|
Main
- books.jibble.org
My Books
- IRC Hacks
Misc. Articles
- Meaning of Jibble
- M4 Su Doku
- Computer Scrapbooking
- Setting up Java
- Bootable Java
- Cookies in Java
- Dynamic Graphs
- Social Shakespeare
External Links
- Paul Mutton
- Jibble Photo Gallery
- Jibble Forums
- Google Landmarks
- Jibble Shop
- Free Books
- Intershot Ltd
|
books.jibble.org
Previous Page
| Next Page
Page 69
[A] Antoninus is here playing on the etymology, of [Greek:
nomos], law, assignment, that which assigns ([Greek: nemei]) to
every man his portion.
26. A man deposits seed in a womb and goes away, and then another cause
takes it and labors on it, and makes a child. What a thing from such a
material! Again, the child passes food down through the throat, and then
another cause takes it and makes perception and motion, and in fine,
life and strength and other things; how many and how strange! Observe
then the things which are produced in such a hidden way, and see the
power, just as we see the power which carries things downwards and
upwards, not with the eyes, but still no less plainly (vii. 85).
27. Constantly consider how all things such as they now are, in time
past also were; and consider that they will be the same again. And place
before thy eyes entire dramas and stages of the same form, whatever thou
hast learned from thy experience or from older history; for example, the
whole court of Hadrianus, and the whole court of Antoninus, and the
whole court of Philippus, Alexander, Croesus; for all those were such
dramas as we see now, only with different actors.
28. Imagine every man who is grieved at anything or discontented to be
like a pig which is sacrificed and kicks and screams.
Like this pig also is he who on his bed in silence laments the bonds in
which we are held. And consider that only to the rational animal is it
given to follow voluntarily what happens; but simply to follow is a
necessity imposed on all.
29. Severally on the occasion of everything that thou dost, pause and
ask thyself if death is a dreadful thing because it deprives thee of
this.
30. When thou art offended at any man's fault, forthwith turn to thyself
and reflect in what like manner thou dost err thyself; for example, in
thinking that money is a good thing, or pleasure, or a bit of
reputation, and the like. For by attending to this thou wilt quickly
forget thy anger, if this consideration also is added, that the man is
compelled: for what else could he do? or, if thou art able, take away
from him the compulsion.
31. When thou hast seen Satyron[A] the Socratic,+ think of either
Eutyches or Hymen, and when thou hast seen Euphrates, think of Eutychion
or Silvanus, and when thou hast seen Alciphron think of Tropaeophorus,
and when thou hast seen Xenophon, think of Crito[B] or Severus, and when
thou hast looked on thyself, think of any other Caesar, and in the case
of every one do in like manner. Then let this thought be in thy mind,
Where then are those men? Nowhere, or nobody knows where. For thus
continuously thou wilt look at human things as smoke and nothing at all;
especially if thou reflectest at the same time that what has once
changed will never exist again in the infinite duration of time. But
thou, in what a brief space of time is thy existence? And why art thou
not content to pass through this short time in an orderly way? What
matter and opportunity [for thy activity] art thou avoiding? For what
else are all these things, except exercises for the reason, when it has
viewed carefully and by examination into their nature the things which
happen in life? Persevere then until thou shalt have made these things
thy own, as the stomach which is strengthened makes all things its own,
as the blazing fire makes flame and brightness out of everything that is
thrown into it.
32. Let it not be in any man's power to say truly of thee that thou are
not simple or that thou art not good; but let him be a liar whoever
shall think anything of this kind about thee; and this is altogether in
thy power. For who is he that shall hinder thee from being good and
simple? Do thou only determine to live no longer unless thou shalt be
such. For neither does reason allow [thee to live], if thou art not
such.[C]
[A] Nothing is known of Satyron or Satyrion; nor, I believe, of
Eutyches or Hymen. Euphrates is honorably mentioned by
Epictetus (iii. 15, 8; iv. 8, 17). Pliny (Epp. i. 10) speaks
very highly of him. He obtained the permission of the Emperor
Hadrian to drink poison, because he was old and in bad health
(Dion Cassius, 69, c. 8).
[B] Crito is the friend of Socrates; and he was, it appears,
also a friend of Xenophon. When the emperor says "seen"
([Greek: id�n]), he does not mean with the eyes.
Previous Page
| Next Page
|
|