Humanitext Reader

Marcus Aurelius · Meditations §7.48.1

Observing Human Life from an Elevated Vantage Point

Passage 244 of 486 · Greek

Summary

Citing Plato, the text emphasizes the importance of observing human activities and earthly matters objectively, as if looking down from a high altitude.

§7.48.1Καλὸν τὸ τοῦ Πλάτωνος.
Fine is that saying of Plato.
καὶ δὴ περὶ ἀνθρώπων τοὺς λόγους ποιούμενον ἐπισκοπεῖν δεῖ καὶ τὰ ἐπίγεια ὥσπερ ποθὲν ἄνωθεν κάτω· ἀγέλας, στρατεύματα, γεώργια, γάμους, διαλύσεις, γενέσεις, θανάτους, δικαστηρίων θόρυβον, ἐρήμους χώρας, βαρβάρων ἔθνη ποικίλα, ἑορτάς, θρήνους, ἀγοράς, τὸ παμμιγὲς καὶ τὸ ἐκ τῶν ἐναντίων συγκοσμούμενον.
And indeed, one who makes discourse about human beings must also look upon earthly things as if from some height down below: herds, armies, tilled fields, marriages, divorces, births, deaths, the clamour of law courts, desolate lands, diverse barbarian nations, feasts, lamentations, market-places, the mixture of all things, and the order established from contraries.

Notes

  1. 7.48.1τὸ τοῦ Πλάτωνος — A noun such as ῥητόν or ἔπος (saying, word) is omitted after the article τὸ, meaning "the saying of Plato" or "what Plato said".
  2. 7.48.1ποιούμενον — Present middle participle, accusative masculine singular. It functions as or modifies the accusative subject of the impersonal verb δεῖ (referring to a general "one"), meaning "one who makes discourse."
  3. 7.48.1ὥσπερ ποθὲν ἄνωθεν κάτω — The combination of the adverbs ἄνωθεν (from above) and κάτω (downwards) expresses the perspective of "looking down from above." A verbal element like the participle βλέποντα (looking) is implied.

Cite this passage

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations §7.48.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0562.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:7.48.1

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