Humanitext Reader

Marcus Aurelius · Meditations §8.8.1

Practicing Self-Control and Care Without Leisure to Read

Passage 279 of 486 · Greek

Summary

The author argues that even if one does not have the leisure to read, it is always possible to practice self-control, overcome pleasures and pains, rise above cheap glory, and care for ungrateful people.

§8.8.1Ἀναγινώσκειν οὐκ ἔξεστιν.
You cannot read.
ἀλλὰ ὕβριν ἀνείργειν ἔξεστιν· ἀλλὰ ἡδονῶν καὶ πόνων καθυπερτερεῖν ἔξεστιν· ἀλλὰ τοῦ δοξαρίου ὑπεράνω εἶναι ἔξεστιν· ἀλλὰ ἀναισθήτοις καὶ ἀχαρίστοις μὴ θυμοῦσθαι, προσέτι κήδεσθαι αὐτῶν ἔξεστιν.
But you can restrain arrogance; but you can rise superior to pleasures and pains; but you can be above paltry fame; but you can not be angry with the unfeeling and ungrateful, and moreover care for them.

Notes

  1. 8.8.1Ἀναγινώσκειν οὐκ ἔξεστιν — The infinitive Ἀναγινώσκειν acts as the subject of the impersonal verb ἔξεστιν ("it is permitted/possible"). It expresses that reading is not allowed or possible, likely due to the author's busy duties as emperor.
  2. 8.8.1ἡδονῶν καὶ πόνων καθυπερτερεῖν — The verb καθυπερτερέω ("to overcome, rise superior to") takes the genitive case (ἡδονῶν καὶ πόνων) to express the object of comparison or superiority.
  3. 8.8.1ἀναισθήτοις καὶ ἀχαρίστοις μὴ θυμοῦσθαι — The verb θυμόομαι ("to be angry") takes its object in the dative case (ἀναισθήτοις καὶ ἀχαρίστοις). It is paired with the following infinitive κήδεσθαι ("to care for"), which governs the genitive (αὐτῶν), resulting in two coordinated infinitives with different case requirements.

Cite this passage

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations §8.8.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0562.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:8.8.1

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