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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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vin TO HIMSELF in<br />

accept<br />

Remember that <strong>to</strong> change your course and <strong>to</strong> 16<br />

correction is no surrender <strong>of</strong> freedom. Your<br />

action follows your own impulse and judgment,<br />

and keeps the course which your own mind sets.<br />

If the fault rests with you, why do it ? if with 17<br />

another, with what do you find fault? the a<strong>to</strong>ms,<br />

or the gods ? Either is idiotcy. Find fault with<br />

nobody. If you can, set the doer right ; if that<br />

is impossible, at least set the thing right ; if<br />

even that cannot be, <strong>to</strong> what purpose is your<br />

fault-finding? For everything must have some<br />

purpose.<br />

That which dies does not drop out <strong>of</strong> the 18<br />

universe. Here it bides, and here <strong>to</strong>o it changes<br />

and is dispersed in<strong>to</strong> its elements, the rudiments<br />

<strong>of</strong> the universe and <strong>of</strong> yourself. And they <strong>to</strong>o<br />

change,<br />

and murmur not.<br />

Everything horse, vine, or what not exists 19<br />

for some end. Marvel not that even the Sun<br />

says, '<br />

I have a work <strong>to</strong> do,' and so <strong>to</strong>o the<br />

other gods. What then is yours ? Pleasure ? Is<br />

the thought <strong>to</strong>lerable ?<br />

Nature takes concern in everything,<br />

in its 20<br />

cessation no less than its first beginning or con-<br />

tinuance. It is like one casting a ball. What

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