Humanitext Reader

Marcus Aurelius · Meditations §8.6.1

Universal Change and the Equal Distribution of Events

Passage 277 of 486 · Greek

Summary

The author explains that the nature of the universe constantly changes and moves things, but these changes are entirely familiar and equally distributed to all.

§8.6.1Ἡ τῶν ὅλων φύσις τοῦτο ἔργον ἔχει, τὰ ὧδε ὄντα ἐκεῖ μετατιθέναι, μεταβάλλειν, αἴρειν ἔνθεν καὶ ἐκεῖ φέρειν.
The nature of the universe has this task: to transfer what is here to there, to change it, to take it from here and carry it there.
πάντα τροπαί, οὐχ ὥστε φοβηθῆναι, μή τι καινόν· πάντα συνήθη· ἀλλὰ καὶ ἴσαι αἱ ἀπονεμήσεις.
All things are changes, not of a kind to make one fear lest there be something new; all things are familiar; but the distributions are also equal.

Notes

  1. §8.6.1τοῦτο — The demonstrative pronoun τοῦτο anticipates the following series of infinitive phrases (μετατιθέναι, μεταβάλλειν, αἴρειν, φέρειν) in apposition.
  2. §8.6.1οὐχ ὥστε φοβηθῆναι, μή τι καινόν — The construction ὥστε with the infinitive (φοβηθῆναι) expresses result or character ("not such as to fear"). μή τι καινόν is a clause of fearing dependent on φοβηθῆναι with the copula (such as ᾖ) omitted, meaning "lest there be something new."

Cite this passage

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations §8.6.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0562.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:8.6.1

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