Роздуми
Book 9
Getamoveon—ifyouhaveitinyou—anddon’tworrywhetheranyonewillgiveyoucreditforit.Anddon’tgoexpectingPlato’sRepublic;besatisfiedwitheventhesmallestprogress,andtreattheoutcomeofitallasunimportant.
Whocanchangetheirminds?Andwithoutthatchange,whatistherebutgroaning,slavery,apretenseofobedience?GoonandciteAlexander,Philip,DemetriusofPhalerum.Whethertheyknewnature’swillandmadethemselvesitsstudentisforthemtosay.Andiftheypreferredtoplaytheking?Well,nooneforcedmetobetheirunderstudy.
Thetaskofphilosophyismodestandstraightforward.Don’ttemptmetopresumption.
30.Toseethemfromabove:thethousandsofanimalherds,therituals,thevoyagesoncalmorstormyseas,thedifferentwayswecomeintotheworld,shareitwithoneanother,andleaveit.Considerthelivesledoncebyothers,longago,thelivestobeledbyothersafteryou,thelivesledevennow,inforeignlands.Howmanypeopledon’tevenknowyourname.Howmanywillsoonhaveforgottenit.Howmanyofferyoupraisenow—andtomorrow,perhaps,contempt.
Thattoberememberedisworthless.Likefame.Likeeverything.
31.Indifferencetoexternalevents.
Andacommitmenttojusticeinyourownacts.
Whichmeans:thoughtandactionresultinginthecommongood.
Whatyouwereborntodo.
32.
