“ Whether intelligence rules all things or chance rules, a man must not be disturbed. He must use the power that he has and be tranquil. ”
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations (c. 170 - 180). copy citation
| Author | Marcus Aurelius |
|---|---|
| Source | Meditations |
| Topic | intelligence power |
| Date | c. 170 - 180 |
| Language | English |
| Reference | |
| Note | Translated by George Long |
| Weblink | https://www.gutenberg.org/files/15877/15877-h/15877-h.htm |
Context
“Say to the ruling faculty, Art thou dead, art thou corrupted, art thou playing the hypocrite, art thou become a beast, dost thou herd and feed with the rest? [A]
[A] There is some corruption at the end of this section, but I think that the translation expresses the emperor's meaning. Whether intelligence rules all things or chance rules, a man must not be disturbed. He must use the power that he has and be tranquil.
40. Either the gods have no power or they have power. If, then, they have no power, why dost thou pray to them? But if they have power, why dost thou not pray for them to give thee the faculty of not fearing any of the things which thou fearest, or of not desiring any of the things which thou desirest, or not being pained at anything, rather than pray that any of these things should not happen or happen?”
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