BOOK X.
1. Wilt thou ever, O my soul, be good and single, and one, and naked,
more open to view than the body which surrounds thee? Wilt thou ever
taste of the loving and satisfied temper? Wilt thou ever be full and
without wants, setting thy heart on nothing, animate or inanimate, for
the enjoyment of pleasure; not desiring time for longer enjoyment; nor
place, nor country, nor fine climate, nor congenial company? Wilt thou
be satisfied with thy present state, and well pleased with every
present circumstance? Wilt thou persuade thyself that all things are
thine; that all is well with thee; that all comes to thee from the
Gods; and that what is best for thee is what they are pleased to give,
now and henceforth, for the preservation of that perfected being,
which is good, just, and beautiful; which generates, combines,
embraces, and includes all fleeting things that dissolve to bring
forth others like themselves? Wilt thou never be able to live a fellow
citizen with Gods and men, approving them and by them approved?
2. In so far as you are governed by nature only, observe carefully
what nature demands; then do that freely, if thereby your nature as a
living being be not made worse. Next you must consider what the nature
of a living being demands, and allow yourself everything of this kind
by which your nature as a rational being is not made worse. Now it is
plain that what is rational is also social. Therefore follow these
rules and trouble no further.
3. Whatever happens, Nature has either formed you able to bear it or
unable. If able, then bear it as Nature has made you able, and fret
not. If unable, yet do not fret, for when the trial has consumed you
it too will pass away. Remember, however, that Nature has made you
able to bear whatever it is in the power of your own opinion to make
endurable or tolerable, if only you conceive it profitable or fit to
be borne.
4. If a man is going wrong, instruct him kindly, and shew him his
mistake. If you are unable to do this, blame yourself or none.
5. Whatever happens to you was prearranged for you from all eternity;
and the concatenation of causes had from eternity interwoven your
existence with this contingency.
6. Whether all be atoms, or there be a universal Law of Nature, let it
be laid down first that I am a part of the whole which is governed by
Nature; secondly, that I am associated with other parts like
myself. Mindful of this, since I am a part, I shall not be
dissatisfied with anything appointed me by the whole. For nothing is
hurtful to the part which is profitable to the whole, since the whole
contains nothing unprofitable to itself. All natural systems have this
law in common, and the system of the Universe has another law besides;
namely that it cannot be forced by any external cause to produce
anything hurtful to itself. If therefore I remember that I am part of
such a whole, I shall be satisfied with all that flows therefrom. And,
inasmuch as I am associated with parts like myself, I will do nothing
unsocial; but rather draw to my kind, turn my every endeavour to the
public good, and shun the contrary. In such a course my life must
needs run well, just as you would hold that the life of a citizen runs
well when he passes on from one public-spirited action to another, and
throws himself heartily into every task appointed him by the State.
7. The parts of the whole, I mean the parts which are contained in the
Universe, must necessarily perish; "perish," let us say, meaning
change. Now, if it be a necessary evil for the parts to perish, it
could not be well for the whole that its parts should tend to change
and be constructed to perish in various ways. Did Nature then set out
to injure her own constituent parts, making them so that they are
liable to evil and of necessity fall into it; or did it escape her
notice that this comes to pass? Both suppositions are incredible. And
if, dropping the notion of Nature, one were merely to put it that
things are constituted so, then how ridiculous at the same time to say
that the parts of the Universe are constituted so as to change, and
also to wonder and fret at change or dissolution, as if it were
something against the course of Nature; especially as everything is
dissolved into the elements out of which it arose. For there is either
a scattering of the elements of which a thing was constructed, or a
conversion of these, of the solid into earth, of the spiritual into
air. So that these constituents are resumed into the system of the
Universe, which either undergoes periodical conflagration, or is
renewed by never-ending changes. And do not imagine that you had all
your earthy and aerial matter from your birth. For the whole of this
was an accession of yesterday or the day before, from your food and
from the air you breathed. It is this accession which changes, and not
what your mother bore. And granting that this recent accession may
incline you more to what is individual in your constitution; yet, I
think, it alters nothing of what has just been said.
8. Having taken to yourself these titles: good, modest, true, prudent,
even-tempered and magnanimous, look to it that you change them not;
and, if you should come to lose them, seek them straightway again. And
remember that prudence means for you reasoned observation of all
things, and careful attention; even temper, cheerful acceptance of the
lot appointed by universal Nature; magnanimity, the exaltation of the
thinking part above any pleasant or painful commotions of the flesh,
above vain-glory, above death and all such things. If you steadfastly
maintain yourself in these titles, with no hankering after hearing
them given to you by others, you will be a new man, and a new life
will open for you. For to continue as you have been till now, in the
same life of distraction and defilement, would mark you as a man
devoid of sense, who clings to life like the half-eaten
beast-fighters, who, though covered with wounds and gore, do yet
appeal to be reserved until tomorrow, to be cast again in their
wretchedness to the claws and fangs that lacerated them before. Take
your stand then on these few titles; and if you are able to abide in
them, abide, as one removed to the Islands of the Blest. But if you
perceive that you are falling away, and cannot prevail; have the
courage to retire into some corner where you may hope to prevail, or
else depart from life altogether, not in anger but in all simplicity,
freedom, and modesty, having done at least one thing in life well, by
so leaving it. Now it will greatly help you to be mindful of your
titles, if you recollect that the Gods desire not adulation, but that
reasoning beings should grow in likeness to themselves; and further
that a fig tree is set to bear figs, a dog to hunt, a bee to gather
honey, and a man to do a man's work.
9. Mimes, war, panic, sloth, servility, will wipe out the sacred
maxims which you have gathered by observing Nature and stored in your
mind. You ought to look and act in every case so that not only shall
the task before you be accomplished, but also your theoretic faculty
exercised, and the self-confidence which springs from special
knowledge preserved without ostentation or affected concealment. Will
you ever attain to simplicity; to dignity; to a perfect discrimination
in every case as to what a thing really is, what its true place in the
Universe, what the time it may endure, what its composition, to whom
it may belong, and who can give and take it away?
10. The spider exults when he has captured a fly; one man because he
has taken a little hare, another because he has netted an anchovy,
another because he has hunted down a wild boar or a bear; and another
because he has conquered the Sarmatians. But are they not brigands
all, if you look to their principles.
11. Acquire a method of perceiving how all things change into one
another. Pursue this branch of Philosophy and continually exercise
yourself therein. There is nothing so proper as this for cultivating
greatness of mind. He who does so has already put off the body; and,
having realized how soon he must depart from among men and leave all
earthly things behind him, he resigns himself entirely to justice in
all his own actions, and to the law of the Universe in everything else
which happens. As for what any one may say or think of him or do
against him, he gives it not a thought, but contents himself with
these two things: to do justly what he has in hand, and to love the
lot appointed for him. Such a man has thrown off all hurry and bustle;
and has no other will but this, to keep the straight path according to
the law, and to follow God whose path is ever straight.
12. What need for suspicion when it is open for you to consider what
ought to be done? If you see your way, proceed in it calmly,
inflexibly. If you do not see it, pause and consult the best
advisers. If any other obstacle arise, proceed with prudent caution,
according to the means you have; keeping always close to what appears
just. That is the best to which you can attain: and failure in that is
the only proper miscarriage. He who in everything follows reason is
always at leisure, yet ever ready for action, always cheerful, yet
composed.
13. As soon as you awake ask yourself: Will it be of consequence to
you if what is just and good be done by some other man? It will
not. Have you forgotten what manner of men in bed and at table are
those who make such display in praise and blame of others; what they
do, what they shun and what they pursue; how they steal and how they
rob, not with hands and feet but with their most precious part,
whereby, if a man will, he may gain faith, modesty, truth, law, a good
directing spirit?
14. To Nature, which gives and again resumes all things, the
well-instructed, modest man will say: "Give what thou wilt; take again
what thou wilt." And this he says, not with ostentation, but out of
pure obedience and good will to Nature.
15. What remains to you of this life is little. Live as on a
mountain. For it makes no difference whether we live here or there,
provided we live like citizens everywhere in the world. Let men see
and know you as a man indeed, living according to Nature. If they
cannot endure you, let them slay you. It is better so than to live as
they live.
16. Discourse no more of what a good man should be; but be one.
17. Constantly imagine all time and all existence; and think that
every individual thing is in substance a fig seed, and in time the
turn of an auger.
18. Consider each of the things around you as already dissolving, in a
state of change, and as it were corrupting and being dissipated, or
as, one and all, formed by Nature to die.
19. What sort of men are they when they are eating, sleeping,
procreating, easing nature, and the like? Then see them lording it
over their fellows, puffed up with pride, angry, or issuing judgments
from on high! To how many were they slaves but lately, and why! And in
what case will they shortly be?
20. That is for the advantage of every man which is brought by
universal Nature; and for his advantage at the very time at which she
brings it.
21. "Earth loves the rain;" "and the majestic Ether loves." The
Universe loves to bring about whatever is coming to be. I then will
say to the Universe: "What thou lovest I love." Is it not a common
saying that, "so-and-so loves to happen?"
22. Either you are living here your accustomed life; or you are going
abroad, and that at your own will: or you are dying, and your public
office is discharged. Now, besides these there is nothing. Be
therefore of good courage.
23. Keep this ever clear before you: that a country retreat is just
like any other place. All things here go the same as on a mountain
top, or on the sea beach, or where you will. You may always find that
life of the wise man who, in Platonic phrase, "makes the city wall
serve him for a shepherd's fold on the mountains."
24. What is my soul to me? What am I making of it, and to what purpose
am I now using it? Is it void of understanding? Is it loosened and
rent from the great community? Is it glued to, and mingled with, the
flesh so as to follow each fleshly motion?
25. Whoever flies from his master is a runaway. Our master is the law,
and the law-breaker is a runaway; and so is he also who through grief,
or anger, or fear will not acquiesce in something that has happened,
is happening, or will happen, in the course of things predestined by
the all-ruling power which is the law, laying down for every man what
is proper for him. He then who is afraid or grieved or angry, is a
runaway.
26. He who has cast seed into the womb departs; another cause takes
and works upon it and completes the child. How wonderful the result
from such a beginning! The child, again, takes food down its throat;
another cause takes and transforms it into sensation, motion, in a
word into life and strength and other things, how many and surprising!
Consider then these things happening in such hidden ways, and view the
power which produces them just as we perceive the gravitation and
levitation of bodies; not indeed with our eyes, yet none the less
clearly.
27. Continually reflect that all that is happening now happened
exactly in the same way before; and reflect that the like will happen
again. Place before your eyes all that you have ever known from your
own experience or from ancient history; dramas and scenes, all
similar; such as the whole court of Hadrianus, the whole court of
Antoninus, the whole court of Philip, of Alexander, of Croesus. All
these were similar, only the actors different.
28. Imagine every one who is grieved or storms about anything
whatever, to be like the pig in a sacrifice, which kicks and screams
under the knife. Such, too, is he who, on his couch, deplores in
silence, by himself, that we are all tied to our fate. Reflect also
that only to a rational being is it given to submit to what happens
willingly; the bare submission is a necessity upon all.
29. Look attentively on each particular thing you do, and ask yourself
if death be a terror because it deprives you of this.
30. When you are offended at any one's fault, turn at once to yourself
and consider of what similar fault you yourself are guilty; such as
esteeming for good things, money, pleasure, a little glory, or the
like. By fixing your attention on this you will speedily forget your
anger, especially if it occur to you that he acts under compulsion and
cannot do otherwise; else, if it be in your power, relieve him from
the compulsion.
31. When you have seen Satyrio the Socratic, think of Eutyches or
Hymen; when you have seen Euphrates, think of Eutychio or
Silvanus. When Alciphron comes before you, think of Tropaeophorus; and
when Xenophon think of Crito or Severus. When you look upon yourself
think of any of the Caesars, and with every man likewise. Then let
this occur to you: Where, now, are these? Nowhere; or who can tell?
For thus you will see all human things to be smoke and nothingness;
especially if you call to mind that what has once been changed will
never exist again through all the infinity of time. Why then this
concern? And why does it not suffice you to live out your short span
in well ordered wise? What material, what a subject for Philosophy you
are shunning! For what are all earthly things but exercises for the
rational power, when it has viewed all things that occur in life
accurately and in their natural order? Abide then until you have
assimilated all these things, as a strong stomach assimilates every
variety of food, as a bright fire turns whatever you throw upon it
into flame and radiance.
32. Let no man have it in his power to say with truth of you that you
are not a man of simplicity, candour, and goodness. But let him prove
to be mistaken who holds any such opinion of you. This is quite in
your power; for who shall hinder you from being good and
single-hearted? Only do you determine to live no longer if you cannot
be such a man; for neither does reason require, in that case, that you
should.
33. In the present matter what is the soundest that can be done or
said? For, whatever that may be, you are at liberty to do or say
it. Make no excuses as if hindered. You will never cease from groaning
until your disposition is such that what luxury is to men of pleasure,
that to you is doing what is suitable to the constitution of man on
every occasion that is thrown or falls in your way. You should regard
as enjoyment everything which you are at liberty to do in accordance
with your own proper nature; and this liberty you have everywhere. Now
to the cylinder it is not given to move everywhere with its proper
motion; nor to water, nor to fire, nor to any other thing that is
governed by a natural law only, or by a soul irrational; for there are
many circumstances which constrain and stop them. But intelligent
reason can pursue through every obstacle the course for which it was
created, and which it wills to follow. Set before your eyes this ease
with which reason makes its way through all obstacles, as fire goes
upwards, a stone downwards, or a cylinder down a slope, and seek for
nothing further. The rest of man's difficulties are merely of the
body, the lifeless part of him; or else they are such as cannot crush,
or in any way injure him save through opinion, or the surrender of
reason itself: otherwise he who suffered by them would himself
straightway become evil. In the case of all other organisms, when
mishap befalls, the sufferer is thereby rendered worse. But in this
respect it may be said that a man becomes better and more praiseworthy
by rightly using his circumstances. In fine, remember that nothing
which hurts not the city hurts the man who is by nature a citizen; nor
does that hurt the city which hurts not the law. Now, none of the
things called misfortunes can hurt the law. Accordingly, what hurts
not the law can hurt neither city nor citizen.
34. To the man who is penetrated with true principles, the shortest, the
most common hint is a sufficient memorial to keep him free of sorrow
and fear. Such as:--
Some leaves the winds blow down: the fruitful wood
Breeds more meanwhile, which in springtide appear.
Of men thus ends one race, while one is born.
Your children are leaves; leaves, too, the creatures who confidently
cry aloud and deal out eulogy, or, it may be, curses; or who carp and
jeer in secret. Leaves, likewise, are they who transmit our fame to
posterity. All these "in springtide appear;" then the wind shakes them
down, and the forest grows more to take their places. Shortness of
life is common to all things, yet you shun and pursue them, as though
they were to have no ending. But a little and you will fall asleep;
and anon others shall mourn for him who carried your bier.
35. The healthy eye ought to look on everything visible, and not to
say, "I want green," like an eye that is diseased. Sound hearing or
sense of smell ought to be ready for all that can be heard or smelt;
and the healthy stomach should be equally disposed for all sorts of
food, as a mill for all that it was built to grind. So also the
healthy mind should be ready for all things that happen. That mind
which says, "Let my children be spared, and let men applaud my every
action," is as an eye which begs for green, or as teeth which require
soft food.
36. There is no man so happily fated but that when he is dying some
bystander will rejoice at the doom which is coming upon him. Were he a
virtuous and wise man; will not some one at the last say within
himself: "At last I shall breathe freely, unoppressed by this
pedagogue. He was not indeed hard on any of us; but I always felt that
he tacitly condemned us"? This they would say of a good man. But, in
my own case, how many more reasons are there why a multitude would
rejoice to be rid of me? You will reflect on this when dying, and
depart with the less regret when you consider: "I am leaving a life
from which my very partners, for whom I toiled, and prayed, and
planned, are wishing me to begone; hoping, it may be, to gain some
additional advantage from my departure." Why then should one strive
for a longer sojourn here? Yet let not your parting with them be less
pleasant on this account. Preserve your own character, remain to them
friendly, benevolent, gracious. On the other hand, depart from your
fellow-men, not as if torn away; but let your going be like that of
one who dies an easy death, whose soul is gently released from the
body. Nature knit and cemented you to your fellows, but now she parts
you from them. I part, then, as from relations, not reluctant, but
unconstrained. For death, too, is a thing accordant with nature.
37. Accustom yourself as much as possible, when any one takes any
action, to consider only: To what end is he working? But begin at
home; and examine yourself first of all.
38. Remember that the mover of the puppet strings is the hidden
principle within. It is that which is eloquence; that which is life;
that, if I may say so, which is the man. Never, in your imagination,
confound that principle with the surrounding earthen vessel and the
little organs that are kneaded on to it. Excepting that they grow upon
us, they are like the carpenter's axe; since, without the moving and
restraining principle, none of these parts in itself is of any greater
service than the shuttle to the weaver, the pen to the writer, or the
whip to the charioteer.
END OF THE TENTH BOOK.