Humanitext Reader

Marcus Aurelius · Meditations §9.38.1

The Locus of Wrongdoing and Possibility of Error

Passage 370 of 486 · Greek

Summary

Briefly points out that if someone has done wrong, the evil remains with that person, and that perhaps they did not actually do wrong.

§9.38.1Εἰ μὲν ἥμαρτεν, ἐκεῖ τὸ κακόν.
If he did wrong, the evil is there.
τάχα δ’ οὐχ ἥμαρτεν.
But perhaps he did not do wrong.

Notes

  1. 9.38.1ἥμαρτεν — The subject is not explicitly stated, but is third-person singular, contextually referring to 'another person' (someone who appears to have done wrong).
  2. 9.38.1ἐκεῖ τὸ κακόν — The existential verb ἐστί is omitted. The adverb ἐκεῖ (there) refers to the side of the person who did wrong, reflecting the philosophical background that one is not morally harmed by another's wrongdoing.

Cite this passage

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations §9.38.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0562.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:9.38.1

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