or lesse thou shalt live as thy nature requireth or according to the true and naturall end of thy making Take paines therefore to know what it is that thy nature requireth and let nothing else distract thee Thou hast already had sufficient experience that of those many things that hitherto thou hast erred and wandred about thou couldest not finde happinesse in any of them Not in Syllogismes and Logical subtilities not in wealth not in honour and reputation not in pleasure In none of all these Wherein then is it to be found In the practise of those things which the nature of man as he is a man doth require How then shall he doe those things If his Dogmata or morall Tenets and opinions from which all motions and actions doe proceed be right and true Which bee those Dogmata Those that concerne that which is good or evill as that there is nothing truly good and beneficiall unto man but that which makes him iust temperate courageous liberall and that there is nothing truly evill and hurtfull unto man but that which causeth the contrary effects II. Upon every action that thou art about put this question to thy selfe How will this when it is done agree with me Shall I have no occasion to repent of it Yet a very little while and I am dead and gone and all things are at end What then doe I care for more then this that my present action whatsoever it be may be the proper action of one that is reasonable whose end is the common good who in all things is ruled and governed by the same law of right and reason by which God himselfe is III. Alexander Caius Pompeius what are these to Diogenes Heraclitus and Socrates These penetrated into the true nature of things into all causes and all subjects and upon these did they exercise their power and authoritie or these were the objects of their power and jurisdiction But as for those as the extent of their error was so farre did their slavery extend IV. What they have done they will still doe although thou shouldest hang thy selfe First Let it not trouble thee For all things both good and evill come to passe according to the nature and generall condition of the Universe and within a very little while all things will be at an end no man will be remembred as now of Africanus for example and Augustus it is already come to passe Then secondly Fixe thy minde upon the thing it selfe looke into it and remembring thy selfe that thou art bound neverthelesse to be a good man and what it is that thy Nature requireth of thee as thou art a man bee not diverted from what thou art about and speake that which seemeth unto thee most just onely speake it kindly modestly and without hypocrisie V. That which the Nature of the Universe doth busie her selfe about is that which is here to transferre it thither to change it and thence againe to take it away and to carry it to another place So that thou needest not feare any new thing For all things are usuall and ordinary and all things are disposed by equalitie VI. Every particular nature hath content when in its owne proper course it speeds A reasonable nature doth then speed when first in matter of phancies and imaginations it gives no consent to that which is either false or incertaine Secondly when in all its motions and resolutions it takes its levell at the common good only and that it desireth nothing and flyeth from nothing but what is in its owne power to compasse or avoid And lastly when it willingly and gladly embraceth whatsoever is dealt and appointed unto it by the common Nature For it is part of it even as the nature of any one leafe is part of the common nature of all plants and trees But that the nature of a leafe is part of a nature both unreasonable and unsensible and which in its proper end may be hindered or which is servile and slavish whereas the nature of man is part of a common nature which cannot be hindered and which is both reasonable and just From whence also it is that according to the worth of every thing she doth make such equall distribution of all things as of duration substance forme operation and of events and accidents But herein consider not whether thou shalt finde this equalitie in every thing absolutely and by it selfe but whether in all the particulars of some one thing taken together and compared with all the particulars of some other thing and them together likewise VII Thou hast no time nor oportunitie to read What then Hast thou not time and oportunitie to exercise thy selfe not to wrong thy selfe tostrive against all carnall pleasures and paines and to get the upper hand of them to contemne honour and vaine glory and not only not to bee angry with them whom towards thee thou doest finde unsensible and unthankfull but also to have a care of them still and of their welfare VIII Forbeare henceforth to complaine of the troubles of a Courtly life either in publicke before others or in private by thy selfe IX Repentance is an inward and selfe-reprehension for the neglect or omission of somewhat that was profitable Now whatsoever is good is also profitable and it is the part of an honest vertuous man to set by it and to make reckoning of it accordingly But never did any honest vertuous man repent of the neglect or omission of any carnall pleasure no carnall pleasure then is either good or prositable X. This what is it in it selfe and by it selfe according to its proper constitution What is the substance of it What is the mattter or proper use What is the forme or efficient cause What is it for in this world and how long will it abide Thus must thou examine all things that present themselves unto thee XI When thou art hard to be stirred up and awaked out of thy sleepe admonish thy selfe and call to minde that to performe actions tending to the common good is that which thine owne proper constitution and that which the nature of man doe require But to sleepe is common to unreasonable creatures also And what more proper and natural yea what more kinde and pleasing then that which is according to Nature XII As every phancie and imagination presents it selfe unto thee consider if it be possible the true nature and the proper qualities of it and reason with thy selfe about it XIII At thy first encounter with any one say presently to thy selfe This man what are his opinions concerning that which is good or evill as concerning paine pleasure and the causes of both concerning honour and dishonour concerning life and death thus and thus Now if it be no wonder that a man should have such such opinions how can it be a wonder that he should do such and such things I will remember then that he cannot but do as hee doth holding those opinions that
a meere dissolution and unbinding of the manifold intricacies and intanglements of the confused atomes or some such dispersion of the simple and incorruptible Elements †††With meates and drinkes and divers charmes they seeke to divert the chanell that they might not die Yet must we needs endure that blast of winde that commeth from above though we bewaile our toile and misery XXVIII He hath a stronger body and is a better wrastler then I What then Is he more bountifull is he more modest Doth he beare all adverse chances with more equanimitie Or with his neighbours offences with more meeknesse and gentlenesse then I XXIX Where the matter may be effected agreeably to that Reason which both unto the gods and men is common there can be no just cause of griefe or sorrow For where the fruit and benefit of an action well begunne and prosecuted according to the proper constitution of man may be reaped and obtained or is sure and certaine it is against reason that any dammage should there be suspected In all places and at all times it is in thy power religiously to embrace whatsoever by Gods appointment is happened unto thee and justly to converse with those men whom thou hast to doe with and accurately to examine every phancie that presents it selfe that nothing may slippe and steale in before thou hast rightly apprehended the true Nature of it XXX Looke not about upon other mens mindes and understandings but looke right on forwards whither Nature both that of the Vniverse in those things that happen unto thee and thine in particular in those things that are done by thee doth leade and direct thee Now every one is bound to doe that which is consequent and agreeable to that end which by his true naturall constitution hee was ordained unto As for all other things they are ordained for the use of reasonable creatures as in all things wee see that that which is worse and inferiour is made for that which is better Reasonable creatures they are ordained one for another That therefore which is chiefe in every mans constitution is that he intend the common good The second is that he yeeld not to any lusts and motions of the flesh For it is the part and priviledge of the reasonable and intellective facultie that she can so bound her selfe as that neither the sensitive nor the appetitive faculties may not any wayes prevaile upon her For both these are brutish And therefore over both she challengeth masterie and cannot any waies indure if in her right temper to be subject unto either And this indeed most justly For by nature shee was ordained to command all in the body The third thing proper to man by his constitution is to avoid all rashnesse and precipitancie and not to be subject to error To these things then let the mind apply her selfe and goe straight on without any distraction about other things and shee hath her end and by consequent her happinesse XXXI As one who had lived and were now to die by right whatsoever is yet remaining bestow that wholly as a gracious overplus upon a vertuous life G◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See pref Love and affect that onely whatsoever it be that happeneth and is by the Fates appointed unto thee For what can be more reasonable And as any thing doth happen unto thee by way of crosse or calamity call to mind presently and set before thine eyes the examples of some other men to whom the selfe same thing did once happen likewise Well what did they They grieved they wondred they complained And where are they now All dead and gone Wilt thou also be like one of them Or rather leaving to men of the world whose life both in regard of themselves and them that they converse with is nothing but meere mutabilitie or men of as fickle minds as fickle bodyes ever changing and soone changed themselves their owne fickle dispositions let it be thine onely care and study how to make a right use of all such accidents For there is good use to be made of them and they will prove fit matter for thee to worke upon if it shall bee both thy care and thy desire that whatsoever thou doest thou thy selfe mayst like and approve thy selfe for it And both these see that thou remember well according as the diversity of the matter of the action that thou art about shall require Looke within within is the fountaine of all good Such a fountaine where springing waters can never faile so thou digge still deeper and deeper XXXII Thou must use thy selfe also to keepe thy body fixed and steady free from all loose fluctuant either motion or posture And as upon thy face and lookes thy minde hath easily power over them to keepe them to that which is grave and decent so let it challenge the same power over the whole body also But so observe all things in this kinde as that it be without any manner of affectation XXXIII The art of true living in this world is more like a wrastlers then a dancers practise For in this they both agree to teach a man whatsoever falls upon him that he may be ready for it and that nothing may cast him downe XXXIV Thou must continually ponder consider with thy selfe what manner of men they bee and for their mindes and understandings what is their present estate whose good word and testimonie thou doest desire For then neither wilt thou see cause to complaine of them that offend against their wills or finde any want of their applause See B. VIII N. 13. if once thou doest but penetrate into the true force and ground both of their opinions and of their desires No soule saith he is willingly bereaved of the Truth and by consequent neither of justice or temperance or kindnesse and mildnesse nor of any thing that is of the same kinde It is most needfull that thou shouldest alwayes remember this For so shalt thou be farre more gentle and moderate towards all men XXXV What paine soever thou art in let this presently come to thy minde that it is not a thing whereof thou needest to be ashamed neither is it a thing whereby thy understanding that hath the government of all can be made worse For neither in regard of the substance of it nor in regard of the end of it which is to intend the common good can it alter and corrupt it This also of Epicurus maist thou in most paines finde some helpe of that it is neither intolerable nor eternall so thou keepe thy selfe to the true bounds and limits of reason and give not way to opinion This also thou must consider that many things there be which oftentimes unsensibly trouble vexe thee as not armed against them with patience because they goe not ordinarily under the name of paines which in very deed are of the same nature as paine as to slumber unquietly to suffer heat to want appetite
that were yet of a more excellent nature as the starres and planets though by their nature farre distant one from another yet even among them beganne some mutuall correspondencie and unitie So proper is it to excellencie in a high degree to affect unitie as that even in things so farre distant it could operate unto a mutuall Sympathie But now behold what is now come to passe Those creatures that are reasonable are now the only creatures that have forgotten their naturall affection inclination of one towards another Among them alone of all other things that are of one kinde there is not to be found a generall disposition to flow together But though they fly from Nature yet are they stopt in their course and apprehended Doe they what they can Nature doth prevaile And so shalt thou confesse if thou doest observe it For sooner mayest thou finde a thing earthly where no earthly thing is then finde a man that naturally can live by himselfe alone VIII Man God the World every one in their kinde beare some fruits All things have their proper time to beare Though by custome the word it selfe is in a manner become proper unto the vine and the like yet is it so neverthelesse as wee have said As for reason that beareth both common fruit for the use of others and peculiar which it selfe doth enjoy Reason is of a diffusive nature what it selfe is in it selfe it begets in others and so doth multiply IX Either teach them better if it be in thy power or if it be not remember that for this use to beare with them patiently was mildnesse and goodnesse granted unto thee The gods themselves are good unto such yea and in some things as in matter of health of wealth of honour are content often to further their endeavours so good and gracious are thy And mightest thou not be so too or tell me what doth hinder thee X. Labour not as one to whom it is appointed to be wretched nor as one that either would be pittied or admired but let this be thine only care desire so alwayes and in all things to prosecute or to forbeare as the law of Charity or mutuall society doth require XI This day I did come out of all my trouble Nay I have cast out all my trouble it should rather be For that which troubled thee whatsoever it was was not without any where that thou shouldest come out of it but within in thine owne opinions from whence it must be cast out before thou canst truly and constantly be at ease XII All those things for matter of experience are usuall and ordinarie for their continuance but for a day and for their matter most base and filthy As they were in the dayes of those whom we have buried so are they now also and no otherwise XIII The things themselves that affect us they stand without doores neither knowing any thing themselves nor able to utter any thing unto others concerning themselves What then is it that passeth verdict on them The understanding XIV As vertue and wickednesse consist not in passion but in action so neither doth the true good or evill of a reasonable charitable man consist in passion but in operation and action XV. To the stone that is cast up when it comes downe it is no hurt unto it as neither benefit when it doth ascend XVI Sift their mindes and understandings and behold what men they be whom thou doest stand in feare of what they shall judge of thee what they themselves judge of themselves XVII All things that are in the world are alwayes in the estate of alteration Thou also art in a perpetuall change yea and under corruption too in some part and so is the whole world XVIII It is not thine but another mans sinne Why should it trouble thee Let him looke to it whose sinne it is XIX Of an operation and of a purpose there is an ending or of an action and of a purpose wee say commonly that it is at an end from opinion also there is an absolute cessation which is as it were the death of it In all this there is no hurt Apply this now to a mans age as first a child then a youth then a young man then an old man every change from one age to another is a kinde of death And all this while here is no matter of griefe yet Passe now unto that life first that which thou livedst under thy Grandfather then under thy Mother then under thy Father And thus when through the whole course of thy life hitherto thou hast found and observed many alterations many changes many kindes of endings and cessations put this question to thy selfe what matter of griefe or sorrow dost thou finde in any of these or what doest thou suffer through any of these If in none of these then neither in the ending and consummation of thy whole life which also is but a cessation and change XX. As occasion shall require either to thine owne Understanding or to that of the Universe or to his whom thou hast now to doe with let thy refuge be with all speed To thine owne that it resolve upon nothing against justice To that of the Universe that thou maist remember part of whom thou art Of his that thou mayest consider whether in the estate of ignorance or of knowledge And then also must thou call to minde that he is thy Kinsman XXI As thou thy selfe who ever thou art wert made for the perfection and consummation being a member of it of a common society so must every action of thine tend to the perfection and consummation of a life that is truly sociable What action soever of thine therefore that either immediately or afarre off hath not reference to the common good that is an exorbitant and disoderly action yea it is seditious as one among the people who from such and such a consent and unity should factiously divide and separate himselfe XXII Childrens anger meere bables wretched soules bearing up dead bodies that they may not have their fall so soone Even as it is in that common dirge song or bearing up dead bodies that the number of the dead may not be full so soone XXIII Goe to the qualitie of the cause from which the effect doth proceed Behold it by it selfe bare and naked separated from all that is materiall Then consider the utmost bounds of time that that cause thus and thus qualified can subsist and abide XXIV Infinite are the troubles and miseries that thou hast already beene put to by reason of this only because that for all happinesse it did not suffice thee or that thou didst not account it sufficient happinesse that thy understanding did operate according to its naturall constitution XXV When any shall either impeach thee with false accusations or hatefully reproach thee or shall use any such carriage towards thee get thee presently to their mindes and understandings and looke in them and
wee much restraine Antoninus his words of such and such impostours and of such and such wonders I doe not see how he could professe that hee did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 well he might that is first with best discretion and diligence examine things before hee did beleeve them and then in case the truth did appeare yet not as one of the silly multitude to stande amazed with a superstitious kind of astonishment but as a wise man to consider of the causes and possibility of all such whether only seeming because secret or truly and really supernaturall events and operations For these reasons I conceive it should have ben eyther 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee did consider of them with discretion or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at least that he gave noe great heed vnto such things rather then so absolutely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he did not beleeve But I determine it not All this whyle though my matter did in a manner lead me unto it have I forborne to meÌ„tion that great wonder which in the dayes in the very presence of this Antoninus happened in his warres of Germanie when God at the same time by a miraculous raine from heaven both revived the Romans which were now at the last cast having lost already many of their number which perished for want of water and overthrew their enemies in the hight of their greatest hopes and securitie acknowledged by all generally as well Heathens as Christians miraculous but by the Heathens adscribed by some of them to God immediately by others to art Magick and by the Christians both Fathers and Historians to the Name of Christ at the Intercession of some Christian Soldiers of the army Before I would ground any thing upon this storie I must first professe my mind concerning some circumstances of it wherein I may perchance be found to differ from others and that I would be loth to doe but upon very good grounds which would require a large discourse and therefore it is that I haue declined it I will only tell you because it may concerne Antoninus that you know it what some learned men haue judged of those letters which in these dayes goe under Antoninus his name as written by him to the Senate about this matter produced by Baron and others which is that they are either supposititiae aut saltem interpolatae Capp Hist Eccles p. 42. 3. Not to keepe coturnices 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How marveilously and even madly some men were wont to affect such things may appeare by the coÌ„positioÌ„ of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which among other examples of the like composition as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. is set downe by Athenaeus lib. 11. 4. I did write Dialogues in my youth in imitation of Plato and others to good purpose as Antoninus did it but not as many others who tooke a pride in it and thought themselves fine fellowes for it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Behold how bravely I can write Dialogues saith a vaine glorious Stoick Arr. lib. 2. cap. 1. The next words may bee conferred with those of Capitolinus in this Emperours life Duodecimum annum ingressus habitum philosophi sumpsit deinceps tolerantiam cum studeret in pallio humi cubaret vix autem matre agente instrato pellibus lectulo accubaret Thus may many other places bee compared with the like either of Capitolinus or others that haue written his life or of him which will bee no great labour for any to doe that desires to understand this booke and would be too taedious for mee to undertake which I desire the reader to take notice of 5. That I did never affect by way of ostentation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Of this kinde of vanity see Epictetus in Arrianus at large lib. 6. cap. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 6. Epictetus his Hypomuemata collected and set out by Arrianus his Scholler and so called and intitled by Arrianus himselfe in his preface before the saide bookes as learned Master Young the worthy keeper of the Kings Library and my kind freind had noted in the Margine of that Antoninus which he did lend mee 7. A man not subject to bee vexed Antoninus his words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Xylander translates them Tum etiam ut in percipienda doctrina me non morosum praeberem sed circumspicerem de homine qui palam experientiam in tradendâ—s scientiâ—… facultatem minimum suorum bonoruâ— putaret praeterea modum beneficia ut iis videntur ab amicis accipiendi ne vel accepta ea nos viliores redderent vel c. The reason of that limitation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as commonly they are accounted added by Antoninus to the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is because that favours and courtesies may be thought a thing arbitrary which either to performe or to omit wholy depends of our owne good will and discretion whereas all possible good turnes and good offices of what kind or extent soever that one man can performe unto another are by Antoninus his philosophy meere duties of nature and right reason which all men as men are Ä™qually obliged unto So afterwards using the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of things externall and worldly against the prÄ™cise decrees of the Stoicks he restraines it likewise with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 honours and dignities as commonly they are accounted 8. Not to bee offended with Idiots nor vnseasonably to set 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There was not any thing more ordinarie with their vaine glorious affected Stoicks then in all places upon all occasions semper crepare Theoremata To bee ever talking and disputing about their Theorems and proper Tenets so that this very word Theoremata became almost infamous through their abusÄ™ and vanitie To represse this abuse the learned Stoicks who are yet extant have many caveats and serious admonitions But most pertinent heere are Epictetus his words cap. 68. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he repeates in the very next chapter also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are words so frequent and ordinary in the writings of the Stoicks appropriated by them to them that they called Idiots as men that in very deed saw nothing as it was nor knew the true nature of any thing but were alltogether led by phansies and opinions that I shall not need to produce any examples Now for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that I offer it no violence to translate it as I doe may appeare by this passage of Diog. Laertius who writes that the Stoicks called vertues some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. If this would not serve with little alteration it might have been read to the same purpose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For in the Stoicks language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taken in another sense and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are all one thing