DioLiu/Test1 · Datasets at Hugging Face

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Up to Olympus from the wide-spread earth. What then is there which
still detains thee here? If the objects of sense are easily changed
and never stand still, and the organs of perception are dull and easily
receive false impressions; and the poor soul itself is an exhalation
from blood. But to have good repute amidst such a world as this is
an empty thing. Why then dost thou not wait in tranquility for thy
end, whether it is extinction or removal to another state? And until
that time comes, what is sufficient? Why, what else than to venerate
the gods and bless them, and to do good to men, and to practise tolerance
and self-restraint; but as to everything which is beyond the limits
of the poor flesh and breath, to remember that this is neither thine
nor in thy power.

Thou canst pass thy life in an equable flow of happiness, if thou
canst go by the right way, and think and act in the right way. These
two things are common both to the soul of God and to the soul of man,
and to the soul of every rational being, not to be hindered by another;
and to hold good to consist in the disposition to justice and the
practice of it, and in this to let thy desire find its termination.

If this is neither my own badness, nor an effect of my own badness,
and the common weal is not injured, why am I troubled about it? And
what is the harm to the common weal?

Do not be carried along inconsiderately by the appearance of things,
but give help to all according to thy ability and their fitness; and
if they should have sustained loss in matters which are indifferent,
do not imagine this to be a damage. For it is a bad habit. But as
the old man, when he went away, asked back his foster-child's top,
remembering that it was a top, so do thou in this case also.

When thou art calling out on the Rostra, hast thou forgotten, man,
what these things are?- Yes; but they are objects of great concern
to these people- wilt thou too then be made a fool for these things?-
I was once a fortunate man, but I lost it, I know not how.- But fortunate
means that a man has assigned to himself a good fortune: and a good
fortune is good disposition of the soul, good emotions, good actions.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

BOOK SIX

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 anything, nor is anything
harmed by it. But all things are made and perfected according to this
reason.

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 ill-spoken of or praised; and whether dying
or doing something 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.

Look within. Let neither the peculiar quality of anything nor its
value escape thee.

All existing things soon change, and they will either be reduced to
vapour, if indeed all substance is one, or they will be dispersed.

The reason which governs knows what its own disposition is, and what
it does, and on what material it works.

The best way of avenging thyself is not to become like the wrong doer.

Take pleasure in one thing and rest in it, in passing from one social
act to another social act, thinking of God.

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.

In conformity to the nature of the universe every single thing is
accomplished, for certainly it is not in conformity to any other nature
that each thing is accomplished, either a nature which externally
comprehends this, or a nature which is comprehended within this nature,
or a nature external and independent of this.

The universe is either a confusion, and a mutual involution of things,
and a dispersion; or it is unity and order and providence. If then
it is the former, why do I desire to tarry in a fortuitous combination
of things and such a disorder? And why do I care about anything else
than how I shall at last become earth? And why am I disturbed, for
the dispersion of my elements will happen whatever I do. But if the
other supposition is true, I venerate, and I am firm, and I trust
in him who governs.

When thou hast been compelled by circumstances to be disturbed in
a manner, quickly return to thyself and do not continue out of tune
longer than the compulsion lasts; for thou wilt have more mastery
over the harmony by continually recurring to it.

If thou hadst a step-mother and a mother at the same time, thou wouldst
be dutiful to thy step-mother, but still thou wouldst constantly return
to thy mother. Let the court and philosophy now be to thee step-mother
and mother: return to philosophy frequently and repose in her, through
whom what thou meetest with in the court appears to thee tolerable,
and thou appearest tolerable in the court.

Up to Olympus from the wide-spread earth. What then is there which

still detains thee here? If the objects of sense are easily changed

and never stand still, and the organs of perception are dull and easily

receive false impressions; and the poor soul itself is an exhalation

from blood. But to have good repute amidst such a world as this is

an empty thing. Why then dost thou not wait in tranquility for thy

end, whether it is extinction or removal to another state? And until

that time comes, what is sufficient? Why, what else than to venerate

the gods and bless them, and to do good to men, and to practise tolerance

and self-restraint; but as to everything which is beyond the limits

of the poor flesh and breath, to remember that this is neither thine

nor in thy power.

Thou canst pass thy life in an equable flow of happiness, if thou

canst go by the right way, and think and act in the right way. These

two things are common both to the soul of God and to the soul of man,

and to the soul of every rational being, not to be hindered by another;

and to hold good to consist in the disposition to justice and the

practice of it, and in this to let thy desire find its termination.

If this is neither my own badness, nor an effect of my own badness,

and the common weal is not injured, why am I troubled about it? And

what is the harm to the common weal?

Do not be carried along inconsiderately by the appearance of things,

but give help to all according to thy ability and their fitness; and

if they should have sustained loss in matters which are indifferent,

do not imagine this to be a damage. For it is a bad habit. But as

the old man, when he went away, asked back his foster-child's top,

remembering that it was a top, so do thou in this case also.

When thou art calling out on the Rostra, hast thou forgotten, man,

what these things are?- Yes; but they are objects of great concern

to these people- wilt thou too then be made a fool for these things?-

I was once a fortunate man, but I lost it, I know not how.- But fortunate

means that a man has assigned to himself a good fortune: and a good

fortune is good disposition of the soul, good emotions, good actions.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

BOOK SIX

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 anything, nor is anything

harmed by it. But all things are made and perfected according to this

reason.

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 ill-spoken of or praised; and whether dying

or doing something 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.

Look within. Let neither the peculiar quality of anything nor its

value escape thee.

All existing things soon change, and they will either be reduced to

vapour, if indeed all substance is one, or they will be dispersed.

The reason which governs knows what its own disposition is, and what

it does, and on what material it works.

The best way of avenging thyself is not to become like the wrong doer.

Take pleasure in one thing and rest in it, in passing from one social

act to another social act, thinking of God.

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.

In conformity to the nature of the universe every single thing is

accomplished, for certainly it is not in conformity to any other nature

that each thing is accomplished, either a nature which externally

comprehends this, or a nature which is comprehended within this nature,

or a nature external and independent of this.

The universe is either a confusion, and a mutual involution of things,

and a dispersion; or it is unity and order and providence. If then

it is the former, why do I desire to tarry in a fortuitous combination

of things and such a disorder? And why do I care about anything else

than how I shall at last become earth? And why am I disturbed, for

the dispersion of my elements will happen whatever I do. But if the

other supposition is true, I venerate, and I am firm, and I trust

in him who governs.

When thou hast been compelled by circumstances to be disturbed in

a manner, quickly return to thyself and do not continue out of tune

longer than the compulsion lasts; for thou wilt have more mastery

over the harmony by continually recurring to it.

If thou hadst a step-mother and a mother at the same time, thou wouldst

be dutiful to thy step-mother, but still thou wouldst constantly return

to thy mother. Let the court and philosophy now be to thee step-mother

and mother: return to philosophy frequently and repose in her, through

whom what thou meetest with in the court appears to thee tolerable,

and thou appearest tolerable in the court.