Humanitext Reader

Marcus Aurelius · Meditations §8.18.1

Death and the Dissolution into Elements within the Universe

Passage 289 of 486 · Greek

Summary

The author explains that nothing that dies falls outside the universe; instead, it remains within, dissolving into its constituent elements, which themselves undergo change without complaint.

§8.18.1Ἔξω τοῦ κόσμου τὸ ἀποθανὸν οὐ πίπτει.
That which dies does not fall outside the universe.
ὧδε μένει καὶ μεταβάλλει ὧδε καὶ διαλύεται εἰς τὰ ἴδια, ἃ στοιχεῖά ἐστι τοῦ κόσμου καὶ σά.
It remains here, and here it changes and is dissolved into its own proper elements, which are elements of the universe and of yourself.
καὶ αὐτὰ δὲ μεταβάλλει καὶ οὐ γογγύζει.
And these elements themselves also change, and they do not murmur.

Notes

  1. §8.18.1εἰς τὰ ἴδια, ἃ στοιχεῖά ἐστι — The relative pronoun `ἃ` (neuter plural) has `τὰ ἴδια` ("its own proper elements") as its antecedent. Although the subject is plural, the copula verb `ἐστι` is in the third person singular, in accordance with the classical Greek grammatical rule (schema Atticum) where a neuter plural subject takes a singular verb.
  2. §8.18.1καὶ αὐτὰ δὲ μεταβάλλει καὶ οὐ γογγύζει — While the pronoun `αὐτά` (neuter plural, referring back to `στοιχεῖα`) is the subject, both verbs `μεταβάλλει` and `γογγύζει` are in the third person singular, following the rule of neuter plural subjects taking singular verbs. The combination `καὶ ... δέ` marks an emphatic addition ("and these also").

Cite this passage

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations §8.18.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0562.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:8.18.1

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