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Marcus Aurelius Antoninus to Himself - College of Stoic Philosophers

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cxxx INTRODUCTION SECT.<br />

in conviction, or more elevated in expression than in<br />

<strong>Marcus</strong>. 1 His '<br />

ruler and guide,' his 'pilot' and his<br />

'lawgiver,' his 'monarch and lord,' man must 'keep the<br />

deity enshrined within his heart unsoiled and unperturbed,<br />

serenely concerting the divine Order by truth <strong>of</strong> utterance<br />

and justice <strong>of</strong> act.' By this, '<br />

the most precious organ<br />

we possess, we attain faith, honour, truth, law, and a<br />

good god<br />

within.' 2<br />

In this way <strong>Marcus</strong> grafts public and personal religion<br />

in<strong>to</strong> the central tenet <strong>of</strong> Cosmic order and inherence<br />

which dominates his universe <strong>of</strong> thought. This de-<br />

termines for him the life c<br />

in conformity with nature/ 3<br />

and from it may be deduced all the main affirmations<br />

which make up his moral system.<br />

The individual is part <strong>of</strong> a whole, knit <strong>to</strong>gether in<br />

essential unity <strong>of</strong> being, operation, and design. The<br />

action <strong>of</strong> the part has meaning only as a function <strong>of</strong> the<br />

whole. To recognise the function is reason, <strong>to</strong> discharge<br />

it life 'in smooth flow.' All obligation is cosmic in its<br />

source and sanction. Justice, the base <strong>of</strong> all the virtues,' 4<br />

expresses itself <strong>to</strong>wards man, but is in essence a part <strong>of</strong><br />

holiness, 5 a consonance <strong>of</strong> will with God ;<br />

so likewise in-<br />

justice is no mere infringement or misappropriation <strong>of</strong><br />

another's right, but a transgression <strong>of</strong> the primal will, a<br />

sin <strong>of</strong> irreverence committed not against man but God. 6<br />

1 Cf. ii. 13, 17; iii. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 12, 16 ; iv. I, 12; v. 10,<br />

26, 27; vii. 64; viii. 45; x. 13; xii. I, 19, 26.<br />

2 x. 13<br />

3 iv. 23, 29, 49; v. i, 25; vi. 16; vii. u, 18; viii. i, 5,<br />

54 ; x. 2, 25, 28 } xi. 1 6, 20, etc.<br />

4<br />

xi. 10.<br />

6<br />

xi. 20; xii. i.<br />

6 xi. i.

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