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Marcus Aurelius Antoninus to Himself - College of Stoic Philosophers

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30 MARCUS ANTONINUS BOOK<br />

component elements in<strong>to</strong> which it can be analysed.<br />

Nothing so emancipates the mind, as the power <strong>of</strong><br />

systematically and truthfully testing everything<br />

that affects our life, and looking in<strong>to</strong> them in such<br />

a way as <strong>to</strong> infer the kind <strong>of</strong> order <strong>to</strong> which each<br />

belongs, the special use which it subserves, its<br />

relation and value <strong>to</strong> the universe, and in particular<br />

<strong>to</strong> man as a citizen and member <strong>of</strong> that supreme<br />

world-city,<br />

<strong>of</strong> which all other cities form as it<br />

were households. What is the object, ask, which<br />

now produces the given impression upon me? <strong>of</strong><br />

what is it compounded ? how long has it <strong>to</strong> last ?<br />

on what virtue does it make demand ? gentleness,<br />

courage, truth, good faith, simplicity, self-help, or<br />

what ? In each case say, This comes from god ;<br />

or, This is part <strong>of</strong> the co-ordination, the concaten-<br />

ating web, the concurrence <strong>of</strong> destiny : or, This is<br />

from one who is <strong>of</strong> the same s<strong>to</strong>ck and kind and<br />

fellowship as I, but who is ignorant <strong>of</strong> his true<br />

relation <strong>to</strong> nature ; I am not ignorant, and there-<br />

fore in accordance with nature's law <strong>of</strong> fellowship<br />

I treat him kindly and justly ; though at the same<br />

time in things relative I strive <strong>to</strong> hit their proper<br />

worth.<br />

12 If you put <strong>to</strong> use the present, earnestly, vigor-

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