Humanitext Reader

Marcus Aurelius · Meditations §6.42.1

Human Cooperation Toward Cosmic Ends and Choosing One's Part

Passage 179 of 486 · Greek

Summary

The author explains that all humans work together toward the cosmic purpose, whether consciously or unconsciously, and urges the reader to realize their position and become a worthy part of the whole rather than a ridiculous line in a play.

§6.42.1Πάντες εἰς ἓν ἀποτέλεσμα συνεργοῦμεν, οἱ μὲν εἰδότως καὶ παρακολουθητικῶς, οἱ δὲ ἀνεπιστάτως, ὥσπερ καὶ τοὺς καθεύδοντας, οἶμαι, ὁ Ἡράκλειτος ἐργάτας εἶναι λέγει καὶ συνεργοὺς τῶν ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ γινομένων.
We all work together toward one result, some consciously and with understanding, others unconsciously, just as Heraclitus, I believe, says that even those who sleep are workers and fellow-workers in what happens in the universe.
ἄλλος δὲ κατ’ ἄλλο συνεργεῖ, ἐκ περιουσίας δὲ καὶ ὁ μεμφόμενος καὶ ὁ ἀντιβαίνειν πειρώμενος καὶ ἀναιρεῖν τὰ γινόμενα· καὶ γὰρ τοῦ τοιούτου ἔχρῃζεν ὁ κόσμος.
But one works together in one way, and another in another; and even the one who complains and tries to resist and undo what happens works together in an overflowing measure; for the universe had need even of such a person.
λοιπὸν οὖν σύνες εἰς τίνας σεαυτὸν κατατάσσεις· ἐκεῖνος μὲν γὰρ πάντως σοι καλῶς χρήσεται ὁ τὰ ὅλα διοικῶν καὶ παραδέξεταί σε ὡς μέρος τι τῶν συνεργῶν καὶ συνεργητικῶν, ἀλλὰ σὺ μὴ τοιοῦτο μέρος γένῃ, οἷος ὁ εὐτελὴς καὶ γελοῖος στίχος ἐν τῷ δράματι, οὗ Χρύσιππος μέμνηται.
For the rest, then, understand into which class you range yourself; for he who governs the whole will in any case make good use of you, and will receive you as some part of the fellow-workers and cooperative agents; but do not you become such a part as the cheap and ridiculous verse in the play, which Chrysippus mentions.

Notes

  1. §6.42.1ἐκ περιουσίας — Literally meaning "from abundance" or "superfluously." Here it indicates that even those who complain or attempt to resist the course of events still contribute to the cosmic order in an overflowing measure (or as a byproduct), aligning with Stoic providential determinism.
  2. §6.42.1τοῦ τοιούτου — Genitive singular (either masculine or neuter). It refers back to the substantiated participles in the preceding clause ("the one who complains...", "the one who tries to resist..."), meaning "such a person" or "such an element." It serves as the genitive object of the verb `ἔχρῃζεν` ("needed").
  3. §6.42.1οὗ — Genitive relative pronoun. The antecedent is the masculine noun `στίχος` ("verse" or "line"). It is in the genitive case because the verb `μέμνηται` ("mentions" or "remembers") governs the genitive.

Cite this passage

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations §6.42.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0562.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:6.42.1

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