Размышления
Book 6
Andiftheymakenodecisions,aboutanything—andit’sblasphemouseventothinkso(becauseifso,thenlet’sstopsacrificing,praying,swearingoaths,anddoingalltheotherthingswedo,believingthewholetimethatthegodsarerightherewithus)—iftheydecidenothingaboutourlives...well,Icanstillmakedecisions.Canstillconsiderwhatit’stomybenefittodo.Andwhatbenefitsanyoneistodowhathisownnaturerequires.Andmineisrational.Rationalandcivic.
MycityandstateareRome—asAntoninus.Butasahumanbeing?Theworld.Soforme,"good"canonlymeanwhat’sgoodforbothcommunities.
45.Whateverhappenstoyouisforthegoodoftheworld.Thatwouldbeenoughrightthere.Butifyoulookcloselyyou’llgenerallynoticesomethingelseaswell:whateverhappenstoasinglepersonisforthegoodofothers.(Goodintheordinarysense—astheworlddefinesit.)
46.Justasthearenaandtheotherspectacleswearyyou—you’veseenthemallbefore—andtherepetitiongratesonyournerves,sotoowithlife.Thesamethings,thesamecauses,onallsides.
Howmuchlonger?
47.Keepthisconstantlyinmind:thatallsortsofpeoplehavedied—allprofessions,allnationalities.FollowthethoughtallthewaydowntoPhilistion,Phoebus,andOriganion.Nowextendittootherspecies.
Wehavetogotheretoo,whereallofthemhavealreadygone:
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