Book Eleven
11:20
Book Subtitle: The classic from Marcus Aurelius.
Book Description: The personal notes of Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius.
This book has influenced many throughout history from students to statesmen. It's an inside look at a brilliant and thoughtful man working on living well.
The emperor and philosopher's thoughts are crucial to understand for any Stoic seeking to do their best in a complex world.
Chapter Subtitle: These are the properties of the rational soul: it sees itself, analyses itself, and makes itself such as it chooses; the fruit which it bears itself enjoys- for the fruits of plants and that in animals which corresponds to fruits others enjoy- it obtains its own end, wherever the limit of life may be fixed.
20. Your aerial part and all the fiery parts which are mingled in you though by nature they have an upward tendency, still in obedience to the disposition of the universe they are overpowered here in the compound mass (the body).
And also the whole of the earthy part in you and the watery, though their tendency is downward, still are raised up and occupy a position which is not their natural one.
In this manner then the elemental parts obey the universal, for when they have been fixed in any place perforce they remain there until again the universal shall sound the signal for dissolution.
Is it not then strange that your intelligent part only should be disobedient and discontented with its own place?
And yet no force is imposed on it, but only those things which are conformable to its nature: still it does not submit, but is carried in the opposite direction.
For the movement towards injustice and intemperance and to anger and grief and fear is nothing else than the act of one who deviates from nature.
And also when the ruling faculty is discontented with anything that happens, then too it deserts its post: for it is constituted for piety and reverence towards the gods no less than for justice.
For these qualities also are comprehended under the generic term of contentment with the constitution of things, and indeed they are prior to acts of justice.
Book: Meditations
Subtitle: The classic from Marcus Aurelius.
Author: Marcus Aurelius
Chapter: Book Eleven
Chapter Subtitle: These are the properties of the rational soul: it sees itself, analyses itself, and makes itself such as it chooses; the fruit which it bears itself enjoys- for the fruits of plants and that in animals which corresponds to fruits others enjoy- it obtains its own end, wherever the limit of life may be fixed.
Location: Chapter 11, Section 20
Content:
20. Your aerial part and all the fiery parts which are mingled in you though by nature they have an upward tendency, still in obedience to the disposition of the universe they are overpowered here in the compound mass (the body).
And also the whole of the earthy part in you and the watery, though their tendency is downward, still are raised up and occupy a position which is not their natural one.
In this manner then the elemental parts obey the universal, for when they have been fixed in any place perforce they remain there until again the universal shall sound the signal for dissolution.
Is it not then strange that your intelligent part only should be disobedient and discontented with its own place?
And yet no force is imposed on it, but only those things which are conformable to its nature: still it does not submit, but is carried in the opposite direction.
For the movement towards injustice and intemperance and to anger and grief and fear is nothing else than the act of one who deviates from nature.
And also when the ruling faculty is discontented with anything that happens, then too it deserts its post: for it is constituted for piety and reverence towards the gods no less than for justice.
For these qualities also are comprehended under the generic term of contentment with the constitution of things, and indeed they are prior to acts of justice.