the meditations-第22部分

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understanding。

XV。　　If　it　were　thine　act　and　in　thine　own　power；　wi：　wouldcst　thou　do　it　？　　If　it　were　not；　whom　dost　tin　accuse？　the　atoms；　or　the　Gods？　　For　to　do　either；　the　part　of　a　mad　man。　Thou　must　therefore　blame　nobody；　but　if　it　be　in　thy　power；　redress　what　is　amiss；　if　it　be　not；　to　what　end　is　it　to　complain？　For　nothing　should　be　done　but　to　some　certain　end。

XVI。　　Whatsoever　dieth　and　falleth；　however　and　wheresoever　it　die　and　fall；　it　cannot　fall　out　of　the　world。　　here　it　have　its　abode　and　change；　here　also　shall　it　have　its　dissolution　into　its　proper　elements。　The　same　are　the　world's　elements；　and　the　elements　of　which　thou　dost　consist。　　And　they　when　they　are　changed；　they　murmur　not；　why　shouldest　thou？

XVII。　　Whatsoever　is；　was　made　for　something：　　as　a　horse；　a　vine。　Why　wonderest　thou？　　The　sun　itself　will　say　of　itself；　I　was　made　for　something；　and　so　hath　every　god　its　proper　function。　What　then　were　then　made　for？　to　disport　and　delight　thyself？　See　how　even　common　sense　and　reason　cannot　brook　it。

XVIII。　　Nature　hath　its　end　as　well　in　the　end　and　final　consummation　of　anything　that　is；　as　in　the　begin…nine　and　continuation　of　it。

XIX。　　As　one　that　tosseth　up　a　ball。　　And　what　is　a。　ball　the　better；　if　the　motion　of　it　be　upwards；　or　the　worse　if　it　be　downwards；　or　if　it　chance　to　fall　upon　the　ground？　So　for　the　bubble；　if　it　continue；　what　it　the　better？　and　if　it　dissolve；　what　is　it　the　worse　And　so　is　it　of　a　candle　too。　And　so　must　thou　reason　with　thyself；　both　in　matter　of　fame；　and　in　matter　of　death。　　For　as　for　the　body　itself；　（the　subject　of　death）　wouldest　thou　know　the　vileness　of　it　？　Turn　it　about　that　thou　mayest　behold　it　the　worst　sides　upwards　as　well；　as　in　its　more　ordinary　pleasant　shape；　how　doth　it　look；　when　it　is　old　and　withered？　when　sick　and　pained？　when　in　the　act　of　lust；　and　fornication？　　And　as　for　fame。　　This　life　is　short。　Both　he　that　praiseth；　and　he　that　is　praised；　he　that　remembers；　and　he　that　is　remembered；　will　soon　be　dust　and　ashes。　Besides；　it　is　but　in　one　corner　of　this　part　of　the　world　that　thou　art　praised；　and　yet　in　this　corner；　thou　hast　not　the　joint　praises　of　all　men；　no　nor　scarce　of　any　one　constantly。　And　yet　the　whole　earth　itself；　what　is　it　but　as　one　point；　in　regard　of　the　whole　world？

XX。　　That　which　must　be　the　subject　of　thy　consideration；　is　either　the　matter　itself；　or　the　dogma；　or　the　operation；　or　the　true　sense　and　signification。

XXI。　　Most　justly　have　these　things　happened　unto　thee：　why　dost　not　thou　amend？　　O　but　thou　hadst　rather　become　good　to…morrow；　than　to　be　so　to…day。　XXII。　　Shall　I　do　it？　I　will；　so　the　end　of　my　action　be　to　do　good　unto　men。　Doth　anything　by　way　of　cross　or　adversity　happen　unto　me？　I　accept　it；　with　reference　unto　the　Gods；　and　their　providence；　the　fountain　of　all　things；　from　which　whatsoever　comes　to　pass；　doth　hang　and　depend。

XXIII。　　By　one　action　judge　of　the　rest：　　this　bathing　which　usually　takes　up　so　much　of　our　time；　what　is　it？　　Oil；　sweat；　filth；　or　the　sordes　of　the　body：　　an　excre…mentitious　viscosity；　the　excrements　of　oil　and　other　ointments　used　about　the　body；　and　mixed　with　the　sordes　of　the　body：　　all　base　and　loathsome。　And　such　almost　is　every　part　of　our　life；　and　every　worldly　object。　　XXIV。　　Lucilla　buried　Verus；　then　was　Lucilla　herself　buried　by　others。　　So　Secunda　Maximus；　then　Secunda　herself。　So　Epitynchanus；　Diotimus；　then　Epitynchanus　himself。　So　Antoninus　Pius；　Faustina　his　wife；　then　Antoninus　himself。　This　is　the　course　of　the　world。　　First　Celer；　Adrianus；　then　Adrianus　himself。　　And　those　austere　ones；　those　that　foretold　other　men's　deaths；　those　that　were　so　proud　and　stately；　where　are　they　now？　　Those　austere　ones　I　mean；　such　as　were　Charax；　and　Demetrius　the　Platonic；　and　Eudaemon；　and　others　like　unto　those。　　They　were　all　but　for　one　day；　all　dead　and　gone　long　since。　　Some　of　them　no　sooner　dead；　than　forgotten。　　Others　soon　turned　into　fables。　　Of　others；　even　that　which　was　fabulous；　is　now　long　since　forgotten。　This　thereafter　thou　must　remember；　that　whatsoever　thou　art　compounded　of；　shall　soon　be　dispersed；　and　that　thy　life　and　breath；　or　thy　soul；　shall　either　he　no　more　or　shall　ranslated；　and　appointed　to　some　certain　place　and　station。　　XXV。　　The　true　joy　of　a　man；　is　to　do　that　which　properly　belongs　unto　a　man。　That　which　is　most　proper　unto　a　man；　is；　first；　to　he　kindly　affected　towards　them　that　are　of　the　same　kind　and　nature　as　he　is　himself　to　contemn　all　sensual　motions　and　appetites；　to　discern　rightly　all　plausible　fancies　and　imaginations；　to　contemplate　the　nature　of　the　universe；　both　it；　and　things　that　are　done　in　it。　In　which　kind　of　con　templation　three　several　relations　are　to　be　observed　The　first；　to　the　apparent　secondary　cause。　The　Second　to　the　first　original　cause；　God；　from　whom　originally　proceeds　whatsoever　doth　happen　in　the　world。　The　third　and　last；　to　them　that　we　live　and　converse　with：　what　use　may　be　made　of　it；　to　their　use　and　benefit　XXVI。　If　pain　be　an　evil；　either　it　is　in　regard　of　the　body；　（and　that　cannot　be；　because　the　body　of　itself　is　altogether　insensible：）　or　in　regard　of　the　soul　But　it　is　in　the　power　of　the　soul；　to　preserve　her　own　peace　and　tranquillity；　and　not　to　suppose　that　pain　is　evil。　　For　all　judgment　and　deliberation；　all　prosecution；　or　aversation　is　from　within；　whither　the　sense　of　evil　（except　it　be　let　in　by　opinion）　cannot　penetrate。

XXVII。　　Wipe　off　all　idle　fancies；　and　say　unto　thyselF　incessantly；　Now　if　I　will；　it　is　in　my　power　to　keep　out　of　this　my　soul　all　wickedness；　all　lust；　and　concupiscences；　all　trouble　and　confusion。　　But　on　the　contrary　to　behold　and　consider　all　things　according　to　their　true　nature；　and　to　carry　myself　towards　everything　according　to　its　true　worth。　Remember　then　this　thy　power　that　nature　hath　given　thee。

XXVIII。　　Whether　thou　speak　in　the　Senate　or　whether　thou　speak　to　any　particular；　let　thy　speech　In　always　grave　and　modest。　But　thou　must　not　openly　and　vulgarly　observe　that　sound　and　exact　form　of　speaking；　concerning　that　which　is　truly　good　and　truly　civil；　the　vanity　of　the　world；　and　of　worldly　men：　which　otherwise　truth　and　reason　doth　prescribe。

XXIX。　　Augustus　his　court；　his　wife；　his　daughter；　his　nephews；　his　sons…in…law　his　sister；　Agrippa；　his　kinsmen；　his　domestics；　his　friends；　Areus；　Maecenas；　his　slayers　of　beasts　for　sacrifice　and　divination：　　there　thou　hast　the　death　of　a　whole　court　together。　Proceed　now　on　to　the　rest　that　have　been　since　that　of　Augustus。　Hath　death　dwelt　with　them　otherwise；　though　so　many　and　so　stately　whilst　they　lived；　than　it　doth　use　to　deal　with　any　one　particular　man？　Consider　now　the　death　of　a　whole　kindred　and　family；　as　of　that　of　the　Pompeys；　as　that　also　that　useth　to　be　written　upon　some　monuments；　HE　WASS　THE　LAST　OF　HIS　OWN　KINDRED。　O　what　care　did　his　predecessors　take；　that　they　might　leave　a　successor；　yet　behold　at　last　one　or　other　must　of　necessity　be　THE　LAST。　Here　again　therefore　consider　the　death　of　a　whole　kindred。

XXX。　　Contract　thy　whole　life　to　the　measure　and　proportion　of　one　single　action。　　And　if　in　every　particular　action　thou　dost　perform　what　is　fitting　to　the　utmost　of　thy　power；　let　it　suffice　thee。　And　who　can　hinder　thee；　but　that　thou　mayest　perform　what　is　fitting？　　But　there　may　be　some　outward　let　and　impediment。　Not　any；　that　can　hinder　thee；　but　that　whatsoever　thou　dost；　thou　may　do　it；　justly；　temperately；　and　with　the　praise　of　God。　Yea；　but　there　may　be　somewhat；　whereby　some　operation　or　other　of　thine　may　he　hindered。　　And　then；　with　that　very　thing　that　doth　hinder；　thou　mayest　he　well　pleased；　and　so　by　this　gentle　and　equanimious　conversion　of　thy　mind　unto　that　which　may　be；　instead　of　that　which　at　first　thou　didst　intend；　in　the　room　of　that　former　action　there　succeedeth　another；　which　agrees　as　well　with　this　contraction　of　thy　life；　that　we　now　speak　of。

XXXI。　　Receive　temporal　blessings　without　ostentation；　when　they　are　sent　and　thou　shalt　be　able　to　part　with　them　with　all　readiness　and　facility　when　they　are　taken　from　thee　again。

XXXII。　　If　ever　thou　sawest　either　a　hand；　or　a　foot；　or　a　head　lying　by　itself；　in　some　place　or　other；　as　cut　off　from　the　rest　of　the　body；　such　must　thou　conceive　him　to　make　himself；　as　much　as　in　him　lieth；　that　either　is　offended　with　anything　that　is　happened；　（whatsoever　it　be）　and　as　it　were　divides　himself　from　it：　or　that　commits　anything　against　the　natural　law　of　mutual　correspondence；　and　society　among　men：　　or；　he　that；　commits　any　act　of　uncharitableness。　Whosoever　thou　art；　thou　art　such；　thou　art　cast　forth　I　know　not　whither　out　of　the　general　unity；　which　is　according　to　nature。　Thou　went　born　indeed　a　part；　but　now　thou　hast　cut　thyself　off。　However；　herein　is　matter　of　joy　and　exultation；　that　thou　mayst　be　united　again。　　God　bath　not　granted　it　unto　any　other　part；　that　once　separated　and　cut　off；　it　might　be　reunited；　and　come　together　again。　But；　behold；　that　GOODNESS　how　great　and　immense　it　is！　which　hath　so　much　esteemed　MAN。　　As　at　first　be　was　so　made；　that　he　needed　not；　except　he　would　himself；　have　divided　himself　from　the　whole；　so　once　divided　and　cut　off；　IT　hath　so　provided　and　ordered　it；　that　if　he　would　himself；　he　might　return；　and　grow　together　again；　and　be　admitted　into　its　former　rank　and　place　of　a　part；　as　he　was　before。

XXXIII。　　As　almost　all　her　other　faculties　and　properties　the　nature　of　the　universe　bath　imparted　unto　every　reasonable　creature；　so　this　in　particular　we　have　received　from　her；　that　as　whatsoever　doth　oppose　itself　unto　her；　and　doth　withstand　her　in　her　purposes　and　intentions；　she　doth；　though　against　its　will　and　intention；　bring　it　about　to　herself；　to　serve　herself　of　it　in　the　execution　of　her　own　destinated　ends；　and　so　by　this　though　not　intended　co…operation　of　it　with　herself　makes　it　part　of　herself　whether　it　will　or　no。　So　may　every　reasonable　creature；　what　crosses　and　impediments　soever　it　meets　with　in　the　course　of　this　mortal　life；　it　may　use　them　as　fit　and　proper　objects；　to　the　furtherance　of　whatsoever　it　intended　and　absolutely　proposed　unto　itself　as　its　natural　end　and　h