Written 167 A.C.E.
Translated by George Long
Book Nine
He who acts unjustly acts impiously. For since the universal nature has
made rational animals for the sake of one another to help one another
according to their deserts, but in no way to injure one another, he who
transgresses her will, is clearly guilty of impiety towards the highest
divinity. And he too who lies is guilty of impiety to the same divinity;
for the universal nature is the nature of things that are; and things that
are have a relation to all things that come into existence. And further,
this universal nature is named truth, and is the prime cause of all things
that are true. He then who lies intentionally is guilty of impiety
inasmuch as he acts unjustly by deceiving; and he also who lies
unintentionally, inasmuch as he is at variance with the universal nature,
and inasmuch as he disturbs the order by fighting against the nature of
the world; for he fights against it, who is moved of himself to that which
is contrary to truth, for he had received powers from nature through the
neglect of which he is not able now to distinguish falsehood from truth.
And indeed he who pursues pleasure as good, and avoids pain as evil, is
guilty of impiety. For of necessity such a man must often find fault with
the universal nature, alleging that it assigns things to the bad and the
good contrary to their deserts, because frequently the bad are in the
enjoyment of pleasure and possess the things which procure pleasure, but
the good have pain for their share and the things which cause pain. And
further, he who is afraid of pain will sometimes also be afraid of some of
the things which will happen in the world, and even this is impiety. And
he who pursues pleasure will not abstain from injustice, and this is
plainly impiety. Now with respect to the things towards which the
universal nature is equally affected- for it would not have made both,
unless it was equally affected towards both- towards these they who wish
to follow nature should be of the same mind with it, and equally affected.
With respect to pain, then, and pleasure, or death and life, or honour and
dishonour, which the universal nature employs equally, whoever is not
equally affected is manifestly acting impiously. And I say that the
universal nature employs them equally, instead of saying that they happen
alike to those who are produced in continuous series and to those who come
after them by virtue of a certain original movement of Providence,
according to which it moved from a certain beginning to this ordering of
things, having conceived certain principles of the things which were to
be, and having determined powers productive of beings and of changes and
of such like successions.
It would be a man's happiest lot to depart from mankind without having had
any taste of lying and hypocrisy and luxury and pride. However to breathe
out one's life when a man has had enough of these things is the next best
voyage, as the saying is. Hast thou determined to abide with vice, and has
not experience yet induced thee to fly from this pestilence? For the
destruction of the understanding is a pestilence, much more indeed than
any such corruption and change of this atmosphere which surrounds us. For
this corruption is a pestilence of animals so far as they are animals; but
the other is a pestilence of men so far as they are men.
Do not despise death, but be well content with it, since this too is one
of those things which nature wills. For such as it is to be young and to
grow old, and to increase and to reach maturity, and to have teeth and
beard and grey hairs, and to beget, and to be pregnant and to bring forth,
and all the other natural operations which the seasons of thy life bring,
such also is dissolution. This, then, is consistent with the character of
a reflecting man, to be neither careless nor impatient nor contemptuous
with respect to death, but to wait for it as one of the operations of
nature. As thou now waitest for the time when the child shall come out of
thy wife's womb, so be ready for the time when thy soul shall fall out of
this envelope. But if thou requirest also a vulgar kind of comfort which
shall reach thy heart, thou wilt be made best reconciled to death by
observing the objects from which thou art going to be removed, and the
morals of those with whom thy soul will no longer be mingled. For it is no
way right to be offended with men, but it is thy duty to care for them and
to bear with them gently; and yet to remember that thy departure will be
not from men who have the same principles as thyself. For this is the only
thing, if there be any, which could draw us the contrary way and attach us
to life, to be permitted to live with those who have the same principles
as ourselves. But now thou seest how great is the trouble arising from the
discordance of those who live together, so that thou mayest say, Come
quick, O death, lest perchance I, too, should forget myself.
He who does wrong does wrong against himself. He who acts unjustly acts
unjustly to himself, because he makes himself bad.
He often acts unjustly who does not do a certain thing; not only he who
does a certain thing.
Thy present opinion founded on understanding, and thy present conduct
directed to social good, and thy present disposition of contentment with
everything which happens- that is enough.
Wipe out imagination: check desire: extinguish appetite: keep the ruling
faculty in its own power.
Among the animals which have not reason one life is distributed; but among
reasonable animals one intelligent soul is distributed: just as there is
one earth of all things which are of an earthy nature, and we see by one
light, and breathe one air, all of us that have the faculty of vision and
all that have life.
All things which participate in anything which is common to them all move
towards that which is of the same kind with themselves. Everything which
is earthy turns towards the earth, everything which is liquid flows
together, and everything which is of an aerial kind does the same, so that
they require something to keep them asunder, and the application of force.
Fire indeed moves upwards on account of the elemental fire, but it is so
ready to be kindled together with all the fire which is here, that even
every substance which is somewhat dry, is easily ignited, because there is
less mingled with it of that which is a hindrance to ignition. Accordingly
then everything also which participates in the common intelligent nature
moves in like manner towards that which is of the same kind with itself,
or moves even more. For so much as it is superior in comparison with all
other things, in the same degree also is it more ready to mingle with and
to be fused with that which is akin to it. Accordingly among animals
devoid of reason we find swarms of bees, and herds of cattle, and the
nurture of young birds, and in a manner, loves; for even in animals there
are souls, and that power which brings them together is seen to exert
itself in the superior degree, and in such a way as never has been
observed in plants nor in stones nor in trees. But in rational animals
there are political communities and friendships, and families and meetings
of people; and in wars, treaties and armistices. But in the things which
are still superior, even though they are separated from one another, unity
in a manner exists, as in the stars. Thus the ascent to the higher degree
is able to produce a sympathy even in things which are separated. See,
then, what now takes place. For only intelligent animals have now
forgotten this mutual desire and inclination, and in them alone the
property of flowing together is not seen. But still though men strive to
avoid this union, they are caught and held by it, for their nature is too
strong for them; and thou wilt see what I say, if thou only observest.
Sooner, then, will one find anything earthy which comes in contact with no
earthy thing than a man altogether separated from other men.
Both man and God and the universe produce fruit; at the proper seasons
each produces it. But if usage has especially fixed these terms to the
vine and like things, this is nothing. Reason produces fruit both for all
and for itself, and there are produced from it other things of the same
kind as reason itself.
If thou art able, correct by teaching those who do wrong; but if thou
canst not, remember that indulgence is given to thee for this purpose. And
the gods, too, are indulgent to such persons; and for some purposes they
even help them to get health, wealth, reputation; so kind they are. And it
is in thy power also; or say, who hinders thee?
Labour not as one who is wretched, nor yet as one who would be pitied or
admired: but direct thy will to one thing only, to put thyself in motion
and to check thyself, as the social reason requires.
To-day I have got out of all trouble, or rather I have cast out all
trouble, for it was not outside, but within and in my opinions.
All things are the same, familiar in experience, and ephemeral in time,
and worthless in the matter. Everything now is just as it was in the time
of those whom we have buried.
Things stand outside of us, themselves by themselves, neither knowing
aught of themselves, nor expressing any judgement. What is it, then, which
does judge about them? The ruling faculty.
Not in passivity, but in activity lie the evil and the good of the
rational social animal, just as his virtue and his vice lie not in
passivity, but in activity.
For the stone which has been thrown up it is no evil to come down, nor
indeed any good to have been carried up.
Penetrate inwards into men's leading principles, and thou wilt see what
judges thou art afraid of, and what kind of judges they are of themselves.
All things are changing: and thou thyself art in continuous mutation and
in a manner in continuous destruction, and the whole universe too.
It is thy duty to leave another man's wrongful act there where it is.
Termination of activity, cessation from movement and opinion, and in a
sense their death, is no evil. Turn thy thoughts now to the consideration
of thy life, thy life as a child, as a youth, thy manhood, thy old age,
for in these also every change was a death. Is this anything to fear? Turn
thy thoughts now to thy life under thy grandfather, then to thy life under
thy mother, then to thy life under thy father; and as thou findest many
other differences and changes and terminations, ask thyself, Is this
anything to fear? In like manner, then, neither are the termination and
cessation and change of thy whole life a thing to be afraid of.
Hasten to examine thy own ruling faculty and that of the universe and that
of thy neighbour: thy own that thou mayest make it just: and that of the
universe, that thou mayest remember of what thou art a part; and that of
thy neighbour, that thou mayest know whether he has acted ignorantly or
with knowledge, and that thou mayest also consider that his ruling faculty
is akin to thine.
As thou thyself art a component part of a social system, so let every act
of thine be a component part of social life. Whatever act of thine then
has no reference either immediately or remotely to a social end, this
tears asunder thy life, and does not allow it to be one, and it is of the
nature of a mutiny, just as when in a popular assembly a man acting by
himself stands apart from the general agreement.
Quarrels of little children and their sports, and poor spirits carrying
about dead bodies, such is everything; and so what is exhibited in the
representation of the mansions of the dead strikes our eyes more clearly.
Examine into the quality of the form of an object, and detach it
altogether from its material part, and then contemplate it; then determine
the time, the longest which a thing of this peculiar form is naturally
made to endure.
Thou hast endured infinite troubles through not being contented with thy
ruling faculty, when it does the things which it is constituted by nature
to do. But enough of this.
When another blames thee or hates thee, or when men say about thee
anything injurious, approach their poor souls, penetrate within, and see
what kind of men they are. Thou wilt discover that there is no reason to
take any trouble that these men may have this or that opinion about thee.
However thou must be well disposed towards them, for by nature they are
friends. And the gods too aid them in all ways, by dreams, by signs,
towards the attainment of those things on which they set a value.
The periodic movements of the universe are the same, up and down from age
to age. And either the universal intelligence puts itself in motion for
every separate effect, and if this is so, be thou content with that which
is the result of its activity; or it puts itself in motion once, and
everything else comes by way of sequence in a manner; or indivisible
elements are the origin of all things.- In a word, if there is a god, all
is well; and if chance rules, do not thou also be governed by it.
Soon will the earth cover us all: then the earth, too, will change, and
the things also which result from change will continue to change for ever,
and these again for ever. For if a man reflects on the changes and
transformations which follow one another like wave after wave and their
rapidity, he will despise everything which is perishable.
The universal cause is like a winter torrent: it carries everything along
with it. But how worthless are all these poor people who are engaged in
matters political, and, as they suppose, are playing the philosopher! All
drivellers. Well then, man: do what nature now requires. Set thyself in
motion, if it is in thy power, and do not look about thee to see if any
one will observe it; nor yet expect Plato's Republic: but be content if
the smallest thing goes on well, and consider such an event to be no small
matter. For who can change men's opinions? And without a change of
opinions what else is there than the slavery of men who groan while they
pretend to obey? Come now and tell me of Alexander and Philip and
Demetrius of Phalerum. They themselves shall judge whether they discovered
what the common nature required, and trained themselves accordingly. But
if they acted like tragedy heroes, no one has condemned me to imitate
them. Simple and modest is the work of philosophy. Draw me not aside to
indolence and pride.
Look down from above on the countless herds of men and their countless
solemnities, and the infinitely varied voyagings in storms and calms, and
the differences among those who are born, who live together, and die. And
consider, too, the life lived by others in olden time, and the life of
those who will live after thee, and the life now lived among barbarous
nations, and how many know not even thy name, and how many will soon
forget it, and how they who perhaps now are praising thee will very soon
blame thee, and that neither a posthumous name is of any value, nor
reputation, nor anything else.
Let there be freedom from perturbations with respect to the things which
come from the external cause; and let there be justice in the things done
by virtue of the internal cause, that is, let there be movement and action
terminating in this, in social acts, for this is according to thy nature.
Thou canst remove out of the way many useless things among those which
disturb thee, for they lie entirely in thy opinion; and thou wilt then
gain for thyself ample space by comprehending the whole universe in thy
mind, and by contemplating the eternity of time, and observing the rapid
change of every several thing, how short is the time from birth to
dissolution, and the illimitable time before birth as well as the equally
boundless time after dissolution.
All that thou seest will quickly perish, and those who have been
spectators of its dissolution will very soon perish too. And he who dies
at the extremest old age will be brought into the same condition with him
who died prematurely.
What are these men's leading principles, and about what kind of things are
they busy, and for what kind of reasons do they love and honour? Imagine
that thou seest their poor souls laid bare. When they think that they do
harm by their blame or good by their praise, what an idea!
Loss is nothing else than change. But the universal nature delights in
change, and in obedience to her all things are now done well, and from
eternity have been done in like form, and will be such to time without
end. What, then, dost thou say? That all things have been and all things
always will be bad, and that no power has ever been found in so many gods
to rectify these things, but the world has been condemned to be found in
never ceasing evil?
The rottenness of the matter which is the foundation of everything! Water,
dust, bones, filth: or again, marble rocks, the callosities of the earth;
and gold and silver, the sediments; and garments, only bits of hair; and
purple dye, blood; and everything else is of the same kind. And that which
is of the nature of breath is also another thing of the same kind,
changing from this to that.
Enough of this wretched life and murmuring and apish tricks. Why art thou
disturbed? What is there new in this? What unsettles thee? Is it the form
of the thing? Look at it. Or is it the matter? Look at it. But besides
these there is nothing. Towards the gods, then, now become at last more
simple and better. It is the same whether we examine these things for a
hundred years or three.
If any man has done wrong, the harm is his own. But perhaps he has not
done wrong.
Either all things proceed from one intelligent source and come together as
in one body, and the part ought not to find fault with what is done for
the benefit of the whole; or there are only atoms, and nothing else than
mixture and dispersion. Why, then, art thou disturbed? Say to the ruling
faculty, Art thou dead, art thou corrupted, art thou playing the
hypocrite, art thou become a beast, dost thou herd and feed with the rest?
Either the gods have no power or they have power. If, then, they have no
power, why dost thou pray to them? But if they have power, why dost thou
not pray for them to give thee the faculty of not fearing any of the
things which thou fearest, or of not desiring any of the things which thou
desirest, or not being pained at anything, rather than pray that any of
these things should not happen or happen? for certainly if they can
co-operate with men, they can co-operate for these purposes. But perhaps
thou wilt say, the gods have placed them in thy power. Well, then, is it
not better to use what is in thy power like a free man than to desire in a
slavish and abject way what is not in thy power? And who has told thee
that the gods do not aid us even in the things which are in our power?
Begin, then, to pray for such things, and thou wilt see. One man prays
thus: How shall I be able to lie with that woman? Do thou pray thus: How
shall I not desire to lie with her? Another prays thus: How shall I be
released from this? Another prays: How shall I not desire to be released?
Another thus: How shall I not lose my little son? Thou thus: How shall I
not be afraid to lose him? In fine, turn thy prayers this way, and see
what comes.
Epicurus says, In my sickness my conversation was not about my bodily
sufferings, nor, says he, did I talk on such subjects to those who visited
me; but I continued to discourse on the nature of things as before,
keeping to this main point, how the mind, while participating in such
movements as go on in the poor flesh, shall be free from perturbations and
maintain its proper good. Nor did I, he says, give the physicians an
opportunity of putting on solemn looks, as if they were doing something
great, but my life went on well and happily. Do, then, the same that he
did both in sickness, if thou art sick, and in any other circumstances;
for never to desert philosophy in any events that may befall us, nor to
hold trifling talk either with an ignorant man or with one unacquainted
with nature, is a principle of all schools of philosophy; but to be intent
only on that which thou art now doing and on the instrument by which thou
doest it.
When thou art offended with any man's shameless conduct, immediately ask
thyself, Is it possible, then, that shameless men should not be in the
world? It is not possible. Do not, then, require what is impossible. For
this man also is one of those shameless men who must of necessity be in
the world. Let the same considerations be present to thy mind in the case
of the knave, and the faithless man, and of every man who does wrong in
any way. For at the same time that thou dost remind thyself that it is
impossible that such kind of men should not exist, thou wilt become more
kindly disposed towards every one individually. It is useful to perceive
this, too, immediately when the occasion arises, what virtue nature has
given to man to oppose to every wrongful act. For she has given to man, as
an antidote against the stupid man, mildness, and against another kind of
man some other power. And in all cases it is possible for thee to correct
by teaching the man who is gone astray; for every man who errs misses his
object and is gone astray. Besides wherein hast thou been injured? For
thou wilt find that no one among those against whom thou art irritated has
done anything by which thy mind could be made worse; but that which is
evil to thee and harmful has its foundation only in the mind. And what
harm is done or what is there strange, if the man who has not been
instructed does the acts of an uninstructed man? Consider whether thou
shouldst not rather blame thyself, because thou didst not expect such a
man to err in such a way. For thou hadst means given thee by thy reason to
suppose that it was likely that he would commit this error, and yet thou
hast forgotten and art amazed that he has erred. But most of all when thou
blamest a man as faithless or ungrateful, turn to thyself. For the fault
is manifestly thy own, whether thou didst trust that a man who had such a
disposition would keep his promise, or when conferring thy kindness thou
didst not confer it absolutely, nor yet in such way as to have received
from thy very act all the profit. For what more dost thou want when thou
hast done a man a service? Art thou not content that thou hast done
something conformable to thy nature, and dost thou seek to be paid for it?
Just as if the eye demanded a recompense for seeing, or the feet for
walking. For as these members are formed for a particular purpose, and by
working according to their several constitutions obtain what is their own;
so also as man is formed by nature to acts of benevolence, when he has
done anything benevolent or in any other way conducive to the common
interest, he has acted conformably to his constitution, and he gets what
is his own.