Marc Aurèle citations célèbres
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Marc Aurèle Citations
Marc Aurèle: Citations en anglais
Hays translation
V, 19
Meditations (c. 121–180 AD), Book V
“How much more grievous are the consequences of anger than the causes of it.”
Source: Meditations (Promluvy k sobě)
“For they are like an ax, differing only in”
X, 38
Meditations (c. 121–180 AD), Book X
Contexte: In contemplating thyself never include the vessel which surrounds thee, and these instruments which are attached about it. For they are like an ax, differing only in this, that they grow to the body. For indeed there is no more use in these parts without the cause which moves and checks them than in the weaver's shuttle, and the writer's pen, and the driver's whip.
“Constantly contemplate the whole of time and the whole of substance”
X, 17
Meditations (c. 121–180 AD), Book X
Contexte: Constantly contemplate the whole of time and the whole of substance, and consider that all individual things as to substance are a grain of a fig, and as to time the turning of a gimlet.
“Suppose that thou hast detached thyself from the natural unity.”
VIII, 34
Meditations (c. 121–180 AD), Book VIII
Contexte: Suppose that thou hast detached thyself from the natural unity... yet here there is this beautiful provision, that it is in thy power again to unite thyself. God has allowed this to no other part, after it has been separated and cut asunder, to come together again.... he has distinguished man, for he has put it in his power not to be separated at all from the universal... he has allowed him to be returned and to be united and to resume his place as a part.
XII, 30
Meditations (c. 121–180 AD), Book XII
Contexte: Everything harmonizes with me, which is harmonious to thee, O Universe. Nothing for me is too early or too late, which is in due time for thee. There is one light of the sun, though it is interrupted by walls, mountains and infinite other things. There is one common substance, though it is distributed among countless bodies which have their several qualities. There is one soul, though it is distributed among several natures and individual limitations. There is one intelligent soul, though it seems to be divided.
“Thou mayest foresee… the things which will be. For they will certainly be of like form”
VII, 49
Meditations (c. 121–180 AD), Book VII
Contexte: Thou mayest foresee... the things which will be. For they will certainly be of like form, and it is not possible that they should deviate from the order of things now: accordingly to have contemplated human life for forty years is the same as to have contemplated it for ten thousand years.
“She is content then with her own space, and her own matter, and her own art.”
VIII, 50
Meditations (c. 121–180 AD), Book VIII
Contexte: The universal nature has no external space; but the wondrous part of her art is that though she has circumscribed herself, everything which is within her which appears to decay and to grow old and to be useless she changes into herself, and again makes other new things from these very same, so that she requires neither substance from without nor wants a place into which she may cast that which decays. She is content then with her own space, and her own matter, and her own art.
“And why art thou not content to pass through this short time in an orderly way?”
X, 31
Meditations (c. 121–180 AD), Book X
Contexte: Continuously thou wilt look at human things as smoke and nothing at all; especially if thou reflectest at the same time, that what has once changed will never exist again in the infinite duration of time. But thou, in what a brief space of time is thy existence? And why art thou not content to pass through this short time in an orderly way?
“Only to the rational animal is it given to follow voluntarily”
X, 28
Meditations (c. 121–180 AD), Book X
Contexte: Only to the rational animal is it given to follow voluntarily what happens; but simply to follow is a necessity imposed on all.
“It is not given to a cylinder to move everywhere by its own motion,”
X, 33
Meditations (c. 121–180 AD), Book X
Contexte: It is not given to a cylinder to move everywhere by its own motion, nor yet to water nor to fire nor to anything else which is governed by nature or an irrational soul, for the things which check them and stand in the way are many. But intelligence and reason are able to go through everything that opposes them, and in such manner as they are formed by nature and as they choose. Place before thy eyes this facility with which the reason will be carried through all things, as fire upwards, as a stone downwards, as a cylinder down an inclined surface, and seek for nothing further. For all other obstacles either affect the body only, which is a dead thing; or, except for opinion and the yielding of reason itself, they do not crush nor do any harm of any kind; for if they did, he who felt it would immediately become bad.
VIII, 48
Meditations (c. 121–180 AD), Book VIII
Contexte: The mind which is free from passions is a citadel, for man has nothing more secure to which he can fly for refuge and for the future be inexpugnable. He then who has not seen this is an ignorant man: but he who has seen it and does not fly to this refuge is unhappy.
“Such a man then will think that death also is no evil.”
VII, 35
Meditations (c. 121–180 AD), Book VII
Contexte: From Plato: the man who has an elevated mind and takes a view of all time and of all substance, dost thou suppose it possible for him to think that human life is anything great? It is not possible, he said. Such a man then will think that death also is no evil.
VII, 53
Meditations (c. 121–180 AD), Book VII
Contexte: Where any work can be done conformably to the reason which is common to gods and men, there we have nothing to fear; for where we are able to get profit by means of the activity which is successful and proceeds according to our constitution, there no harm is to be suspected.
Hays translation
Say to yourself in the early morning: I shall meet today inquisitive, ungrateful, violent, treacherous, envious, uncharitable men. All these things have come upon them through ignorance of real good and ill.
II, 1
Meditations (c. 121–180 AD), Book II
“What is my ruling faculty now to me?”
X, 24
Meditations (c. 121–180 AD), Book X
Contexte: What is my ruling faculty now to me? and of what nature am I now making it? and for what purpose am I now using it? is it void of understanding? is it loosed and rent asunder from social life? is it melted and mixed with the poor flesh so as to move together with it?
“What need is there of suspicious fear”
X, 12
Meditations (c. 121–180 AD), Book X
Contexte: What need is there of suspicious fear, since it is in thy power to inquire what ought to be done? And if thy seest clear, go by this way content, without turning back: but if thy dost not see clear, stop and take the best advisers. But if any other things oppose thee, go on according to thy powers with due consideration, keeping to that which appears to be just. For it is best to reach this object, and if thou dost fail, let thy failure be in attempting this. He who follows reason in all things is both tranquil and active at the same time, and also cheerful and collected.
X, 23
Meditations (c. 121–180 AD), Book X
Contexte: Let this always be plain to thee, that this piece of land is like any other; and that all things here are the same with all things on the top of a mountain, or on the sea-shore, or wherever thou chooses to be. For thou wilt find just what Plato says, Dwelling within the walls of the city as in a shepherd's fold on a mountain.
“In the case of all things which have a certain constitution, whatever harm”
X, 33
Meditations (c. 121–180 AD), Book X
Contexte: In the case of all things which have a certain constitution, whatever harm may happen to any of them, that which is affected becomes consequently worse; but in like case, a man becomes both better... and more worthy of praise, by making the right use of these accidents.
IX, 40
Meditations (c. 121–180 AD), Book IX
Contexte: Why dost thou not pray... 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?
“When it has been made a sphere, it continues a sphere.”
VIII, 41
Meditations (c. 121–180 AD), Book VIII
Contexte: The things... which are proper to the understanding no other man is used to impede, for neither fire, nor iron, nor tyrant, nor abuse, touches it in any way. When it has been made a sphere, it continues a sphere.
“Acquire the contemplative way of seeing how all things change into one another”
X, 11
Meditations (c. 121–180 AD), Book X
Contexte: Acquire the contemplative way of seeing how all things change into one another, and constantly attend to it, and exercise thyself about this part [of philosophy]. For nothing is so much adapted to produce magnanimity.... But as to what any man shall say or think about him, or do against him, he never even thinks of it, being himself contented with these two things: with acting justly in what he now does, and being satisfied with what is now assigned to him; and he lays aside all distracting and busy pursuits, and desires nothing else than to accomplish the straight course through the law, and by accomplishing the straight course to follow God.
“Remember that what pulls the strings is the force hidden within; there lies the power”
X, 38
Meditations (c. 121–180 AD), Book X
Contexte: Remember that what pulls the strings is the force hidden within; there lies the power to persuade, there the life,—there, if one must speak out, the real man.
“Whatever act of thine that has no reference”
IX, 23
Meditations (c. 121–180 AD), Book IX
Contexte: As thou thyself art a component part of a social system, so let every act of thine be a component part of social life. Whatever act of thine that has no reference, either immediately or remotely, to a social end, this tears asunder thy life, and does not allow it to be one, and it is of the nature of a mutiny, just as when in a popular assembly a man acting by himself stands apart from the general agreement.
“But intelligence and reason are able to go through everything that opposes them”
X, 33
Meditations (c. 121–180 AD), Book X
Contexte: It is not given to a cylinder to move everywhere by its own motion, nor yet to water nor to fire nor to anything else which is governed by nature or an irrational soul, for the things which check them and stand in the way are many. But intelligence and reason are able to go through everything that opposes them, and in such manner as they are formed by nature and as they choose. Place before thy eyes this facility with which the reason will be carried through all things, as fire upwards, as a stone downwards, as a cylinder down an inclined surface, and seek for nothing further. For all other obstacles either affect the body only, which is a dead thing; or, except for opinion and the yielding of reason itself, they do not crush nor do any harm of any kind; for if they did, he who felt it would immediately become bad.
