Humanitext Reader

Marcus Aurelius · Meditations §6.26.1

The Analogy of Spelling and Doing One's Duty

Passage 163 of 486 · Greek

Summary

Using the example of calmly spelling a name letter by letter, the author explains that every duty consists of specific components that must be carried out systematically and without anger.

§6.26.1Ἐάν τίς σοι προβάλῃ πῶς γράφεται τὸ Ἀντωνίνου ὄνομα, μήτι κατεντεινόμενος προοίσῃ ἕκαστον τῶν στοιχείων;
If someone poses you the question of how the name Antoninus is written, will you shout out each of its letters in a state of tension?
τί οὖν ἐὰν ὀργίζωνται, μήτι ἀντοργιῇ;
What then, if they are angry, will you be angry in return?
μήτι οὐκ ἐξαριθμήσῃ πρᾴως προιὼν ἕκαστον τῶν γραμμάτων;
Will you not rather calmly, going forward step by step, enumerate each of the letters?
οὕτως οὖν καὶ ἐνθάδε μέμνησο ὅτι πᾶν καθῆκον ἐξ ἀριθμῶν τινῶν συμπληροῦται.
So then here too, remember that every duty is completed from certain constituent parts.
τούτους δεῖ τηροῦντα καὶ μὴ θορυβούμενον μηδὲ τοῖς δυσχεραίνουσιν ἀντιδυσχεραίνοντα περαίνειν ὁδῷ τὸ προκείμενον.
It is necessary, by keeping watch over these and not being flustered, nor being angry in return at those who are angry, to accomplish the task before you in an orderly way.

Notes

  1. §6.26.1προοίσῃ — The second-person singular future middle or aorist subjunctive of the verb προφέρω (to pronounce, utter). Used with the negative interrogative particle μήτι at the beginning of the sentence to express a strong rhetorical question ('surely you will not...').
  2. §6.26.1ἐξ ἀριθμῶν τινῶν — Literally 'from certain numbers'. By analogy with the letters that make up a spelled name, it metaphorically refers to the 'constituent parts' or 'systematic steps' that make up a moral duty (καθῆκον).
  3. §6.26.1τηροῦντα — In the accusative and infinitive construction governed by the impersonal verb δεῖ (it is necessary), the participles (τηροῦντα, θορυβούμενον, ἀντιδυσχεραίνοντα) are put in the accusative case to agree with the implied subject 'you' (second-person singular).

Cite this passage

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations §6.26.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0562.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:6.26.1

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