Humanitext Reader

Marcus Aurelius · Meditations §8.25.1

The Succession of Deaths and the Dissolution of Self

Passage 296 of 486 · Greek

Summary

The author lists the succession of deaths among historical figures and points out that even the sharpest minds have long since died and been forgotten. He concludes that one must remember that one's own composite body and breath are destined to be dispersed, extinguished, or relocated.

§8.25.1Λούκιλλα Οὐῆρον, εἶτα Λούκιλλα· Σέκουνδα Μάξιμον, εἶτα Σέκουνδα· Ἐπιτύγχανος Διότιμον, εἶτα Ἐπιτύγχανος· Φαυστῖναν Ἀντωνῖνος, εἶτα Ἀντωνῖνος. τοιαῦτα πάντα· Κέλερ Ἁδριανόν, εἶτα Κέλερ.
Lucilla buried Verus, then Lucilla herself was buried; Secunda buried Maximus, then Secunda herself; Epitynchanus buried Diotimus, then Epitynchanus himself; Antoninus buried Faustina, then Antoninus himself; all such things; Celer buried Hadrian, then Celer himself.
οἱ δὲ δριμεῖς ἐκεῖνοι ἢ προγνωστικοὶ ἢ τετυφωμένοι ποῦ;
And where are those sharp-witted men, or those of foresight, or those puffed up with pride?
οἷον, δριμεῖς μὲν Χάραξ καὶ Δημήτριος ὁ Πλατωνικὸς καὶ Εὐδαίμων καὶ εἴ τις τοιοῦτος.
For instance, among the sharp-witted, Charax, and Demetrius the Platonist, and Eudaemon, and any others like them.
πάντα ἐφήμερα, τεθνηκότα πάλαι· ἔνιοι μὲν οὐδὲ ἐπ’ ὀλίγον μνημονευθέντες, οἱ δὲ εἰς μύθους μεταβαλόντες, οἱ δὲ ἤδη καὶ ἐκ μύθων ἐξίτηλοι.
All are ephemeral, long since dead; some indeed not remembered even for a little while, others turned into myths, and others already vanished even from myths.
τούτων οὖν μεμνῆσθαι ὅτι δεήσει ἤτοι σκεδασθῆναι τὸ συγκριμάτιόν σου ἢ σβεσθῆναι τὸ πνευμάτιον ἢ μεταστῆναι καὶ ἀλλαχοῦ καταταχθῆναι.
Remember these things then, that it will be necessary either for your little composite body to be dispersed, or for your little breath of life to be extinguished, or for them to be removed and stationed elsewhere.

Notes

  1. 8.25.1Λούκιλλα Οὐῆρον — A highly compressed syntax where verbs are omitted. It shows a symmetrical relationship: 'A buried (or attended the death of) B, then A himself/herself died (or was buried)'. The arrangement of nouns in the nominative and accusative, followed by 'then (εἶτα)' with the nominative, concisely expresses the succession of death and transience.
  2. 8.25.1μεμνῆσθαι — The perfect active infinitive of the verb μιμνήσκω (to remind, remember), functioning here as an 'imperative infinitive' expressing a command in an independent clause. The implied subject is the second person singular.
  3. 8.25.1τὸ συγκριμάτιόν σου ἢ σβεσθῆναι τὸ πνευμάτιον — Both συγκριμάτιον (composite body) and πνευμάτιον (breath of life) are diminutive forms (with the suffix -ion) of συγκρίμα and pneuma, reflecting the Stoic self-reflection that views the human body and life as trivial and insignificant. The conjunctions ētoi... ē... ē... present three posthumous fates (dispersal, extinction, or cosmic relocation) as equivalent physical alternatives in Stoic physics.

Cite this passage

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations §8.25.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0562.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:8.25.1

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