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Marcus Aurelius Antoninus to Himself - College of Stoic Philosophers

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122 MARCUS ANTONINUS BOOK<br />

How then can you create a living<br />

fountain within ?<br />

imbue yourself in freedom every hour, with charity,<br />

simplicity and self-respect.<br />

52 He who knows not the world-order, knows not<br />

his own place therein. And he who knows not<br />

for what end he exists, knows not himself nor the<br />

world. He who fails in either knowledge, cannot<br />

so much as say for what he himself exists. What<br />

think you then <strong>of</strong> him, who seeks or shuns the<br />

clatter <strong>of</strong> men, who understand not where or what<br />

they<br />

are ?<br />

53 Would you have the praises <strong>of</strong> him who thrice<br />

an hour execrates himself? Would you satisfy<br />

the man who cannot satisfy himself? And can a<br />

man satisfy himself, who repents <strong>of</strong> nigh every-<br />

thing<br />

he does ?<br />

54 You breathe the air that encompasses you :<br />

think likewise with the all-encompassing mind.<br />

Mind-power is no less all-pervading<br />

and diffused<br />

for him who can draw therefrom, than the atmo-<br />

sphere for respiration.<br />

55 Evil-doing does not hurt the universe at large :<br />

evil <strong>to</strong> one part does not hurt another. It is<br />

hurtful <strong>to</strong> the evil-doer only, and release from it is<br />

within his reach as soon as he so wills.

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