰ προσηνέστερον μεγαλοψυχία, ἐλευθερία, ἁπλότης, εὐγνωμοσύνη, ὁσιότης, αὐτῆς γὰρ φρονήσεως τί προσηνέστερον, ὅταν τὸ ἄπταιστον καὶ εὔρουν ἐν πᾶσι τῆς παρακολουθητικῆς καὶ ἐπιστημονικῆς δυνάμεως ἐνθυμηθῇς;
But see if magnanimity, freedom, simplicity, equanimity, and holiness are not more agreeable. For what is more agreeable than wisdom itself, when you consider the unerring and prosperous course in all things of the faculty of understanding and knowledge?

Notes

  1. §5.9.1Μὴ σικχαίνειν — The three infinitives at the beginning (σικχαίνειν, ἀπαυδᾶν, ἀποδυσπετεῖν) are used as imperative infinitives, functioning as commands.
  2. §5.9.1καταπυκνοῦται — A passive verb meaning 'is made dense' or 'is consolidated.' Its subject is the subsequent articular infinitive phrase τὸ ... πράσσειν, expressing the constant and dense habituation of acting according to right principles.
  3. §5.9.1ἐκκρουσθέντα — The aorist passive participle (masculine accusative singular) of ἐκκρούω ('to drive out', 'to repulse'). It agrees with the implied accusative subject of the infinitive ἐπανιέναι, which refers to 'you'.
  4. §5.9.1ἀνθρωπικώτερα — The comparative form (neuter plural nominative) of the adjective ἀνθρωπικός ('human'), serving as a predicate to the substantivized τὰ πλείω ('the majority of actions'). It implies being within the tolerable limits of human weakness, as opposed to the ideal sage's perfection.
  5. §5.9.1αὐτῆς γὰρ φρονήσεως — Genitive of comparison. It compares 'wisdom itself' (φρόνησις), as the pinnacle of the virtues just listed, with the other desirable things.

Cite this passage

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations §5.9.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0562.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:5.9.1

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