Between A.D. 167 and A.D. 180 the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius felt compelled to write his philosophical reminders to himself. He did not intend that these reminders be published for others to read and so we have in what has become known as his Meditations a rare insight into the thinking of one of the world’s most powerful and influential persons. It is safe to say that literally hundreds of thousands of people have read and been deeply influenced by Marcus’ words – I am one of those many thousands. Every now and then I have posted an entry from Marcus’ Meditations and today, gentle reader, I offer you another entry taken from Marcus’ reminders to himself. Today’s entry comes from Chapter 6, entry #16. Marcus writes this note to himself:
To absorb air as plants do should not be valued much, nor the act of respiration, which we share with cattle and wild animals, nor the act of being affected by impressions, nor to be manipulated by our impulses like a marionette, nor to live in herds, nor to consume nutriment, for this last one is no better than to value the expelling of that nutriment.
What then should we value? The clapping of hands? Surely not. And not the clapping of tongues either, for praise by the masses is nothing other than this. So now you have done away with fame as well. What then remains to be valued? I believe it is this: to move and be restrained in accordance with how we are made and what we are made for, toward which end both our concerns and our arts lead (for indeed every art or craft aims at this, in order that whatever it constructs be well suited for its proper task, for which it has been made. And this is the aim of the gardener who cares for the vine, the horse trainer, and the breeder of dogs). And what about the upbringing and education of children? What end do these arts seek? Surely what is honorable. And if you are in possession of this, nothing else will you seek for yourself. Will you not cease to value all of those other things? For otherwise you would not be free, self-sufficient, or unaffected but compelled to envy, jealousy, and suspicion of those who possess what you want.
In sum, such a person will necessarily be in complete confusion who feels the need for any of those things, and will even find fault with the gods. But through reverence for one’s own capacity for thought one can be acceptable to oneself, accommodating to other people, and a companion to the gods, namely by praising whatever they have assigned and ordered.
Searcher-Seeker 