DioLiu/Test1 · Datasets at Hugging Face

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nearly everything good. Further, I owe it to the gods that I was not
hurried into any offence against any of them, though I had a disposition
which, if opportunity had offered, might have led me to do something
of this kind; but, through their favour, there never was such a concurrence
of circumstances as put me to the trial. Further, I am thankful to
the gods that I was not longer brought up with my grandfather's concubine,
and that I preserved the flower of my youth, and that I did not make
proof of my virility before the proper season, but even deferred the
time; that I was subjected to a ruler and a father who was able to
take away all pride from me, and to bring me to the knowledge that
it is possible for a man to live in a palace without wanting either
guards or embroidered dresses, or torches and statues, and such-like
show; but that it is in such a man's power to bring himself very near
to the fashion of a private person, without being for this reason
either meaner in thought, or more remiss in action, with respect to
the things which must be done for the public interest in a manner
that befits a ruler. I thank the gods for giving me such a brother,
who was able by his moral character to rouse me to vigilance over
myself, and who, at the same time, pleased me by his respect and affection;
that my children have not been stupid nor deformed in body; that I
did not make more proficiency in rhetoric, poetry, and the other studies,
in which I should perhaps have been completely engaged, if I had seen
that I was making progress in them; that I made haste to place those
who brought me up in the station of honour, which they seemed to desire,
without putting them off with hope of my doing it some time after,
because they were then still young; that I knew Apollonius, Rusticus,
Maximus; that I received clear and frequent impressions about living
according to nature, and what kind of a life that is, so that, so
far as depended on the gods, and their gifts, and help, and inspirations,
nothing hindered me from forthwith living according to nature, though
I still fall short of it through my own fault, and through not observing
the admonitions of the gods, and, I may almost say, their direct instructions;
that my body has held out so long in such a kind of life; that I never
touched either Benedicta or Theodotus, and that, after having fallen
into amatory passions, I was cured; and, though I was often out of
humour with Rusticus, I never did anything of which I had occasion
to repent; that, though it was my mother's fate to die young, she
spent the last years of her life with me; that, whenever I wished
to help any man in his need, or on any other occasion, I was never
told that I had not the means of doing it; and that to myself the
same necessity never happened, to receive anything from another; that
I have such a wife, so obedient, and so affectionate, and so simple;
that I had abundance of good masters for my children; and that remedies
have been shown to me by dreams, both others, and against bloodspitting
and giddiness...; and that, when I had an inclination to philosophy,
I did not fall into the hands of any sophist, and that I did not waste
my time on writers of histories, or in the resolution of syllogisms,
or occupy myself about the investigation of appearances in the heavens;
for all these things require the help of the gods and fortune.

Among the Quadi at the Granua.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

BOOK TWO

Begin the morning by saying to thyself, I shall meet with the busy-body,
the ungrateful, arrogant, deceitful, envious, unsocial. All these
things happen to them by reason of their ignorance of what is good
and evil. But I who have seen the nature of the good that it is beautiful,
and of the bad that it is ugly, and the nature of him who does wrong,
that it is akin to me, not only of the same blood or seed, but that
it participates in the same intelligence and the same portion of the
divinity, I can neither be injured by any of them, for no one can
fix on me what is ugly, nor can I be angry with my kinsman, nor hate
him, For we are made for co-operation, like feet, like hands, like
eyelids, like the rows of the upper and lower teeth. To act against
one another then is contrary to nature; and it is acting against one
another to be vexed and to turn away.

Whatever this is that I am, it is a little flesh and breath, and the
ruling part. Throw away thy books; no longer distract thyself: it
is not allowed; but as if thou wast now dying, despise the flesh;
it is blood and bones and a network, a contexture of nerves, veins,
and arteries. See the breath also, what kind of a thing it is, air,
and not always the same, but every moment sent out and again sucked
in. The third then is the ruling part: consider thus: Thou art an
old man; no longer let this be a slave, no longer be pulled by the
strings like a puppet to unsocial movements, no longer either be dissatisfied
with thy present lot, or shrink from the future.

All that is from the gods is full of Providence. That which is from
fortune is not separated from nature or without an interweaving and
involution with the things which are ordered by Providence. From thence
all things flow; and there is besides necessity, and that which is
for the advantage of the whole universe, of which thou art a part.
But that is good for every part of nature which the nature of the
whole brings, and what serves to maintain this nature. Now the universe
is preserved, as by the changes of the elements so by the changes
of things compounded of the elements. Let these principles be enough
for thee, let them always be fixed opinions. But cast away the thirst
after books, that thou mayest not die murmuring, but cheerfully, truly,
and from thy heart thankful to the gods.

Remember how long thou hast been putting off these things, and how
often thou hast received an opportunity from the gods, and yet dost
not use it. Thou must now at last perceive of what universe thou art
a part, and of what administrator of the universe thy existence is
an efflux, and that a limit of time is fixed for thee, which if thou
dost not use for clearing away the clouds from thy mind, it will go

nearly everything good. Further, I owe it to the gods that I was not

hurried into any offence against any of them, though I had a disposition

which, if opportunity had offered, might have led me to do something

of this kind; but, through their favour, there never was such a concurrence

of circumstances as put me to the trial. Further, I am thankful to

the gods that I was not longer brought up with my grandfather's concubine,

and that I preserved the flower of my youth, and that I did not make

proof of my virility before the proper season, but even deferred the

time; that I was subjected to a ruler and a father who was able to

take away all pride from me, and to bring me to the knowledge that

it is possible for a man to live in a palace without wanting either

guards or embroidered dresses, or torches and statues, and such-like

show; but that it is in such a man's power to bring himself very near

to the fashion of a private person, without being for this reason

either meaner in thought, or more remiss in action, with respect to

the things which must be done for the public interest in a manner

that befits a ruler. I thank the gods for giving me such a brother,

who was able by his moral character to rouse me to vigilance over

myself, and who, at the same time, pleased me by his respect and affection;

that my children have not been stupid nor deformed in body; that I

did not make more proficiency in rhetoric, poetry, and the other studies,

in which I should perhaps have been completely engaged, if I had seen

that I was making progress in them; that I made haste to place those

who brought me up in the station of honour, which they seemed to desire,

without putting them off with hope of my doing it some time after,

because they were then still young; that I knew Apollonius, Rusticus,

Maximus; that I received clear and frequent impressions about living

according to nature, and what kind of a life that is, so that, so

far as depended on the gods, and their gifts, and help, and inspirations,

nothing hindered me from forthwith living according to nature, though

I still fall short of it through my own fault, and through not observing

the admonitions of the gods, and, I may almost say, their direct instructions;

that my body has held out so long in such a kind of life; that I never

touched either Benedicta or Theodotus, and that, after having fallen

into amatory passions, I was cured; and, though I was often out of

humour with Rusticus, I never did anything of which I had occasion

to repent; that, though it was my mother's fate to die young, she

spent the last years of her life with me; that, whenever I wished

to help any man in his need, or on any other occasion, I was never

told that I had not the means of doing it; and that to myself the

same necessity never happened, to receive anything from another; that

I have such a wife, so obedient, and so affectionate, and so simple;

that I had abundance of good masters for my children; and that remedies

have been shown to me by dreams, both others, and against bloodspitting

and giddiness...; and that, when I had an inclination to philosophy,

I did not fall into the hands of any sophist, and that I did not waste

my time on writers of histories, or in the resolution of syllogisms,

or occupy myself about the investigation of appearances in the heavens;

for all these things require the help of the gods and fortune.

Among the Quadi at the Granua.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

BOOK TWO

Begin the morning by saying to thyself, I shall meet with the busy-body,

the ungrateful, arrogant, deceitful, envious, unsocial. All these

things happen to them by reason of their ignorance of what is good

and evil. But I who have seen the nature of the good that it is beautiful,

and of the bad that it is ugly, and the nature of him who does wrong,

that it is akin to me, not only of the same blood or seed, but that

it participates in the same intelligence and the same portion of the

divinity, I can neither be injured by any of them, for no one can

fix on me what is ugly, nor can I be angry with my kinsman, nor hate

him, For we are made for co-operation, like feet, like hands, like

eyelids, like the rows of the upper and lower teeth. To act against

one another then is contrary to nature; and it is acting against one

another to be vexed and to turn away.

Whatever this is that I am, it is a little flesh and breath, and the

ruling part. Throw away thy books; no longer distract thyself: it

is not allowed; but as if thou wast now dying, despise the flesh;

it is blood and bones and a network, a contexture of nerves, veins,

and arteries. See the breath also, what kind of a thing it is, air,

and not always the same, but every moment sent out and again sucked

in. The third then is the ruling part: consider thus: Thou art an

old man; no longer let this be a slave, no longer be pulled by the

strings like a puppet to unsocial movements, no longer either be dissatisfied

with thy present lot, or shrink from the future.

All that is from the gods is full of Providence. That which is from

fortune is not separated from nature or without an interweaving and

involution with the things which are ordered by Providence. From thence

all things flow; and there is besides necessity, and that which is

for the advantage of the whole universe, of which thou art a part.

But that is good for every part of nature which the nature of the

whole brings, and what serves to maintain this nature. Now the universe

is preserved, as by the changes of the elements so by the changes

of things compounded of the elements. Let these principles be enough

for thee, let them always be fixed opinions. But cast away the thirst

after books, that thou mayest not die murmuring, but cheerfully, truly,

and from thy heart thankful to the gods.

Remember how long thou hast been putting off these things, and how

often thou hast received an opportunity from the gods, and yet dost

not use it. Thou must now at last perceive of what universe thou art

a part, and of what administrator of the universe thy existence is

an efflux, and that a limit of time is fixed for thee, which if thou

dost not use for clearing away the clouds from thy mind, it will go