§9.7.1Ἐξαλεῖψαι φαντασίαν· στῆσαι ὁρμήν· σβέσαι ὄρεξιν· ἐφ’ ἑαυτῷ ἔχειν τὸ ἡγεμονικόν.
Wipe out impression; stay impulse; quench desire; keep the ruling centre in its own power.
Marcus Aurelius · Meditations §9.7.1
Wiping out Impression and Ruling Self-Control
Summary
Presents four practical self-disciplines in the form of brief commands to prevent mental disturbance: wiping out impression, staying impulse, quenching desire, and keeping the ruling centre in its own power.
Notes
- §9.7.1Ἐξαλεῖψαι — The infinitives Ἐξαλεῖψαι, στῆσαι, σβέσαι, and ἔχειν are all used in independent clauses as imperative infinitives to express commands or exhortations.
- §9.7.1ἐφ’ ἑαυτῷ — Consisting of the preposition ἐπί with the dative, meaning 'under the power of' or 'under the control of.' Here it indicates that the ruling centre (τὸ ἡγεμονικόν) of the soul should remain under its own control, undisturbed by external factors.
Cite this passage
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations §9.7.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0562.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:9.7.1
Please note the AI-draft status of the translation and the date accessed.
Translation, notes and summary are AI-generated drafts, revised through reader feedback.