勉志キャスト「４５」
勉志大「８」
It's Lit! 「３４」
Meditations 1: The Nature of the Universe According to Marcus
Though he likely never expected his notebooks to be read by the public, these notes are now what the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius is most known for. This week marks the first discussion of Marcus’ Meditations. These first couple weeks we will be speaking on Marcus’ views on the Universe, and how accepting these truths can bring comfort. See a breakdown of the quotations used below!
SOURCE：Aurelius, Marcus. Meditations. Translated by Martin Hammond, Penguin RH, 2006.
“the Whole contains nothing which is not to its benefit. All organic natures have this in common, but the nature of the universe has this additional attribute, that no external cause can force it to create anything harmful to itself” (95)
“Nothing is so conducive to greatness of mind as the ability to subject each element of our experience in life to methodical and truthful examination, always at the same time using this scrutiny as a means to reflect on the nature of the universe, the contribution any given action or event makes to that nature, the value this has for the Whole, and the value it has for man — and man is an inhabitant of this highest City, of which all other cities are mere households” (21)
“Universe, your harmony is my harmony: nothing in your good time is too early or too late for me. Nature, all that your seasons bring is fruit to me: all that comes from you, exists in you, returns to you. The poet says, ‘Dear city of Cecrops’: will you not say, ‘Dear city of Zeus’?” (28)
“I have now what // universal nature wishes me to have now, and I do what my own nature wishes me to do now” (42-3)
“to resent anything that happens is to separate oneself in revolt from Nature, which holds in collective // embrace the particular natures of all other things” (14, 15)
“The sun appears to pour itself down, and indeed its light pours in all directions, but the stream does not run out…something similar will be true of the flow and diffusion of the universal mind — not an exhaustible stream but rather a constant radiation” (82)
“it is open to you to rejoin that unity” (77)
“what is dearer or closer to the nature of the Whole than change?” (61)
“All that you see will in a moment be changed by the nature which governs the Whole: it will create other things out of this material, and then again others out of that, sot hat the world is always young” (62)
“Loss is nothing more than change. Universal nature delights in change, and all that flows from nature happens for the good” (90)
“The termination of an activity, the pause when an impulse or judgement is finished — this is a sort of death, but no harm in it” (87)
“Man, god, and the universe all bear fruit, each in its own due season” (86)
“make yourself a gift of this present time” (79)
“No obstacle, though, to justices, self-control, and reason” (76)
“All is as thinking makes it so” (14)
“souls are dyed by thoughts” (41)
“First, that things cannot touch the mind: they are external and inert; anxieties can only come from your internal judgement. Second, that all these things you see will change almost as you look t them, and then will be no more. Constantly bring to mind all that you yourself have already seen changed. The universe is change: life is judgment” (24)
“You have seen that: now look at this. Do not trouble yourself, keep yourself simple. Someone does wrong? He does wrong to himself. Has something happened to you? Fine. All that happens has been fated by the Whole from the beginning and spun for your own destiny. In sum, life is short: make your gain from the present moment with right reason and justice. Keep sober and relaxed” (28)
