Humanitext Reader

Marcus Aurelius · Meditations §8.55.1

How Wickedness Only Harms the Wrongdoer

Passage 326 of 486 · Greek

Summary

The author discusses the nature of wickedness, stating that universal wickedness does not harm the cosmos, nor does individual wickedness harm others; it is harmful only to the individual who has the power and responsibility to free themselves from it as soon as they so desire.

§8.55.1Γενικῶς μὲν ἡ κακία οὐδὲν βλάπτει τὸν κόσμον, ἡ δὲ κατὰ μέρος οὐδὲν βλάπτει τὸν ἕτερον, μόνῳ δὲ βλαβερά ἐστι τούτῳ ᾧ ἐπιτέτραπται καὶ ἀπηλλάχθαι αὐτῆς, ὁπόταν πρῶτον οὕτως θελήσῃ.
Generally, wickedness does no harm to the universe, and in particular, it does no harm to another; but it is harmful only to him to whom it is entrusted to be delivered from it, as soon as he first so wills.

Notes

  1. §8.55.1ᾧ ἐπιτέτραπται καὶ ἀπηλλάχθαι αὐτῆς — The relative pronoun ᾧ is in the dative, referring back to the antecedent τούτῳ, and serves as the indirect object of the passive verb ἐπιτέτραπται (3rd person singular perfect passive of ἐπιτρέπω, 'to entrust'). The perfect passive infinitive ἀπηλλάχθαι (from ἀπαλλάσσω, 'to deliver/free') functions as the subject of this verb. αὐτῆς is a genitive of separation dependent on ἀπηλλάχθαι, referring to ἡ κακία (wickedness).
  2. §8.55.1ὁπόταν πρῶτον οὕτως θελήσῃ — The conjunction ὁπόταν (a generalized form of ὅταν) introduces a conditional temporal clause with the subjunctive verb θελήσῃ (3rd person singular aorist subjunctive of ἐθέλω). The adverb πρῶτον (first, as soon as) combined with οὕτως (in this way, i.e., to be delivered from wickedness) emphasizes that the liberation occurs the very moment one wills it.

Cite this passage

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations §8.55.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0562.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:8.55.1

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