the meditations-第7部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ath　not；　no　man　can　truly　be　said　to　lose。

XIII。　　Remember　that　all　is　but　opinion　and　conceit；　for　those　things　are　plain　and　apparent；　which　were　spoken　unto　Monimus　the　Cynic；　and　as　plain　and　apparent　is　the　use　that　may　be　made　of　those　things；　if　that　which　is　true　and　serious　in　them；　be　received　as　well　as　that　which　is　sweet　and　pleasing。

XIV。　　A　man's　soul　doth　wrong　and　disrespect　itself　first　and　especially；　when　as　much　as　in　itself　lies　it　becomes　an　aposteme；　and　as　it　were　an　excrescency　of　the　world；　for　to　be　grieved　and　displeased　with　anything　that　happens　in　the　world；　is　direct　apostacy　from　the　nature　of　the　universe；　part　of　which；　all　particular　natures　of　the　world；　are。　Secondly；　when　she　either　is　averse　from　any　man；　or　led　by　contrary　desires　or　affections；　tending　to　his　hurt　and　prejudice；　such　as　are　the　souls　of　them　that　are　angry。　Thirdly；　when　she　is　overcome　by　any　pleasure　or　pain。　Fourthly；　when　she　doth　dissemble；　and　covertly　and　falsely　either　doth　or　saith　anything。　　Fifthly；　when　she　doth　either　affect　or　endeavour　anything　to　no　certain　end；　but　rashly　and　without　due　ratiocination　and　consideration；　how　consequent　or　inconsequent　it　is　to　the　common　end。　　For　even　the　least　things　ought　not　to　be　done；　without　relation　unto　the　end；　and　the　end　of　the　reasonable　creatures　is；　to　follow　and　obey　him；　who　is　the　reason　as　it　were；　and　the　law　of　this　great　city；　and　ancient　commonwealth。　　XV。　　The　time　of　a　man's　life　is　as　a　point；　the　substance　of　it　ever　flowing；　the　sense　obscure；　and　the　whole　composition　of　the　body　tending　to　corruption。　His　soul　is　restless；　fortune　uncertain；　and　fame　doubtful；　to　be　brief；　as　a　stream　so　are　all　things　belonging　to　the　body；　as　a　dream；　or　as　a　smoke；　so　are　all　that　belong　unto　the　soul。　　Our　life　is　a　warfare；　and　a　mere　pilgrimage。　Fame　after　life　is　no　better　than　oblivion。　　What　is　it　then　that　will　adhere　and　follow？　　Only　one　thing；　philosophy。　And　philosophy　doth　consist　in　this；　for　a　man　to　preserve　that　spirit　which　is　within　him；　from　all　manner　of　contumelies　and　injuries；　and　above　all　pains　or　pleasures；　never　to　do　anything　either　rashly；　or　feignedly；　or　hypocritically：　wholly　to　depend　from　himself　and　his　own　proper　actions：　all　things　that　happen　unto　him　to　embrace　contentedly；　as　coming　from　Him　from　whom　he　himself　also　came；　and　above　all　things；　with　all　meekness　and　a　calm　cheerfulness；　to　expect　death；　as　being　nothing　else　but　the　resolution　of　those　elements；　of　which　every　creature　is　composed。　And　if　the　elements　themselves　suffer　nothing　by　this　their　perpetual　conversion　of　one　into　another；　that　dissolution；　and　alteration；　which　is　so　common　unto　all；　why　should　it　be　feared　by　any？　　Is　not　this　according　to　nature？　But　nothing　that　is　according　to　nature　can　be　evil。　whilst　I　was　at　Carnuntzim。

**************************

THE　THIRD　BOOK

I。　A　man　must　not　only　consider　how　daily　his　life　wasteth　and　decreaseth；　but　this　also；　that　if　he　live　long；　he　cannot　be　certain；　whether　his　understanding　shall　continue　so　able　and　sufficient；　for　either　discreet　consideration；　in　matter　of　businesses；　or　for　contemplation：　　it　being　the　thing；　whereon　true　knowledge　of　things　both　divine　and　human；　doth　depend。　For　if　once　he　shall　begin　to　dote；　his　respiration；　nutrition；　his　imaginative；　and　appetitive；　and　other　natural　faculties；　may　still　continue　the　same：　　he　shall　find　no　want　of　them。　But　how　to　make　that　right　use　of　himself　that　he　should；　how　to　observe　exactly　in　all　things　that　which　is　right　and　just；　how　to　redress　and　rectify　all　wrong；　or　sudden　apprehensions　and　imaginations；　and　even　of　this　particular；　whether　he　should　live　any　longer　or　no；　to　consider　duly；　for　all　such　things；　wherein　the　best　strength　and　vigour　of　the　mind　is　most　requisite；　his　power　and　ability　will　be　past　and　gone。　Thou　must　hasten　therefore；　not　only　because　thou　art　every　day　nearer　unto　death　than　other；　but　also　because　that　intellective　faculty　in　thee；　whereby　thou　art　enabled　to　know　the　true　nature　of　things；　and　to　order　all　thy　actions　by　that　knowledge；　doth　daily　waste　and　decay：　　or；　may　fail　thee　before　thou　die。

II。　　This　also　thou　must　observe；　that　whatsoever　it　is　that　naturally　doth　happen　to　things　natural；　hath　somewhat　in　itself　that　is　pleasing　and　delightful：　　as　a　great　loaf　when　it　is　baked；　some　parts　of　it　cleave　as　it　were；　and　part　asunder；　and　make　the　crust　of　it　rugged　and　unequal；　and　yet　those　parts　of　it；　though　in　some　sort　it　be　against　the　art　and　intention　of　baking　itself；　that　they　are　thus　cleft　and　parted；　which　should　have　been　and　were　first　made　all　even　and　uniform；　they　become　it　well　nevertheless；　and　have　a　certain　peculiar　property；　to　stir　the　appetite。　　So　figs　are　accounted　fairest　and　ripest　then；　when　they　begin　to　shrink；　and　wither　as　it　were。　　So　ripe　olives；　when　they　are　next　to　putrefaction；　then　are　they　in　their　proper　beauty。　The　hanging　down　of　grapesthe　brow　of　a　lion；　the　froth　of　a　foaming　wild　boar；　and　many　other　like　things；　though　by　themselves　considered；　they　are　far　from　any　beauty；　yet　because　they　happen　naturally；　they　both　are　comely；　and　delightful；　so　that　if　a　man　shall　with　a　profound　mind　and　apprehension；　consider　all　things　in　the　world；　even　among　all　those　things　which　are　but　mere　accessories　and　natural　appendices　as　it　were；　there　will　scarce　appear　anything　unto　him；　wherein　he　will　not　find　matter　of　pleasure　and　delight。　　So　will　he　behold　with　as　much　pleasure　the　true　rictus　of　wild　beasts；　as　those　which　by　skilful　painters　and　other　artificers　are　imitated。　　So　will　he　be　able　to　perceive　the　proper　ripeness　and　beauty　of　old　age；　whether　in　man　or　woman：　and　whatsoever　else　it　is　that　is　beautiful　and　alluring　in　whatsoever　is；　with　chaste　and　continent　eyes　he　will　soon　find　out　and　discern。　Those　and　many　other　things　will　he　discern；　not　credible　unto　every　one；　but　unto　them　only　who　are　truly　and　familiarly　acquainted；　both　with　nature　itself；　and　all　natural　things。

III。　　Hippocrates　having　cured　many　sicknesses；　fell　sick　himself　and　died。　　The　Chaldeans　and　Astrologians　having　foretold　the　deaths　of　divers；　were　afterwards　themselves　surprised　by　the　fates。　Alexander　and　Pompeius；　and　Caius　Caesar；　having　destroyed　so　many　towns；　and　cut　off　in　the　field　so　many　thousands　both　of　horse　and　foot；　yet　they　themselves　at　last　were　fain　to　part　with　their　own　lives。　Heraclitus　having　written　so　many　natural　tracts　concerning　the　last　and　general　conflagration　of　the　world；　died　afterwards　all　filled　with　water　within；　and　all　bedaubed　with　dirt　and　dung　without。　Lice　killed　Democritus；　and　Socrates；　another　sort　of　vermin；　wicked　ungodly　men。　　How　then　stands　the　case？　　Thou　hast　taken　ship；　thou　hast　sailed；　thou　art　come　to　land；　go　out；　if　to　another　life；　there　also　shalt　thou　find　gods；　who　are　everywhere。　　If　all　life　and　sense　shall　cease；　then　shalt　thou　cease　also　to　be　subject　to　either　pains　or　pleasures　；　and　to　serve　and　tend　this　vile　cottage；　so　much　the　viler；　by　how　much　that　which　ministers　unto　it　doth　excel　；　the　one　being　a　rational　substance；　and　a　spirit；　the　other　nothing　but　earth　and　blood。

IV。　　Spend　not　the　remnant　of　thy　days　in　thoughts　and　fancies　concerning　other　men；　when　it　is　not　in　relation　to　some　common　good；　when　by　it　thou　art　hindered　from　some　other　better　work。　That　is；　spend　not　thy　time　in　thinking；　what　such　a　man　doth；　and　to　what　end：　　what　he　saith；　and　what　he　thinks；　and　what　he　is　about；　and　such　other　things　or　curiosities；　which　make　a　man　to　rove　and　wander　from　the　care　and　observation　of　that　part　of　himself；　which　is　rational；　and　overruling。　See　therefore　in　the　whole　series　and　connection　of　thy　thoughts；　that　thou　be　careful　to　prevent　whatsoever　is　idle　and　impertinent：　but　especially；　whatsoever　is　curious　and　malicious：　　and　thou　must　use　thyself　to　think　only　of　such　things；　of　which　if　a　man　upon　a　sudden　should　ask　thee；　what　it　is　that　thou　art　now　thinking；　thou　mayest　answer　This；　and　That；　freely　and　boldly；　that　so　by　thy　thoughts　it　may　presently　appear　that　in　all　thee　is　sincere；　and　peaceable；　as　becometh　one　that　is　made　for　society；　and　regards　not　pleasures；　nor　gives　way　to　any　voluptuous　imaginations　at　all：　free　from　all　contentiousness；　envy；　and　suspicion；　and　from　whatsoever　else　thou　wouldest　blush　to　confess　thy　thoughts　were　set　upon。　He　that　is　such；　is　he　surely　that　doth　not　put　off　to　lay　hold　on　that　which　is　best　indeed；　a　very　priest　and　minister　of　the　gods；　well　acquainted　and　in　good　correspondence　with　him　especially　that　is　seated　and　placed　within　himself；　as　in　a　temple　and　sacrary：　to　whom　also　he　keeps　and　preserves　himself　unspotted　by　pleasure；　undaunted　by　pain；　free　from　any　manner　of　wrong；　or　contumely；　by　himself　offered　unto　himself：　　not　capable　of　any　evil　from　others：　a　wrestler　of　the　best　sort；　and　for　the　highest　prize；　that　he　may　not　be　cast　down　by　any　passion　or　affection　of　his　own；　deeply　dyed　and　drenched　in　righteousness；　embracing　and　accepting　with　his　whole　heart　whatsoever　either　happeneth　or　is　allotted　unto　him。　One　who　not　often；　nor　without　some　great　necessity　tending　to　some　public　good；　mindeth　what　any　other；　either　speaks；　or　doth；　or　purposeth：　　for　those　things　only　that　are　in　his　own　power；　or　that　are　truly　his　own；　are　the　objects　of　his　employments；　and　his　thoughts　are　ever　taken　up　with　those　things；　which　of　the　whole　universe　are　by　the　fates　or　Providence　destinated　and　appropriated　unto　himself。　　Those　things　that　are　his　own；　and　in　his　own　power；　he　himself　takes　order；　for　that　they　be　good：　and　as　for　those　that　happen　unto　him；　he　believes　them　to　be　so。　For　that　lot　and　portion　which　is　assigned　to　every　one；　as　it　is　unavoidable　and　necessary；　so　is　it　always　profitable。　He　remembers　besides　that　whatsoever　partakes　of　reason；　is　akin　unto　him；　and　that　to　care　for　all　men　generally；　is　agreeing　to　the　nature　of　a　man：　　but　as　for　honour　and　praise；　that　they　ought　not　generally　to　be　admitted　and　accepted　of　from　all；　but　from　such　only；　who　live　according　to　nature。　As　for　them　that　do　not；　what　manner　of　men　they　be　at　home；　or　abroad；　day　or　night