Humanitext Reader

Marcus Aurelius · Meditations §6.50.1

Action with Reservation and Turning Obstacles into Virtue

Passage 187 of 486 · Greek

Summary

The author advises trying to persuade others, but when faced with forceful opposition, one should adapt to the obstacle as an opportunity for another virtue, remembering that one's initial impulse was always made with a reservation.

§6.50.1Πειρῶ μὲν πείθειν αὐτούς, πρᾶττε δὲ καὶ ἀκόντων, ὅταν τῆς δικαιοσύνης ὁ λόγος οὕτως ἄγῃ.
Try on the one hand to persuade them, but act even against their will when the reason of justice so leads.
ἐὰν μέντοι βίᾳ τις προσχρώμενος ἐνίστηται, μετάβαινε ἐπὶ τὸ εὐάρεστον καὶ ἄλυπον καὶ συγχρῶ εἰς ἄλλην ἀρετὴν τῇ κωλύσει, καὶ μέμνησο ὅτι μεθ’ ὑπεξαιρέσεως ὥρμας καὶ ὅτι τῶν ἀδυνάτων οὐκ ὠρέγου.
If, however, someone opposes you by employing force, change your course to that which is well-pleasing and free from pain, and use the obstacle for another virtue, and remember that you were setting out with a reservation and that you were not desiring impossible things.
τίνος οὖν;
What then did you desire?
τῆς τοιᾶσδέ τινος ὁρμῆς.
Such and such an impulse.
τούτου δὲ τυγχάνεις· ἐφ’ οἷς προήχθημεν, ταῦτα γίνεται.
And this you do attain: that for which we were impelled, this is coming to pass.

Notes

  1. §6.50.1ἀκόντων — A genitive absolute construction of the participle ἄκων, with the pronoun αὐτῶν ('them') omitted, meaning 'even if they are unwilling' or 'against their will'.
  2. §6.50.1μεθ’ ὑπεξαιρέσεως — A technical term in Stoic ethics meaning 'with reservation' (hypexairesis), indicating that one acts with the caveat 'if nothing happens to prevent me' (Deo volente), focusing on moral intention rather than external outcome.
  3. §6.50.1ἐφ’ οἷς προήχθημεν, ταῦτα γίνεται — The antecedent of the relative clause ἐφ’ οἷς is ταῦτα. This expresses the Stoic paradox that even if an external goal (such as persuading others) is blocked, the internal purpose toward which one was impelled (to act virtuously and with the right impulse) is fully achieved through the obstacle itself.

Cite this passage

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations §6.50.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0562.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:6.50.1

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