the meditations-第36节

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ess　and　godliness；　which　specially　consist　in　an　humble　submission　to　God　and　His　providence　in　all　things；　as　well　as　unto　justice：　　these　also　being　part　of　those　duties；　which　as　naturally　sociable；　we　are　bound　unto；　and　without　which　we　cannot　happily　converse　one　with　another：　　yea　and　the　very　ground　and　fountain　indeed　of　all　just　actions。

XIX。　　He　that　hath　not　one　and　the　self…same　general　end　always　as　long　as　he　liveth；　cannot　possibly　be　one　and　the　self…same　man　always。　　But　this　will　not　suffice　except　thou　add　also　what　ought　to　be　this　general　end。　For　as　the　general　conceit　and　apprehension　of　all　those　things　which　upon　no　certain　ground　are　by　the　greater　part　of　men　deemed　good；　cannot　be　uniform　and　agreeable；　but　that　only　which　is　limited　and　restrained　by　some　certain　proprieties　and　conditions；　as　of　community：　that　nothing　be　conceived　good；　which　is　not　commonly　and　publicly　good：　so　must　the　end　also　that　we　propose　unto　ourselves；　be　common　and　sociable。　　For　he　that　doth　direct　all　his　own　private　motions　and　purposes　to　that　end；　all　his　actions　will　be　agreeable　and　uniform；　and　by　that　means　will　be　still　the　same　man。

XX。　　Remember　the　fable　of　the　country　mouse　and　the　city　mouse；　and　the　great　fright　and　terror　that　this　was　put　into。

XXI。　　Socrates　was　wont　to　call　the　common　conceits　and　opinions　of　men；　the　common　bugbears　of　the　world　：　the　proper　terror　of　silly　children。

XXII。　　The　Lacedaemonians　at　their　public　spectacles　were　wont　to　appoint　seats　and　forms　for　their　strangers　in　the　shadow；　they　themselves　were　content　to　sit　anywhere。

XXIII。　　What　Socrates　answered　unto　Perdiccas；　why　he　did　not　come　unto　him；　Lest　of　all　deaths　I　should　die　the　worst　kind　of　death；　said　he：　　that　is；　not　able　to　requite　the　good　that　hath　been　done　unto　me。　　XXIV。　　In　the　ancient　mystical　letters　of　the　Ephesians；　there　was　an　item；　that　a　man　should　always　have　in　his　mind　some　one　or　other　of　the　ancient　worthies。　　XXV。　　The　Pythagoreans　were　wont　betimes　in　the　morning　the　first　thing　they　did；　to　look　up　unto　the　heavens；　to　put　themselves　in　mind　of　them　who　constantly　and　invariably　did　perform　their　task：　as　also　to　put　themselves　in　mind　of　orderliness；　or　good　order；　and　of　purity；　and　of　naked　simplicity。　　For　no　star　or　planet　hath　any　cover　before　it。

XXVI。　　How　Socrates　looked；　when　he　was　fain　to　gird　himself　with　a　skin；　Xanthippe　his　wife　having　taken　away　his　clothes；　and　carried　them　abroad　with　her；　and　what　he　said　to　his　fellows　and　friends；　who　were　ashamed；　and　out　of　respect　to　him；　did　retire　themselves　when　they　saw　him　thus　decked。

XXVII。　　In　matter　of　writing　or　reading　thou　must　needs　be　taught　before　thou　can　do　either：　　much　more　in　matter　of　life。　'For　thou　art　born　a　mere　slave；　to　thy　senses　and　brutish　affections；'　destitute　without　teaching　of　all　true　knowledge　and　sound　reason。

XXVIII。　　'My　heart　smiled　within　me。'　　'They　will　accuse　even　virtue　herself；　with　heinous　and　opprobrious　words。'

XXIX。　　As　they　that　long　after　figs　in　winter　when　they　cannot　be　had；　so　are　they　that　long　after　children；　before　they　be　granted　them。

XXX。　　'As　often　as　a　father　kisseth　his　child；　he　should　say　secretly　with　himself'　（said　Epictetus；）　'tomorrow　perchance　shall　he　die。'　But　these　words　be　ominous。　　No　words　ominous　（said　he）　that　signify　anything　that　is　natural：　　in　very　truth　and　deed　not　more　ominous　than　this；　'to　cut　down　grapes　when　they　are　ripe。'　Green　grapes；　ripe　grapes；　dried　grapes；　or　raisins：　so　many　changes　and　mutations　of　one　thing；　not　into　that　which　was　not　absolutely；　but　rather　so　many　several　changes　and　mutations；　not　into　that　which　hath　no　being　at　all；　but　into　that　which　is　not　yet　in　being。

XXXI。　　'Of　the　free　will　there　is　no　thief　or　robber：'　out　of　Epictetus；　Whose　is　this　also：　　that　we　should　find　a　certain　art　and　method　of　assenting；　and　that　we　should　always　observe　with　great　care　and　heed　the　inclinations　of　our　minds；　that　they　may　always　be　with　their　due　restraint　and　reservation；　always　charitable；　and　according　to　the　true　worth　of　every　present　object。　And　as　for　earnest　longing；　that　we　should　altogether　avoid　it：　and　to　use　averseness　in　those　things　only；　that　wholly　depend　of　our　own　wills。　　It　is　not　about　ordinary　petty　matters；　believe　it；　that　all　our　strife　and　contention　is；　but　whether；　with　the　vulgar；　we　should　be　mad；　or　by　the　help　of　philosophy　wise　and　sober；　said　he。　　XXXII。　　Socrates　said；　'What　will　you　have？　the　souls　of　reasonable；　or　unreasonable　creatures？　　Of　reasonable。　　But　what？　Of　those　whose　reason　is　sound　and　perfect？　or　of　those　whose　reason　is　vitiated　and　corrupted？　　Of　those　whose　reason　is　sound　and　perfect。　Why　then　labour　ye　not　for　such？　　Because　we　have　them　already。　What　then　do　ye　so　strive　and　contend　between　you？'


THE　TWELFTH　BOOK

I。　Whatsoever　thou　doest　hereafter　aspire　unto；　thou　mayest　even　now　enjoy　and　possess；　if　thou　doest　not　envy　thyself　thine　own　happiness。　And　that　will　be；　if　thou　shalt　forget　all　that　is　past；　and　for　the　future；　refer　thyself　wholly　to　the　Divine　Providence；　and　shalt　bend　and　apply　all　thy　present　thoughts　and　intentions　to　holiness　and　righteousness。　　To　holiness；　in　accepting　willingly　whatsoever　is　sent　by　the　Divine　Providence；　as　being　that　which　the　nature　of　the　universe　hath　appointed　unto　thee；　which　also　hath　appointed　thee　for　that；　whatsoever　it　be。　　To　righteousness；　in　speaking　the　truth　freely；　and　without　ambiguity；　and　in　doing　all　things　justly　and　discreetly。　Now　in　this　good　course；　let　not　other　men's　either　wickedness；　or　opinion；　or　voice　hinder　thee：　　no；　nor　the　sense　of　this　thy　pampered　mass　of　flesh：　　for　let　that　which　suffers；　look　to　itself。　If　therefore　whensoever　the　time　of　thy　departing　shall　come；　thou　shalt　readily　leave　all　things；　and　shalt　respect　thy　mind　only；　and　that　divine　part　of　thine；　and　this　shall　be　thine　only　fear；　not　that　some　time　or　other　thou　shalt　cease　to　live；　but　thou　shalt　never　begin　to　live　according　to　nature　：　then　shalt　thou　be　a　man　indeed；　worthy　of　that　world；　from　which　thou　hadst　thy　beginning；　then　shalt　thou　cease　to　be　a　stranger　in　thy　country；　and　to　wonder　at　those　things　that　happen　daily；　as　things　strange　and　unexpected；　and　anxiously　to　depend　of　divers　things　that　are　not　in　thy　power。

II。　　God　beholds　our　minds　and　understandings；　bare　and　naked　from　these　material　vessels；　and　outsides；　and　all　earthly　dross。　For　with　His　simple　and　pure　understanding；　He　pierceth　into　our　inmost　and　purest　parts；　which　from　His；　as　it　were　by　a　water　pipe　and　channel；　first　flowed　and　issued。　This　if　thou　also　shalt　use　to　do；　thou　shalt　rid　thyself　of　that　manifold　luggage；　wherewith　thou　art　round　about　encumbered。　For　he　that　does　regard　neither　his　body；　nor　his　clothing；　nor　his　dwelling；　nor　any　such　external　furniture；　must　needs　gain　unto　himself　great　rest　and　ease。　　Three　things　there　be　in　all；　which　thou　doest　consist　of；　thy　body；　thy　life；　and　thy　mind。　Of　these　the　two　former；　are　so　far　forth　thine；　as　that　thou　art　bound　to　take　care　for　them。　　But　the　third　alone　is　that　which　is　properly　thine。　　If　then　thou　shalt　separate　from　thyself；　that　is　from　thy　mind；　whatsoever　other　men　either　do　or　say；　or　whatsoever　thou　thyself　hast　heretofore　either　done　or　said；　and　all　troublesome　thoughts　concerning　the　future；　and　whatsoever；　（as　either　belonging　to　thy　body　or　life：）　　is　without　the　jurisdiction　of　thine　own　will；　and　whatsoever　in　the　ordinary　course　of　human　chances　and　accidents　doth　happen　unto　thee；　so　that　thy　mind　（keeping　herself　loose　and　free　from　all　outward　coincidental　entanglements；　always　in　a　readiness　to　depart：）　shall　live　by　herself；　and　to　herself；　doing　that　which　is　just；　accepting　whatsoever　doth　happen；　and　speaking　the　truth　always；　if；　I　say；　thou　shalt　separate　from　thy　mind；　whatsoever　by　sympathy　might　adhere　unto　it；　and　all　time　both　past　and　future；　and　shalt　make　thyself　in　all　points　and　respects；　like　unto　Empedocles　his　allegorical　sphere；　'all　round　and　circular；'　&c。；　and　shalt　think　of　no　longer　life　than　that　which　is　now　present：　then　shalt　thou　be　truly　able　to　pass　the　remainder　of　thy　days　without　troubles　and　distractions；　nobly　and　generously　disposed；　and　in　good　favour　and　correspondency；　with　that　spirit　which　is　within　thee。

III。　　I　have　often　wondered　how　it　should　come　to　pass；　that　every　man　loving　himself　best；　should　more　regard　other　men's　opinions　concerning　himself　than　his　own。　For　if　any　God　or　grave　master　standing　by；　should　command　any　of　us　to　think　nothing　by　himself　but　what　he　should　presently　speak　out；　no　man　were　able　to　endure　it；　though　but　for　one　day。　Thus　do　we　fear　more　what　our　neighbours　will　think　of　us；　than　what　we　ourselves。

IV。　　how　come　it　to　pass　that　the　Gods　having　ordered　all　other　things　so　well　and　so　lovingly；　should　be　overseen　in　this　one　only　thing；　that　whereas　then。　　hath　been　some　very　good　men　that　have　made　many　covenants　as　it　were　with　God　and　by　many　holy　actions　and　outward　services　contracted　a　kind　of　familiarity　with　Him；　that　these　men　when　once　they　are　dead；　should　never　be　restored　to　life；　but　be　extinct　for　ever。