the meditations-第21章

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eeds　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　those　things　that　should　happen　unto　me；　I　must　stand　to　their　deliberation；　as　discrete　and　wise。　For　that　a　God　should　be　an　imprudent　God；　is　a　thing　hard　even　to　conceive：　　and　why　should　they　resolve　to　do　me　hurt？　for　what　profit　either　unto　them　or　the　universe　（which　they　specially　take　care　for）　could　arise　from　it？　But　if　so　be　that　they　have　not　deliberated　of　me　in　particular；　certainly　they　have　of　the　whole　in　general；　and　those　things　which　in　consequence　and　coherence　of　this　general　deliberation　happen　unto　me　in　particular；　I　am　bound　to　embrace　and　accept　of。　But　if　so　be　that　they　have　not　deliberated　at　all　（which　indeed　is　very　irreligious　for　any　man　to　believe：　for　then　let　us　neither　sacrifice；　nor　pray；　nor　respect　our　oaths；　neither　let　us　any　more　use　any　of　those　things；　which　we　persuaded　of　the　presence　and　secret　conversation　of　the　Gods　among　us；　daily　use　and　practise：）　　but；　I　say；　if　so　be　that　they　have　not　indeed　either　in　general；　or　particular　deliberated　of　any　of　those　things；　that　happen　unto　us　in　this　world；　yet　God　be　thanked；　that　of　those　things　that　concern　myself；　it　is　lawful　for　me　to　deliberate　myself；　and　all　my　deliberation　is　but　concerning　that　which　may　be　to　me　most　profitable。　　Now　that　unto　every　one　is　most　profitable；　which　is　according　to　his　own　constitution　and　nature。　And　my　nature　is；　to　be　rational　in　all　my　actions　and　as　a　good；　and　natural　member　of　a　city　and　commonwealth；　towards　my　fellow　members　ever　to　be　sociably　and　kindly　disposed　and　affected。　My　city　and　country　as　I　am　Antoninus；　is　Rome；　as　a　man；　the　whole　world。　　Those　things　therefore　that　are　expedient　and　profitable　to　those　cities；　are　the　only　things　that　are　good　and　expedient　for　me。

XL。　　Whatsoever　in　any　kind　doth　happen　to　any　one；　is　expedient　to　the　whole。　　And　thus　much　to　content　us　might　suffice；　that　it　is　expedient　for　the　whole　in　general。　But　yet　this　also　shalt　thou　generally　perceive；　if　thou　dost　diligently　take　heed；　that　whatsoever　doth　happen　to　any　one　man　or　men。　。　。　。　And　now　I　am　content　that　the　word　expedient；　should　more　generally　be　understood　of　those　things　which　we　otherwise　call　middle　things；　or　things　indifferent；　as　health；　wealth；　and　the　like。

XLI。　　As　the　ordinary　shows　of　the　theatre　and　of　other　such　places；　when　thou　art　presented　with　them；　affect　thee；　as　the　same　things　still　seen；　and　in　the　same　fashion；　make　the　sight　ingrateful　and　tedious；　so　must　all　the　things　that　we　see　all　our　life　long　affect　us。　　For　all　things；　above　and　below；　are　still　the　same；　and　from　the　same　causes。　When　then　will　there　be　an　end？

XLII。　　Let　the　several　deaths　of　men　of　all　sorts；　and　of　all　sorts　of　professions；　and　of　all　sort　of　nations；　be　a　perpetual　object　of　thy　thoughts；　。　。　。　so　that　thou　mayst　even　come　down　to　Philistio；　Phoebus；　and　Origanion。　　Pass　now　to　other　generations。　Thither　shall　we　after　many　changes；　where　so　many　brave　orators　are；　where　so　many　grave　philosophers；　Heraclitus；　Pythagoras；　Socrates。　Where　so　many　heroes　of　the　old　times；　and　then　so　many　brave　captains　of　the　latter　times；　and　so　many　kings。　　After　all　these；　where　Eudoxus；　Hipparchus；　Archimedes；　where　so　many　other　sharp；　generous；　industrious；　subtile；　peremptory　dispositions；　and　among　others；　even　they；　that　have　been　the　greatest　scoffers　and　deriders　of　the　frailty　and　brevity　of　this　our　human　life；　as　Menippus；　and　others；　as　many　as　there　have　been　such　as　he。　Of　all　these　consider；　that　they　long　since　are　all　dead；　and　gone。　And　what　do　they　suffer　by　it！　　Nay　they　that　have　not　so　much　as　a　name　remaining；　what　are　they　the　worse　for　it？　　One　thing　there　is；　and　that　only；　which　is　worth　our　while　in　this　world；　and　ought　by　us　much　to　be　esteemed；　and　that　is；　according　to　truth　and　righteousness；　meekly　and　lovingly　to　converse　with　false；　and　unrighteous　men。

XLIII。　　When　thou　wilt　comfort　and　cheer　thyself；　call　to　mind　the　several　gifts　and　virtues　of　them；　whom　thou　dost　daily　converse　with；　as　for　example；　the　industry　of　the　one；　the　modesty　of　another；　the　liberality　of　a　third；　of　another　some　other　thing。　For　nothing　can　so　much　rejoice　thee；　as　the　resemblances　and　parallels　of　several　virtues；　visible　and　eminent　in　the　dispositions　of　those　who　live　with　thee；　especially　when；　all　at　once；　as　near　as　may　be；　they　represent　themselves　unto　thee。　And　therefore　thou　must　have　them　always　in　a　readiness。

XLIV。　　Dost　thou　grieve　that　thou　dost　weigh　but　so　many　pounds；　and　not　three　hundred　rather？　　Just　as　much　reason　hast　thou　to　grieve　that　thou　must　live　but　so　many　years；　and　not　longer。　For　as　for　bulk　and　substance　thou　dost　content　thyself　with　that　proportion　of　it　that　is　allotted　unto　thee；　so　shouldst　thou　for　time。　　XLV。　　Let　us　do　our　best　endeavours　to　persuade　them　；　but　however；　if　reason　and　justice　lead　thee　to　it；　do　it；　though　they　be　never　so　much　against　it。　But　if　any　shall　by　force　withstand　thee；　and　hinder　thee　in　it；　convert　thy　virtuous　inclination　from　one　object　unto　another；　from　justice　to　contented　equanimity；　and　cheerful　patience：　so　that　what　in　the　one　is　thy　hindrance；　thou　mayst　make　use　of　it　for　the　exercise　of　another　virtue：　　and　remember　that　it　was　with　due　exception；　and　reservation；　that　thou　didst　at　first　incline　and　desire。　　For　thou　didst　not　set　thy　mind　upon　things　impossible。　　Upon　what　then？　that　all　thy　desires　might　ever　be　moderated　with　this　due　kind　of　reservation。　And　this　thou　hast；　and　mayst　always　obtain；　whether　the　thing　desired　be　in　thy　power　or　no。　　And　what　do　I　care　for　more；　if　that　for　which　I　was　born　and　brought　forth　into　the　world　（to　rule　all　my　desires　with　reason　and　discretion）　may　be？

XLVI。　　The　ambitious　supposeth　another　man's　act；　praise　and　applause；　to　be　his　own　happiness；　the　voluptuous　his　own　sense　and　feeling；　but　he　that　is　wise；　his　own　action。

XLVII。　　It　is　in　thy　power　absolutely　to　exclude　all　manner　of　conceit　and　opinion；　as　concerning　this　matter；　and　by　the　same　means；　to　exclude　all　grief　and　sorrow　from　thy　soul。　For　as　for　the　th