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Marcus Aurelius Antoninus to Himself - College of Stoic Philosophers

Marcus Aurelius Antoninus to Himself - College of Stoic Philosophers

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96 MARCUS ANTONINUS BOOK<br />

37 Shame on it for feature and gesture and<br />

38<br />

exterior adornment <strong>to</strong>, obey the bidding<br />

understanding, and for the understanding<br />

rule its own gesture and adornment.<br />

Fret not at circumstance, which recks not <strong>of</strong> it. 1<br />

39 To the immortal gods and us give joy.<br />

40 Lives are reaped like ears <strong>of</strong> corn,<br />

One is spared, another shorn. 2<br />

41 Though I and both my sons be spurned <strong>of</strong> God,<br />

There is be sure a reason.<br />

42 Right on my side and justice 3<br />

<strong>of</strong> the<br />

not <strong>to</strong><br />

43 "No wailing with the waiters, and no fever-<br />

throbsr<br />

44 From Pla<strong>to</strong>.<br />

"<br />

To such an one I should justly<br />

reply There, friend, you are mistaken ; a man<br />

who is worth anything at all should not reckon the<br />

45<br />

chances <strong>of</strong> life or death, but simply ask himself, in<br />

regard <strong>to</strong> any action, Is it right or is it wrong ?<br />

the act <strong>of</strong> a good man or a bad ? " 4<br />

" The truth is, gentlemen, it stands thus.<br />

Wherever a man's post is, whether selected by<br />

1<br />

Euripides, Bellerophon (Fr. 298).<br />

2<br />

Euripides, Hypsipyle (Fr. 752).<br />

3<br />

Aris<strong>to</strong>phanes, Acharnians, v. 66 1.<br />

4 Pla<strong>to</strong>, Apology 28 B.

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