Humanitext Reader

Marcus Aurelius · Meditations §9.31.1

Tranquility in External Events and Justice in One's Actions

Passage 363 of 486 · Greek

Summary

Marcus Aurelius advocates for tranquility regarding external events and justice in actions originating from oneself, emphasizing that acting socially is in accordance with human nature.

§9.31.1Ἀταραξία μὲν περὶ τὰ ἀπὸ τῆς ἐκτὸς αἰτίας συμβαίνοντα, δικαιότης δὲ ἐν τοῖς παρὰ τὴν ἐκ σοῦ αἰτίαν ἐνεργουμένοις· τουτέστιν, ὁρμὴ καὶ πρᾶξις καταλήγουσα ἐπ’ αὐτὸ τὸ κοινωνικῶς πρᾶξαι ὡς τοῦτό σοι κατὰ φύσιν ὄν.
Tranquility regarding those things which happen from an external cause, and justice in those things which are done through the cause which proceeds from yourself; that is to say, impulse and action terminating in this very thing, namely acting socially, as this is in accordance with your nature.

Notes

  1. §9.31.1Ἀταραξία μὲν ... δικαιότης δὲ ... — An imperative (such as ἔστω "let there be") or an expression of duty is omitted. The coordinated nouns (Ἀταραξία, δικαιότης, ὁρμὴ καὶ πρᾶξις) are presented as guidelines for the state of mind and action that one should maintain.
  2. §9.31.1παρὰ τὴν ἐκ σοῦ αἰτίαν — Although the preposition παρά with the accusative often means "contrary to," here it means "in accordance with" or "by reason of." It refers to actions that are active (ἐνεργουμένοις) based on one's own internal rational cause (ἐκ σοῦ αἰτία).
  3. §9.31.1ὡς τοῦτό σοι κατὰ φύσιν ὄν — The particle ὡς is accompanied by the neuter singular nominative participle ὄν (conjunct participle), expressing a subjective reason. The demonstrative pronoun τοῦτο refers to the preceding "acting socially" (τὸ κοινωνικῶς πρᾶξαι).

Cite this passage

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations §9.31.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0562.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:9.31.1

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