Book Six
6:47
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: The substance of the universe is obedient and compliant; and the reason which governs it has in itself no cause for doing evil, for it has no malice, nor does it do evil to anything, nor is anything harmed by it.
47. Think continually that all kinds of men and of all kinds of pursuits and of all nations are dead, so that your thoughts come down even to Philistion and Phoebus and Origanion.
Now turn your thoughts to the other kinds of men.
To that place then we must remove, where there are so many great orators, and so many noble philosophers, Heraclitus, Pythagoras, Socrates; so many heroes of former days, and so many generals after them, and tyrants; besides these, Eudoxus, Hipparchus, Archimedes, and other men of acute natural talents, great minds, lovers of labour, versatile, confident, mockers even of the perishable and ephemeral life of man, as Menippus and such as are like him.
As to all these consider that they have long been in the dust.
What harm then is this to them; and what to those whose names are altogether unknown?
One thing here is worth a great deal, to pass your life in truth and justice, with a benevolent disposition even to liars and unjust men.
Book: Meditations
Subtitle: The classic from Marcus Aurelius.
Author: Marcus Aurelius
Chapter: Book Six
Chapter Subtitle: The substance of the universe is obedient and compliant; and the reason which governs it has in itself no cause for doing evil, for it has no malice, nor does it do evil to anything, nor is anything harmed by it.
Location: Chapter 6, Section 47
Content:
47. Think continually that all kinds of men and of all kinds of pursuits and of all nations are dead, so that your thoughts come down even to Philistion and Phoebus and Origanion.
Now turn your thoughts to the other kinds of men.
To that place then we must remove, where there are so many great orators, and so many noble philosophers, Heraclitus, Pythagoras, Socrates; so many heroes of former days, and so many generals after them, and tyrants; besides these, Eudoxus, Hipparchus, Archimedes, and other men of acute natural talents, great minds, lovers of labour, versatile, confident, mockers even of the perishable and ephemeral life of man, as Menippus and such as are like him.
As to all these consider that they have long been in the dust.
What harm then is this to them; and what to those whose names are altogether unknown?
One thing here is worth a great deal, to pass your life in truth and justice, with a benevolent disposition even to liars and unjust men.