DioLiu/Test1 · Datasets at Hugging Face

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flowing from a principle and source of the same kind.

Willingly give thyself up to Clotho, one of the Fates, allowing her
to spin thy thread into whatever things she pleases.

Everything is only for a day, both that which remembers and that which
is remembered.

Observe constantly that all things take place by change, and accustom
thyself to consider that the nature of the Universe loves nothing
so much as to change the things which are and to make new things like
them. For everything that exists is in a manner the seed of that which
will be. But thou art thinking only of seeds which are cast into the
earth or into a womb: but this is a very vulgar notion.

Thou wilt soon die, and thou art not yet simple, not free from perturbations,
nor without suspicion of being hurt by external things, nor kindly
disposed towards all; nor dost thou yet place wisdom only in acting
justly.

Examine men's ruling principles, even those of the wise, what kind
of things they avoid, and what kind they pursue.

What is evil to thee does not subsist in the ruling principle of another;
nor yet in any turning and mutation of thy corporeal covering. Where
is it then? It is in that part of thee in which subsists the power
of forming opinions about evils. Let this power then not form such
opinions, and all is well. And if that which is nearest to it, the
poor body, is burnt, filled with matter and rottenness, nevertheless
let the part which forms opinions about these things be quiet, that
is, let it judge that nothing is either bad or good which can happen
equally to the bad man and the good. For that which happens equally
to him who lives contrary to nature and to him who lives according
to nature, is neither according to nature nor contrary to nature.

Constantly regard the universe as one living being, having one substance
and one soul; and observe how all things have reference to one perception,
the perception of this one living being; and how all things act with
one movement; and how all things are the cooperating causes of all
things which exist; observe too the continuous spinning of the thread
and the contexture of the web.

Thou art a little soul bearing about a corpse, as Epictetus used to
say.

It is no evil for things to undergo change, and no good for things
to subsist in consequence of change.

Time is like a river made up of the events which happen, and a violent
stream; for as soon as a thing has been seen, it is carried away,
and another comes in its place, and this will be carried away too.

Everything which happens is as familiar and well known as the rose
in spring and the fruit in summer; for such is disease, and death,
and calumny, and treachery, and whatever else delights fools or vexes
them.

In the series of things those which follow are always aptly fitted
to those which have gone before; for this series is not like a mere
enumeration of disjointed things, which has only a necessary sequence,
but it is a rational connection: and as all existing things are arranged
together harmoniously, so the things which come into existence exhibit
no mere succession, but a certain wonderful relationship.

Always remember the saying of Heraclitus, that the death of earth
is to become water, and the death of water is to become air, and the
death of air is to become fire, and reversely. And think too of him
who forgets whither the way leads, and that men quarrel with that
with which they are most constantly in communion, the reason which
governs the universe; and the things which daily meet with seem to
them strange: and consider that we ought not to act and speak as if
we were asleep, for even in sleep we seem to act and speak; and that
we ought not, like children who learn from their parents, simply to
act and speak as we have been taught.

If any god told thee that thou shalt die to-morrow, or certainly on
the day after to-morrow, thou wouldst not care much whether it was
on the third day or on the morrow, unless thou wast in the highest
degree mean-spirited- for how small is the difference?- So think it
no great thing to die after as many years as thou canst name rather
than to-morrow.

Think continually how many physicians are dead after often contracting
their eyebrows over the sick; and how many astrologers after predicting
with great pretensions the deaths of others; and how many philosophers
after endless discourses on death or immortality; how many heroes
after killing thousands; and how many tyrants who have used their
power over men's lives with terrible insolence as if they were immortal;
and how many cities are entirely dead, so to speak, Helice and Pompeii
and Herculaneum, and others innumerable. Add to the reckoning all
whom thou hast known, one after another. One man after burying another
has been laid out dead, and another buries him: and all this in a
short time. To conclude, always observe how ephemeral and worthless
human things are, and what was yesterday a little mucus to-morrow
will be a mummy or ashes. Pass then through this little space of time
conformably to nature, and end thy journey in content, just as an
olive falls off when it is ripe, blessing nature who produced it,
and thanking the tree on which it grew.

Be like the promontory against which the waves continually break,

flowing from a principle and source of the same kind.

Willingly give thyself up to Clotho, one of the Fates, allowing her

to spin thy thread into whatever things she pleases.

Everything is only for a day, both that which remembers and that which

is remembered.

Observe constantly that all things take place by change, and accustom

thyself to consider that the nature of the Universe loves nothing

so much as to change the things which are and to make new things like

them. For everything that exists is in a manner the seed of that which

will be. But thou art thinking only of seeds which are cast into the

earth or into a womb: but this is a very vulgar notion.

Thou wilt soon die, and thou art not yet simple, not free from perturbations,

nor without suspicion of being hurt by external things, nor kindly

disposed towards all; nor dost thou yet place wisdom only in acting

justly.

Examine men's ruling principles, even those of the wise, what kind

of things they avoid, and what kind they pursue.

What is evil to thee does not subsist in the ruling principle of another;

nor yet in any turning and mutation of thy corporeal covering. Where

is it then? It is in that part of thee in which subsists the power

of forming opinions about evils. Let this power then not form such

opinions, and all is well. And if that which is nearest to it, the

poor body, is burnt, filled with matter and rottenness, nevertheless

let the part which forms opinions about these things be quiet, that

is, let it judge that nothing is either bad or good which can happen

equally to the bad man and the good. For that which happens equally

to him who lives contrary to nature and to him who lives according

to nature, is neither according to nature nor contrary to nature.

Constantly regard the universe as one living being, having one substance

and one soul; and observe how all things have reference to one perception,

the perception of this one living being; and how all things act with

one movement; and how all things are the cooperating causes of all

things which exist; observe too the continuous spinning of the thread

and the contexture of the web.

Thou art a little soul bearing about a corpse, as Epictetus used to

say.

It is no evil for things to undergo change, and no good for things

to subsist in consequence of change.

Time is like a river made up of the events which happen, and a violent

stream; for as soon as a thing has been seen, it is carried away,

and another comes in its place, and this will be carried away too.

Everything which happens is as familiar and well known as the rose

in spring and the fruit in summer; for such is disease, and death,

and calumny, and treachery, and whatever else delights fools or vexes

them.

In the series of things those which follow are always aptly fitted

to those which have gone before; for this series is not like a mere

enumeration of disjointed things, which has only a necessary sequence,

but it is a rational connection: and as all existing things are arranged

together harmoniously, so the things which come into existence exhibit

no mere succession, but a certain wonderful relationship.

Always remember the saying of Heraclitus, that the death of earth

is to become water, and the death of water is to become air, and the

death of air is to become fire, and reversely. And think too of him

who forgets whither the way leads, and that men quarrel with that

with which they are most constantly in communion, the reason which

governs the universe; and the things which daily meet with seem to

them strange: and consider that we ought not to act and speak as if

we were asleep, for even in sleep we seem to act and speak; and that

we ought not, like children who learn from their parents, simply to

act and speak as we have been taught.

If any god told thee that thou shalt die to-morrow, or certainly on

the day after to-morrow, thou wouldst not care much whether it was

on the third day or on the morrow, unless thou wast in the highest

degree mean-spirited- for how small is the difference?- So think it

no great thing to die after as many years as thou canst name rather

than to-morrow.

Think continually how many physicians are dead after often contracting

their eyebrows over the sick; and how many astrologers after predicting

with great pretensions the deaths of others; and how many philosophers

after endless discourses on death or immortality; how many heroes

after killing thousands; and how many tyrants who have used their

power over men's lives with terrible insolence as if they were immortal;

and how many cities are entirely dead, so to speak, Helice and Pompeii

and Herculaneum, and others innumerable. Add to the reckoning all

whom thou hast known, one after another. One man after burying another

has been laid out dead, and another buries him: and all this in a

short time. To conclude, always observe how ephemeral and worthless

human things are, and what was yesterday a little mucus to-morrow

will be a mummy or ashes. Pass then through this little space of time

conformably to nature, and end thy journey in content, just as an

olive falls off when it is ripe, blessing nature who produced it,

and thanking the tree on which it grew.

Be like the promontory against which the waves continually break,