What is badness? - Unpublished Selections Explained, Med. VII.01

Meditation VII.01 - What is badness? - Translated by George Long and rewritten by Russell McNeil

What is badness?⁽¹⁾ It is that which you have often seen. And on the occasion of everything which happens keep this in mind, that it is that which you have often seen. Everywhere up and down you will find the same things, with which the old histories are filled, those of the middle ages⁽²⁾ and those of our own day; with which cities and houses are filled now. There is nothing new: all things are both familiar and short-lived.⁽³⁾

Explanation

(1) Marcus uses the words "badness," "evil," and "vice" interchangeably.

(2) In Marcus' time the Greek "Middle Ages" (a term that has since gone out of use) refers to the period from around 1200 BCE to around 800 BCE. It's useful to recall that Marcus is writing these meditations c. 175 CE which is nearly a thousand years after the close of those middle ages. This interval of time is comparable to our own remoteness from the middle ages we refer to in modern times (c. 1000-1300 CE).

(3) The problem of good and evil has always been central to philosophy. The Stoic resolution derives from the Platonic assertion that evil is nothing more than the absence of good. The good is in us from birth, because in the Stoic scheme our inherent human nature is derived from the ultimate source of all that is good, which is the Universal Intelligence or Law of Nature. Since this good is perfect in all respects, it is therefore divine - as is our active nature - our soul. The soul compels and draws us to all else that is good in the universe because we seek union with the perfection, beauty, and knowledge encapsulated by the Universal Intelligence, or Logos. Those who fail to move toward the unity of Nature - or, alternatively, remain transfixed on the animal side of our dual nature - do so because they do not see what is before them. Their judgement is occluded by the self-serving impulses of animal survival. those impulses are not bad in and of themselves. They are necessary for survival. What is bad in Stoic terms is to prioritize the animal over the divine. In other words, that which requires a fundamental attitude of indifference becomes the overriding reason for existence. To a Stoic these behaviours are easy to recognize. They manifest in the actions of those who place pleasure, power, and reputation before the first requirement of any Stoic: to serve the impulse of the soul, or to act with virtue. The Stoic has no real difficulty in doing this because it is the service of this impulse that brings peace and serenity to life - and is in truth our only reason for existence.

Russell McNeil, PhD, is the author of The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius: Selections Annotated and Explained by Skylight Paths Publishing. The unpublished selections presented in this Blog are provided as supplemental material to the published selections which are annotated and explained in the book. The published selections are referenced in this Blog by page number and section.

The Power of Opinion V - The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius - Published Selections Explained, Med. VII.02

Meditation VII.02 – The Power of Opinion V - Translated by George Long and rewritten by Russell McNeil

Note: Meditation VII.02 is published in The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius: Selections Annotated and Explained; McNeil. Russell, PhD, Skylight Paths, Ch. 1 ("the Promise of Stoicism – The Power of Opinion V, p. 9, 2007

Russell McNeil, PhD, is the author of The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius: Selections Annotated and Explained by Skylight Paths Publishing. The unpublished selections presented in this Blog are provided as supplemental material to the published selections which are annotated and explained in the book. The published selections are referenced in this Blog by page number and section.

Worth - Unpublished Selections Explained, Med. VII.03

Meditation VII.03 - Worth - Translated by George Long and rewritten by Russell McNeil

The idle business of show, plays on the stage, flocks of sheep, herds, exercises with spears, a bone cast to little dogs, a bit of bread into fish-ponds, labourings of ants and burden-carrying, runnings about of frightened little mice, puppets pulled by strings - all alike. It is your duty then in the midst of such things to show good humour and not a proud air; to understand however that every one of us is worth just so much as the things are worth about which we busy ourselves.⁽¹⁾

Explanation

(1) This seemingly bizarre list of activities - a list that does not differentiate between the activities of ants or sheep, and those of men - is meant to illustrate the human tendency to place value on things that are inconsequential in terms of our primary purpose. The Stoic should never ignore the things that many regard as essential. It is only prudent to pay attention to the world. But each of those things listed here is a matter of indifference in terms of human happiness. We achieve happiness when our actions are directed toward the divine - both the divine in us, and the divine around us. What is divine is not the action of the elements around us, but that which animates those actions - the Law of Nature. It may seem a subtle distinction, but it requires a real gestalt shift in thinking - something the early Stoics recognized from their reading of Plato. The world of perfection is defined by the Law. The world of things is merely an imperfect shadow of that Law. The Law itself is perfect and therefore incomprehensibly beautiful. To see only the world of ordinary activities as all that there is leaves us empty and devoid of real joy. To discover this Law we must learn to see how the Law operates in us, and in so doing recognize that we too are divine. With this step the activities required of a true Stoic - the real "worth" in life, the virtues - will follow, and will follow naturally.

Russell McNeil, PhD, is the author of The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius: Selections Annotated and Explained by Skylight Paths Publishing. The unpublished selections presented in this Blog are provided as supplemental material to the published selections which are annotated and explained in the book. The published selections are referenced in this Blog by page number and section.

Body Language - Unpublished Selections Explained, Med. VII.04

Meditation VII.04 - Body Language - Translated by George Long and rewritten by Russell McNeil

In discourse you must attend to what is said, and in every movement you must observe what is happening. And in the one you should see immediately to what end it refers, but in the other watch carefully what is the thing signified.⁽¹⁾

Explanation

(1) This meditation suggests that each of us, in our primary role as political actors in all that we do, must attend closely not only to the words that are said by those around us, but also to the inner intentions. Marcus is aware that our world is full of trickery and deception. While we ought always assume that people will act and speak with honesty, Marcus is a realist. Not everyone speeks the truth. Many people are motivated by self-interest, and speak only words that they presume we wish to hear. To do this well, the Stoic needs to master the art of reading - not just between the lines - but reading the hidden language of the body. This is clearly a difficult task. We need to be able to deflect flattery, know the speaker, understand the situation, and to detect deception. Even more difficult is the task of disarming deception without doing harm to the speaker. We are guided in this by our roles as teachers. Our aim is never to humiliate or antagonize the speaker, but to find ways of turning deception into truth. A Stoic is helped in this regard by recalling that the speaker is in truth being dishonest because of his basic ignorance of the Law of Nature. We need to find ways of correcting and guiding the speaker toward a self-understanding that will eventually lead him to honest discourse and disclosure.

Russell McNeil, PhD, is the author of The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius: Selections Annotated and Explained by Skylight Paths Publishing. The unpublished selections presented in this Blog are provided as supplemental material to the published selections which are annotated and explained in the book. The published selections are referenced in this Blog by page number and section.

Society and Social Collapse V - The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius - Published Selections Explained, Med. VII.05

Meditation VII.05 – Society and Social Collapse V - Translated by George Long and rewritten by Russell McNeil

Note: Meditation VII.05 is published in The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius: Selections Annotated and Explained; McNeil. Russell, PhD, Skylight Paths, Ch. 9 ("Society and Government in Stoicism – Society and Social Collapse V, p. 221, 2007

Russell McNeil, PhD, is the author of The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius: Selections Annotated and Explained by Skylight Paths Publishing. The unpublished selections presented in this Blog are provided as supplemental material to the published selections which are annotated and explained in the book. The published selections are referenced in this Blog by page number and section.

Tempus Edax Rerum - Unpublished Selections Explained, Med. VII.06

Meditation VII.06 - Tempus Edax Rerum - Translated by George Long and rewritten by Russell McNeil

How many after being celebrated by fame have been given up to oblivion; and how many who have celebrated the fame of others have long been dead.⁽¹⁾

Explanation

(1) This meditation captures the essence of Ovid's (20 March 43 BCE – CE 17/18) Stoic inspired aphorism: tempus edax rerum (Time the devourer of everything)." We who seek fame are chasing a phantom. To place reputation at the center of our life project is clearly self-centered and as such at variance with the law of nature that places the rights of community before the rights of the individual. It is also of course a meaningless quest since whatever else fame might seem, it is at best ephemeral since whoever acquires fame will lose the celebration of those who - like the one who has fame - will soon be dead. As is the case with any self serving activity, the energy we dissipate in the acquisition of fame is activity wasted. It serves not those we were born to help, and does nothing to bring happiness to the actor. The temporary ego serving pleasure brought by fame will fade in time and will expire at death.

Russell McNeil, PhD, is the author of The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius: Selections Annotated and Explained by Skylight Paths Publishing. The unpublished selections presented in this Blog are provided as supplemental material to the published selections which are annotated and explained in the book. The published selections are referenced in this Blog by page number and section.

Seeking Help - Unpublished Selections Explained, Med. VII.07

Meditation VII.07 - Seeking Help - Translated by George Long and rewritten by Russell McNeil

Be not ashamed to be helped; for it is your business to do your duty like a soldier in the assault on a town. How then, if being lame you can not mount up on the battlements alone, but with the help of another it is possible?⁽¹⁾

Explanation

(1) Pride prevents many of us from asking for help. We do not want to be seen as weak or disabled. But Marcus reminds us that this is self-regarding behavior. Human beings are not independent souls. Every step in life is made possible only through the assistance of others. When we are unable to do what we are meant to do - or have lost the ability to do what we once did - we not only should seek assistance, we are bound in duty to ask for help. Illness, injury, and age will eventually disable each of us. But these restrictions ought never prevent us from doing what is right. Refusing help by masking a disability - or attempting to shield our lack of knowledge about how to act - actually alienates us from nature. We not only feel unhappy, so also are those who are themselves abandoned by our isolation.

When we ask for a helping hand we are offering our neighbors an opportunity to do what is their duty - to work cooperatively with their communities. In the broadest sense, working cooperatively - and inversely giving others the opportunity to do the same when it is needed - is the essence of all political action. Stoicism is a social (political) philosophy. It recognizes that human beings are not disconnected from their various communities. Life is social because we share a common genesis, a common mind, and a common world soul through the Logos in each of us. In this sense when we ask for help in this spirit we are actually giving to others. Any "shame" we may feel in seeking help is misplaced and contrary to our nature as social and political actors.

Russell McNeil, PhD, is the author of The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius: Selections Annotated and Explained by Skylight Paths Publishing. The unpublished selections presented in this Blog are provided as supplemental material to the published selections which are annotated and explained in the book. The published selections are referenced in this Blog by page number and section.

Do Not Worry About the Future - Unpublished Selections Explained, Med. VII.08

Meditation VII.08 - Do Not Worry About the Future - Translated by George Long and rewritten by Russell McNeil

Let not future things disturb you, for you will come to them, if it shall be necessary, having with you the same reason which you now use for present things.⁽¹⁾

Explanation

(1) Worry consumes so much of our lives. Anxiety about what is yet to be is soul destroying. Marcus reminds us that the things that disturb us about the future either may not come to be, or - if they do - all of the skills necessary to address those issues are available to us now. We have "reason." Reason defines our humanity. Our reason is invulnerable if we remain indifferent toward those issues that raise worry in most people. Money, health, and a fear of death or a loss of reputation are irrelevant concerns in terms of Stoic serenity. Peace comes from living according to nature - nothing more, or less. To a Stoic worry is an abomination. It is unnatural to worry because it is contrary to the nature of things.

Russell McNeil, PhD, is the author of The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius: Selections Annotated and Explained by Skylight Paths Publishing. The unpublished selections presented in this Blog are provided as supplemental material to the published selections which are annotated and explained in the book. The published selections are referenced in this Blog by page number and section.

Imitating Nature in Our Technologies I - The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius - Published Selections Explained, Med. VII.09

Meditation VII.09 – Imitating Nature in Our Technologies I - Translated by George Long and rewritten by Russell McNeil

Note: Meditation VII.09 is published in The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius: Selections Annotated and Explained; McNeil. Russell, PhD, Skylight Paths, Ch. 7 ("Stoicism and the Environment – Imitating Nature in Our Technologies I, p. 163, 2007

Russell McNeil, PhD, is the author of The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius: Selections Annotated and Explained by Skylight Paths Publishing. The unpublished selections presented in this Blog are provided as supplemental material to the published selections which are annotated and explained in the book. The published selections are referenced in this Blog by page number and section.

The End of Time - Unpublished Selections Explained, Med. VII.10

Meditation VII.10 - The End of Time - Translated by George Long and rewritten by Russell McNeil

Everything material soon disappears in the substance of the whole;⁽¹⁾ and everything formal (causal) is very soon taken back into the universal reason;⁽²⁾ and the memory of everything is very soon overwhelmed in time.⁽³⁾

Explanation

(1) This is the recycling principle of Stoic physics. The material universe is defined by active (Logos) and passive (massive) substance. Both are in continuous flux (change) according to the then unstated second law of thermodynamics (law of entropy). It is thus according to nature that the parts must continuously and irreversibly become reintegrated into the whole. The identities and defining characteristics of the short-lived parts of the universe (atoms, human beings, stars, galaxies) is temporally limited. According to the Ekpyrotic principle of Stoic cosmology (see also The Big Crunch - Meditation VIII.06) the entire manifold is once again re-differentiated once this process is complete and the universe is reborn as an endless cycle.

(2) Marcus is drawing on Aristotle's four causes (material, efficient, formal and final) as a guide. The material cause asks what something is made of; the efficient cause examines its origin or source; the formal cause places it within a category of things with similar form or essence; the final cause examines purpose.

(3) The memory of everything is not only overwhelmed, it is effectively extinguished. At the end of each cosmic cycle, time ceases to have referential meaning - since the sequences of events involving matter are no longer referential. All points of reference - spatial and material - are extinguished. In Stoic physics this might be regarded as a cosmic singularity and thus a new beginning when time and space begin anew. The meditative lesson is humbling. What value is personal pride if all memory of what we have been or might be is soon annihilated? Our role in this cosmic scheme is to participate in the whole - for we are from the whole and will return to the whole.

Russell McNeil, PhD, is the author of The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius: Selections Annotated and Explained by Skylight Paths Publishing. The unpublished selections presented in this Blog are provided as supplemental material to the published selections which are annotated and explained in the book. The published selections are referenced in this Blog by page number and section.

Serenity - Unpublished Selections Explained, Med. VII.11

Meditation VII.11 - Serenity - Translated by George Long and rewritten by Russell McNeil

To the rational animal the same act is according to nature and according to reason.⁽¹⁾

Explanation

(1) Human beings are defined by reason, not by biology. Our nature is rational; our biology is accidental. We are tied together - all of us - to every other sentient being in the universe through reason. Reason is not a process but a physical aspect of existence. Reason is substantive and shared. We are descended from reason at birth, and we will return to reason at death as an undifferentiated component of the whole - conscious of the whole but not of the individual essence of selfhood. The self perishes at death. The whole survives forever. Human beings, and all other sentient beings in the universe share in our common genesis in the Universal Intelligence or Logos - the divine but physical source of all reason. Reason is in nature and the guiding force of nature. Reason is indestructible and divine. Reason is the life force of the universe. When we exercise pure reason we are infallible, because this nature that guides our actions is divine. To act according to nature is to exercise divine power. To exercise divine power is to know what it is to be among the gods. This is the goal of Stoicism, the meaning of serenity, and a consequence of Stoic meditation (see also Meditation XII.03).

Russell McNeil, PhD, is the author of The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius: Selections Annotated and Explained by Skylight Paths Publishing. The unpublished selections presented in this Blog are provided as supplemental material to the published selections which are annotated and explained in the book. The published selections are referenced in this Blog by page number and section.

Our Task - Unpublished Selections Explained, Med. VII.12

Meditation VII.12 - Our Task - Translated by George Long and rewritten by Russell McNeil

Be thou erect, or be made erect.⁽¹⁾

Explanation

(1) The Stoic is required to maintain intellectual rigor. There is no room in Stoicism for thoughtlessness. Human beings are defined by and through reason. This requires discipline and training. We need to learn how to use our intelligence, and where it ought to be applied - specifically toward an understanding and examination of the universe and the complexities of the interrelationships that bind all to all. The task is all the more demanding because the rules for engagement in life are not delivered to us in transcription, or through authority. The only authority is nature, and nature is the law. We need to learn how to understand nature and how to examine where Universal Intelligence is manifest. If we err in our steadfastness we need to be prepared to be set straight by those who have learned before us - as we too are bound to correct ignorance in others.

Russell McNeil, PhD, is the author of The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius: Selections Annotated and Explained by Skylight Paths Publishing. The unpublished selections presented in this Blog are provided as supplemental material to the published selections which are annotated and explained in the book. The published selections are referenced in this Blog by page number and section.

Do the Right Thing - for the Right Reason - Unpublished Selections Explained, Med. VII.13

Meditation VII.13 - Do the Right Thing - for the Right Reason - Translated by George Long and rewritten by Russell McNeil

Just as it is with the members in those bodies which are united in one,⁽¹⁾ so it is with rational beings which exist separate, for they have been constituted for one co-operation.⁽²⁾ And the perception of this will be more apparent to you, if you often say to yourself that you are a member (melos⁽³⁾⁽⁴⁾) of the system of rational beings.⁽⁵⁾ But if (using the letter r⁽⁶⁾) you say that you are a part (meros⁽⁷⁾⁽⁸⁾) you do not yet love others from your heart;⁽⁹⁾ beneficence does not yet delight you for its own sake;⁽¹⁰⁾ you still do it – but just barely - as a thing of propriety,⁽¹¹⁾ and not yet as doing good to yourself.⁽¹²⁾

Explanation

(1) Marcus is simply referring to the various combinations of constituent bodies that define organizations, political assemblies, churches, clubs, etc.

(2) The social demand is central to all Stoic teaching and one of the five fundamental so-called "commandments of Stoicism." The inference that human beings are inherently social (and altruistic) is based on the observations of various biological and physical affinities in nature. These affinities are therefore regarded as part of the Law of Nature. To be happy we must of necessity align ourselves with this (and other) laws - all of which are inferred from a close and intelligent study and interpretation of nature.

(3) The Greek word melos or μέλος means a member or essential component - such as a limb - of the human body.

(4) The word melos is also used in parenthesis in the original text.

(5) The locus of reason in human beings is in the mind or active aspect of nature. All human beings are connected through their genesis in Logos, the source of all reason.

(6) This is a playful exercise in etymology. The words melos and meros differ in one letter only. The letter l is exchanged with the letter r. In the original Greek (although he naturally spoke Latin Marcus wrote his Meditations in Greek) the letter λ (lamda) becomes the Greek letter ρ (rho).

(7) The Greek word meros or μέρος means one of the constituent parts of a whole. The nuance intended here is that the part meros is regarded as discreet or in some way not bound to the whole. The distinction between melos and meros also reflects on ongoing philosophical dispute around the nature of physical matter. The Stoics argued that matter was infinitely divisible - a distinction disputed by the earlier Greek atomists who argued that matter consisted of discrete particles or atoms. Modern physics established that the Stoics were wrong in this regard. The distinction was considered important to the Stoics because if matter was indeed atomic, so too it might be inferred that human beings were not also inherently connected to one another - as Stoic philosophy requires. Although the Stoics were mistaken about the atomic nature of matter, it can effectively be argued that the connections between atoms are mediated (as we now know) by fundamental forces or fields - the so called five forces of nature. These forces or fields are identified in the New Stoicism with the active principle of Nature or Logos which is also identified in Stoicism with intelligence or reason.

(8) The word meros is also used in parenthesis in the original text.

(9) You do not "love others from your heart" because you regard yourself as disconnected from the whole - as an atom can be disconnected from the whole.

(10) To love others from your heart would require "beneficence," a virtue. A Stoic would do this naturally because he understands that we are all bound through reason or Logos. To do otherwise would be to live in opposition to what our nature commands. Acting virtuously comes naturally and effortlessly to a Stoic. To live selfishly would be to live in isolation from human community and an evil and a source of intellectual and emotional dis-ease.

(11) Those who go through the motions of living for the community do so because they do not understand the Law of Nature. These people are obeying the instinctive call of their animal or lower nature. They may behave as if they were acting in the best interests of the community, but are doing so only for the sake of propriety, or appearances.

(12) Actions designed for self aggrandizement may confer temporary pleasure but ultimately will be self-defeating and a source of unhappiness.


Russell McNeil, PhD, is the author of The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius: Selections Annotated and Explained by Skylight Paths Publishing. The unpublished selections presented in this Blog are provided as supplemental material to the published selections which are annotated and explained in the book. The published selections are referenced in this Blog by page number and section.

Sticks and Stones - Unpublished Selections Explained, Med. VII.14

Meditation VII.14 - Sticks and Stones - Translated by George Long and rewritten by Russell McNeil

Let there fall externally what will on the parts which can feel the effects of this fall.⁽¹⁾ For those parts which have felt will complain, if they choose.⁽²⁾ But I, unless I think that what has happened is an evil, am not injured. And it is in my power not to think so.⁽³⁾

Explanation

(1) This important Stoic teaching is reflected today in the idiom, sticks and stones may break my bones (but words will never hurt me). The body is an envelope circumscribing the mind and nothing can touch the mind, because the mind is by nature immutable.

(2) The body can and will most likely react to external forces, and, it may "complain." This is entirely natural and normal and an essential animal survivcal mechanism.

(3) The Stoic remains essentially indifferent to physical assault. This does not mean we should leave ourselves exposed to injury. Inattentive, incautious, unwary, indiscreet, or reckless behaviors are foolhardy and opposed to reason. However we should never fear injury from any action that is done in conformance with nature. Nothing that happens to the body can be considered opposed to the course of nature whether it is caused by accident, or a deliberate assault. We will be injured; we will suffer from disease; we will die. These are things we must expect - they are inevitable and thus unavoidable. To think that a physical or psychological assault is an evil is to misunderstand the nature of evil. Evils occur when we decide to live or act contrary to the law of nature. The sources of all evils come from within when we choose to withdraw ourselves from the human community; when we are dissatisfied with what nature has brought to our lives; when we react to disturbances (both pleasures and pains) with excessive emotionality; and when we fail to exercise our greatest gift - our power of reason.

Russell McNeil, PhD, is the author of The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius: Selections Annotated and Explained by Skylight Paths Publishing. The unpublished selections presented in this Blog are provided as supplemental material to the published selections which are annotated and explained in the book. The published selections are referenced in this Blog by page number and section.

The Emerald King - Unpublished Selections Explained, Med. VII.15

Meditation VII.15 - The Emerald King - Translated by George Long and rewritten by Russell McNeil

Whatever anyone does or says, I must be good, just as if the gold, or the emerald, or the purple were always saying this. Whatever anyone does or says, I must be emerald and keep my color.⁽¹⁾

Explanation

(1) Marcus is never heady around his position as the supreme leader of a mighty empire. In his Stoic view his position as Emperor was preordained by nature. He has immense power and of that he is fully aware. But with power comes responsibility. He understands that he is equipped to exercise this power, and may do so only if for the good of the world community. This is the only way that a Stoic will be at peace. Marcus is certainly aware that he is susceptible to corruption and the abuse of power. This may be why he feels it necessary to write these meditations, so as to remind himself continuously that his royal position is of no personal consequence. The wealth, and reputation, and power that he has, is meaningless in the grand scheme if these are used for self-aggrandizement. Gold, emerald and purple are the colors of his royal position. The enigmatic invocation of these symbols of royalty is used metaphorically. His position comes from nature - as do these magnificent colors. The colors represent the Law of Nature that has determined his kingly role. The colors, in whatever way they may be used in his office, remind him that he must continue to live according to the nature that placed him in the role that he has been assigned.

Russell McNeil, PhD, is the author of The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius: Selections Annotated and Explained by Skylight Paths Publishing. The unpublished selections presented in this Blog are provided as supplemental material to the published selections which are annotated and explained in the book. The published selections are referenced in this Blog by page number and section.

You are Perfect - You are a God - Unpublished Selections Explained, Med. VII.16

Meditation VII.16 - You are Perfect - You are a God - Translated by George Long and rewritten by Russell McNeil

The ruling faculty does not disturb itself; I mean, does not frighten itself or cause itself pain.⁽¹⁾ But if any one else can frighten or pain it, let that one do so.⁽²⁾ For the faculty itself will not by its own opinion turn itself into such ways.⁽³⁾ Let the body itself take care, if it can, that is suffer nothing, and let it speak, if it suffers.⁽⁴⁾ But the soul itself, that which is subject to fear, to pain, which has completely the power of forming an opinion about these things, will suffer nothing, for it will never deviate into such a judgment.⁽⁵⁾ The leading principle in itself wants nothing, unless it makes a want for itself; and therefore it is both free from perturbation and unimpeded, if it does not disturb and impede itself. ⁽⁶⁾

Explanation

(1) The internal "ruling principle" - the soul - in and of itself, cannot experience fear or pain, because it is invulnerable and divine.

(2) This is Marcus' way of daring those who would try to "frighten or pain" the soul.

(3) On its own, and of its own accord, the soul cannot suffer harm.

(4) The body can suffer physical pain. And if it does, let it be so. The suffering will express itself - appropriately - and for the reasons this suffering is designed.

(5) The soul cannot experience pain or fear because it is immutable. The experiences that many call fears arise when we misidentify physical sensations and signals with our true nature. Human beings can never suffer harm because our leading nature is divine; and, as gods we have nothing (and can have nothing) to fear.

(6) The leading principle in us is divine. It wants nothing because it is perfect. Nothing can be added to, or subtracted from perfection.

Russell McNeil, PhD, is the author of The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius: Selections Annotated and Explained by Skylight Paths Publishing. The unpublished selections presented in this Blog are provided as supplemental material to the published selections which are annotated and explained in the book. The published selections are referenced in this Blog by page number and section.

Reflections - Unpublished Selections Explained, Med. VII.17

Meditation VII.17 - Reflections - Translated by George Long and rewritten by Russell McNeil

Eudaemonia (happiness)⁽¹⁾ is a good daemon,⁽²⁾ or a good thing. What then are you doing here, O imagination?⁽³⁾ Go away, I entreat you by the gods, as you did come, for I want you not. But you are come according to your old fashion. I am not angry with you: only go away.⁽⁴⁾

Explanation

(1) In Greek philosophy Eudaemonia is the highest human good. It is usually translated as "happiness" but the original meaning is far more nuanced and incorporates the notion of happiness as a complete end in itself. Literally Eudaemonia means "the state of having a good indwelling spirit, a good genius." In Stoic philosophy the word is more closely associated with serenity or peace. A Christian reader might associated the idea with being in a "state of divine grace."

(2) A daemon is the Latinized spelling of the Greek δαίμων. Daemons are good or benevolent "supernatural beings between mortals and gods, such as inferior divinities and ghosts of dead heroes," and differ from the Judeo-Christian "demon," a malignant spirit that can seduce, afflict, or possess humans.

(3) We generally regard human imagination in a positive sense, as a creative virtue - a good thing - that reflects our capacity to project "what if" situations in the mind's eye - situations that do not (yet) exist in reality, but could unfold given certain conditions. This is the sort of imagination used by a good chess player. Imagination acting in this sense, is how human reason operates. It is an essential aspect of critical thinking. Marcus is using the word "imagination" here in its negative sense, or the ability of the mind to construct imaginary fears about things that may never be, or about things that ought never be a source of fear. Imagination in this context seeds timidity and cowardice and paranoia. In fact, from the Stoic perspective, this sort of imagination is actually a psychological aberration. It is also irrational, because it is generally fueled by the fear of physical harm, or a loss of material wealth, or concerns that our reputation might be damaged by our actions. But for a Stoic these things ought never keep us from acting rightly, because these are self-centered fears, and all self-centered fears are against the nature of a human being, because we are designed by nature to live for others - in other words to be social - in all of our actions. The irrational use of imagination in this way also flaunts two of the five Stoic "Commandments" discussed elsewhere: namely, thoughtlessness, and antisocial behavior. The use of imagination in this negative sense demonstrates the extraordinary power of Stoicism to address issues of mental health - in this case one of the underlying causes of paranoia - a crippling human disorder. A fuller discussion of the application of Stoicism to modern issues concerning mental illness is covered in detail in the book in Chapter 3, "Stoicism and Vice," Stoicism and Mental Health, p 73-79. The discussion there examines the power of Stoicism in offering meditative - as opposed to medicative - remedies to human malaise.

(4) Marcus addresses the emergence of paranoia fueled by the imagination lightly. He is never angry - for anger itself is also irrational - when the mind begins to operate irrationally. Instead he simply takes note of an aberrant thought process and dismissively commands it to "go away."

Russell McNeil, PhD, is the author of The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius: Selections Annotated and Explained by Skylight Paths Publishing. The unpublished selections presented in this Blog are provided as supplemental material to the published selections which are annotated and explained in the book. The published selections are referenced in this Blog by page number and section.

Time, Motion, Cosmology, and Evolution III - The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius - Published Selections Explained, Med. VII.18

Meditation VII.18 – Time, Motion, Cosmology, and Evolution III - Translated by George Long and rewritten by Russell McNeil

Note: Meditation VII.18 is published in The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius: Selections Annotated and Explained; McNeil. Russell, PhD, Skylight Paths, Ch. 1 ("The Promise of Stoicism – Time, Motion, Cosmology, and Evolution III, p. 31, 2007

Russell McNeil, PhD, is the author of The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius: Selections Annotated and Explained by Skylight Paths Publishing. The unpublished selections presented in this Blog are provided as supplemental material to the published selections which are annotated and explained in the book. The published selections are referenced in this Blog by page number and section.

The Furious Torrent - Unpublished Selections Explained, Med. VII.19

Meditation VII.19 - The Furious Torrent - Translated by George Long and rewritten by Russell McNeil

Through the universal substance as through a furious torrent all bodies are carried,⁽¹⁾ being by their nature united with and cooperating with the whole, as the parts of our body with one another.⁽²⁾ How many a Chrysippus,⁽³⁾ how many a Socrates,⁽⁴⁾ how many an Epictetus⁽⁵⁾ has time already swallowed up?⁽⁶⁾ And let the same thought occur to you with reference to every human and thing.⁽⁷⁾

Explanation

(1) The "universal substance" is the all pervasive and ever active energy of nature. Stoic physics posits both active and passive aspects. Both aspects are materialistic. The passive undergoes constant transformation as it changes form under the universal control of the active Law of nature, referred to elsewhere as the universal intelligence or simply Logos - in modern terminology these would be called the forces and fields of physics: substantive but substantially different from the "bodies" upon which these forces act. The only choice we have in life is to cooperate with this "furious torrent" or to be consumed by it.

(2) The Stoics clearly understood and anticipated the universality of natural law. The idea was not formulated mathematically until Newton expressed this idea in 1687 - in one narrow form - as the inverse square law of universal gravitation. This Stoic idea does however turn on the same thread. Every body in the universe is acted upon - and acts upon - every other body as if it were "united with and cooperating with the whole."

(3) Zeno of Citium (333-264 BCE) and Crysippus (c. 279 BCE–c. 206 BCE) were the earliest Stoics. Chrysippus excelled in logic, the theory of knowledge, ethics and physics.

(4) Socrates (c. 470 BCE - 399 BCE) died 70 years before the birth of the first Stoic but is nevertheless regarded by many Stoics as the first Stoic.

(5) Epictetus (60-120 CE) is - like Marcus Aurelius - a member of the mature or Roman school of Stoicism. Much of the thinking of Marcus is modeled on his work.

(6) These philosophers have passed on. In time the memory of their names, and even of their works is increasingly obscured.

(7) Such is the nature of the Law. Life is brief. Soon we will die. And soon too will the memory of who we were. The sentiment would seem despairing, if not for the serenity that comes from living rightly or "according to nature." We thus have a choice: to live a happy and meaningful life - by living according to nature - or to be consumed by this self same "furious torrent" - unfulfilled and unloved.

Russell McNeil, PhD, is the author of The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius: Selections Annotated and Explained by Skylight Paths Publishing. The unpublished selections presented in this Blog are provided as supplemental material to the published selections which are annotated and explained in the book. The published selections are referenced in this Blog by page number and section.

Repelling Fear - Unpublished Selections Explained, Med. VII.20

Meditation VII.20 - Repelling Fear - Translated by George Long and rewritten by Russell McNeil

One thing only troubles me: that I should do something which the constitution of a human being does not allow, or in the way which it does not allow, or what it does not allow now.⁽¹⁾

Explanation

(1) Marcus of course is not making reference to the physical constitution. It is reason and not our physical constitution that makes us human, and our nature is circumscribed by reason. In Meditation II.16 (on p. 61 in the book) Marcus defines five abrogations of reason - the so-called five Stoic "commandments." In brief these are, (i) irritability, (ii) antisocial behavior, (iii) excess passion, (iv) dishonesty, and (v) thoughtlessness. These five breaches in reason alienate us from nature, condemning us to lives of isolation and despair, the Stoic version of Hell. These are the five ways in which a human being can act inhumanely.

The purpose of a meditation is to reflect on these and to remind us of what living according to nature requires of us. Ironically, becoming "troubled" is in itself also against the human constitution, because it means we are becoming anxious and irritable, and - as a consequence - unhappy, because no human being should ever feel troubled. When reason dominates, our troubles will be transformed into concerns, or cautions. This will occur because we have learned to acquire an attitude of indifference toward the fears that most people ordinarily direct toward physical worries. This fearlessness is what actually insulates the Stoic from anxiety and irritability, and enables the Stoic to respond more effectively to the physical slings and arrows of life. Human beings are not saints. We are drawn toward the demands of the physical constitution in many ways. Regulating those demands and acquiring fearlessness requires constant attention - and meditation.

Russell McNeil, PhD, is the author of The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius: Selections Annotated and Explained by Skylight Paths Publishing. The unpublished selections presented in this Blog are provided as supplemental material to the published selections which are annotated and explained in the book. The published selections are referenced in this Blog by page number and section.