Humanitext Reader

Marcus Aurelius · Meditations §8.29.1

Erasing Impressions and the Natural Power of the Soul

Passage 300 of 486 · Greek

Summary

The author advises erasing mental impressions by constantly reminding oneself of the natural power to keep the soul free from evil and disturbance, and to treat everything according to its true value.

§8.29.1Ἐξάλειφε τὰς φαντασίας συνεχῶς σεαυτῷ λέγων· νῦν ἐπ’ ἐμοί ἐστιν ἵνα ἐν ταύτῃ τῇ ψυχῇ μηδεμία πονηρία ᾖ μηδὲ ἐπιθυμία μηδὲ ὅλως ταραχή τις, ἀλλὰ βλέπων πάντα ὁποῖά ἐστι χρῶμαι ἑκάστῳ κατ’ ἀξίαν. μέμνησο ταύτης τῆς ἐξουσίας κατὰ φύσιν.
Wipe out your impressions, constantly saying to yourself: 'Now it is in my power to ensure that in this soul there be no wickedness, nor desire, nor any trouble at all, but that, seeing all things as they are, I use each according to its value.' Remember this power according to nature.

Notes

  1. §8.29.1ἵνα — The clause with ἵνα + subjunctive is used here to introduce the subject or content of the impersonal expression νῦν ἐπ’ ἐμοί ἐστιν ('it is in my power'), a usage characteristic of later Greek (Koine) where it replaces the classical infinitive construction.
  2. §8.29.1χρῶμαι — The first-person singular present subjunctive (contracted form) of the verb χράομαι ('to use'). Although identical in form to the indicative, it is coordinated with ᾖ (third-person singular present subjunctive of εἰμί) under the government of ἵνα.
  3. §8.29.1κατὰ φύσιν — This prepositional phrase can either modify the preceding noun ἐξουσίας ('power/authority according to nature') or the imperative verb μέμνησο ('remember in accordance with nature'). In this context, it is more natural to take it as modifying the noun, referring to the rational control given to humans by universal nature.

Cite this passage

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations §8.29.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0562.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:8.29.1

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