Even as the fire 1 when it prevails upon those things that are in his way, by which things indeed a little fire would have quenched, but a great fire doth soon turn to its own nature, and so consume whatsoever comes in his way: yea, by those very things it is made greater and greater.
- Do things with exactness and precision. Do not do things rashly or randomly.
A man cannot any whither retire better than to his own soul.
- Find tranquility by looking inwards not outwards. Reflect to renew yourself.
People try to get away from it all—to the country, to the beach, to the mountains. You always wish that you could too. Which is idiotic: you can get away from it anytime you like.
By going within.
Nowhere you can go is more peaceful—more free of interruptions—than your own soul. Especially if you have other things to rely on. An instant’s recollection and there it is: complete tranquility. And by tranquility I mean a kind of harmony.
So keep getting away from it all—like that. Renew yourself. But keep it brief and basic. A quick visit should be enough to ward off all < … > and send you back ready to face what awaits you.
What’s there to complain about? People’s misbehavior? But take into consideration: • that rational beings exist for one another; 2 • that doing what’s right sometimes requires patience;
• that no one does the wrong thing deliberately; 3 • and the number of people who have feuded and envied and hated and fought and died and been buried. 4
. ..and keep your mouth shut. Or are you complaining about the things the world assigns you? But consider the two options: Providence or atoms5. And all the arguments for seeing the world as a city.
Or is it your body? Keep in mind that when the mind detaches itself and realizes its own nature, it no longer has anything to do with ordinary life—the rough and the smooth, either one. And remember all you’ve been taught—and accepted—about pain and pleasure.
Or is it your reputation that’s bothering you? But look at how soon we’re all forgotten 6. The abyss of endless time that swallows it all. The emptiness of all those applauding hands. The people who praise us—how capricious they are, how arbitrary. And the tiny region in which it all takes place. The whole earth a point in space—and most of it uninhabited. How many people there will be to admire you, and who they are.
So keep this refuge in mind: the back roads of your self. Above all, no strain and no stress. Be straightforward. Look at things like a man, like a human being, like a citizen, like a mortal. And among the things you turn to, these two: i. That things have no hold on the soul. They stand there unmoving, outside it. Disturbance comes only from within—from our own perceptions.
ii. That everything you see will soon alter and cease to exist. Think of how many changes you’ve already seen.“The world is nothing but change. Our life is only perception.” 7
- Do only what the law requires; Reconsider but only when you are convinced that it is for the better or benefits others 8
- Reasonable men do only what is necessary as dictated by logic and reasoning. No more and no less.
- Entrust everything willingly to the gods, and then make you way through life—no one’s master and no one’s slave 9
Thy carriage in every business must be according to the worth and due proportion of it, for so shalt thou not easily be tired out and vexed, if thou shalt not dwell upon small matters, longer than is fitting. 10
Nothing that goes on in anyone else’s mind can harm you. Nor can the shifts and changes in the world around you.
—Then where is harm to be found? In your capacity to see it.
What happens to everyone—bad and good alike—is neither good nor bad. What happens in every life — lived naturally or not — is neither natural nor unnatural.
- All things in the world are interconnected, always changing, and transient.
- Things that cause pain are not a misfortune. To endure pain brings great happiness.
- Take the path nature has planned. Accept fate and be free of any pain and stress. Let nature run its course.
Links
Footnotes
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Used as a metaphor for the human spirit ↩
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As Aurelius remarks, “We are all kin because we are all rational, reasoning beings*. The Universe is our state. ↩
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This is debatable. ↩
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As Aurelius remarks “remember this, that within a very little while, both thou and he (your critics and superficial followers), shall both be dead, and after a little while more, not so much as your names and memories shall be remaining. ” ↩
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Providence pertains to God having a fatalistic plan for the Universe. Atoms pertain to the random nature of the Universe. In either case, all facets of human life are governed by chance. ↩
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What use is praise, except to make your lifestyle a little more comfortable? Beautiful things are beautiful in themselves and sufficient to themselves. The object of praise remains what it was. All else is vanity. ↩
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Choose not to be harmed and you won’t feel harmed. Don’t feel harmed, and you haven’t been. ↩
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The problem with this is megalomania—when people believe themselves right and their actions benefit others. ↩
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The former relies on a fatalistic view of the world. Everything is predetermined, and all that Nature has for us can only be good. This contradicts the earlier notion that Nature is indifferent to us. ↩
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Related to this is this. Giving attention to things gives them more importance than they may be worth. ↩