the meditations-第17节

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then　especially；　when　matters　are　apprehended　as　of　great　worth　and　respect；　thy　art　and　care　must　be　to　uncover　them；　and　to　behold　their　vileness；　and　to　take　away　from　them　all　those　serious　circumstances　and　expressions；　under　which　they　made　so　grave　a　show。　For　outward　pomp　and　appearance　is　a　great　juggler；　and　then　especially　art　thou　most　in　danger　to　be　beguiled　by　it；　when　（to　a　man's　thinking）　thou　most　seemest　to　be　employed　about　matters　of　moment。

XII。　　See　what　Crates　pronounceth　concerning　Xenocrates　himself。

XIII。　　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。

XIV。　　Some　things　hasten　to　be；　and　others　to　he　no　more。　And　even　whatsoever　now　is；　some　part　thereof　bath　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。

XV。　　Not　vegetative　spiration；　it　is　not　surely　（which　plants　have）　that　in　this　life　should　be　so　dear　unto　us；　nor　sensitive　respiration；　the　proper　life　of　beasts；　both　tame　and　wild；　nor　this　our　imaginative　faculty；　nor　that　we　are　subject　to　be　led　and　carried　up　and　down　by　the　strength　of　our　sensual　appetites；　or　that　we　can　gather；　and　live　together；　or　that　we　can　feed：　　for　that　in　effect　is　no　better；　than　that　we　can　void　the　excrements　of　our　food。　What　is　it　then　that　should　be　dear　unto　us？　to　hear　a　clattering　noise？　if　not　that；　then　neither　to　be　applauded　by　the　tongues　of　men。　For　the　praises　of　many　tongues；　is　in　effect　no　better　than　the　clattering　of　so　many　tongues。　　If　then　neither　applause；　what　is　there　remaining　that　should　be　dear　unto　thee？　　This　I　think：　that　in　all　thy　motions　and　actions　thou　be　moved；　and　restrained　according　to　thine　own　true　natural　constitution　and　Construction　only。　And　to　this　even　ordinary　arts　and　professions　do　lead　us。　For　it　is　that　which　every　art　doth　aim　at；　that　whatsoever　it　is；　that　is　by　art　effected　and　prepared；　may　be　fit　for　that　work　that　it　is　prepared　for。　　This　is　the　end　that　he　that　dresseth　the　vine；　and　he　that　takes　upon　him　either　to　tame　colts；　or　to　train　up　dogs；　doth　aim　at。　　What　else　doth　the　education　of　children；　and　all　learned　professions　tend　unto？　　Certainly　then　it　is　that；　which　should　be　dear　unto　us　also。　　If　in　this　particular　it　go　well　with　thee；　care　not　for　the　obtaining　of　other　things。　But　is　it　so；　that　thou　canst　not　but　respect　other　things　also？　Then　canst　not　thou　truly　be　free？　then　canst　thou　not　have　self…content：　then　wilt　thou　ever　be　subject　to　passions。　For　it　is　not　possible；　but　that　thou　must　be　envious；　and　jealous；　and　suspicious　of　them　whom　thou　knowest　can　bereave　thee　of　such　things；　and　again；　a　secret　underminer　of　them；　whom　thou　seest　in　present　possession　of　that　which　is　dear　unto　thee。　To　be　short；　he　must　of　necessity　be　full　of　confusion　within　himself；　and　often　accuse　the　Gods；　whosoever　stands　in　need　of　these　things。　But　if　thou　shalt　honour　and　respect　thy　mind　only；　that　will　make　thee　acceptable　towards　thyself；　towards　thy　friends　very　tractable；　and　conformable　and　concordant　with　the　Gods；　that　is；　accepting　with　praises　whatsoever　they　shall　think　good　to　appoint　and　allot　unto　thee。

XVI。　　Under；　above；　and　about；　are　the　motions　of　the　elements；　but　the　motion　of　virtue；　is　none　of　those　motions；　but　is　somewhat　more　excellent　and　divine。　　Whose　way　（to　speed　and　prosper　in　it）　must　be　through　a　way；　that　is　not　easily　comprehended。

XVII。　　Who　can　choose　but　wonder　at　them？　　They　will　not　speak　well　of　them　that　are　at　the　same　time　with　them；　and　live　with　them；　yet　they　themselves　are　very　ambitious；　that　they　that　shall　follow；　whom　they　have　never　seen；　nor　shall　ever　see；　should　speak　well　of　them。　As　if　a　man　should　grieve　that　he　hath　not　been　commended　by　them；　that　lived　before　him。

XVIII。　　Do　not　ever　conceive　anything　impossible　to　man；　which　by　thee　cannot；　or　not　without　much　difficulty　be　effected；　but　whatsoever　in　general　thou　canst　Conceive　possible　and　proper　unto　any　man；　think　that　very　possible　unto　thee　also。

XIX。　　Suppose　that　at　the　palestra　somebody　hath　all　to…torn　thee　with　his　nails；　and　hath　broken　thy　head。　　Well；　thou　art　wounded。　Yet　thou　dost　not　exclaim；　thou　art　not　offended　with　him。　Thou　dost　not　suspect　him　for　it　afterwards；　as　one　that　watcheth　to　do　thee　a　mischief。　　Yea　even　then；　though　thou　dost　thy　best　to　save　thyself　from　him；　yet　not　from　him　as　an　enemy。　　It　is　not　by　way　of　any　suspicious　indignation；　but　by　way　of　gentle　and　friendly　declination。　Keep　the　same　mind　and　disposition　in　other　parts　of　thy　life　also。　For　many　things　there　be；　which　we　must　conceit　and　apprehend；　as　though　we　had　had　to　do　with　an　antagonist　at　the　palestra。　For　as　I　said；　it　is　very　possible　for　us　to　avoid　and　decline；　though　we　neither　suspect；　nor　hate。

XX。　　If　anybody　shall　reprove　me；　and　shall　make　it　apparent　unto　me；　that　in　any　either　opinion　or　action　of　mine　I　do　err；　I　will　most　gladly　retract。　　For　it　is　the　truth　that　I　seek　after；　by　which　I　am　sure　that　never　any　man　was　hurt；　and　as　sure；　that　he　is　hurt　that　continueth　in　any　error；　or　ignorance　whatsoever。　　XXI。　　I　for　my　part　will　do　what　belongs　unto　me；　as　for　other　things；　whether　things　unsensible　or　things　irrational；　or　if　rational；　yet　deceived　and　ignorant　of　the　true　way；　they　shall　not　trouble　or　distract　me。　For　as　for　those　creatures　which　are　not　endued　with　reason　and　all　other　things　and…matters　of　the　world　whatsoever　I　freely；　and　generously；　as　one　endued　with　reason；　of　things　that　have　none；　make　use　of　them。　　And　as　for　men；　towards　them　as　naturally　partakers　of　the　same　reason；　my　care　is　to　carry　myself　sociably。　　But　whatsoever　it　is　that　thou　art　about；　remember　to　call　upon　the　Gods。　And　as　for　the　time　how　long　thou　shalt　live　to　do　these　things；　let　it　be　altogether　indifferent　unto　thee；　for　even　three　such　hours　are　sufficient。　　XXII。　　Alexander　of　Macedon；　and　he　that　dressed　his　mules；　when　once　dead　both　came　to　one。　For　either　they　were　both　resumed　into　those　original　rational　essences　from　whence　all　things　in　the　world　are　propagated；　or　both　after　one　fashion　were　scattered　into　atoms。

XXIII　Consider　how　many　different　things；　whether　they　concern　our　bodies；　or　our　souls；　in　a　moment　of　time　come　to　pass　in　every　one　of　us；　and　so　thou　wilt　not　wonder　if　many　more　things　or　rather　all　things　that　are　done；　can　at　one　time　subsist；　and　coexist　in　that　both　one　and　general；　which　we　call　the　world。

XXIV。　　if　any　should　put　this　question　unto　thee；　how　this　word　Antoninus　is　written；　wouldst　thou　not　presently　fix　thine　intention　upon　it；　and　utter　out　in　order　every　letter　of　it？　And　if　any　shall　begin　to　gainsay　thee；　and　quarrel　with　thee　about　it；　wilt　thou　quarrel　with　him　again；　or　rather　go　on　meekly　as　thou　hast　begun；　until　thou　hast　numbered　out　every　letter？　Here　then　likewise　remember；　that　every　duty　that　belongs　unto　a　man　doth　consist　of　some　certain　letters　or　numbers　as　it　were；　to　which　without　any　noise　or　tumult　keeping　thyself　thou　must　orderly　proceed　to　thy　proposed　end；　forbearing　to　quarrel　with　him　that　would　quarrel　and　fall　out　with　thee。

XXV。　　Is　it　not　a　cruel　thing　to　forbid　men　to　affect　those　things；　which　they　conceive　to　agree　best　with　their　own　natures；　and　to　tend　most　to　their　own　proper　good　and　behoof？　But　thou　after　a　sort　deniest　them　this　liberty；　as　often　as　thou　art　angry　with　them　for　their　sins。　　For　surely　they　are　led