BOOK FOUR

  THAT which rules within, when it is according to nature, is so

affected with respect to the events which happen, that it always

easily adapts itself to that which is and is presented to it. For it

requires no definite material, but it moves towards its purpose, under

certain conditions however; and it makes a material for itself out of

that which opposes it, as fire lays hold of what falls into it, by

which a small light would have been extinguished: but when the fire is

strong, it soon appropriates to itself the matter which is heaped on

it, and consumes it, and rises higher by means of this very material.

  Let no act be done without a purpose, nor otherwise than according

to the perfect principles of art.

  Men seek retreats for themselves, houses in the country, sea-shores,

and mountains; and thou too art wont to desire such things very

much. But this is altogether a mark of the most common sort of men,

for it is in thy power whenever thou shalt choose to retire into

thyself. For nowhere either with more quiet or more freedom from

trouble does a man retire than into his own soul, particularly when he

has within him such thoughts that by looking into them he is

immediately in perfect tranquility; and I affirm that tranquility is

nothing else than the good ordering of the mind. Constantly then

give to thyself this retreat, and renew thyself; and let thy

principles be brief and fundamental, which, as soon as thou shalt

recur to them, will be sufficient to cleanse the soul completely,

and to send thee back free from all discontent with the things to

which thou returnest. For with what art thou discontented? With the

badness of men? Recall to thy mind this conclusion, that rational

animals exist for one another, and that to endure is a part of

justice, and that men do wrong involuntarily; and consider how many

already, after mutual enmity, suspicion, hatred, and fighting, have

been stretched dead, reduced to ashes; and be quiet at last.- But

perhaps thou art dissatisfied with that which is assigned to thee

out of the universe.- Recall to thy recollection this alternative;

either there is providence or atoms, fortuitous concurrence of things;

or remember the arguments by which it has been proved that the world

is a kind of political community, and be quiet at last.- But perhaps

corporeal things will still fasten upon thee.- Consider then further

that the mind mingles not with the breath, whether moving gently or

violently, when it has once drawn itself apart and discovered its

own power, and think also of all that thou hast heard and assented

to about pain and pleasure, and be quiet at last.- But perhaps the

desire of the thing called fame will torment thee.- See how soon

everything is forgotten, and look at the chaos of infinite time on

each side of the present, and the emptiness of applause, and the

changeableness and want of judgement in those who pretend to give

praise, and the narrowness of the space within which it is

circumscribed, and be quiet at last. For the whole earth is a point,

and how small a nook in it is this thy dwelling, and how few are there

in it, and what kind of people are they who will praise thee.

  This then remains: Remember to retire into this little territory

of thy own, and above all do not distract or strain thyself, but be

free, and look at things as a man, as a human being, as a citizen,

as a mortal. But among the things readiest to thy hand to which thou

shalt turn, let there be these, which are two. One is that things do

not touch the soul, for they are external and remain immovable; but

our perturbations come only from the opinion which is within. The

other is that all these things, which thou seest, change immediately

and will no longer be; and constantly bear in mind how many of these

changes thou hast already witnessed. The universe is transformation:

life is opinion.

  If our intellectual part is common, the reason also, in respect of

which we are rational beings, is common: if this is so, common also is

the reason which commands us what to do, and what not to do; if this

is so, there is a common law also; if this is so, we are

fellow-citizens; if this is so, we are members of some political

community; if this is so, the world is in a manner a state. For of

what other common political community will any one say that the

whole human race are members? And from thence, from this common

political community comes also our very intellectual faculty and

reasoning faculty and our capacity for law; or whence do they come?

For as my earthly part is a portion given to me from certain earth,

and that which is watery from another element, and that which is hot

and fiery from some peculiar source (for nothing comes out of that

which is nothing, as nothing also returns to non-existence), so also

the intellectual part comes from some source.

  Death is such as generation is, a mystery of nature; a composition

out of the same elements, and a decomposition into the same; and

altogether not a thing of which any man should be ashamed, for it is

not contrary to the nature of a reasonable animal, and not contrary to

the reason of our constitution.

  It is natural that these things should be done by such persons, it

is a matter of necessity; and if a man will not have it so, he will

not allow the fig-tree to have juice. But by all means bear this in

mind, that within a very short time both thou and he will be dead; and

soon not even your names will be left behind.

  Take away thy opinion, and then there is taken away the complaint,

"I have been harmed." Take away the complaint, "I have been harmed,"

and the harm is taken away.

  That which does not make a man worse than he was, also does not make

his life worse, nor does it harm him either from without or from

within.

  The nature of that which is universally useful has been compelled to

do this.

  Consider that everything which happens, happens justly, and if

thou observest carefully, thou wilt find it to be so. I do not say

only with respect to the continuity of the series of things, but

with respect to what is just, and as if it were done by one who

assigns to each thing its value. Observe then as thou hast begun;

and whatever thou doest, do it in conjunction with this, the being

good, and in the sense in which a man is properly understood to be

good. Keep to this in every action.

  Do not have such an opinion of things as he has who does thee wrong,

or such as he wishes thee to have, but look at them as they are in

truth.

  A man should always have these two rules in readiness; the one, to

do only whatever the reason of the ruling and legislating faculty

may suggest for the use of men; the other, to change thy opinion, if

there is any one at hand who sets thee right and moves thee from any

opinion. But this change of opinion must proceed only from a certain

persuasion, as of what is just or of common advantage, and the like,

not because it appears pleasant or brings reputation.

  Hast thou reason? I have.- Why then dost not thou use it? For if

this does its own work, what else dost thou wish?

  Thou hast existed as a part. Thou shalt disappear in that which

produced thee; but rather thou shalt be received back into its seminal

principle by transmutation.

  Many grains of frankincense on the same altar: one falls before,

another falls after; but it makes no difference.

  Within ten days thou wilt seem a god to those to whom thou art now a

beast and an ape, if thou wilt return to thy principles and the

worship of reason.

  Do not act as if thou wert going to live ten thousand years. Death

hangs over thee. While thou livest, while it is in thy power, be good.

  How much trouble he avoids who does not look to see what his

neighbour says or does or thinks, but only to what he does himself,

that it may be just and pure; or as Agathon says, look not round at

the depraved morals of others, but run straight along the line without

deviating from it.

  He who has a vehement desire for posthumous fame does not consider

that every one of those who remember him will himself also die very

soon; then again also they who have succeeded them, until the whole

remembrance shall have been extinguished as it is transmitted

through men who foolishly admire and perish. But suppose that those

who will remember are even immortal, and that the remembrance will

be immortal, what then is this to thee? And I say not what is it to

the dead, but what is it to the living? What is praise except indeed

so far as it has a certain utility? For thou now rejectest

unseasonably the gift of nature, clinging to something else...

  Everything which is in any way beautiful is beautiful in itself, and

terminates in itself, not having praise as part of itself. Neither

worse then nor better is a thing made by being praised. I affirm

this also of the things which are called beautiful by the vulgar,

for example, material things and works of art. That which is really

beautiful has no need of anything; not more than law, not more than

truth, not more than benevolence or modesty. Which of these things

is beautiful because it is praised, or spoiled by being blamed? Is

such a thing as an emerald made worse than it was, if it is not

praised? Or gold, ivory, purple, a lyre, a little knife, a flower, a

shrub?

  If souls continue to exist, how does the air contain them from

eternity?- But how does the earth contain the bodies of those who

have been buried from time so remote? For as here the mutation of

these bodies after a certain continuance, whatever it may be, and

their dissolution make room for other dead bodies; so the souls

which are removed into the air after subsisting for some time are

transmuted and diffused, and assume a fiery nature by being received

into the seminal intelligence of the universe, and in this way make

room for the fresh souls which come to dwell there. And this is the

answer which a man might give on the hypothesis of souls continuing to

exist. But we must not only think of the number of bodies which are

thus buried, but also of the number of animals which are daily eaten

by us and the other animals. For what a number is consumed, and thus

in a manner buried in the bodies of those who feed on them! And

nevertheless this earth receives them by reason of the changes of

these bodies into blood, and the transformations into the aerial or

the fiery element.

  What is the investigation into the truth in this matter? The

division into that which is material and that which is the cause of

form, the formal.

  Do not be whirled about, but in every movement have respect to

justice, and on the occasion of every impression maintain the

faculty of comprehension or understanding.

  Everything harmonizes with me, which is harmonious to thee, O

Universe. Nothing for me is too early nor too late, which is in due

time for thee. Everything is fruit to me which thy seasons bring, O

Nature: from thee are all things, in thee are all things, to thee

all things return. The poet says, Dear city of Cecrops; and wilt not

thou say, Dear city of Zeus?

  Occupy thyself with few things, says the philosopher, if thou

wouldst be tranquil.- But consider if it would not be better to say,

Do what is necessary, and whatever the reason of the animal which is

naturally social requires, and as it requires. For this brings not

only the tranquility which comes from doing well, but also that

which comes from doing few things. For the greatest part of what we

say and do being unnecessary, if a man takes this away, he will have

more leisure and less uneasiness. Accordingly on every occasion a

man should ask himself, Is this one of the unnecessary things? Now a

man should take away not only unnecessary acts, but also,

unnecessary thoughts, for thus superfluous acts will not follow after.

  Try how the life of the good man suits thee, the life of him who

is satisfied with his portion out of the whole, and satisfied with his

own just acts and benevolent disposition.

  Hast thou seen those things? Look also at these. Do not disturb

thyself. Make thyself all simplicity. Does any one do wrong? It is

to himself that he does the wrong. Has anything happened to thee?

Well; out of the universe from the beginning everything which

happens has been apportioned and spun out to thee. In a word, thy life

is short. Thou must turn to profit the present by the aid of reason

and justice. Be sober in thy relaxation.

  Either it is a well-arranged universe or a chaos huddled together,

but still a universe. But can a certain order subsist in thee, and

disorder in the All? And this too when all things are so separated and

diffused and sympathetic.

  A black character, a womanish character, a stubborn character,

bestial, childish, animal, stupid, counterfeit, scurrilous,

fraudulent, tyrannical.

  If he is a stranger to the universe who does not know what is in it,

no less is he a stranger who does not know what is going on in it.

He is a runaway, who flies from social reason; he is blind, who

shuts the eyes of the understanding; he is poor, who has need of

another, and has not from himself all things which are useful for

life. He is an abscess on the universe who withdraws and separates

himself from the reason of our common nature through being

displeased with the things which happen, for the same nature

produces this, and has produced thee too: he is a piece rent asunder

from the state, who tears his own soul from that of reasonable

animals, which is one.

  The one is a philosopher without a tunic, and the other without a

book: here is another half naked: Bread I have not, he says, and I

abide by reason.- And I do not get the means of living out of my

learning, and I abide by my reason.

  Love the art, poor as it may be, which thou hast learned, and be

content with it; and pass through the rest of life like one who has

intrusted to the gods with his whole soul all that he has, making

thyself neither the tyrant nor the slave of any man.

  Consider, for example, the times of Vespasian. Thou wilt see all

these things, people marrying, bringing up children, sick, dying,

warring, feasting, trafficking, cultivating the ground, flattering,

obstinately arrogant, suspecting, plotting, wishing for some to die,

grumbling about the present, loving, heaping up treasure, desiring

counsulship, kingly power. Well then, that life of these people no

longer exists at all. Again, remove to the times of Trajan. Again, all

is the same. Their life too is gone. In like manner view also the

other epochs of time and of whole nations, and see how many after

great efforts soon fell and were resolved into the elements. But

chiefly thou shouldst think of those whom thou hast thyself known

distracting themselves about idle things, neglecting to do what was in

accordance with their proper constitution, and to hold firmly to

this and to be content with it. And herein it is necessary to remember

that the attention given to everything has its proper value and

proportion. For thus thou wilt not be dissatisfied, if thou appliest

thyself to smaller matters no further than is fit.

  The words which were formerly familiar are now antiquated: so also

the names of those who were famed of old, are now in a manner

antiquated, Camillus, Caeso, Volesus, Leonnatus, and a little after

also Scipio and Cato, then Augustus, then also Hadrian and

Antoninus. For all things soon pass away and become a mere tale, and

complete oblivion soon buries them. And I say this of those who have

shone in a wondrous way. For the rest, as soon as they have breathed

out their breath, they are gone, and no man speaks of them. And, to

conclude the matter, what is even an eternal remembrance? A mere

nothing. What then is that about which we ought to employ our

serious pains? This one thing, thoughts just, and acts social, and

words which never lie, and a disposition which gladly accepts all that

happens, as necessary, as usual, as flowing from a principle and

source of the same kind.

  Willingly give thyself up to Clotho, one of the Fates, allowing

her to spin thy thread into whatever things she pleases.

  Everything is only for a day, both that which remembers and that

which is remembered.

  Observe constantly that all things take place by change, and

accustom thyself to consider that the nature of the Universe loves

nothing so much as to change the things which are and to make new

things like them. For everything that exists is in a manner the seed

of that which will be. But thou art thinking only of seeds which are

cast into the earth or into a womb: but this is a very vulgar notion.

  Thou wilt soon die, and thou art not yet simple, not free from

perturbations, nor without suspicion of being hurt by external things,

nor kindly disposed towards all; nor dost thou yet place wisdom only

in acting justly.

  Examine men's ruling principles, even those of the wise, what kind

of things they avoid, and what kind they pursue.

  What is evil to thee does not subsist in the ruling principle of

another; nor yet in any turning and mutation of thy corporeal

covering. Where is it then? It is in that part of thee in which

subsists the power of forming opinions about evils. Let this power

then not form such opinions, and all is well. And if that which is

nearest to it, the poor body, is burnt, filled with matter and

rottenness, nevertheless let the part which forms opinions about these

things be quiet, that is, let it judge that nothing is either bad or

good which can happen equally to the bad man and the good. For that

which happens equally to him who lives contrary to nature and to him

who lives according to nature, is neither according to nature nor

contrary to nature.

  Constantly regard the universe as one living being, having one

substance and one soul; and observe how all things have reference to

one perception, the perception of this one living being; and how all

things act with one movement; and how all things are the cooperating

causes of all things which exist; observe too the continuous

spinning of the thread and the contexture of the web.

  Thou art a little soul bearing about a corpse, as Epictetus used

to say.

  It is no evil for things to undergo change, and no good for things

to subsist in consequence of change.

  Time is like a river made up of the events which happen, and a

violent stream; for as soon as a thing has been seen, it is carried

away, and another comes in its place, and this will be carried away

too.

  Everything which happens is as familiar and well known as the rose

in spring and the fruit in summer; for such is disease, and death, and

calumny, and treachery, and whatever else delights fools or vexes

them.

  In the series of things those which follow are always aptly fitted

to those which have gone before; for this series is not like a mere

enumeration of disjointed things, which has only a necessary sequence,

but it is a rational connection: and as all existing things are

arranged together harmoniously, so the things which come into

existence exhibit no mere succession, but a certain wonderful

relationship.

  Always remember the saying of Heraclitus, that the death of earth is

to become water, and the death of water is to become air, and the

death of air is to become fire, and reversely. And think too of him

who forgets whither the way leads, and that men quarrel with that with

which they are most constantly in communion, the reason which

governs the universe; and the things which daily meet with seem to

them strange: and consider that we ought not to act and speak as if we

were asleep, for even in sleep we seem to act and speak; and that we

ought not, like children who learn from their parents, simply to act

and speak as we have been taught.

  If any god told thee that thou shalt die to-morrow, or certainly

on the day after to-morrow, thou wouldst not care much whether it was

on the third day or on the morrow, unless thou wast in the highest

degree mean-spirited- for how small is the difference?- So think it

no great thing to die after as many years as thou canst name rather

than to-morrow.

  Think continually how many physicians are dead after often

contracting their eyebrows over the sick; and how many astrologers

after predicting with great pretensions the deaths of others; and

how many philosophers after endless discourses on death or

immortality; how many heroes after killing thousands; and how many

tyrants who have used their power over men's lives with terrible

insolence as if they were immortal; and how many cities are entirely

dead, so to speak, Helice and Pompeii and Herculaneum, and others

innumerable. Add to the reckoning all whom thou hast known, one

after another. One man after burying another has been laid out dead,

and another buries him: and all this in a short time. To conclude,

always observe how ephemeral and worthless human things are, and

what was yesterday a little mucus to-morrow will be a mummy or

ashes. Pass then through this little space of time conformably to

nature, and end thy journey in content, just as an olive falls off

when it is ripe, blessing nature who produced it, and thanking the

tree on which it grew.

  Be like the promontory against which the waves continually break,

but it stands firm and tames the fury of the water around it.

  Unhappy am I because this has happened to me.- Not so, but happy am

I, though this has happened to me, because I continue free from

pain, neither crushed by the present nor fearing the future. For

such a thing as this might have happened to every man; but every man

would not have continued free from pain on such an occasion. Why

then is that rather a misfortune than this a good fortune? And dost

thou in all cases call that a man's misfortune, which is not a

deviation from man's nature? And does a thing seem to thee to be a

deviation from man's nature, when it is not contrary to the will of

man's nature? Well, thou knowest the will of nature. Will then this

which has happened prevent thee from being just, magnanimous,

temperate, prudent, secure against inconsiderate opinions and

falsehood; will it prevent thee from having modesty, freedom, and

everything else, by the presence of which man's nature obtains all

that is its own? Remember too on every occasion which leads thee to

vexation to apply this principle: not that this is a misfortune, but

that to bear it nobly is good fortune.

  It is a vulgar, but still a useful help towards contempt of death,

to pass in review those who have tenaciously stuck to life. What

more then have they gained than those who have died early? Certainly

they lie in their tombs somewhere at last, Cadicianus, Fabius,

Julianus, Lepidus, or any one else like them, who have carried out

many to be buried, and then were carried out themselves. Altogether

the interval is small between birth and death; and consider with how

much trouble, and in company with what sort of people and in what a

feeble body this interval is laboriously passed. Do not then

consider life a thing of any value. For look to the immensity of

time behind thee, and to the time which is before thee, another

boundless space. In this infinity then what is the difference

between him who lives three days and him who lives three generations?

  Always run to the short way; and the short way is the natural:

accordingly say and do everything in conformity with the soundest

reason. For such a purpose frees a man from trouble, and warfare,

and all artifice and ostentatious display.