Plain
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor

Some things rush into existence, and others rush toward their end. Even what exists right now is partly gone already. Constant change keeps the world fresh, just as time itself makes the infinite age of the world seem always new. In this flow of all things, why should anyone care about things that pass so quickly? There is nothing you can hold onto. It would be like getting attached to a sparrow that flies by - you see it, then it's gone.

Don't think of your life any differently. It's just the breathing in and breathing out of blood, like ordinary breathing of air. What we normally think of as breathing in air and breathing it out each day - that's all life is. At some point you breathe out all your life into the common air. You only breathed it in recently anyway - yesterday, today - and with that breath came life itself.

Meditations, Book 6, Section 14 Book 6 · 15 of 64
Death & Mortality What Matters Most
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor Original

Some things hasten to be, and others to be no more. And even whatsoever now is, some part thereof hath already perished. Perpetual fluxes and alterations renew the world, as the perpetual course of time doth make the age of the world (of itself infinite) to appear always fresh and new. In such a flux and course of all things, what of these things that hasten so fast away should any man regard, since among all there is not any that a man may fasten and fix upon? as if a man would settle his affection upon some ordinary sparrow living by him, who is no sooner seen, than out of sight. For we must not think otherwise of our lives, than as a mere exhalation of blood, or of an ordinary respiration of air. For what in our common apprehension is, to breathe in the air and to breathe it out again, which we do daily: so much is it and no more, at once to breathe out all thy respirative faculty into that common air from whence but lately (as being but from yesterday, and to-day), thou didst first breathe it in, and with it, life.

Meditations, Book 6, Section 14 Book 6 · 15 of 64
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor

See what Crates said about Xenocrates himself.

Most people admire very basic things. Natural objects like stones, wood, figs, vines, olives. People who are more thoughtful admire living things — flocks and herds. Those who are even more refined focus on thinking beings. But not just because they can think. They admire them for their skills or clever inventions. Or maybe they just like owning many slaves.

But someone who honors the rational soul itself — simply because it can think and naturally seeks community — cares little for anything else. Above all, he works to keep his own soul sharp through constant practice of reason and fellowship. In this way, he works together with the one whose nature he shares: God.

Meditations, Book 6, Section 12 Book 6 · 14 of 64
What Matters Most Knowing Yourself
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor Original

See what Crates pronounceth concerning Xenocrates himself.

Those things which the common sort of people do admire, are most of them such things as are very general, and may be comprehended under things merely natural, or naturally affected and qualified: as stones, wood, figs, vines, olives. Those that be admired by them that are more moderate and restrained, are comprehended under things animated: as flocks and herds. Those that are yet more gentle and curious, their admiration is commonly confined to reasonable creatures only; not in general as they are reasonable, but as they are capable of art, or of some craft and subtile invention: or perchance barely to reasonable creatures; as they that delight in the possession of many slaves. But he that honours a reasonable soul in general, as it is reasonable and naturally sociable, doth little regard anything else: and above all things is careful to preserve his own, in the continual habit and exercise both of reason and sociableness: and thereby doth co-operate with him, of whose nature he doth also participate; God.

Meditations, Book 6, Section 12 Book 6 · 14 of 64
‹ Previous Next ›

Ancient philosophy, in plain English.

About · Support