The Thoughts of Marcus Aurelius - College of Stoic Philosophers

THE SIXTH
BOOK
THE substance of the universe is obedient and compliant,
and the reason which governs
it has in itself no cause for
doing evil, for it has no malice, nor does it do evil to
any tiling, nor is anything harmed by it. But all things
are made and perfected according to this reason.
2. Let it make no difference to thee whether thou art
cold or warm, if thou art doing thy duty and whether
;
thou art drowsy or satisfied with sleep and whether ;
illspoken
of or praised and whether dying or doing some
;
thing else. For it is one of the acts of life, this act by
which we die : it is sufficient then in this act also to do
well what we have in hand (vi, 22, 28).
3. Look within. Let neither the peculiar quality of
anything nor its value escape thee.
4. All existing things soon change, and they will either
be reduced to vapour, if indeed all substance is one, or
they will be dispersed.
5. The reason which governs knows what its own
disposition is, and what it does, and on what material it
works.
6. The best way of avenging thyself is not to become
like the wrong-doer.
7. Take pleasure in one thing and rest in it, in passing
from one social act to another social act, thinking of God.
8. The ruling principle is that which rouses and turns
itself, and while it makes itself such as it is and such as
it wills to be, it also makes everything which happens
appear to itself to be such as it wills.
9. In conformity to the nature of the universe every
single thing is accomplished, for certainly it is not in
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