§7.41.1Εἰ δ’ ἠμελήθην ἐκ θεῶν καὶ παῖδ’ ἐμώ, ἔχει λόγον καὶ τοῦτο.
But if I and my two children have been neglected by the gods, even this has its reason.
Marcus Aurelius · Meditations §7.41.1
The Reason Behind Being Neglected by the Gods
Summary
A quotation from Euripides stating that even if the speaker and their two children are neglected by the gods, there is a reason for it.
Notes
- §7.41.1ἠμελήθην... καὶ παῖδ’ ἐμώ — The verb ἠμελήθην is in the first-person singular aorist passive, but the dual nominative subject παῖδ’ ἐμώ (my two children) is appended with καὶ. Grammatically, the combined subject is plural (or dual), but the verb agrees in person and number with the primary subject 'I'.
- §7.41.1ἔχει λόγον — An idiomatic expression meaning 'to have a reason' or 'to make sense'. Here it suggests that even an seemingly unjust event, like being neglected by the gods, has some underlying rational explanation within the cosmic order (logos).
Cite this passage
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations §7.41.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0562.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:7.41.1
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