The Thoughts of Marcus Aurelius - College of Stoic Philosophers

186 THE THOUGHTS OF x
22. Either thou livest here and hast already accustomed
thyself to it, or thou art going away, and this was thy
own will ;
or thou art dying and hast discharged thy
duty. But besides these things there is nothing. Be of
good cheer then.
23. Let this always be plain to thee, that this piece of
land is like any other ;
and that all things here are the
same with things on the top of a mountain, or on the
seashore, or wherever thou choosest to be. For thou wilt
find just what Plato says, Making the walls of the city
like a shepherd s fold on a mountain. [The three last
words are omitted. They are unintelligible.] 1
24. What is my ruling faculty now to me ? and of
what nature am I now making it ? and for what purpose
am I now using it? is it void of understanding?
is it
loosed and rent asunder from social life ? is it melted
into and mixed with the poor flesh so as to move together
with it ?
25. He who flies from his master is a runaway ; but
the law is master, and he who breaks the law is a runaway.
And he also who is grieved or angry or afraid, f is dis
satisfied because something has been or is or shall be of
the things which are appointed by him who rules all
and he is Law, and assigns to every man what is
things,
fit. He then who fears or is grieved or is angry is a
runaway. 2
26. A man deposits seed in a womb and goes away,
and then another cause takes it, and labours on it and
makes a child. What a thing from such a material !
Again, the child passes food down through the throat,
and then another cause takes it and makes perception
and motion, and in fine life and strength and other things ;
them, but most people express them without knowing how much
they mean.
1
Plato, Theaet. 174 D. E.
1
Antoninus is here playing on the etymology of vo^os, law, assign
ment, that which assigns <>e>j)
to every man his portion.