Humanitext Reader

Marcus Aurelius · Meditations §7.19.1

The Torrent of Universal Substance and Devouring Time

Passage 215 of 486 · Greek

Summary

The author points out the constant flow of physical bodies through the cosmic substance and the transience of time, which has swallowed even great sages, urging that this same perspective be applied to every person and thing.

§7.19.1Διὰ τῆς τῶν ὅλων οὐσίας ὡς διὰ χειμάρρου διεκπορεύεται πάντα τὰ σώματα, τῷ ὅλῳ συμφυῆ καὶ συνεργὰ ὡς τὰ ἡμέτερα μέλη ἀλλήλοις.
All bodies pass through the substance of the whole as through a torrent, being naturally united with and cooperating with the whole, just as our limbs are with one another.
πόσους ἤδη ὁ αἰὼν Χρυσίππους, πόσους Σωκράτεις, πόσους Ἐπικτήτους καταπέπωκε.
How many a Chrysippus, how many a Socrates, how many an Epictetus has eternity already swallowed up!
τὸ δ’ αὐτὸ καὶ ἐπὶ παντὸς οὑτινοσοῦν σοι ἀνθρώπου τε καὶ πράγματος προσπιπτέτω.
Let the same thought strike you also in the case of any other human being and thing whatsoever.

Notes

  1. §7.19.1Χρυσίππους, Σωκράτεις, Ἐπικτήτους — These are plural forms (accusative) of proper names, representing the category or type of individuals such as Chrysippus, Socrates, and Epictetus who once lived.
  2. §7.19.1προσπιπτέτω — This is the third-person singular present imperative of the verb προσπίπτω (to fall upon, strike, occur to the mind). Together with the dative σοι (to you), it means 'let the same thought occur to you.' The prepositional phrase ἐπὶ παντὸς... indicates the scope or occasion of this application (regarding any human being or thing).

Cite this passage

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations §7.19.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0562.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:7.19.1

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