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Marcus Aurelius Antoninus to Himself - College of Stoic Philosophers

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in 3 STOIC DOGMA Ixix<br />

his inner constitution. Human psychology, which the<br />

S<strong>to</strong>ics diligently elaborated, rests on the pantheistic as-<br />

sumption which is the keys<strong>to</strong>ne <strong>of</strong> their system. Every<br />

manifestation <strong>of</strong> life derives from the immanent presence<br />

<strong>of</strong> the one world-life. The soul in man,<br />

incarnate for a<br />

season as a spring <strong>of</strong> human life, is subsequently re-<br />

absorbed in<strong>to</strong> the cosmic spirit from which it emerged<br />

as a seminal principle <strong>of</strong> separate life. Comprising and<br />

controlling all the activities <strong>of</strong> thought, emotion, sense,<br />

and life, like the world-soul itself, it may be known by<br />

many names. Epictetus, for instance, speaks usually <strong>of</strong><br />

'<br />

soul '<br />

but <strong>Marcus</strong> j characteristically favours the schol-<br />

astic designation, which throws chief emphasis upon the<br />

directive will, and calls it the Hegemonic^- or Master<br />

Power. The purest expression <strong>of</strong> soul, the distinctively<br />

human element, which unites man with the highest in<br />

nature, and keeps him 'in <strong>to</strong>uch with god,' 2<br />

is the<br />

Reason, Mind, or Understanding (Aoyos, vos, Stavota,<br />

Aoyioy/,os) ; the sovereign presence<br />

<strong>of</strong> this element lifts<br />

man above every other creature, cements the inalien-<br />

able brotherhood <strong>of</strong> kind, and makes conscious con-<br />

formity <strong>to</strong> nature his spiritual prerogative and goal.<br />

An absolute unity prevails within the dominion <strong>of</strong> man's<br />

self, and the whole is properly described by that which<br />

is its highest function and expression ; virtue and know-<br />

ledge are made one, and the contribu<strong>to</strong>ry activities,<br />

which concern the emotions or the appetites or the<br />

1 This I have reluctantly paraphrased in the text as Inner Self,<br />

or here and there Governing Self; for the World Hegemonikon (vi.<br />

36 ; vii. 75) I have used Soul.

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