Humanitext Reader

Marcus Aurelius · Meditations §8.15.1

Not Being Surprised by What the Universe Naturally Produces

Passage 286 of 486 · Greek

Summary

The author explains that one should not be surprised when the universe produces what is natural to it, just as a fig tree bears figs, and that it is shameful for a professional to be surprised by expected occurrences.

§8.15.1Μέμνησο ὅτι, ὥσπερ αἰσχρόν ἐστι ξενίζεσθαι, εἰ ἡ συκῆ σῦκα φέρει, οὕτως, εἰ ὁ κόσμος τάδε τινὰ φέρει ὧν ἐστι φορός· καὶ ἰατρῷ δὲ καὶ κυβερνήτῃ αἰσχρὸν ξενίζεσθαι, εἰ πεπύρεχεν οὗτος ἢ εἰ ἀντίπνοια γέγονεν.
Remember that, just as it is shameful to be surprised if the fig tree bears figs, so too [it is shameful to be surprised] if the universe bears these or those things of which it is productive; and for a physician and a helmsman likewise, it is shameful to be surprised if this man has a fever or if a contrary wind has blown.

Notes

  1. §8.15.1οὕτως, εἰ ὁ κόσμος τάδε τινὰ φέρει ὧν ἐστι φορός — The main clause corresponding to the first part (ὥσπερ αἰσχρόν ἐστι ξενίζεσθαι) is omitted after οὕτως and must be mentally supplied as 'so too it is shameful to be surprised'. The relative pronoun ὧν is in the genitive case because it is governed by the adjective φορός (productive of), and its antecedent is the preceding demonstrative expression τάδε τινά.
  2. §8.15.1ἰατρῷ δὲ καὶ κυβερνήτῃ ... εἰ πεπύρεχεν οὗτος ἢ εἰ ἀντίπνοια γέγονεν — The two conditions in the conditional clauses correspond respectively to the datives ἰατρῷ (for a physician) and κυβερνήτῃ (for a helmsman). In the first condition, οὗτος (this man) refers contextually to 'this patient' corresponding to ἰατρῷ, while in the second, ἀντίπνοια (a contrary wind) corresponds to κυβερνήτῃ, forming a symmetrical double structure.

Cite this passage

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations §8.15.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0562.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:8.15.1

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