DioLiu/Test1 · Datasets at Hugging Face

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The gods who are immortal are not vexed because during so long a time
they must tolerate continually men such as they are and so many of
them bad; and besides this, they also take care of them in all ways.
But thou, who art destined to end so soon, art thou wearied of enduring
the bad, and this too when thou art one of them?

It is a ridiculous thing for a man not to fly from his own badness,
which is indeed possible, but to fly from other men's badness, which
is impossible.

Whatever the rational and political (social) faculty finds to be neither
intelligent nor social, it properly judges to be inferior to itself.

When thou hast done a good act and another has received it, why dost
thou look for a third thing besides these, as fools do, either to
have the reputation of having done a good act or to obtain a return?

No man is tired of receiving what is useful. But it is useful to act
according to nature. Do not then be tired of receiving what is useful
by doing it to others.

The nature of the An moved to make the universe. But now either everything
that takes place comes by way of consequence or continuity; or even
the chief things towards which the ruling power of the universe directs
its own movement are governed by no rational principle. If this is
remembered it will make thee more tranquil in many things.

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

BOOK EIGHT

This reflection also tends to the removal of the desire of empty
fame, that it is no longer in thy power to have lived the whole of
thy life, or at least thy life from thy youth upwards, like a philosopher;
but both to many others and to thyself it is plain that thou art far
from philosophy. Thou hast fallen into disorder then, so that it is
no longer easy for thee to get the reputation of a philosopher; and
thy plan of life also opposes it. If then thou hast truly seen where
the matter lies, throw away the thought, How thou shalt seem to others,
and be content if thou shalt live the rest of thy life in such wise
as thy nature wills. Observe then what it wills, and let nothing else
distract thee; for thou hast had experience of many wanderings without
having found happiness anywhere, not in syllogisms, nor in wealth,
nor in reputation, nor in enjoyment, nor anywhere. Where is it then?
In doing what man's nature requires. How then shall a man do this?
If he has principles from which come his affects and his acts. What
principles? Those which relate to good and bad: the belief that there
is nothing good for man, which does not make him just, temperate,
manly, free; and that there is nothing bad, which does not do the
contrary to what has been mentioned.

On the occasion of every act ask thyself, How is this with respect
to me? Shall I repent of it? A little time and I am dead, and all
is gone. What more do I seek, if what I am now doing is work of an
intelligent living being, and a social being, and one who is under
the same law with God?

Alexander and Gaius and Pompeius, what are they in comparison with
Diogenes and Heraclitus and Socrates? For they were acquainted with
things, and their causes (forms), and their matter, and the ruling
principles of these men were the same. But as to the others, how many
things had they to care for, and to how many things were they slaves?

Consider that men will do the same things nevertheless, even though
thou shouldst burst.

This is the chief thing: Be not perturbed, for all things are according
to the nature of the universal; and in a little time thou wilt be
nobody and nowhere, like Hadrian and Augustus. In the next place having
fixed thy eyes steadily on thy business look at it, and at the same
time remembering that it is thy duty to be a good man, and what man's
nature demands, do that without turning aside; and speak as it seems
to thee most just, only let it be with a good disposition and with
modesty and without hypocrisy.

The nature of the universal has this work to do, to remove to that
place the things which are in this, to change them, to take them away
hence, and to carry them there. All things are change, yet we need
not fear anything new. All things are familiar to us; but the distribution
of them still remains the same.

Every nature is contented with itself when it goes on its way well;
and a rational nature goes on its way well, when in its thoughts it
assents to nothing false or uncertain, and when it directs its movements
to social acts only, and when it confines its desires and aversions
to the things which are in its power, and when it is satisfied with
everything that is assigned to it by the common nature. For of this
common nature every particular nature is a part, as the nature of
the leaf is a part of the nature of the plant; except that in the
plant the nature of the leaf is part of a nature which has not perception
or reason, and is subject to be impeded; but the nature of man is
part of a nature which is not subject to impediments, and is intelligent
and just, since it gives to everything in equal portions and according
to its worth, times, substance, cause (form), activity, and incident.
But examine, not to discover that any one thing compared with any
other single thing is equal in all respects, but by taking all the
parts together of one thing and comparing them with all the parts
together of another.

The gods who are immortal are not vexed because during so long a time

they must tolerate continually men such as they are and so many of

them bad; and besides this, they also take care of them in all ways.

But thou, who art destined to end so soon, art thou wearied of enduring

the bad, and this too when thou art one of them?

It is a ridiculous thing for a man not to fly from his own badness,

which is indeed possible, but to fly from other men's badness, which

is impossible.

Whatever the rational and political (social) faculty finds to be neither

intelligent nor social, it properly judges to be inferior to itself.

When thou hast done a good act and another has received it, why dost

thou look for a third thing besides these, as fools do, either to

have the reputation of having done a good act or to obtain a return?

No man is tired of receiving what is useful. But it is useful to act

according to nature. Do not then be tired of receiving what is useful

by doing it to others.

The nature of the An moved to make the universe. But now either everything

that takes place comes by way of consequence or continuity; or even

the chief things towards which the ruling power of the universe directs

its own movement are governed by no rational principle. If this is

remembered it will make thee more tranquil in many things.

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

BOOK EIGHT

This reflection also tends to the removal of the desire of empty

fame, that it is no longer in thy power to have lived the whole of

thy life, or at least thy life from thy youth upwards, like a philosopher;

but both to many others and to thyself it is plain that thou art far

from philosophy. Thou hast fallen into disorder then, so that it is

no longer easy for thee to get the reputation of a philosopher; and

thy plan of life also opposes it. If then thou hast truly seen where

the matter lies, throw away the thought, How thou shalt seem to others,

and be content if thou shalt live the rest of thy life in such wise

as thy nature wills. Observe then what it wills, and let nothing else

distract thee; for thou hast had experience of many wanderings without

having found happiness anywhere, not in syllogisms, nor in wealth,

nor in reputation, nor in enjoyment, nor anywhere. Where is it then?

In doing what man's nature requires. How then shall a man do this?

If he has principles from which come his affects and his acts. What

principles? Those which relate to good and bad: the belief that there

is nothing good for man, which does not make him just, temperate,

manly, free; and that there is nothing bad, which does not do the

contrary to what has been mentioned.

On the occasion of every act ask thyself, How is this with respect

to me? Shall I repent of it? A little time and I am dead, and all

is gone. What more do I seek, if what I am now doing is work of an

intelligent living being, and a social being, and one who is under

the same law with God?

Alexander and Gaius and Pompeius, what are they in comparison with

Diogenes and Heraclitus and Socrates? For they were acquainted with

things, and their causes (forms), and their matter, and the ruling

principles of these men were the same. But as to the others, how many

things had they to care for, and to how many things were they slaves?

Consider that men will do the same things nevertheless, even though

thou shouldst burst.

This is the chief thing: Be not perturbed, for all things are according

to the nature of the universal; and in a little time thou wilt be

nobody and nowhere, like Hadrian and Augustus. In the next place having

fixed thy eyes steadily on thy business look at it, and at the same

time remembering that it is thy duty to be a good man, and what man's

nature demands, do that without turning aside; and speak as it seems

to thee most just, only let it be with a good disposition and with

modesty and without hypocrisy.

The nature of the universal has this work to do, to remove to that

place the things which are in this, to change them, to take them away

hence, and to carry them there. All things are change, yet we need

not fear anything new. All things are familiar to us; but the distribution

of them still remains the same.

Every nature is contented with itself when it goes on its way well;

and a rational nature goes on its way well, when in its thoughts it

assents to nothing false or uncertain, and when it directs its movements

to social acts only, and when it confines its desires and aversions

to the things which are in its power, and when it is satisfied with

everything that is assigned to it by the common nature. For of this

common nature every particular nature is a part, as the nature of

the leaf is a part of the nature of the plant; except that in the

plant the nature of the leaf is part of a nature which has not perception

or reason, and is subject to be impeded; but the nature of man is

part of a nature which is not subject to impediments, and is intelligent

and just, since it gives to everything in equal portions and according

to its worth, times, substance, cause (form), activity, and incident.

But examine, not to discover that any one thing compared with any

other single thing is equal in all respects, but by taking all the

parts together of one thing and comparing them with all the parts

together of another.