Роздуми
Book 8
ComparedwithDiogenes,Heraclitus,Socrates?Thephilosophersknewthewhat,thewhy,thehow.Theirmindsweretheirown.
Theothers?Nothingbutanxietyandenslavement.
4.Youcanholdyourbreathuntilyouturnblue,butthey’llstillgoondoingit.
5.Thefirststep:Don’tbeanxious.Naturecontrolsitall.Andbeforelongyou’llbenoone,nowhere—likeHadrian,likeAugustus.
Thesecondstep:Concentrateonwhatyouhavetodo.Fixyoureyesonit.Remindyourselfthatyourtaskistobeagoodhumanbeing;remindyourselfwhatnaturedemandsofpeople.Thendoit,withouthesitation,andspeakthetruthasyouseeit.Butwithkindness.Withhumility.Withouthypocrisy.
6.Nature’sjob:toshiftthingselsewhere,totransformthem,topickthemupandmovethemhereandthere.Constantalteration.Butnottoworry:there’snothingnewhere.Everythingisfamiliar.Eventheproportionsareunchanged.
7.Natureofanykindthrivesonforwardprogress.Andprogressforarationalmindmeansnotacceptingfalsehoodoruncertaintyinitsperceptions,makingunselfishactionsitsonlyaim,seekingandshunningonlythethingsithascontrolover,embracingwhatnaturedemandsofit—thenatureinwhichitparticipates,astheleaf’snaturedoesinthetree’s.Exceptthatthenaturesharedbytheleafiswithoutconsciousnessorreason,andsubjecttoimpediments.
