The Emperor Marcus Antoninus: His Conversation with Himself/Book 11

by Marcus Aurelius Antoninus

BOOK XI.

THE Properties of a Rational Soul are these. She has the Privilege, to look into her own Nature, to cut out her Qualities,and Form her self to what Temper she pleases : She enjoys her Product, (whereas Trees and Cattle, bring Plenty for other Folks. ) Whether Life proves long or short, she gains the Ends of Living. Her Business is never maimed by Interruption, as it happens in a Dance, or a Play : No, she is never surpriz'd, her Performances are struck out at a Heat, and always finished and entire; So that she may say with Modesty enough, I have sustain'd no Damages, but carry off all that belongs to me. Farther, She ranges through the whole World, views its Figure ; looks into the Vacuum on the out-side on't, ^[1] and stretches on to an unmeasurable length of Time : She contemplates the Grand Revolutions of Nature, and how the Universe will be destroy'd, ^[2] and renew'd at Certain Periods : She considers that there will be nothing new for Posterity to gaze at ; And that our Ancestors stood upon the same Level for Observation : That all Ages are Uniform, and of a Colour, in so much that in forty Years time, a tolerable Genius for Sense and Enquiry, may acquaint himself With all that's past, and all that's to come. Lastly, 'Tis the Property of a Rational Soul, to love her Neighbours, to be remarkable for Truth and Sobriety ; To prefer nothing to her own Dignity and Authority, which is likewise the Custom and Prerogative of a Law ; And thus far the Quality and Measures of right Reason, and publick Justice are the same.

II. The way to despise the Pleasure of a fine Song, a well-performed Dance, or the Olympick Exercises, is as follows : As for the Song, take the Musick in pieces, and examine the Notes by themselves, and ask as you go along, Is it this, or this single sound, that has subdued me ? You'l be asham'd to confess the Conquest, and so get clear of the Charm. Thus, to lessen the Diversion of Dancing, consider every Movement and Gesture, apart. And this Method will hold with Respect to the Olympick Exercises. ^[3] In short. All other Entertainments but those of Virtue, abate by taking them asunder, and therefore apply the Expedient to all other parts of your Life.

III. What a brave Soul is that, that's always prepar'd to walk out of the Body, and unconcern'd about her being either extinguish'd, scatter'd, ^[4] or remov'd ? Prepared I say upon Judgment, and not out of mere Obstinacy like the Christians ; ^[5] To recommend the Example, this Fortitude must have nothing of Ostentation, but be carried on with a Solemn Air of Gravity, and Consideration.

IV. Have I oblig'd any Body, or done the World any Service ? If so, the Action has rewarded me ; This Answer will encourage Good Nature, therefore let it always be at Hand.

V. What may your Trade or Profession be ? 'Tis to live like a Man of Virtue and Probity. And how can this end be better compass'd, than by the Contemplation of the Nature of the World, and of Mankind in particular; and the Influence the one has upon the Affairs of the other.

VI. As to Dramatick Performances, Tragedy appear'd first. The Design of them was to show the Misfortunes of Life were Customary and Common. That thus the Fiction might reconcile them to the Reality ; and that what diverted them upon the Stage, might surprize them the less when they met with it in the World. Thus People see there's no living without Accidents ; Mortifications, and severe ones too, will happen; Kings and Princes can't stand clear of them. And to give the Stage-Poets their due, they have some sententious and serviceable Passages; as for Instance,

If I, and mine, are by the Gods neglected, There's reason for their Rigour.

Again,

Ne're quarrel Accidents, for Things are sullen, And don't regard your Anger;

Once more;

Fate Mowes down Life like Corn, this Mortal falls, And to'ther stands a while. ^[6]

These Instances may suffice, otherwise I might go on with them: Next to Tragedy, Old Comedy took a turn upon the Stage; And here Pride and Ambition was lash'd and pointed at, with great Freedom and Authority, and not without some Success. And for this Reason, Diogenes sometimes made use of the Poet's Discipline. You are now to observe that Middle Comedy succeeded to the Old, and the New to the Middle ; This last kind sinking by degrees to the Buffoonry of the Mimi. 'Tis true, there are some useful Expressions to be met with even here; But then you are to consider the Tendency of the whole Poem, and what these Dramatick Diversions drive at in General. ^[7]

VII. Nothing is clearer to me than that the Principles you go upon ^[8] are as good a Foundation for Philosophy, and Improvement, as are to be met with, in any other Sect whatsoever.

VIII. A Bough by being lopp'd off from another, must of Necessity be lopp'd from the whole Tree: Thus a Man that breaks with another looses the Benefit of the whole Community. 'Tis true a Bough is lopp'd off by a Foreign Hand ; But this Moral Amputation is all Voluntary; 'Tis the Man that pulls himself asunder by his untoward Aversion to his Neighbour : He little thinks by this unhappy Division, how he Disincorporates himself from the Body of Mankind ! And here the Goodness of God who founded this Society is extraordinary. He has put it in our Power to grow to the Limb we left, and come again into the Advantage of the main Body, But if this Misfortune is often repeated, 'twill be a hard Matter to restore the Part, and close the Division. For as Gardiners observe, a Bough cut off and Graffed in again, is not in the same good Condition, with another which always Flourish'd upon the Trunk ; For, tho' the first does not grow out of its Kind, yet it suffers somewhat in its Figure and Beauty. ^[9]

IX. Never grow sour upon Peoples Malice, or Impertinence : Can they beat you off your Reason, or stop your Progress in Virtue ; Not at all. Be not then Disconcerted, nor check your Good-nature towards them. If you meet with Opposition and Ill-will, you must neither be Diverted, nor Disturb'd, but keep your Point, and your Temper too. For as 'tis a Weakness to loose your Spirits, and be thrown off your Conduct, so 'tis likewise to be angry with Impertinent People : Upon the whole; They are both a sort of Deserters from Providence, who are either frighten'd from their Duty, or fall out with those of their own Nature, and Family. ^[10]

X. Nature falls short of Art in no Instance; Art being but an Imitation of Nature; And if so, the most perfect and best Furnisht, Nature can't be suppos'd to work with less Reach than a common Artificer. Now in all Arts the Less in value are contrived for the sake of the Greater ; This therefore is the method of General Nature, or the First Cause : And upon this Ground Justice is founded , which consists in a Regard, and Preference of Things according to their Dignity and Worth. The other Virtues are likewise Govern'd by this Rule, and are but Acts of Justice differently applyed. But Just we can never be, if we are Eager and Anxious about External Advantages, if we are apt to be impos'd on , and grow heedless, and inconstant in our Motion.

XI. Aversions and Desires are the general occasions of Disturbance ; Now since the Objects of these Passions don't press upon you, but 'tis you that make up to them in some measure, whereas they stand off, and keep their Distance : ^[11] your Method is therefore, to let your Opinion about them lye still ; This suspension of your Judgment, will bring you towards an Indifference. And then you'l neither pursue, nor avoid them any longer.

XII. The Figure of the Soul , as we may call it, is then round and Uniform , when she neither Reaches after any thing Foreign ; nor shrinks in, out of Cowardize and Fear : When her superficies is thus Even, the Light plays better upon her: The prospect of Truth and Nature is enlarg'd; and she sees the World, and her self to the most Advantage.

XII. Does any one despise me ? What's that to me ? I'le take care not to give him any Reason for his Contempt. Does any one hate me? It may be so; I shan't concern my self about it. And more then that, another Man's Malice shall ne're spoil my Temper: I'le continue Kind and good Humoured to all the World, even to the Injurious Person himself. I'm always ready to shew him his Error, without Ruffling, or making a Merit of my own Patience; But frankly , and with all the Cordial Sincerity imaginable, as Phocion seem'd to behave himself towards the Athenians : ^[12] Indeed your Mind should always be so dispos'd, as to bear the narrowest Inspection, that the God's may examine you with Pleasure, and perceive that you are neither Angry, nor Uneasy at any Thing. Now if you follow the Current of your Nature, and do a handsome Action, where's the Harm on't? What are you unwilling to submit to Providence? To comply with the Interest of the Universe, when you Know you were made on purpose for't.

XIV. People generally Despise, where they Flatter ; And cringe to those they would gladly overtop, so that Truth, and Ceremony, are two Things.

XV. How fulsome, and hollow does that Man look that cryes, I'm resolv'd to deal clearly with you: Heark you Friend, what need of all this Flourish? Let your Actions speak: To go to the right on't , your Face ought to vouch for you , and your Sincerity be Legible upon your Forehead. I would have Virtue look out of the Eye, no less apparently than Love does : I would have Honesty so incorporated with the Constitution, so mixed up with the Blood and Spirits, that it should be discoverable by the Sences, and as easily distinguish'd as Rankness, or a strong Breath ; so that a Man must be forced to find it out whether he would or no. But on the other side, an Affectation of being Real, is an untoward pretence: Nothing is more scandalous than false Friendship, and therefore of all things avoid it. In short; A Man of Integrity and Good-Nature can never be conceal'd, for his Character is wrought into his Countenance.

XVI. To bestow no more upon Objects than they deserve, and where Things are Indifferent to let our Thoughts be so too, is a noble Expedient for Happiness ; The way to come up to this Indifferency, is to look Through Matters, and take them quite asunder: ^[13] Remembring always , that Things can't Charge into the Soul, nor force us upon any Opinions about them : They stand Aloof, and are quiet ; 'Tis our Fancy that makes them, Operate and Gall us ; 'Tis we that Rate them and give them their Bulk, and Value; And yet tis in our Power to let it alone; And if any false Colours are laid on by surprize, we may rub them out if We please: We are likewise to consider that this Trouble won't last, that Death will Relieve us quickly ; where then is the difficulty of standing upon our Guard a little while ? If therefore your Circumstances put you in a way of Improvement, and there's any thing to be made out of them, bid them heartily welcome, and then your Inclination will make you easie : But if they prove unmanageably cross, ( which by the way is a wrong Supposition, ) Look out for something that's more serviceable to the Dignity of your Nature; And never let Infamy, or being Unpopular, deter yon from the Pursuit, For certainly every Man may take leave to make himself Happy if he can.

XVII. Consider the Original of all Things, the Matter they are made of; the Alterations they must run through , and the Qualities consequent upon't; And that all this Instability of Nature has no manner of harm in't.

XVIII. Concerning those that offend , and disoblige you, consider in the First place, the Relation you stand in towards them, and that you are all made for each other. And as for your own part you are particlarly set at the Head of the World; And like a Ram in a Flock, design'd for Defence and Protection. You may go higher in your Reasoning if you please, and consider that either Chance, or Providence Governs the Universe ; if the latter, then the Coarser parts of the Creation were made for the Service of their Betters; And these last for the Interest and Support of each other.

Secondly ; consider how wretchedly They mismanage their own Business, and how far they are gone in Luxury, and Libertinism, especially you should remember what strong Prejudices they lye under, how confident they are in their Mistakes, and with what satisfaction they play the Fool.

Thirdly; Consider that if those that disoblige you, are in the Right, you have no reason to be Angry ; But if they are in the wrong, 'tis because they know no better. They are under the Necessity of their own Ignorance. For as all Error is involuntary ; so no body would lessen themselve so much as to miss either Honesty, or Good Manners, if they were rightly aware on't. And thus we see People won't endure the Charge of Avarice, Ingratitude, or Knavery , without being stung at the Imputation.

Fourthly ; Don't forget you are like the rest of the World, and Faulty your self in a great many Instances; That tho' you may forbear running Riot in some Cases, 'tis not for want of an Inclination: And that nothing but Cowardize, Vanity, or some such scandalous Principle, hinders you from breaking out.

Fifthy , That 'tis sometimes a hard matter to be certain whether you have received ill usage or not : For Men's Actions oftentimes look worse than they are: And one must be throughly informed of a great many things before he can be rightly qualifyed to give Judgment in the Case.

Sixthly, When you are most Angry and Gall'd, remember that Humane Life lasts but a Moment, and that we shall all of us very quickly , be laid in our Graves.

Seventhly, Consider that 'tis not other Peoples Actions, ( for they are lodg'd at Home, and are neither Good, nor Bad to to any but those that do them, ) which disturb us, but only our own Opinions about them. Do but then dismiss these Notions, and don't fancy the Thing a Grievance, and your Passion will cease immediately. But how can this Fancy be Discharg'd ? By considering that bare suffering, has nothing of Infamy or Scandal in't. Now unless you restrain the Notion of Evil to what is Scandalous and Dishonest, your own Vertue will grow precarious, and you'l be under a Necessity of doing a great many unwarrantable Things.^[14]

Eighthly, Consider that our Anger and Impatience often proves much more Mischievous , than the Provocation could possibly have done.

Ninthly, That Gentleness and Good Humour are invincible, provided they are of the right Stamp, without any thing of Hypocrisy, or Grimace. This is the way to Disarm the most Barbarous, and Sagave : A constancy in Obliging Behaviour, will make the most Outragious Person asham'd of his Malice : The worst Body imaginable can't find in his heart to do you any Mischief, if you continue kind and unmov'd under ill Usage, if you strike in with the right opportunity for Advice; If when he is going to do you an ill Turn, you endeavour to recover his Understanding, and retrieve his Temper in such gentle Language as this. Prethee Child be quiet, Men were never made to worry one another ; In earnest if you go on , my dear Friend, you'l have the worst on't ; As for my part, I'm proof against every Thing, but my own Folly. Then Proceed to Illustrate the Point and let your Arguments be General and Inoffensive : Shew him that Brutes are upon better Terms than this comes to; That 'tis not the custom of Bees to spend their Stings upon their own kind, nor of one Heard of Cattle to draw up against another. And let all this be done out of stark Love and Kindness, without any thing of Bantering or Biting: You must likewise stand clear of Vanity in your address ; Don't seem to flourish upon the Subject, as if you were declaiming in the Schools, and Courting the Audience for Commendation : If there is any Company, ne're set your self off to them : But Discourse him with as little Straining and Affectation, as if there was no body but himself.

Lay up these Nine Heads in your Memory with as much Care as if they were a Present from the Nine Muses : for now 'tis high time to begin to be a Man for your Life time. And here you must take care to Guard against Flattery, as well as Anger ; For these are both unserviceable Qualities, and do a great deal of Mischief in the World. And for a farther preservative against the latter, remember that Frowardness and Rage are Marks of an Unmanly Disposition. Mildness and Temper are not only more Humane, but more Masculine too : One thus Affected appears much more brave, and Firm , and better fortified, than he that's Fuming, and out of sorts. For impassibility is an argument of Greatness ; And he that has the least Feeling in these Cases, has always the most strength : On the other hand, as Grief is a sign of Weakness, so is Anger too ; A Man is wounded in both these Passions, and the smart is too big for him.

As you have received these Nine Precepts from the Muses, take this Tenth if you please , from their President and Instructor Apollo : That to wish all People may not do ill Things is to wish an imposibility, and no better then a peice of Distraction. But then to give them leave to plague other Folks, and desire to be priviledged your self, is a Foolish and a Haughty expectation.

XIX. There are four ill Qualities we must be particularly careful to avoid, ^[15] and pull them up as fast as we find them grow in our Heads: and undertake them as they rise in this fashion. This fancy (say) is Groundless and Unnecessary: This rough behaviour makes Society , and Correspondence impracticable : This t'other is but a Copy of your Countenance; you can't say it from your heart, ^[16] Now this is a very bad Character. There's Three of them : And whatever you are conscious degrades the Diviner part of you, makes your Mind Truckle to your Body , and your Reason to your Pleasures, look upon that as the Fourth.

XX. Those Particles of Fire and Air which are lodg'd in your Body, notwithstanding their Tendency to Mount , submit to the Laws of the Universe , stick close to your Constitution , and keep the rest of the Elements Company. Again, the Earthly, and Watry Part in you, tho' they naturally press downwards, are raised above their Level, and stand pois'd in a Foreign Region : Thus the Elements serve the Interest of the World. And tho' they seem to stand bent and uneasie, they keep their Post, till the Signal is given to march off, and separate. And is it not then a scandalous business that your Mind should be the only Deserter, and grow Mutinous about her Station? Especially when her Orders agree with her Constitution, and nothing that's unnatural is enjoyn'd? And yet she won't bear the Conduct of her own Faculties , but runs perfectly Counter to Humanity. For when a Man turns Knave, or Libertine, when he gives way to Fears and Fits of the Spleen, he does as it were run away from himself, and Desert his own Nature : And farther , when his Mind complains of his Fortune, he quits the Station in which Providence has placed him. For Acquiescence , and Piety are no less his Duty, and his Talent too, than Honesty between Man and Man : For these Virtues carry up to the common Interest, and are rather of greater Antiquity, and Value, than Fair Dealing it self. ^[17]

XXI. He that docs not always drive at the same End, will never be Uniform, and of a peice in his Conduct. But this Hint is too short, unless you describe the Quality of this Design, and what it is that we ought principally to Aim at. Now as People don't agree in the Preferences of Choice, and the Notion of Advantage, unless in what relates to the Common Good, so a Man ought to propose the Benefit of Society and the general Interest of the World, as his main business. For he that Levels at this Mark, will keep an even Hand, and be always consistent with himself.

XXII. Remember the Story of the Country and City Mouse, and how pitifully the former was frightned and surpriz'd. ^[18]

XXIII. Socrates us'd to say, the Common Objects of Terror, were nothing but Bugbears, fit only to scare Crows, and Children.

XXIV. The Lacedemonians at their Publick Shews, seated Strangers under a Canopy in the Shade, but made their own People Shift, and take their Convenience as they found it. ^[19]

XXV. Socrates being invited to Perdicas's Court, ^[20] made this Excuse, I dare not come says he for fear of being put under an incapacity of returning an Obligation; which I take to be the worst way of destroying a Man imaginable.

XXVI. 'Tis a Precept of the Epicurean Philosophers, that we should look back to the Virtue of former Ages ; And always furnish our Memory with some Eminent Example.

XXVII. The Pythagoreans would have us look up into the Sky every Morning : To put us in mind of the Order, and Constancy of the Heavenly Bodies, of the quality and Perpetuity of their Motion, of the Fineness and Purity of their Matter, and how frankly they lye open to Observation; for a Star never wears a Mask, nor puts any Cloaths on.

XXVIII. Remember how unconcern'dly Socrates wore a Sheep-skin ; when Xantippe ^[21] had got his Coat on , and run out with it. And how handsomly he Laugh'd off the Matter to his Friends , who were strangely out of Countenance by seeing him in such a Disguise.

XXIX. People don't pretend to teach others to Write, and Read, till they have been taught themselves : This Rule holds stronger in the Niceties, and Importance of Life ; in which no Man is fit to Govern, till he has first Learn'd to Obey.

XXX. Be Dumb, Slaves han't the Priviledge of speaking. ^[22]

XXXI. I smiled within my self.

XXXII. They'l treat their Parents with Rebellious, Language. ^[23]

XXXIII. He is a Mad-man that expects Figs on the Trees in Winter ; And he is little better that calls for his Children again, when they are Dead and Buried.

XXXIV. Epictetus would have a Man when he is Kissing , and Caressing his Child, say to himself at the same time ; To morrow perhaps this Pretty thing may Dye and leave me. These are sower Ominous Reflections you'l say. That's your mistake: The consequences of Mortality, and the Course of Nature, are no Ominous things to think on, otherwise it would be an Ominous business to cut down a little Grass, or Corn.

XXXV. Grapes are first sower, then ripe, then Raisins, these are all no more than bare Alterations; not into Nothing, but into something which does not appear, and come up at present.

XXXVI. As Epictetus observes, No body can rob another of his Will, nor by consequence make seizure of his Virtue.

XXXVII. The same Philosopher has Taught us the Art of Managing our Assent and preventing our Reason from being impos'd on; That we should Enterprize with a reserve for Disappointment; that our Inclinations should be Generous and Benevolent, and proportion'd to the Merit and Dignity of Things: that we must keep our Desires from being Headstrong and Unruly in all Cases; And never have an Aversion for any Thing, which 'tis out of our power to hinder.

XXXVIII. Therefore as Epictetus observes, the contest is no Trifle, but whether we are to live in our Wits, or out of them.^[24]

XXXIX. 'Tis a saying of Socrates to some untoward People; "what would you be at? Would you have the Soul of a Man, or of a Beast in you? Of a Man without all doubt: Of what sort of Men, of those that use their Reason, or those that abuse it? Of the First, you may be sure. Why then continues the Philosopher, don't you look out for this Priviledge? Because we have it already. What makes you then Disagree, and fall foul upon each other?"

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1. The Stoicks imagined that on the outside of the World there was a Void or Vacuum, that is Extension, unfurnish'd with Substance or Body.
2. By Conflagrations
3. Boxing, Running, Wrastling, Leaping and Playing at Quoits, &c.
4. Into Atomes.
5. The true Bravery of the Christians, was misrepresented to the Emperour.
6. Eurip. Hypsipyl. See Book 7. Sect. 39. 41, 42.
7. 'Tis D'acier's Observation that the Emperour condemns all sorts of Plays; tho' upon the Comparison he prefers the Old Comody to the New; Because the Old made Instruction, not Pleasure, their Principal Design.
8. The Emperour's main Principles are the Love of God and our Neighbour.
9. See Book 5. 8. Book 8. 34.
10. See Book 2. Sect. 1.
11. See Book 5. Sect 19. Book 9. 15
12. Phocion at his Execution charg'd his Son not to bear a Grudge against the Athenians, for putting him to Death. Plut.
13. See. Sect. 2.
14. See Book 9. 1.
15. D'acier supposes the Emperour means Suspiciousness, ill Language, Lying and intemperance.
16. See Book 2. 16.
17. Piety the fundation of Justice.
18. This hint I suppose was design'd to shew the danger of Curiosity, and Appetite.
19. 'Twas the Custom of the Lacedemonians to breed their People hardily.
20. Seneca reports this invitation was made by Archelaiu King of Macedon.
21. His Wife.
22. A Tragick Poet quoted by Philode Libert. viri boni Hom. Odyss.
23. Hesiod. Oper. Lib. 1. V. 184. These shreds of Poetry seem to be set down by the Emperour as Hints for farther Meditation. Gatak.
24. The Stoicks reckon'd all People Mad-men that did not live up to the Precepts of Virtue, and Philosophy.