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Marcus Aurelius Antoninus to Himself - College of Stoic Philosophers

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i8o MARCUS ANTONINUS BOOK<br />

all else, but in handling the bridle it is more<br />

efficient than the right.: that comes <strong>of</strong> practice.<br />

7 Think what a man should be in body and<br />

soul, when death overtakes him : think <strong>of</strong> the<br />

shortness <strong>of</strong> life, <strong>of</strong> the unfathomable eternity<br />

behind and before, <strong>of</strong> the weakness <strong>of</strong> all things<br />

material.<br />

8 Strip <strong>of</strong>f the husks, and look at the underlying<br />

causes ; look at the tendencies <strong>of</strong> action ; at pain,<br />

pleasure, death, reputation ; at man,<br />

quieter ;<br />

his own dis-<br />

see how every contravention comes from<br />

within, not from without ; how the view taken is<br />

everything.<br />

9 In applying principles <strong>to</strong> action be like the<br />

boxer 1 not the swordsman. The swordsman lays<br />

by his sword and takes it up again ; but the<br />

boxer's hand is always there, he has nothing <strong>to</strong> do<br />

but <strong>to</strong> clench it.<br />

10 Look at things as they are, discriminating<br />

matter, cause, and tendency.<br />

11 How great is man's prerogative <strong>to</strong> do nothing<br />

but what god approves, and <strong>to</strong> accept all that god<br />

assigns.<br />

12 In the order <strong>of</strong> nature, we must not find<br />

1<br />

Strictly " "<br />

pancratiast<br />

a mixture <strong>of</strong> boxing and wrestling.

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