Humanitext Reader

Marcus Aurelius · Meditations §8.20.1

Nature's Aim for the End and the Neutrality of Change

Passage 291 of 486 · Greek

Summary

Using the analogies of a ball, a bubble, and a lamp, the author explains that Nature aims at the end of each thing just as much as its beginning and continuation, and that there is no inherent good or evil in these natural transitions.

§8.20.1Ἡ φύσις ἐστόχασται ἑκάστου οὐδέν τι ἔλασσον τῆς ἀπολήξεως ἢ τῆς ἀρχῆς τε καὶ διεξαγωγῆς, ὡς ὁ ἀναβάλλων τὴν σφαῖραν·
Nature aims at the end of each thing no less than its beginning and its continuation, like one who throws up a ball.
τί οὖν ἀγαθὸν τῷ σφαιρίῳ ἀναφερομένῳ ἢ κακὸν καταφερομένῳ ἢ καὶ πεπτωκότι;
What good then is there for the ball while rising, or what evil while falling, or even when it has fallen?
τί δὲ ἀγαθὸν τῇ πομφόλυγι συνεστώσῃ ἢ κακὸν διαλυθείσῃ;
And what good is there for the bubble while it holds together, or what evil when it is dissolved?
τὰ ὅμοια δὲ καὶ ἐπὶ λύχνου.
The same also applies to a lamp.

Notes

  1. §8.20.1ἐστόχασται ἑκάστου ... τῆς ἀπολήξεως — The verb ἐστόχασται (perfect of στοχάζομαι, used here with a present meaning 'to aim at') governs the genitive case. Here, ἑκάστου ('of each thing') modifies the genitive nouns ἀπολήξεως ('end'), ἀρχῆς ('beginning'), and διεξαγωγῆς ('continuation'), which together function as the objects of the verb. The phrase οὐδέν τι ἔλασσον ... ἤ expresses comparison ('no less than...').
  2. §8.20.1τῷ σφαιρίῳ ἀναφερομένῳ — The dative τῷ σφαιρίῳ is a dative of interest/reference, which, together with the omitted copula ἐστί, forms the double question 'what good (or evil) is there for the ball...'. The present participles ἀναφερομένῳ and καταφερομένῳ, and the perfect participle πεπτωκότι, describe the different states of the ball (rising, falling, and having fallen) and agree with the dative noun in gender, number, and case.

Cite this passage

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations §8.20.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0562.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:8.20.1

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