Размышления
Book 4
Howmanyareswalloweduplikethat,entombedinthebodiesofthosenourishedbythem,andyetthereisroomforthemall—convertedintofleshandblood,transformedtoairandfire.
Howisthetruthofthisdetermined?
Throughanalysis:materialandcause.
22.Nottobedriventhiswayandthat,butalwaystobehavewithjusticeandseethingsastheyare.
23.Totheworld:Yourharmonyismine.Whatevertimeyouchooseistherighttime.Notlate,notearly.
Tonature:Whattheturnofyourseasonsbringsmefallslikeripefruit.Allthingsarebornfromyou,existinyou,returntoyou.
Thepoetsays"dearcityofCecrops..."Can’tyoubringyourselftosay"ofZeus"?
24."Ifyouseektranquillity,doless."Or(moreaccurately)dowhat’sessential—whatthelogosofasocialbeingrequires,andintherequisiteway.Whichbringsadoublesatisfaction:todoless,better.
Becausemostofwhatwesayanddoisnotessential.Ifyoucaneliminateit,you’llhavemoretime,andmoretranquillity.Askyourselfateverymoment,"Isthisnecessary?"
Butweneedtoeliminateunnecessaryassumptionsaswell.Toeliminatetheunnecessaryactionsthatfollow.
25.Andthenyoumightseewhatthelifeofthegoodmanislike—someonecontentwithwhatnatureassignshim,andsatisfiedwithbeingjustandkindhimself.
26.You’veseenthat.Nowlookatthis.