Humanitext Reader

Marcus Aurelius · Meditations §8.12.1

Rising from Sleep and Performing Social Actions

Passage 283 of 486 · Greek

Summary

Marcus Aurelius prompts himself to remember, when finding it difficult to rise from sleep, that performing social actions conforms to human nature and constitutes what is most truly one's own and most agreeable.

§8.12.1Ὅταν ἐξ ὕπνου δυσχερῶς ἐγείρῃ, ἀναμιμνῄσκου ὅτι κατὰ τὴν κατασκευήν σου ἐστὶ καὶ κατὰ τὴν ἀνθρωπικὴν φύσιν τὸ πράξεις κοινωνικὰς ἀποδιδόναι, τὸ δὲ καθεύδειν κοινὸν καὶ τῶν ἀλόγων ζῴων· ὃ δὲ κατὰ φύσιν ἑκάστῳ, τοῦτο οἰκειότερον καὶ προσφυέστερον καὶ δὴ καὶ προσηνέστερον.
When you are reluctant to rise from sleep, remind yourself that to perform social actions is in accordance with your own constitution and with human nature, whereas sleeping is common also to irrational animals; and what is in accordance with nature for each is more truly his own, more fitting, and indeed more agreeable.

Notes

  1. §8.12.1ἐγείρῃ — The second-person singular present middle/passive subjunctive of the verb ἐγείρω, functioning intransitively as "to wake up" or "to rise." The subjunctive mood is triggered by the temporal conjunction ὅταν (ὅτε + ἄν).
  2. §8.12.1τὸ πράξεις κοινωνικὰς ἀποδιδόναι — An articular infinitive phrase acting as the subject within the ὅτι clause. The prepositional phrases κατὰ τὴν κατασκευήν σου ... καὶ κατὰ τὴν ἀνθρωπικὴν φύσιν serve as the predicate with the copula ἐστί.
  3. §8.12.1ὃ δὲ κατὰ φύσιν ἑκάστῳ — A relative clause with the neuter relative pronoun ὃ as its subject, with the copula (ἐστί) omitted, meaning "that which is in accordance with nature for each." The dative ἑκάστῳ is a dative of interest/relation or possession. The demonstrative τοῦτο in the main clause resumptively refers back to this entire relative clause.

Cite this passage

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations §8.12.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0562.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:8.12.1

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