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Marcus Aurelius Antoninus to Himself - College of Stoic Philosophers

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iv TO HIMSELF 39<br />

not looking at what some neighbour says or does<br />

or thinks, but only taking care that our, own acts<br />

are just and holy ; the good man must not heed<br />

black hearts, but head straight for the goal, casting<br />

not a glance behind.<br />

He who is aflutter for fame perceives not, that 19<br />

<strong>of</strong> those who remember him every man will soon<br />

be dead ; so <strong>to</strong>o in due course will each <strong>of</strong> their<br />

successors, till the last flicker <strong>of</strong> memory, through<br />

flutterings and failings, dies al<strong>to</strong>gether out. Nay<br />

assume that those who remember you are immortal,<br />

and memory immortal, what is that <strong>to</strong> you ? To<br />

you dead, absolutely nothing. Well but <strong>to</strong> you<br />

indeed for some<br />

living, what good is praise, except<br />

secondary end ? Why then neglect unseasonably<br />

nature's present gift, and cling <strong>to</strong> what one or<br />

another says hereafter?<br />

Anything in any wise beautiful or noble, owes 20<br />

the beauty <strong>to</strong> itself, and with itself its beauty ends ;<br />

praise forms no part <strong>of</strong> it ; for praise<br />

does not<br />

make its object worse or better. This is true <strong>of</strong><br />

the commoner forms <strong>of</strong> beauty material objects<br />

for instance and works <strong>of</strong> art no less than <strong>of</strong> the<br />

ideal ; true beauty needs no addition, any more<br />

than law, or truth, or kindness, or self-respect.

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