Plain
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor

Whatever is fiery doesn't just rise up because of fire's nature. It's also eager to join with other fire and burn together. Anything that lacks moisture to resist gets set on fire easily. So whatever shares in our common rational nature naturally longs even more for its own kind. The more excellent something is by nature, the more it wants to unite with what shares that nature. Even unreasonable animals quickly form swarms, flocks, and families. They show a kind of mutual love.

Meditations, Book 9, Section 7 Book 9 · 12 of 60
Human Nature
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor Original

Whatsoever is fiery, doth not only by reason of the elementary fire tend upwards; but here also is so ready to join, and to burn together, that whatsoever doth want sufficient moisture to make resistance, is easily set on fire. Whatsoever therefore is partaker of that reasonable common nature, naturally doth as much and more long after his own kind. For by how much in its own nature it excels all other things, by so much more is it desirous to be joined and united unto that, which is of its own nature. As for unreasonable creatures then, they had not long been, but presently begun among them swarms, and flocks, and broods of young ones, and a kind of mutual love and affection.

Meditations, Book 9, Section 7 Book 9 · 12 of 60
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor

Among all unreasonable creatures, there is only one unreasonable soul. Among all reasonable beings, there is only one reasonable soul, shared by all of us. Just as there is only one earth for all earthly things, and one light we all see by, and one air we all breathe. Whatever shares something common naturally moves toward what it belongs to, being the same kind and nature. Earthly things fall down to the common earth. Liquids want to flow together. Airy things want to join together too. Without some barrier or force holding them apart, they cannot easily be kept separate.

Meditations, Book 9, Section 7 Book 9 · 11 of 60
Human Nature Calm Your Mind
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor Original

Of all unreasonable creatures, there is but one unreasonable soul; and of all that are reasonable, but one reasonable soul, divided betwixt them all. As of all earthly things there is but one earth, and but one light that we see by; and but one air that we breathe in, as many as either breathe or see. Now whatsoever partakes of some common thing, naturally affects and inclines unto that whereof it is part, being of one kind and nature with it. Whatsoever is earthly, presseth downwards to the common earth. Whatsoever is liquid, would flow together. And whatsoever is airy, would be together likewise. So that without some obstacle, and some kind of violence, they cannot well be kept asunder.

Meditations, Book 9, Section 7 Book 9 · 11 of 60
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Ancient philosophy, in plain English.

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