Humanitext Reader

Marcus Aurelius · Meditations §6.52.1

Suspending Judgment on External Things for Peace of Mind

Passage 189 of 486 · Greek

Summary

It explains that it is possible to hold no opinion and keep the soul untroubled, because things themselves have no power to shape our judgments.

§6.52.1Ἔξεστι περὶ τούτου μηδὲν ὑπολαμβάνειν καὶ μὴ ὀχλεῖσθαι τῇ ψυχῇ· αὐτὰ γὰρ τὰ πράγματα οὐκ ἔχει φύσιν ποιητικὴν τῶν ἡμετέρων κρίσεων.
It is possible to form no opinion about this and not to be troubled in your soul; for things themselves have no natural power to produce our judgments.

Notes

  1. §6.52.1Ἔξεστι — Impersonal verb governing the infinitives (μηδὲν ὑπολαμβάνειν καὶ μὴ ὀχλεῖσθαι) as its subject, meaning "it is possible" or "one is permitted."
  2. §6.52.1αὐτὰ γὰρ τὰ πράγματα οὐκ ἔχει φύσιν ποιητικὴν τῶν ἡμετέρων κρίσεων — Meaning "for things themselves (αὐτὰ τὰ πράγματα) do not have (οὐκ ἔχει) a nature (φύσιν) productive (ποιητικήν) of our judgments (τῶν ἡμετέρων κρίσεων)." The adjective ποιητικήν governs the genitive τῶν ἡμετέρων κρίσεων objectively ("capable of producing...").

Cite this passage

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations §6.52.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0562.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:6.52.1

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