M. Aur. Med. 10.2

Meditations 10.2

Author
Marcus Aurelius
Translator
George Long

Meditations

10.2

Marcus Aurelius

translated by George Long

2Observe what thy nature requires, so far as thou art governed by nature only: then do it and accept it, if thy nature, so far as thou art a living being, shall not be made worse by it. And next thou must observe what thy nature requires so far as thou art a living being. And all this thou mayst allow thyself, if thy nature, so far as thou art a rational animal, shall not be made worse by it. But the rational animal is consequently also a political [social] animal. Use these rules then and trouble thyself about nothing else.