Theopoetics

Rev. Dr. David Breeden translations, wisdom, poetry

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Marcus Aurelius, from Exhortations to Himself

Marcus Aurelius, from Exhortations to Himself

Don’t worry over the shape of your life. Don’t worry about all the misfortunes that might happen to you. Each moment, ask yourself this: what is happening right now that is intolerable and beyond what I can handle?

Then remind yourself that neither the past nor the future can hurt you, only what is happening in this instant. Focus on right now and you can handle right now.

(VIII. 36)

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Marcus Aurelius, from Exhortations to Himself

All things are connected—bound together and sacred. Nothing is not connected. All things combine to comprise the universe. There is one universe, made up of all things, and all things are one divinity who pervades all things and and is all substance. All operate within one law and the same comprehension and truth pervades all living things. All living things participate in universal reason.

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Marcus Aurelius “Three Rules” Always and everywhere, it is in your power to accept what is happening, to act justly to those around you, and to use your skills to control your thoughts so that nothing slips into them without examination.

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Epictetus, from The Handbook 8. Forget about controlling what happens; learn to wish that everything that happens happens just as it happens. Then . . . all will go exactly as planned.

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Marcus Aurelius, from Exhortations to Himself Watch out for four errors of the higher mind; when you see one of these, say, “That thought is unnecessary!” First is that thought which tends to damage social relations. 

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Marcus Aurelius, from Exhortations to Himself After you have done something, ask yourself: Was that right to do? Should I be sorry? Soon enough, I will be dead and gone.

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Marcus Aurelius, from Exhortations to Himself Be like the rock that the waves beat against but do not vanquish. I am unhappy because this has happened to me?

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Seneca, from Book XX, “Of a Happy Life” Ovid wrote, ”Philosophers do not carry into effect all that they teach." True. But philosophers do affect some for good through their noble conceptions.

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Marcus Aurelius, from Exhortations to Himself Every instrument; every tool; every container—if they are doing what they were designed to do, they do that well, even though their designer isn’t there.

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Quest for meaning

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Marcus Aurelius, from Exhortations to Himself At last, it is time for you to decide what universe you are a part of and what powers are in that universe.

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Marcus Aurelius, from Exhortations to Himself. When you wake up in the morning, tell yourself: the people I deal with today will be meddling, ungrateful, arrogant, dishonest, jealous, and surly.

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Marcus Aurelius, from Exhortations to Himself How am I using my soul right now? I need to ask myself this. Am I employing my reason? Whose soul do I have—that of a child? Is my soul young, old? That of a tyrant? A domesticated animal? A wild beast? (V. 11)

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A saying from Epicurus A saying of the philosopher Epicurus has come down to us in Latin: Non fui, fui, non sum, non curo. Translated, that is: I did not exist. Then, I existed. Now I don’t. I don’t care.

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Marcus Aurelius, from Exhortations to Himself Think back on all those who have been, those you have known and those you haven’t. Now, remind yourself: Where are they?

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from Exhortations to Himself by Marcus Aurelius Without doubt it would be sweet to die without ever having encountered the lying, hypocrisy, wastefulness, and pridefulness of humankind.

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Marcus Aurelius, advice about dying No one is so lucky that there won’t be someone near the deathbed saying, “It’s about time!” …