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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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BOOK xii MARCUS ANTONINUS 177<br />

the part affected must look <strong>to</strong> that. If then, now<br />

that you near your end, leaving all else alone,<br />

you will reverence only your<br />

god within, if you<br />

Inner Self and the<br />

will fear not life some time<br />

coming <strong>to</strong> an end, but never beginning life at all<br />

in accord with nature's law, then indeed you will<br />

be a man, worthy <strong>of</strong> the universe that begat you,<br />

and no more a stranger <strong>to</strong> your fatherland, ever<br />

in amaze at the unexpectedness <strong>of</strong> what each day<br />

brings forth, and hanging upon this event or that.<br />

God sees men's Inner Selves stripped <strong>of</strong> their 2<br />

material shells and husks and impurities. Mind<br />

<strong>to</strong> mind, his mental being <strong>to</strong>uches only<br />

the like<br />

elements in us derivative and immanent from him.<br />

By accus<strong>to</strong>ming yourself <strong>to</strong> the same habit, you<br />

will save yourself most part <strong>of</strong> the distracting<br />

strain. For he who looks not <strong>to</strong> his shell <strong>of</strong><br />

flesh, will assuredly not make ado over raiment<br />

and house and reputation, intent on the mere<br />

trappings and stagings.<br />

You consist <strong>of</strong> three parts body, breath, 3<br />

mind. The first two are yours, <strong>to</strong> the extent <strong>of</strong><br />

requiring your care : the third only is properly<br />

your own. Now if you separate from your true<br />

self your understanding all that others do or<br />

N

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