the meditations-第24章

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ate　both　into　the　effects；　and　into　the　causes。　Rejoice　thyself　with　true　simplicity；　and　modesty；　and　that　all　middle　things　between　virtue　and　vice　are　indifferent　unto　thee。　　Finally；　love　mankind；　obey　God。　　XXII。　　All　things　（saith　he）　are　by　certain　order　and　appointment。　And　what　if　the　elements　only。

It　will　suffice　to　remember；　that　all　things　in　general　are　by　certain　order　and　appointment：　　or　if　it　be　but　few。　And　as　concerning　death；　that　either　dispersion；　or　the　atoms；　or　annihilation；　or　extinction；　or　translation　will　ensue。　And　as　concerning　pain；　that　that　which　is　intolerable　is　soon　ended　by　death；　and　that　which　holds　long　must　needs　be　tolerable；　and　that　the　mind　in　the　meantime　（which　is　all　in　all）　may　by　way　of　jnterclusion；　or　interception；　by　stopping　all　manner　of　commerce　and　sympathy　with　the　body；　still　retain　its　own　tranquillity。　　Thy　understanding　is　not　made　worse　by　it。　As　for　those　parts　that　suffer；　let　them；　if　they　can；　declare　their　grief　themselves。　　As　for　praise　and　commendation；　view　their　mind　and　understanding；　what　estate　they　are　in；　what　kind　of　things　they　fly；　and　what　things　they　seek　after：　and　that　as　in　the　seaside；　whatsoever　was　before　to　be　seen；　is　by　the　continual　succession　of　new　heaps　of　sand　cast　up　one　upon　another；　soon　hid　and　covered；　so　in　this　life；　all　former　things　by　those　which　immediately　succeed。　　XXIII。　　Out　of　Plato。　'He　then　whose　mind　is　endowed　with　true　magnanimity；　who　hath　accustomed　himself　to　the　contemplation　both　of　all　times；　and　of　all　things　in　general；　can　this　mortal　life　（thinkest　thou）　seem　any　great　matter　unto　him？　　It　is　not　possible；　answered　he。　Then　neither　will　such　a　one　account　death　a　grievous　thing？　By　no　means。'

XXIV。　　Out　of　Antisthenes。　　'It　is　a　princely　thing　to　do　well；　and　to　be　ill…spoken　of。　　It　is　a　shameful　thing　that　the　face　should　be　subject　unto　the　mind；　to　be　put　into　what　shape　it　will；　and　to　be　dressed　by　it　as　it　will；　and　that　the　mind　should　not　bestow　so　much　care　upon　herself；　as　to　fashion　herself；　and　to　dress　herself　as　best　becometh　her。'

XXV。　　Out　of　several　poets　and　comics。　　'It　will　but　little　avail　thee；　to　turn　thine　anger　and　indignation　upon　the　things　themselves　that　have　fallen　across　unto　thee。　For　as　for　them；　they　are　not　sensible　of　it；　&c。　Thou　shalt　but　make　thyself　a　laughing…stock；　both　unto　the　Gods　and　men；　&c。　Our　life　is　reaped　like　a　ripe　ear　of　corn；　one　is　yet　standing　and　another　is　down；　&c。　But　if　so　be　that　I　and　my　children　be　neglected　by　the　gods；　there　is　some　reason　even　for　that；　&c。　As　long　as　right　and　equity　is　of　my　side；　&c。　Not　to　lament　with　them；　not　to　tremble；　&c'

XXVI。　　Out　of　Plato。　　'My　answer；　full　of　justice　and　equity；　should　be　this：　　Thy　speech　is　not　right；　O　man！　if　thou　supposest　that　he　that　is　of　any　worth　at　all；　should　apprehend　either　life　or　death；　as　a　matter　of　great　hazard　and　danger；　and　should　not　make　this　rather　his　only　care；　to　examine　his　own　actions；　whether　just　or　unjust：　　whether　actions　of　a　good；　or　of　a　wicked　man；　&c。　For　thus　in　very　truth　stands　the　case；　O　ye　men　of　Athens。　　What　place　or　station　soever　a　man　either　hath　chosen　to　himself；　judging　it　best　for　himself；　or　is　by　lawful　authority　put　and　settled　in；　therein　do　I　think　（all　appearance　of　danger　notwithstanding）　that　he　should　continue；　as　one　who　feareth　neither　death；　nor　anything　else；　so　much　as　he　feareth　to　commit　anything　that　is　vicious　and　shameful；　&c。　But；　O　noble　sir；　consider　I　pray；　whether　true　generosity　and　true　happiness；　do　not　consist　in　somewhat　else　rather；　than　in　the　preservation　either　of　our；　or　other　men's　lives。　For　it　is　not　the　part　of　a　man　that　is　a　man　indeed；　to　desire　to　live　long　or　to　make　much　of　his　life　whilst　he　Iiveth：　but　rather　（he　that　is　such）　will　in　these　things　wholly　refer　himself　unto　the　Gods；　and　believing　that　which　every　woman　can　tell　him；　that　no　man　can　escape　death；　the　only　thing　that　he　takes　thought　and　care　for　is　this；　that　what　time　he　liveth；　he　may　live　as　well　and　as　virtuously　as　he　can　possibly；　&c。　To　look　about；　and　with　the　eyes　to　follow　the　course　of　the　stars　and　planets　as　though　thou　wouldst　run　with　them；　and　to　mind　perpetually　the　several　changes　of　the　elements　one　into　another。　For　such　fancies　and　imaginations；　help　much　to　purge　away　the　dross　and　filth　of　this　our　earthly　life；'　&c。　That　also　is　a　fine　passage　of　Plato's；　where　he　speaketh　of　worldly　things　in　these　words：　'Thou　must　also　as　from　some　higher　place　look　down；　as　it　were；　upon　the　things　of　this　world；　as　flocks；　armies；　husbandmen's　labours；　marriages；　divorces；　generations；　deaths：　　the　tumults　of　courts　and　places　of　judicatures；　desert　places；　the　several　nations　of　barbarians；　public　festivals；　mournmgs；　fairs；　markets。'　How　all　things　upon　earth　are　pell…mell；　and　how　miraculously　things　contrary　one　to　another；　concur　to　the　beauty　and　perfection　of　this　universe。

XXVII。　　To　look　back　upon　things　of　former　ages；　as　upon　the　manifold　changes　and　conversions　of　several　monarchies　and　commonwealths。　We　may　also　foresee　things　future；　for　they　shall　all　be　of　the　same　kind；　neither　is　it　possible　that　they　should　leave　the　tune；　or　break　the　concert　that　is　now　begun；　as　it　were；　by　these　things　that　are　now　done　and　brought　to　pass　in　the　world。　It　comes　all　to　one　therefore；　whether　a　man　be　a　spectator　of　the　things　of　this　life　but　forty　years；　or　whether　he　see　them　ten　thousand　years　together：　　for　what　shall　he　see　more？　'And　as　for　those　parts　that　came　from　the　earth；　they　shall　return　unto　the　earth　again；　and　those　that　came　from　heaven；　they　also　shall　return　unto　those　heavenly　places。'　Whether　it　be　a　mere　dissolution　and　unbinding　of　the　manifold　intricacies　and　entanglements　of　the　confused　atoms；　or　some　such　dispersion　of　the　simple　and　incorruptible　elements　。　。　。　'With　meats　and　drinks　and　divers　charms；　they　seek　to　divert　the　channel；　that　they　might　not　die。　Yet　must　we　needs　endure　that　blast　of　wind　that　cometh　from　above；　though　we　toil　and　labour　never　so　much。'

XXVIII。　　He　hath　a　stronger　body；　and　is　a　better　wrestler　than　I。　What　then？　　Is　he　more　bountiful？　is　he　more　modest？　Doth　he　bear　all　adverse　chances　with　more　equanimity：　or　with　his　neighbour's　offences　with　more　meekness　and　gentleness　than　I？

XXIX。　　Where　the　matter　may　be　effected　agreeably　to　that　reason；　which　both　unto　the　Gods　and　men　is　common；　there　can　be　no　just　cause　of　grief　or　sorrow。　　For　where　the　fruit　and　benefit　of　an　action　well　begun　and　prosecuted　according　to　the　proper　constitution　of　man　may　be　reaped　and　obtained；　or　is　sure　and　certain；　it　is　against　reason　that　any　damage　should　there　be　suspected。　In　all　places；　and　at　all　times；　it　is　in　thy　power　religiously　to　embrace　whatsoever　by　God's　appointment　is　happened　unto　thee；　and　justly　to　converse　with　those　men；　whom　thou　hast　to　do　with；　and　accurately　to　examine　every　fancy　that　presents　itself；　that　nothing　may　slip　and　steal　in；　before　thou　hast　rightly　apprehended　the　true　nature　of　it。

XXX。　　Look　not　about　upon　other　men's　minds　and　understandings；　but　look　right　on　forwards　whither　nature；　both　that　of　the　universe；　in　those　things　that　happen　unto　thee；　and　thine　in　particular；　in　those　things　that　are　done　by　thee：　　doth　lead；　and　direct　thee。　Now　every　one　is　bound　to　do　that；　which　is　consequent　and　agreeable　to　that　end　which　by　his　true　natural　constitution　he　was　ordained　unto。　As　for　all　other　things；　they　are　ordained　for　the　use　of　reasonable　creatures：　　as　in　all　things　we　see　that　that　which　is　worse　and　inferior；　is　made　for　that　which　is　better。　Reasonable　creatures；　they　are　ordained　one　for　another。　That　therefore　which　is　chief　in　every　man's　constitution；　is；　that　he　intend　the　common　good。　　The　second　is；　that　he　yield　not　to　any　lusts　and　motions　of　the　flesh。　　For　it　is　the　part　and　privilege　of　the　reasonable　and　intellective　faculty；　that　she　can　so　bound　herself；　as　that　neither　the　sensitive；　nor　the　appetitive　faculties；　may　not　anyways　prevail　upon　her。　For　both　these　are　brutish。　　And　therefore　over　both　she　challengeth　mastery；　and　cannot　anyways　endure；　if　in　her　right　temper