the meditations-第6节

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me　up　to　think　of　myself；　and　by　his　respect　and　love；　delight　and　please　me。　　That　I　have　got　ingenuous　children；　and　that　they　were　not　born　distorted；　nor　with　any　other　natural　deformity。　That　I　was　no　great　proficient　in　the　study　of　rhetoric　and　poetry；　and　of　other　faculties；　which　perchance　I　might　have　dwelt　upon；　if　I　had　found　myself　to　go　on　in　them　with　success。　That　I　did　by　times　prefer　those；　by　whom　I　was　brought　up；　to　such　places　and　dignities；　which　they　seemed　unto　me　most　to　desire；　and　that　I　did　not　put　them　off　with　hope　and　expectation；　that　（since　that　they　were　yet　but　young）　I　would　do　the　same　hereafter。　That　I　ever　knew　Apollonius　and　Rusticus；　and　Maximus。　That　I　have　had　occasion　often　and　effectually　to　consider　and　meditate　with　myself；　concerning　that　life　which　is　according　to　nature；　what　the　nature　and　manner　of　it　is：　　so　that　as　for　the　gods　and　such　suggestions；　helps　and　inspirations；　as　might　be　expected　from　them；　nothing　did　hinder；　but　that　I　might　have　begun　long　before　to　live　according　to　nature；　or　that　even　now　that　I　was　not　yet　partaker　and　in　present　possession　of　that　life；　that　I　myself　（in　that　I　did　not　observe　those　inward　motions；　and　suggestions；　yea　and　almost　plain　and　apparent　instructions　and　admonitions　of　the　gods；）　was　the　only　cause　of　it。　That　my　body　in　such　a　life；　hath　been　able　to　hold　out　so　long。　That　I　never　had　to　do　with　Benedicta　and　Theodotus；　yea　and　afterwards　when　I　fell　into　some　fits　of　love；　I　was　soon　cured。　That　having　been　often　displeased　with　Rusticus；　I　never　did　him　anything　for　which　afterwards　I　had　occasion　to　repent。　That　it　being　so　that　my　mother　was　to　die　young；　yet　she　lived　with　me　all　her　latter　years。　　That　as　often　as　I　had　a　purpose　to　help　and　succour　any　that　either　were　poor；　or　fallen　into　some　present　necessity；　I　never　was　answered　by　my　officers　that　there　was　not　ready　money　enough　to　do　it；　and　that　I　myself　never　had　occasion　to　require　the　like　succour　from　any　other。　That　I　have　such　a　wife；　so　obedient；　so　loving；　so　ingenuous。　That　I　had　choice　of　fit　and　able　men；　to　whom　I　might　commit　the　bringing　up　of　my　children。　　That　by　dreams　I　have　received　help；　as　for　other　things；　so　in　particular；　how　I　might　stay　my　casting　of　blood；　and　cure　my　dizziness；　as　that　also　that　happened　to　thee　in　Cajeta；　as　unto　Chryses　when　he　prayed　by　the　seashore。　And　when　I　did　first　apply　myself　to　philosophy；　that　I　did　not　fall　into　the　hands　of　some　sophists；　or　spent　my　time　either　in　reading　the　manifold　volumes　of　ordinary　philosophers；　nor　in　practising　myself　in　the　solution　of　arguments　and　fallacies；　nor　dwelt　upon　the　studies　of　the　meteors；　and　other　natural　curiosities。　All　these　things　without　the　assistance　of　the　gods；　and　fortune；　could　not　have　been。

XV。　　In　the　country　of　the　Quadi　at　Granua；　these。　　Betimes　in　the　morning　say　to　thyself；　This　day　I　shalt　have　to　do　with　an　idle　curious　man；　with　an　unthankful　man；　a　railer；　a　crafty；　false；　or　an　envious　man；　an　unsociable　uncharitable　man。　All　these　ill　qualities　have　happened　unto　them；　through　ignorance　of　that　which　is　truly　good　and　truly　bad。　　But　I　that　understand　the　nature　of　that　which　is　good；　that　it　only　is　to　be　desired；　and　of　that　which　is　bad；　that　it　only　is　truly　odious　and　shameful：　who　know　moreover；　that　this　transgressor；　whosoever　he　be；　is　my　kinsman；　not　by　the　same　blood　and　seed；　but　by　participation　of　the　same　reason；　and　of　the　same　divine　particle；　How　can　I　either　be　hurt　by　any　of　those；　since　it　is　not　in　their　power　to　make　me　incur　anything　that　is　truly　reproachful？　or　angry；　and　ill　affected　towards　him；　who　by　nature　is　so　near　unto　me？　for　we　are　all　born　to　be　fellow…workers；　as　the　feet；　the　hands；　and　the　eyelids；　as　the　rows　of　the　upper　and　under　teeth：　for　such　therefore　to　be　in　opposition；　is　against　nature；　and　what　is　it　to　chafe　at；　and　to　be　averse　from；　but　to　be　in　opposition？　　XVI。　　Whatsoever　I　am；　is　either　flesh；　or　life；　or　that　which　we　commonly　call　the　mistress　and　overruling　part　of　man；　reason。　　Away　with　thy　books；　suffer　not　thy　mind　any　more　to　be　distracted；　and　carried　to　and　fro；　for　it　will　not　be；　but　as　even　now　ready　to　die；　think　little　of　thy　flesh：　blood；　bones；　and　a　skin；　a　pretty　piece　of　knit　and　twisted　work；　consisting　of　nerves；　veins　and　arteries；　think　no　more　of　it；　than　so。　　And　as　for　thy　life；　consider　what　it　is；　a　wind；　not　one　constant　wind　neither；　but　every　moment　of　an　hour　let　out；　and　sucked　in　again。　　The　third；　is　thy　ruling　part；　and　here　consider；　Thou　art　an　old　man；　suffer　not　that　excellent　part　to　be　brought　in　subjection；　and　to　become　slavish：　suffer　it　not　to　be　drawn　up　and　down　with　unreasonable　and　unsociable　lusts　and　motions；　as　it　were　with　wires　and　nerves；　suffer　it　not　any　more；　either　to　repine　at　anything　now　present；　or　to　fear　and　fly　anything　to　come；　which　the　destiny　hath　appointed　thee。

XVII。　　Whatsoever　proceeds　from　the　gods　immediately；　that　any　man　will　grant　totally　depends　from　their　divine　providence。　As　for　those　things　that　are　commonly　said　to　happen　by　fortune；　even　those　must　be　conceived　to　have　dependence　from　nature；　or　from　that　first　and　general　connection；　and　concatenation　of　all　those　things；　which　more　apparently　by　the　divine　providence　are　administered　and　brought　to　pass。　　All　things　flow　from　thence：　and　whatsoever　it　is　that　is；　is　both　necessary；　and　conducing　to　the　whole　（part　of　which　thou　art）；　and　whatsoever　it　is　that　is　requisite　and　necessary　for　the　preservation　of　the　general；　must　of　necessity　for　every　particular　nature；　be　good　and　behoveful。　And　as　for　the　whole；　it　is　preserved；　as　by　the　perpetual　mutation　and　conversion　of　the　simple　elements　one　into　another；　so　also　by　the　mutation；　and　alteration　of　things　mixed　and　compounded。　Let　these　things　suffice　thee；　let　them　be　always　unto　thee；　as　thy　general　rules　and　precepts。　　As　for　thy　thirst　after　books；　away　with　it　with　all　speed；　that　thou　die　not　murmuring　and　complaining；　but　truly　meek　and　well　satisfied；　and　from　thy　heart　thankful　unto　the　gods。

THE　SECOND　BOOK

I。　Remember　how　long　thou　hast　already　put　off　these　things；　and　how　often　a　certain　day　and　hour　as　it　were；　having　been　set　unto　thee　by　the　gods；　thou　hast　neglected　it。　　It　is　high　time　for　thee　to　understand　the　true　nature　both　of　the　world；　whereof　thou　art　a　part；　and　of　that　Lord　and　Governor　of　the　world；　from　whom；　as　a　channel　from　the　spring；　thou　thyself　didst　flow：　and　that　there　is　but　a　certain　limit　of　time　appointed　unto　thee；　which　if　thou　shalt　not　make　use　of　to　calm　and　allay　the　many　distempers　of　thy　soul；　it　will　pass　away　and　thou　with　it；　and　never　after　return。

II。　　Let　it　be　thy　earnest　and　incessant　care　as　a　Roman　and　a　man　to　perform　whatsoever　it　is　that　thou　art　about；　with　true　and　unfeigned　gravity；　natural　affection；　freedom　and　justice：　and　as　for　all　other　cares；　and　imaginations；　how　thou　mayest　ease　thy　mind　of　them。　　Which　thou　shalt　do；　if　thou　shalt　go　about　every　action　as　thy　last　action；　free　from　all　vanity；　all　passionate　and　wilful　aberration　from　reason；　and　from　all　hypocrisy；　and　self…love；　and　dislike　of　those　things；　which　by　the　fates　or　appointment　of　God　have　happened　unto　thee。　Thou　seest　that　those　things；　which　for　a　man　to　hold　on　in　a　prosperous　course；　and　to　live　a　divine　life；　are　requisite　and　necessary；　are　not　many；　for　the　gods　will　require　no　more　of　any　man；　that　shall　but　keep　and　observe　these　things。

III。　　Do；　soul；　do；　abuse　and　contemn　thyself；　yet　a　while　and　the　time　for　thee　to　respect　thyself；　will　be　at　an　end。　Every　man's　happiness　depends　from　himself；　but　behold　thy　life　is　almost　at　an　end；　whiles　affording　thyself　no　respect；　thou　dost　make　thy　happiness　to　consist　in　the　souls；　and　conceits　of　other　men。　IV　Why　should　any　of　these　things　that　happen　externally；　so　much　distract　thee？　　Give　thyself　leisure　to　learn　some　good　thing；　and　cease　roving　and　wandering　to　and　fro。　Thou　must　also　take　heed　of　another　kind　of　wandering；　for　they　are　idle　in　their　actions；　who　toil　and　labour　in　this　life；　and　have　no　certain　scope　to　which　to　direct　all　their　motions；　and　desires。　　V。　For　not　observing　the　state　of　another　man's　soul；　scarce　was　ever　any　man　known　to　be　unhappy。　tell　whosoever　they　be　that　intend　not；　and　guide　not　by　reason　and　discretion　the　motions　of　their　own　souls；　they　must　of　necessity　be　unhappy。

VI。　　These　things　thou　must　always　have　in　mind：　　What　is　the　nature　of　the　universe；　and　what　is　minein　particular：　　This　unto　that　what　relation　it　hath：　　what　kind　of　part；　of　what　kind　of　universe　it　is：　And　that　there　is　nobody　that　can　hinder　thee；　but　that　thou　mayest　always　both　do　and　speak　those　things　which　are　agreeable　to　that　nature；　whereof　thou　art　a　part。　　VII。　　Theophrastus；　where　he　compares　sin　with　sin　（as　after　a　vulgar　sense　such　things　I　grant　may　be　compared：）　says　well　and　like　a　philosopher；　that　those　sins　are　greater　which　are　committed　through　lust；　than　those　which　are　committed　through　anger。　For　he　that　is　angry　seems　with　a　kind　of　grief　and　close　contraction　of　himself；　to　turn　away　from　reason；　but　he　that　sins　through　lust；　bei