Размышления
Book 4
Well,whynotuseit?Isn’tthatallyouwant—forittodoitsjob?
14.Youhavefunctionedasapartofsomething;youwillvanishintowhatproducedyou.
Orberestored,rather.
Tothelogosfromwhichallthingsspring.
Bybeingchanged.
15.Manylumpsofincenseonthesamealtar.Onecrumblesnow,onelater,butitmakesnodifference.
16.Nowtheyseeyouasabeast,amonkey.Butinaweekthey’llthinkyou’reagod—ifyourediscoveryourbeliefsandhonorthelogos.
17.Nottoliveasifyouhadendlessyearsaheadofyou.Deathovershadowsyou.Whileyou’realiveandable—begood.
18.Thetranquillitythatcomeswhenyoustopcaringwhattheysay.Orthink,ordo.Onlywhatyoudo.(Isthisfair?Isthistherightthingtodo?)...nottobedistractedbytheirdarkness.Torunstraightforthefinishline,unswerving.
19.Peoplewhoareexcitedbyposthumousfameforgetthatthepeoplewhorememberthemwillsoondietoo.Andthoseaftertheminturn.Untiltheirmemory,passedfromonetoanotherlikeacandleflame,guttersandgoesout.
Butsupposethatthosewhorememberedyouwereimmortalandyourmemoryundying.Whatgoodwoulditdoyou?AndIdon’tjustmeanwhenyou’redead,butinyourownlifetime.