Humanitext Reader

Marcus Aurelius · Meditations §6.57.1

Distorted Perception and Tolerance toward the Mistaken

Passage 194 of 486 · Greek

Summary

Drawing on instances of distorted perception caused by jaundice, rabies, and childhood, the author argues that the influence of error is no less powerful than these physical ailments, advising against anger toward those who mistake the truth.

§6.57.1Ἰκτεριῶσι τὸ μέλι πικρὸν φαίνεται καὶ λυσσοδήκτοις τὸ ὕδωρ φοβερὸν καὶ παιδίοις τὸ σφαιρίον καλόν.
To those who have jaundice, honey seems bitter; to those bitten by a mad dog, water seems terrifying; and to children, a little ball seems beautiful.
τί οὖν ὀργίζομαι;
Why then am I angry?
ἢ δοκεῖ σοι ἔλασσον ἰσχύειν τὸ διεψευσμένον ἢ τὸ χόλιον τῷ ἰκτεριῶντι καὶ ὁ ἰὸς τῷ λυσσοδήκτῳ;
Or does it seem to you that error has less power than the bile in the jaundiced person and the poison in the person bitten by a mad dog?

Notes

  1. §6.57.1Ἰκτεριῶσι — The datives Ἰκτεριῶσι, λυσσοδήκτοις, and παιδίοις are datives of the person judging, meaning "to the eyes of..." or "in the view of...". They qualify the predicate adjectives (πικρόν, φοβερόν, καλόν), with the verb φαίνεται omitted in the latter two clauses.
  2. §6.57.1τὸ διεψευσμένον — The perfect passive participle neuter singular of διαψεύδω with the article, used substantively to mean "the state of being deceived" or "holding a false opinion."
  3. §6.57.1ἢ τὸ χόλιον — Introduced by the comparative particle ἢ ("than") corresponding to the comparative adverb ἔλασσον ("less"). In parallel with τὸ διεψευσμένον, the subjects τὸ χόλιον and ὁ ἰὸς act as subjects of the omitted infinitive ἰσχύειν. The datives τῷ ἰκτεριῶντι and τῷ λυσσοδήκτῳ indicate the persons affected.

Cite this passage

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations §6.57.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0562.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:6.57.1

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