the meditations-第12部分

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e　can　there　be　between　that　which　liveth　but　three　days；　and　that　which　liveth　three　ages？

XLIII。　　Let　thy　course　ever　be　the　most　compendious　way。　The　most　compendious；　is　that　which　is　according　to　nature：　that　is；　in　all　both　words　and　deeds；　ever　to　follow　that　which　is　most　sound　and　perfect。　　For　such　a　resolution　will　free　a　man　from　all　trouble；　strife；　dissembling；　and　ostentation

THE　FIFTH　BOOK

I。　In　the　morning　when　thou　findest　thyself　unwilling　to　rise；　consider　with　thyself　presently；　it　is　to　go　about　a　man's　work　that　I　am　stirred　up。　　Am　I　then　yet　unwilling　to　go　about　that；　for　which　I　myself　was　born　and　brought　forth　into　this　world？　Or　was　I　made　for　this；　to　lay　me　down；　and　make　much　of　myself　in　a　warm　bed？　　'O　but　this　is　pleasing。'　　And　was　it　then　for　this　that　thou　wert　born；　that　thou　mightest　enjoy　pleasure？　Was　it　not　in　very　truth　for　this；　that　thou　mightest　always　be　busy　and　in　action？　　Seest　thou　not　how　all　things　in　the　world　besides；　how　every　tree　md　plant；　how　sparrows　and　ants；　spiders　and　bees：　　how　all　in　their　kind　are　intent　as　it　were　orderly　to　perform　whatsoever　（towards　the　preservation　of　this　orderly　universe）　naturally　doth　become　and　belong　unto　thin？　And　wilt　not　thou　do　that；　which　belongs　unto　a　man　to　do？　Wilt　not　thou　run　to　do　that；　which　thy　nature　doth　require？　'But　thou　must　have　some　rest。'　　Yes；　thou　must。　Nature　hath　of　that　also；　as　well　as　of　eating　and　drinking；　allowed　thee　a　certain　stint。　　But　thou　guest　beyond　thy　stint；　and　beyond　that　which　would　suffice；　and　in　matter　of　action；　there　thou　comest　short　of　that　which　thou　mayest。　It　must　needs　be　therefore；　that　thou　dost　not　love　thyself；　for　if　thou　didst；　thou　wouldst　also　love　thy　nature；　and　that　which　thy　nature　doth　propose　unto　herself　as　her　end。　Others；　as　many　as　take　pleasure　in　their　trade　and　profession；　can　even　pine　themselves　at　their　works；　and　neglect　their　bodies　and　their　food　for　it；　and　doest　thou　less　honour　thy　nature；　than　an　ordinary　mechanic　his　trade；　or　a　good　dancer　his　art？　than　a　covetous　man　his　silver；　and　vainglorious　man　applause？　These　to　whatsoever　they　take　an　affection；　can　be　content　to　want　their　meat　and　sleep；　to　further　that　every　one　which　he　affects：　and　shall　actions　tending　to　the　common　good　of　human　society；　seem　more　vile　unto　thee；　or　worthy　of　less　respect　and　intention？

II。　　How　easy　a　thing　is　it　for　a　man　to　put　off　from　him　all　turbulent　adventitious　imaginations；　and　presently　to　be　in　perfect　rest　and　tranquillity！

III。　　Think　thyself　fit　and　worthy　to　speak；　or　to　do　anything　that　is　according　to　nature；　and　let　not　the　reproach；　or　report　of　some　that　may　ensue　upon　it；　ever　deter　thee。　If　it　be　right　and　honest　to　be　spoken　or　done；　undervalue　not　thyself　so　much；　as　to　be　discouraged　from　it。　As　for　them；　they　have　their　own　rational　over…ruling　part；　and　their　own　proper　inclination：　　which　thou　must　not　stand　and　look　about　to　take　notice　of；　but　go　on　straight；　whither　both　thine　own　particular；　and　the　common　nature　do　lead　thee；　and　the　way　of　both　these；　is　but　one。

IV。　　I　continue　my　course　by　actions　according　to　nature；　until　I　fall　and　cease；　breathing　out　my　last　breath　into　that　air；　by　which　continually　breathed　in　I　did　live；　and　falling　upon　that　earth；　out　of　whose　gifts　and　fruits　my　father　gathered　his　seed；　my　mother　her　blood；　and　my　nurse　her　milk；　out　of　which　for　so　many　years　I　have　been　provided；　both　of　meat　and　drink。　　And　lastly；　which　beareth　me　that　tread　upon　it；　and　beareth　with　me　that　so　many　ways　do　abuse　it；　or　so　freely　make　use　of　it；　so　many　ways　to　so　many　ends。　V。　No　man　can　admire　thee　for　thy　sharp　acute　language；　such　is　thy　natural　disability　that　way。　　Be　it　so：　yet　there　be　many　other　good　things；　for　the　want　of　which　thou　canst　not　plead　the　want　or　natural　ability。　Let　them　be　seen　in　thee；　which　depend　wholly　from　thee；　sincerity；　gravity；　laboriousness；　contempt　of　pleasures；　be　not　querulous；　be　Content　with　little；　be　kind；　be　free；　avoid　all　superfluity；　all　vain　prattling；　be　magnanimous。　Doest　not　thou　perceive；　how　many　things　there　be；　which　notwithstanding　any　pretence　of　natural　indisposition　and　unfitness；　thou　mightest　have　performed　and　exhibited；　and　yet　still　thou　doest　voluntarily　continue　drooping　downwards？　Or　wilt　thou　say。　　that　it　is　through　defect　of　thy　natural　constitution；　that　thou　art　constrained　to　murmur；　to　be　base　and　wretched　to　flatter；　now　to　accuse；　and　now　to　please；　and　pacify　thy　body：　　to　be　vainglorious；　to　be　so　giddy…headed。；　and　unsettled　in　thy　thoughts？　nay　（witnesses　be　the　Gods）　of　all　these　thou　mightest　have　been　rid　long　ago：　　only；　this　thou　must　have　been　contented　with；　to　have　borne　the　blame　of　one　that　is　somewhat　slow　and　dull。　wherein　thou　must　so　exercise　thyself；　as　one　who　neither　doth　much　take　to　heart　this　his　natural　defect；　nor　yet　pleaseth　himself　in　it。

Vi。　　Such　there　be；　who　when　they　have　done　a　good　turn　to　any；　are　ready　to　set　them　on　the　score　for　it；　and　to　require　retaliation。　Others　there　be；　who　though　they　stand　not　upon　retaliation；　to　require　any；　yet　they　think　with　themselves　nevertheless；　that　such　a　one　is　their　debtor；　and　they　know　as　their　word　is　what　they　have　done。　Others　again　there　be；　who　when　they　have　done　any　such　thing；　do　not　so　much　as　know　what　they　have　done；　but　are　like　unto　the　vine；　which　beareth　her　grapes；　and　when　once　she　hath　borne　her　own　proper　fruit；　is　contented　and　seeks　for　no　further　recompense。　As　a　horse　after　a　race；　and　a　hunting　dog　when　he　hath　hunted；　and　a　bee　when　she　hath　made　her　honey；　look　not　for　applause　and　commendation；　so　neither　doth　that　man　that　rightly　doth　understand　his　own　nature　when　he　hath　done　a　good　turn：　but　from　one　doth　proceed　to　do　another；　even　as　the　vine　after　she　hath　once　borne　fruit　in　her　own　proper　season；　is　ready　for　another　time。　Thou　therefore　must　be　one　of　them；　who　what　they　do；　barely　do　it　without　any　further　thought；　and　are　in　a　manner　insensible　of　what　they　do。　'Nay　but；'　will　some　reply　perchance；　'this　very　thing　a　rational　man　is　bound　unto；　to　understand　what　it　is；　that　he　doeth。'　For　it　is　the　property；　say　they；　of　one　that　is　naturally　sociable；　to　be　sensible；　that　he　doth　operate　sociably：　　nay；　and　to　desire；　that　the　party　him　self　that　is　sociably　dealt　with；　should　be　sensible　of　it　too。　　I　answer；　That　which　thou　sayest　is　true　indeed；　but　the　true　meaning　of　that　which　is　said；　thou　dost　not　understand。　And　therefore　art　thou　one　of　those　first；　whom　I　mentioned。　For　they　also　are　led　by　a　probable　appearance　of　reason。　But　if　thou　dost　desire　to　understand　truly　what　it　is　that　is　said；　fear　not　that　thou　shalt　therefore　give　over　any　sociable　action。

VII。　　The　form　of　the　Athenians'　prayer　did　run　thus：　'0　rain；　rain；　good　Jupiter；　upon　all　the　grounds　and　fields　that　belong　to　the　Athenians。'　　Either　we　should　not　pray　at　all；　or　thus　absolutely　and　freely；　and　not　every　one　for　himself　in　particular　alone。

VIII。　　As　we　say　commonly；　The　physician　hath　prescribed　unto　this　man；　riding；　unto　another；　cold　baths；　unto　a　third；　to　go　barefoot：　so　it　is　alike　to　say；　The　nature　of　the　universe　hath　prescribed　unto　this　man　sickness；　or　blindness；　or　some　loss；　or　damage　or　some　such　thing。　　For　as　there；　when　we　say　of　a　physician；　that　he　hath　prescribed　anything；　our　meaning　is；　that　he　hath　appointed　this　for　that；　as　subordinate　and　conducing　to　health：　so　here；　whatsoever　doth　happen　unto　any；　is　ordained　unto　him　as　a　thing　subordinate　unto　the　fates；　and　therefore　do　we　say　of　such　things；　that　they　do　happen；　or　fall　together；　as　of　square　stones；　when　either　in　walls；　or　pyramids　in　a　certain　position　they　fit　one　another；　and　agree　as　it　were　in　an　harmony；　the　masons　say；　that　they　do　（sumbainein）　as　if　thou　shouldest　say；　fall　together：　　so　that　in　the　general；　though　the　things　be　divers　that　make　it；　yet　the　consent　or　harmony　itself　is　but　one。　And　as　the　whole　world　is　made　up　of　all　the　particular　bodies　of　the　world；　one　perfect　and　complete　body；　of　the　same　nature　that　particular　bodies；　so　is　the　destiny　of　particular　causes　and　events　one　general　one；　of　the　same　nature　that　particular　causes　are。　What　I　now　say；　even　they　that　are　mere　idiots　are　not　ignorant　of：　for　they　say　commonly　（touto　eferen　autw）　that　is；　This　his　destiny　hath　brought　upon　him。　　This　therefore　is　by　the　fates　properly　and　particularly　brought　upon　this；　as　that　unto　this　in　particular　is　by　the　physician　prescribed。　　These　therefore　let　us　accept　of　in　like　manner；　as　we　do　those　that　are　prescribed　unto　us　our　physicians。　For　them　also　in　themselves　shall　We　find　to　contain　many　harsh　things；　but　we　nevertheless；　in　hope　of　health；　and　recovery；　accept　of　them。　　Let。　　the　fulfilling'　and　accomplishment　of　those　things　which　the　common　nature　bath　determined；　be　unto　thee　as　thy　health。　Accept　then；　and　be　pleased　with　whatsoever　doth　happen；　though　otherwise　harsh　and　un…pleasing；　as　tending　to　that　end；　to　the　health　and　welfare　of　the　universe；　and　to　Jove's　happiness　and　prosperity。　　For　this　whatsoever　it　be；　should　not　have　been　produced；　had　it　not　conduced　to　the　good　of　the　universe。　For　neither　doth　any　ordinary　particular　nature　bring　anything　to　pass；　that　is　not　to　whatsoever　is　within　the　sphere　of　its　own　proper　administration　and　government　agreeable　and　subordinate。　For　these　two　considerations　then　thou　must　be　well　pleased　with　anything　that　doth　happen　unto　thee。　　First；　because　that　for　thee　properly　it　was　brought　to　pass；　and　unto　thee　it　was　prescribed；　and　that　from　the　very　beginning　by　the　series　and　connection　of　the　first　causes；　it　hath　ever　had　a　reference　unto　thee。　And　secondly；　because　the　good　success　and　perfect　welfare；　and　indeed　the　very　continuance　of　Him；　that　is　the　Administrator　of　the　whole；　doth　in　a　manner　depend　on　it。　　For　the　whole　（because　whole；　therefore　entire　and　perfect）　is　maimed；　and　mutilated；　if　thou　shalt　cut　off　anything　at　all；　whereby　the　coherence；　and　contiguity　as　of　parts；　so　of　causes；　is　maintained　and　preserved。　Of　which　certain　it　is；　that　thou　doest　（as　much　as　lieth　in　thee）　cut　off；　and　in　some　sort　violently　take　somewha