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Marcus Aurelius
Nov. 29th, 2013 04:09 pmI've been meaning to write this post for a least a year: quotes from Marcus Aurelius, the prissy prat, so that I can recycle his book.
As background, I got somewhat into Stoic philosophy when I read A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy. I liked that and I REALLY liked The Art of Living by Epictetus (yes, that version. Some say Lebell's translation goes too far in the modernizing, by the way, and I don't care; I'm more interested in how to live my life than I am in history).
So, it seemed the next step was to read good old Marcus, and I dragged my way through his Meditations, but I moaned and groaned at his prissiness. Weird thoughts of purity, shame and self-disgust wind through his thinking and throw the whole thing off for me.
All the same, I found myself dog-earing pages. So here are some quotes that I actually liked, and why.
About a friend: He showed me the need for... an addiction to good works, open-handedness, a sanguine temper, and confidence in the affection of my friends. Nice wording, and an interesting grouping of virtues.
About his father: He was always equal to an occasion: cheerful, yet long-sighted enough to have all his dispositions unobtrusively perfected down to the last detail. Because I wanna be like that. ...when [material comforts] were at hand, he would avail himself of them frankly, but when they were not he had no regrets. Ditto. I like this guy's dad. Marcus himself did very little frank availing that he would admit to.
In the life of a man, his time is but a moment, his being an incessant flux, his sense a dim rushlight, his body a prey of worms, his soul an unquiet eddy, his fortune dark, his fame doubtful. In short, all that is body is as coursing waters, all that is of the soul as dreams and vapors; life a warfare, a brief sojourning in an alien land; and after repute, oblivion. Very goth, Marcus, very unlike you, but pretty.
If you are doing what is right, never mind whether you are freezing with cold or beside a good fire; heavy-eyed, or fresh from a sound sleep; reviled or applauded; in the act of dying, or about some other piece of business. This is from a series of "if you're doing your best at the task in front of you, nothing else matters" quotes.
When an opponent in the gymnasium gashes us with his nails or bruises our head in a collision, we do not protest or take offense, and we do not suspect him ever afterwards of malicious intent. However, we do regard him with a wary eye; not in enmity or suspicion, yet good-temperedly keeping our distance. So let it be, too, at other times in life; let us agree to overlook a great many things in those who are, as it were, our fellow-contestants. A simple avoidance, as I have said is always open to us, without either suspicion or ill-will. Relevant for career dealings and for breakups, not to mention acro injuries.
Never confuse yourself by visions of an entire lifetime at once. That is, do not let your thoughts range over the whole multitude and variety of the fortunes that may befall you, but rather... remember that it is not the weight of the future or the past that is pressing upon you, but ever that of the present alone. I scare myself to death quite regularly by wondering how I can possibly work usefully for 25 or 30 more years, but on any given DAY I have plenty of things to do.
That's it; I've gleefully torn up and recycled the book, and now it won't sit on my desk mocking me anymore. I love long weekends.
As background, I got somewhat into Stoic philosophy when I read A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy. I liked that and I REALLY liked The Art of Living by Epictetus (yes, that version. Some say Lebell's translation goes too far in the modernizing, by the way, and I don't care; I'm more interested in how to live my life than I am in history).
So, it seemed the next step was to read good old Marcus, and I dragged my way through his Meditations, but I moaned and groaned at his prissiness. Weird thoughts of purity, shame and self-disgust wind through his thinking and throw the whole thing off for me.
All the same, I found myself dog-earing pages. So here are some quotes that I actually liked, and why.
About a friend: He showed me the need for... an addiction to good works, open-handedness, a sanguine temper, and confidence in the affection of my friends. Nice wording, and an interesting grouping of virtues.
About his father: He was always equal to an occasion: cheerful, yet long-sighted enough to have all his dispositions unobtrusively perfected down to the last detail. Because I wanna be like that. ...when [material comforts] were at hand, he would avail himself of them frankly, but when they were not he had no regrets. Ditto. I like this guy's dad. Marcus himself did very little frank availing that he would admit to.
In the life of a man, his time is but a moment, his being an incessant flux, his sense a dim rushlight, his body a prey of worms, his soul an unquiet eddy, his fortune dark, his fame doubtful. In short, all that is body is as coursing waters, all that is of the soul as dreams and vapors; life a warfare, a brief sojourning in an alien land; and after repute, oblivion. Very goth, Marcus, very unlike you, but pretty.
If you are doing what is right, never mind whether you are freezing with cold or beside a good fire; heavy-eyed, or fresh from a sound sleep; reviled or applauded; in the act of dying, or about some other piece of business. This is from a series of "if you're doing your best at the task in front of you, nothing else matters" quotes.
When an opponent in the gymnasium gashes us with his nails or bruises our head in a collision, we do not protest or take offense, and we do not suspect him ever afterwards of malicious intent. However, we do regard him with a wary eye; not in enmity or suspicion, yet good-temperedly keeping our distance. So let it be, too, at other times in life; let us agree to overlook a great many things in those who are, as it were, our fellow-contestants. A simple avoidance, as I have said is always open to us, without either suspicion or ill-will. Relevant for career dealings and for breakups, not to mention acro injuries.
Never confuse yourself by visions of an entire lifetime at once. That is, do not let your thoughts range over the whole multitude and variety of the fortunes that may befall you, but rather... remember that it is not the weight of the future or the past that is pressing upon you, but ever that of the present alone. I scare myself to death quite regularly by wondering how I can possibly work usefully for 25 or 30 more years, but on any given DAY I have plenty of things to do.
That's it; I've gleefully torn up and recycled the book, and now it won't sit on my desk mocking me anymore. I love long weekends.
