Humanitext Reader

Marcus Aurelius · Meditations §6.14.1

The Scale of Existence and the Rational Social Soul

Passage 151 of 486 · Greek

Summary

The author classifies the objects admired by the multitude and more refined people according to the Stoic scale of existence, asserting that true value lies in honoring the universal and social rational soul and keeping one's own soul in a rational and social state.

§6.14.1Τὰ πλεῖστα, ὦν ἡ πληθὺς θαυμάζει, εἰς γενικώτατα ἀνάγεται τὰ ὑπὸ ἕξεως ἣ φύσεως συνεχόμενα, λίθους, ξύλα, συκᾶς, ἀμπέλους, ἐλαίας·
Most of the things which the multitude admires are referred to the most general classes, those held together by cohesion or nature, such as stones, wood, fig-trees, vines, olives.
τὰ δὲ ὑπὸ τῶν ὀλίγῳ μετριωτέρων εἰς τὰ ὑπὸ ψυχῆς, οἶον ποίμνας, ἀγέλας·
But the things admired by those who are a little more moderate are referred to those held together by soul, such as flocks and herds.
τὰ δὲ ὑπὸ τῶν ἔτι χαριεστέρων εἰς τὰ ὑπὸ λογικῆς ψυχῆς, οὐ μέντοι καθολικῆς, ἀλλὰ καθὸ τεχνικὴ ἢ ἄλλως πως ἐντρεχής, ἢ κατὰ ψιλὸν τὸ πλῆθος ἀνδραπόδων κεκτῆσθαι.
And the things admired by those who are still more refined are referred to those held together by a rational soul, yet not a universal one, but so far as it is artistic or in some other way clever, or simply in possessing a multitude of slaves.
ὁ δὲ ψυχὴν λογικὴν καθολικὴν καὶ πολιτικὴν τιμῶν οὐδὲν ἔτι τῶν ἄλλων ἐπιστρέφεται, πρὸ ἁπάντων δὲ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ψυχὴν λογικῶς καὶ κοινωνικῶς ἔχουσαν καὶ κινουμένην διασῴζει καὶ τῷ ὁμογενεῖ εἰς τοῦτο συνεργεῖ.
But he who honors a rational soul that is universal and social no longer turns his attention to any of the other things, but above all keeps his own soul disposed and moving rationally and socially, and cooperates with his fellow beings towards this end.

Notes

  1. §6.14.1τὰ ὑπὸ ἕξεως ἣ φύσεως συνεχόμενα — This reflects the Stoic scale of existence. ἕξις (cohesion) holds together inanimate objects (like stones and wood), while φύσις (nature/growth) sustains plants (like fig-trees and vines). The participle συνεχόμενα means 'held together' or 'maintained' by these principles.
  2. §6.14.1τὰ δὲ ὑπὸ τῶν ὀλίγῳ μετριωτέρων — The subject 'the things admired' (from the preceding Τὰ πλεῖστα, ὧν ἡ πληθὺς θαυμάζει) and the verb ἀνάγεται are omitted in this clause. ὑπό with the genitive denotes the agent, establishing the contrast: 'and the things (admired) by those who are a little more moderate are referred to...'.
  3. §6.14.1καθὸ τεχνικὴ ἢ ἄλλως πως ἐντρεχής, ἢ κατὰ ψιλὸν τὸ πλῆθος ἀνδραπόδων κεκτῆσθαι — The clause introduced by the relative adverb καθό ('insofar as') modifies the preceding λογικῆς ψυχῆς (with the nominative τεχνική etc. as a complement to an omitted ἐστιν). In contrast, the infinitive phrase κατὰ ψιλὸν ... κεκτῆσθαι connected by ἤ either coordinates with the prepositional phrase εἰς τὰ ὑπό... or directly expresses the object of admiration as the 'mere possession of a multitude of slaves.'

Cite this passage

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations §6.14.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0562.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:6.14.1

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