With rational beings action in accordance with nature and reason is the same thing. And the memory of everything is quickly overwhelmed by time. And everything causal is quickly absorbed into the universal reason. There is but one sort of matter to make it of one God that pervades it and one law to guide it, the common reason of all rational beings and one truth if, indeed, beings of the same kind, and endued with the same reason, have one and the same perfection.Įverything material quickly disappears into the universal matter. For the world, take it altogether, is but one. This general connection gives unity and ornament to the world.

And no one thing is foreign or unrelated to another. Īll parts of the universe are interwoven and tied together with a sacred bond. The importance of rationality and will is a central tenet of the Meditations. On the course of life itself, Marcus Aurelius reminds himself of the importance of living in the moment, but not clinging to any moment which has passed.īe not disturbed about the future, for if ever you come to it, you will have the same reason for your guide, which preserves you at present. Now suppose you happen to be lame at an assault, and cannot mount the breach upon your own feet, will you not suffer your comrade to help you? Like a soldier at the storming of a town, your business is to maintain your post, and execute your orders. How many famous men are dropped out of history and forgotten? And how many, that promised to keep up other people’s names, have lost their own?Īnd we ought to be open to the helpful abilities of our peers: He continues to say our actions should not be motivated by the want for fame or recognition. For whatsoever I act, either by myself, or in conjunction with another, I am always to aim at the advantage of the community. I will give my advice, and put the executing part into an abler hand, and thus the right moment and the general interest may be secured.

If not, I will either let it alone, and resign it to a better capacity, unless that be contrary to my duty, or else I will do what I can. Is my intellect sufficient for this business or not? If it is, I will make use of my talent as given me by heaven for that purpose. One remarkable topic on which Marcus Aurelius writes is personal ability as it may apply to the common good: The work was not intended for an audience, but rather as a collection of meditative notes-to-self. Book VII of Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations contains a series of observations on the nature of change and the forces of life itself.

Meditations marcus