Meditations
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Not to be offended with other men's liberty of speech, and to apply
myself unto philosophy. Him also I must thank, that ever I heard
first Bacchius, then Tandasis and Marcianus, and that I did write
dialogues in my youth; and that I took liking to the philosophers'
little couch and skins, and such other things, which by the Grecian
discipline are proper to those who profess philosophy.
IV. To Rusticus I am beholding, that I first entered into
the conceit that my life wanted some redress and cure.
And then, that I did not fall into the ambition of ordinary sophists,
either to write tracts concerning the common theorems, or to exhort
men unto virtue and the study of philosophy by public orations;
as also that I never by way of ostentation did affect to show
myself an active able man, for any kind of bodily exercises.
And that I gave over the study of rhetoric and poetry, and of
elegant neat language. That I did not use to walk about the house
in my long robe, nor to do any such things. Moreover I learned
of him to write letters without any affectation, or curiosity;
such as that was, which by him was written to my mother from Sinuessa:
and to be easy and ready to be reconciled, and well pleased
again with them that had offended me, as soon as any of them
would be content to seek unto me again. To read with diligence;
not to rest satisfied with a light and superficial knowledge,
nor quickly to assent to things commonly spoken of: whom also I
must thank that ever I lighted upon Epictetus his Hypomnemata,
or moral commentaries and commone-factions: which also he gave
me of his own.
V. From Apollonius, true liberty, and unvariable steadfastness,
and not to regard anything at all, though never so little,
but right and reason: and always, whether in the sharpest pains,
or after the loss of a child, or in long diseases, to be still
the same man; who also was a present and visible example unto me,
that it was possible for the same man to be both vehement and remiss:
a man not subject to be vexed, and offended with the incapacity
of his scholars and auditors in his lectures and expositions;
and a true pattern of a man who of all his good gifts and faculties,
least esteemed in himself, that his excellent skill and ability
to teach and persuade others the common theorems and maxims
of the Stoic philosophy. Of him also I learned how to receive
favours and kindnesses (as commonly they are accounted:)
from friends, so that I might not become obnoxious unto them,
for them, nor more yielding upon occasion, than in right I ought;
and yet so that I should not pass them neither, as an unsensible
and unthankful man.
VI. Of Sextus, mildness and the pattern of a family governed with
paternal affection; and a purpose to live according to nature:
to be grave without affectation: to observe carefully the several
dispositions of my friends, not to be offended with idiots,
nor unseasonably to set upon those that are carried with the
vulgar opinions, with the theorems, and tenets of philosophers:
his conversation being an example how a man might accommodate
himself to all men and companies; so that though his company were
sweeter and more pleasing than any flatterer's cogging and fawning;
yet was it at the same time most respected and reverenced:
who also had a proper Happiness and faculty, rationally and
methodically to find out, and set in order all necessary
determinations and instructions for a man's life. A man without
ever the least appearance of anger, or any other passion;
able at the same time most exactly to observe the Stoic Apathia,
or unpassionateness, and yet to be most tender-hearted: ever
of good credit; and yet almost without any noise, or rumour:
very learned, and yet making little show.
Vii. From Alexander the Grammarian, to be un-reprovable myself,
and not reproachfully to reprehend any man for a barbarism,
or a solecism, or any false pronunciation, but dextrously by way
of answer, or testimony, or confirmation of the same matter
(taking no notice of the word) to utter it as it should have
been spoken; or by some other such close and indirect admonition,
handsomely and civilly to tell him of it. VIII. Of Fronto,
to how much envy and fraud and hypocrisy the state of a tyrannous
king is subject unto, and how they who are commonly called
[Eupatridas Gk.], i.e. nobly born, are in some sort incapable,
or void of natural affection.
IX. Of Alexander the Platonic, not often nor without great necessity
to say, or to write to any man in a letter, 'I am not at leisure';
nor in this manner still to put off those duties, which we owe
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