Humanitext Reader

Marcus Aurelius · Meditations §8.22.1

Focus on the Present and Not Postponing Virtue

Passage 293 of 486 · Greek

Summary

Marcus Aurelius urges attention to the subject matter, ruling principles, actions, or meaning, and admonishes the attitude of postponing becoming good until tomorrow instead of being so today.

§8.22.1Πρόσεχε τῷ ὑποκειμένῳ ἢ τῷ δόγματι ἢ τῇ ἐνεργείᾳ ἢ τῷ σημαινομένῳ.
Attend to the subject matter, or to the ruling principle, or to the activity, or to what is signified.
Δικαίως ταῦτα πάσχεις· μᾶλλον δὲ θέλεις ἀγαθὸς αὔριον γενέσθαι ἢ σήμερον εἶναι.
You suffer these things justly; or rather, you wish to become good tomorrow rather than to be so today.

Notes

  1. §8.22.1ἀγαθὸς — A nominative predicate adjective. Because the subject of the infinitive is identical to the subject of the main finite verb θέλεις (you wish), it remains in the nominative case instead of taking the accusative.
  2. §8.22.1τῷ σημαινομένῳ — The neuter singular dative of the present passive participle of σημαίνω (to signify, mean), governed by Πρόσεχε (attend to). It refers to 'that which is signified', meaning the underlying sense or import of words.

Cite this passage

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations §8.22.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0562.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:8.22.1

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