Humanitext Reader

Marcus Aurelius · Meditations §8.49.1

Adhering to First Impressions without Adding Judgments

Passage 320 of 486 · Greek

Summary

The author advises against adding subjective judgements to primary objective impressions, urging one to remain steadfast in facts and view occurrences with a comprehensive understanding of the world.

§8.49.1Μηδὲν πλέον σαυτῷ λέγε ὧν αἱ προηγούμεναι φαντασίαι ἀναγγέλλουσιν.
Say nothing more to yourself than what the primary impressions report.
ἤγγελται ὅτι ὁ δεῖνά σε κακῶς λέγει.
It has been reported that so-and-so speaks ill of you.
ἤγγελται τοῦτο· τὸ δέ, ὅτι βέβλαψαι, οὐκ ἤγγελται.
This has been reported; but that you have been harmed has not been reported.
βλέπω ὅτι νοσεῖ τὸ παιδίον.
I see that the child is sick.
βλέπω· ὅτι δὲ κινδυνεύει, οὐ βλέπω.
I see this; but that he is in danger, I do not see.
οὕτως οὖν μένε ἀεὶ ἐπὶ τῶν πρώτων φαντασιῶν καὶ μηδὲν αὐτὸς ἔνδοθεν ἐπίλεγε καὶ οὐδέν σοι γίνεται·
So always abide in this way by the first impressions, and add nothing yourself from within, and nothing happens to you.
μᾶλλον δὲ ἐπίλεγε ὡς γνωρίζων ἕκαστα τῶν ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ συμβαινόντων.
Or rather, add to them as one who knows each of the things that happen in the world.

Notes

  1. §8.49.1ὧν — The genitive ὧν is a relative pronoun attracted to the genitive case of its omitted antecedent following the comparative πλέον.
  2. §8.49.1ἐπίλεγε — The verb ἐπιλέγω here means 'to add in thought' or 'to say in addition', echoing the preceding phrase μηδὲν πλέον... λέγε.
  3. §8.49.1ὡς γνωρίζων — The particle ὡς with the participle γνωρίζων (nominative singular masculine, agreeing with the subject) expresses the manner or attitude: 'as one who knows'.

Cite this passage

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations §8.49.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0562.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:8.49.1

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