the meditations-第18节

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est　them　this　liberty；　as　often　as　thou　art　angry　with　them　for　their　sins。　　For　surely　they　are　led　unto　those　sins　whatsoever　they　be；　as　to　their　proper　good　and　commodity。　　But　it　is　not　so　（thou　wilt　object　perchance）。　Thou　therefore　teach　them　better；　and　make　it　appear　unto　them：　but　be　not　thou　angry　with　them。　　XXVI。　　Death　is　a　cessation　from　the　impression　of　the　senses；　the　tyranny　of　the　passions；　the　errors　of　the　mind；　and　the　servitude　of　the　body。

XXVII。　　If　in　this　kind　of　life　thy　body　be　able　to　hold　out；　it　is　a　shame　that　thy　soul　should　faint　first；　and　give　over。　take　heed；　lest　of　a　philosopher　thou　become　a　mere　Caesar　in　time；　and　receive　a　new　tincture　from　the　court。　　For　it　may　happen　if　thou　dost　not　take　heed。　　Keep　thyself　therefore；　truly　simple；　good；　sincere；　grave；　free　from　all　ostentation；　a　lover　of　that　which　is　just；　religious；　kind；　tender…。　hearted；　strong　and　vigorous　to　undergo　anything　that　becomes　thee。　Endeavour　to　continue　such；　as　philosophy　（hadst　thou　wholly　and　constantly　applied　thyself　unto　it）　would　have　made；　and　secured　thee。　Worship　the　Gods；　procure　the　welfare　of　men；　this　life　is　short。　Charitable　actions；　and　a　holy　disposition；　is　the　only　fruit　of　this　earthly　life。

XXVIII。　　Do　all　things　as　becometh　the　disciple　of　Antoninus　Pius。　Remember　his　resolute　constancy　in　things　that　were　done　by　him　according　to　reason；　his　equability　in　all　things；　his　sanctity；　the　cheerfulness　of　his　countenance；　his　sweetness；　and　how　free　he　was　from　all　vainglory；　how　careful　to　come　to　the　true　and　exact　knowledge　of　matters　in　hand；　and　how　he　would　by　no　means　give　over　till　he　did　fully；　and　plainly　understand　the　whole　state　of　the　business；　and　how　patiently；　and　without　any　contestation　he　would　bear　with　them；　that　did　unjustly　condemn　him：　how　he　would　never　be　over…hasty　in　anything；　nor　give　ear　to　slanders　and　false　accusations；　but　examine　and　observe　with　best　diligence　the　several　actions　and　dispositions　of　men。　Again；　how　he　was　no　backbiter；　nor　easily　frightened；　nor　suspicious；　and　in　his　language　free　from　all　affectation　and　curiosity：　and　how　easily　he　would　content　himself　with　few　things；　as　lodging；　bedding；　clothing；　and　ordinary　nourishment；　and　attendance。　How　able　to　endure　labour；　how　patient；　able　through　his　spare　diet　to　continue　from　morning　to　evening　without　any　necessity　of　withdrawing　before　his　accustomed　hours　to　the　necessities　of　nature：　his　uniformity　and　constancy　in　matter　of　friendship。　How　he　would　bear　with　them　that　with　all　boldness　and　liberty　opposed　his　opinions；　and　even　rejoice　if　any　man　could　better　advise　him：　and　lastly；　how　religious　he　was　without　superstition。　All　these　things　of　him　remember；　that　whensoever　thy　last　hour　shall　come　upon　thee；　it　may　find　thee；　as　it　did　him；　ready　for　it　in　the　possession　of　a　good　conscience。

XXIX。　　Stir　up　thy　mind；　and　recall　thy　wits　again　from　thy　natural　dreams；　and　visions；　and　when　thou　art　perfectly　awoken；　and　canst　perceive　that　they　were　but　dreams　that　troubled　thee；　as　one　newly　awakened　out　of　another　kind　of　sleep　look　upon　these　worldly　things　with　the　same　mind　as　thou　didst　upon　those；　that　thou　sawest　in　thy　sleep。

XXX。　　I　consist　of　body　and　soul。　　Unto　my　body　all　things　are　indifferent；　for　of　itself　it　cannot　affect　one　thing　more　than　another　with　apprehension　of　any　difference；　as　for　my　mind；　all　things　which　are　not　within　the　verge　of　her　own　operation；　are　indifferent　unto　her；　and　for　her　own　operations；　those　altogether　depend　of　her；　neither　does　she　busy　herself　about　any；　but　those　that　are　present；　for　as　for　future　and　past　operations；　those　also　are　now　at　this　present　indifferent　unto　her。

XXXI。　　As　long　as　the　foot　doth　that　which　belongeth　unto　it　to　do；　and　the　hand　that　which　belongs　unto　it；　their　labour；　whatsoever　it　be；　is　not　unnatural。　　So　a　man　as　long　as　he　doth　that　which　is　proper　unto　a　man；　his　labour　cannot　be　against　nature；　and　if　it　be　not　against　nature；　then　neither　is　it　hurtful　unto　him。　But　if　it　were　so　that　happiness　did　consist　in　pleasure：　how　came　notorious　robbers；　impure　abominable　livers；　parricides；　and　tyrants；　in　so　large　a　measure　to　have　their　part　of　pleasures？

XXXII。　　Dost　thou　not　see；　how　even　those　that　profess　mechanic　arts；　though　in　some　respect　they　be　no　better　than　mere　idiots；　yet　they　stick　close　to　the　course　of　their　trade；　neither　can　they　find　in　their　heart　to　decline　from　it：　and　is　it　not　a　grievous　thing　that　an　architect；　or　a　physician　shall　respect　the　course　and　mysteries　of　their　profession；　more　than　a　man　the　proper　course　and　condition　of　his　own　nature；　reason；　which　is　common　to　him　and　to　the　Gods？

XXXIII。　　Asia；　Europe；　what　are　they；　but　as　corners　of　the　whole　world；　of　which　the　whole　sea；　is　but　as　one　drop；　and　the　great　Mount　Athos；　but　as　a　clod；　as　all　present　time　is　but　as　one　point　of　eternity。　　All；　petty　things；　all　things　that　are　soon　altered；　soon　perished。　And　all　things　come　from　one　beginning；　either　all　severally　and　particularly　deliberated　and　resolved　upon；　by　the　general　ruler　and　governor　of　all；　or　all　by　necessary　consequence。　So　that　the　dreadful　hiatus　of　a　gaping　lion；　and　all　poison；　and　all　hurtful　things；　are　but　（as　the　thorn　and　the　mire）　the　necessary　consequences　of　goodly　fair　things。　Think　not　of　these　therefore；　as　things　contrary　to　those　which　thou　dost　much　honour；　and　respect；　but　consider　in　thy　mind。　the　true　fountain　of　all。

XXXIV　He　that　seeth　the　things　that　are　now；　hath　Seen　all　that　either　was　ever；　or　ever　shall　be；　for　all　things　are　of　one　kind；　and　all　like　one　unto　another。　Meditate　often　upon　the　connection　of　all　things　in　the　world；　and　upon　the　mutual　relation　that　they　have　one　unto　another。　For　all　things　are　after　a　sort　folded　and　involved　one　within　another；　and　by　these　means　all　agree　well　together。　For　one　thing　is　consequent　unto　another；　by　local　motion；　by　natural　conspiration　and　agreement；　and　by　substantial　union；　or；　reduction　of　all　substances　into　one。

XXXV。　　Fit　and　accommodate　thyself　to　that　estate　and　to　those　occurrences；　which　by　the　destinies　have　been　annexed　unto　thee；　and　love　those　men　whom　thy　fate　it　is　to　live　with；　but　love　them　truly。　An　instrument；　a　tool；　an　utensil；　whatsoever　it　be；　if　it　be　fit　for　the　purpose　it　was　made　for；　it　is　as　it　should　be　though　he　perchance　that　made　and　fitted　it；　be　out　of　sight　and　gone。　But　in　things　natural；　that　power　which　hath　framed　and　fitted　them；　is　and　abideth　within　them　still：　　for　which　reason　she　ought　also　the　more　to　be　respected；　and　we　are　the　more　obliged　（if　we　may　live　and　pass　our　time　according　to　her　purpose　and　intention）　to　think　that　all　is　well　with　us；　and　according　to　our　own　minds。　After　this　manner　also；　and　in　this　respect　it　is；　that　he　that　is　all　in　all　doth　enjoy　his　happiness。

XXXVI。　　What　things　soever　are　not　within　the　proper　power　and　jurisdiction　of　thine　own　will　either　to　compass　or　avoid；　if　thou　shalt　propose　unto　thyself　any　of　those　things　as　either　good；　or　evil；　it　must　needs　be　that　according　as　thou　shalt　either　fall　into　that　which　thou　dost　think　evil；　or　miss　of　that　which　thou　dost　think　good；　so　wilt　thou　be　ready　both　to　complain　of　the　Gods；　and　to　hate　those　men；　who　either　shall　be　so　indeed；　or　shall　by　thee　be　suspected　as　the　cause　either　of　thy　missing　of　the　one；　or　falling　into　the　other。　And　indeed　we　must　needs　commit　many　evils；　if　we　incline　to　any　of　these　things；　more　or　less；　with　an　opinion　of　any　difference。　But　if　we　mind　and　fancy　those　things　only；　as　good　and　bad；　which　wholly　depend　of　our　own　wills；　there　is　no　more　occasion　why　we　should　either　murmur　against　the　Gods；　or　be　at　enmity　with　any　man。

XXXVII。　　We　all　work　to　one　effect；　some　willingly；　and　with　a　rational　apprehension　of　what　we　do：　　others　without　any　such　knowledge。　As　I　think　Heraclitus　in　a　place　speaketh　of　them　that　sleep；　that　even　they　do　work　in　their　kind；　and　do　confer　to　the　general　operations　of　the　world。　　One　man　therefore　doth　co…operate　after　one　sort；　and　another　after　another　sort；　but　even　he　that　doth　murmur；　and　to　his　power　doth　resist　and　hinder；　even　he　as　much　as　any　doth　co…operate。　For　of　such　also　did　the　world　stand　in　need。　Now　do　thou　consider　among　which　of　these　thou　wilt　rank　thyself。　For　as　for　him　who　is　the　Administrator　of　all；　he　will　make　good　use　of　thee　whether　thou　wilt　or　no；　and　make　thee　（as　a　part　and　member　of　the　whole）　so　to　co…operate　with　him；　that　whatsoever　thou　doest；　shall　turn　to　the　furtherance　of　his　own　counsels；　and　resolutions。　But　be　not　thou　for　shame　such　a　part　of　the　whole；　as　that　vile　and　ridiculous　verse　（which　Chrysippus　in　a　place　doth　mention）　is　a　part　of　the　comedy。　　XXXVIII。　　Doth　either　the　sun　take　upon　him　to　do　that　which　belongs　to　the　rain？　or　his　son　Aesculapius　that；　which　unto　the　earth　doth　properly　belong？　　How　is　it　with　every　one　of　the　stars　in　particular？　　Though　they　all　differ　one　from　another；　and　have　their　several　charges　and　functions　by　themselves；　do　they　not　all　nevertheless　concur　and　co…operate　to　one　end？

XXXIX。　　If　so　be　that　the　Gods　have　deliberated　in　particular　of　thos