Размышления
Book 8
Andwhywereyouborn?Forpleasure?Seeifthatanswerwillstanduptoquestioning.
20.Natureislikesomeonethrowingaballintheair,gaugingitsriseandarc—andwhereitwillfall.Andwhatdoestheballgainasitfliesupward?Orlosewhenitplummetstoearth?
Whatdoesthebubblegainfromitsexistence?Orlosebybursting?
Andthesameforacandle.
21.Turnitinsideout:Whatisitlike?Whatisitlikeold?Orsick?Orsellingitselfonthestreets?
Theyalldiesoon—praiserandpraised,remembererandremembered.Rememberedinthesepartsorinacornerofthem.Eventheretheydon’tallagreewitheachother(orevenwiththemselves).
Andthewholeearthamerepointinspace.
22.Sticktowhat’sinfrontofyou—idea,action,utterance.
22a.Thisiswhatyoudeserve.Youcouldbegoodtoday.Butinsteadyouchoosetomorrow.
23.WhatIdo?Iattributeittohumanbeneficence.
Whatisdonetome?Iacceptit—andattributeittothegods,andthatsourcefromwhichallthingstogetherflow.
24.Likethebaths—oil,sweat,dirt,grayishwater,allofitdisgusting.
Thewholeoflife,allofthevisibleworld.
25.Verus,leavingLucillabehind,thenLucilla.Maximus,leavingSecunda.AndSecunda.Diotimus,leavingEpitynchanus.ThenEpitynchanus.Faustina,leavingAntoninus.ThenAntoninus.
