Humanitext Reader

Marcus Aurelius · Meditations §7.74.1

Benefiting Oneself by Doing Good to Others

Passage 270 of 486 · Greek

Summary

The author argues that benefiting others is an activity according to nature which also benefits oneself, and therefore one should not grow weary of it.

§7.74.1Οὐδεὶς κάμνει ὠφελούμενος, ὠφέλεια δὲ πρᾶξις κατὰ φύσιν·
No one tires of being benefited, and to benefit is an activity according to nature.
μὴ οὖν κάμνε ὠφελούμενος, ἐν ᾧ ὠφελεῖς.
Therefore, do not tire of being benefited in that action by which you benefit others.

Notes

  1. §7.74.1κάμνει ὠφελούμενος — The verb κάμνω combined with a present participle forms a supplementary participle construction meaning 'to grow weary of doing' or 'to tire of doing'. Here it means 'to tire of being benefited'.
  2. §7.74.1ἐν ᾧ ὠφελεῖς — The antecedent of the relative pronoun ᾧ is the 'activity (πρᾶξις)' implied in ὠφέλεια, meaning 'in the activity by which you benefit (others)'. By contrasting the active ὠφελεῖς (you benefit others) with the passive ὠφελούμενος (being benefited oneself), the phrase reflects the Stoic view that benefiting others is inherently beneficial to oneself.

Cite this passage

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations §7.74.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0562.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:7.74.1

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