Humanitext Reader

Marcus Aurelius · Meditations §8.35.1

The Power to Turn Obstacles into Fuel for Reason

Passage 306 of 486 · Greek

Summary

The author discusses how, just as the nature of the universe integrates all obstacles into its own order, rational beings are endowed with the capacity to turn any hindrance into their own material and use it for their purpose.

§8.35.1Ὥσπερ τὰς ἄλλας δυνάμεις ἑκάστῳ τῶν λογικῶν σχεδὸν ὅσον ἡ τῶν λογικῶν φύσις, οὕτως καὶ ταύτην παῤ αὐτῆς εἰλήφαμεν.
Just as the nature of rational beings has [distributed] the other faculties to each of the rational beings, so too have we received this faculty from her.
ὃν τρόπον γὰρ ἐκείνη πᾶν τὸ ἐνιστάμενον καὶ ἀντιβαῖνον ἐπιπεριτρέπει καὶ κατατάσσει εἰς τὴν εἱμαρμένην καὶ μέρος ἑαυτῆς ποιεῖ, οὕτως καὶ τὸ λογικὸν ζῷον δύναται πᾶν κώλυμα ὕλην ἑαυτοῦ ποιεῖν καὶ χρῆσθαι αὐτῷ, ἐφ’ οἷον ἂν καὶ ὥρμησεν.
For in the same manner as she turns every obstacle and opposition to her own purpose, coordinates it with fate, and makes it a part of herself, so too is the rational being able to make every obstacle its own material, and to use it for whatever purpose it may have set its impulse upon.

Notes

  1. 8.35.1Ὥσπερ τὰς ἄλλας δυνάμεις ἑκάστῳ τῶν λογικῶν σχεδὸν ὅσον ἡ τῶν λογικῶν φύσις — This ὥσπερ clause lacks a main verb. It must be understood either by supplying the verb of the main clause, εἰλήφαμεν ('we have received'), or by supplying a verb meaning 'granted' or 'distributed' (such as παρέσχε or ἐμέρισεν) that corresponds to the subject ἡ τῶν λογικῶν φύσις ('the nature of rational beings'). This translation adopts the latter, construing it as a contrast where nature 'gave' other faculties, and we 'received' this one from her.
  2. 8.35.1ἐφ’ οἷον ἂν καὶ ὥρμησεν — This phrase combines the preposition ἐπί with the relative pronoun οἷον, followed by the particle ἂν and the indicative aorist ὥρμησεν ('set one's impulse on'). Rather than expressing a counterfactual, this use of ἂν with the indicative past represents a generalized or potential action, meaning 'for whatever purpose one might set one's impulse upon.'

Cite this passage

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations §8.35.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0562.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:8.35.1

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