Book Two 卷二

把每一天当作生命的最后一天

1.一日之始，我就对自己说，我将会遇到好管闲事的人，忘恩负义的人，愚昧无知的人，不善交际的人，欺骗、嫉妒别人的人。他们染有这些品性是因为他们不懂得什么是善良和邪恶。而我，一个已经懂得善良是美好的、邪恶是丑陋的人，一个已经懂得做错事的人们是与我血脉相连的，我们不仅有着相同的血液和皮肤，而且分享同样的理智和同一份神性的人，绝不可被他们之中的任何一个人伤害，因为没有人可以将丑恶强加在我身上；我也不可对他们生气或者怨恨，因为我们因共同合作而生，就像双脚、双手、上下眼睑和上下排牙齿一样。那么，相互反对就是违反本性了，就是自寻烦恼和自我排斥。

2.无论我是什么人，都只是一个小小的肉体、呼吸和支配的部分；扔掉书本，不再让自己分心：这是不允许的；就像你就要面临死亡，那就轻视自己的肉体吧；它只是血液和骨骼的一个网络组织，只是一种神经、静脉和动脉的结构。再来看看呼吸吧，空气并不总是一样的，但每时每刻总有空气吸进呼出。再次就是支配的部分：你是一位老人，不再成为它的奴隶；不再像一个玩偶一样被绳子牵绊做着反社会的事情；不再对现状不满，或者逃避未来。

3.从神明那儿来的一切都充满了神意。那些来自命运的东西并不脱离本性，或是与神意毫不相干。一切事物都从那里流出，这是一种必然，为着整个宇宙的利益，而你是其中的一部分。但本性的整体所带来的，对本性的每一个部分都是有利的，有助于保持本性。现在，宇宙是通过改变元素从而改变事物元素的构成来保存的。让这些原则在你身上起足够的作用吧，让它们决定你的意见吧。丢弃对书本的渴望，这样你就不会在抱怨中死去，而是在欢乐、真诚和对神明的衷心感谢中逝去。

4.记住你远离这些东西已经有多久了，你多久才接到神明赐予的一次机会而不去抓住机会。现在你终于感知到自己是宇宙的一部分了，领悟到作为宇宙的管理者的你的存在，只是宇宙中的一段流逝。一段有限的时间已经为你划定，如果你不驱散思想中的云雾，去利用这段时间，它就会流逝，而你也随之逝去，再也无法返回了。

5.每时每刻都要坚定地思考，就像一个罗马人和男人一样，以完整而朴实的尊严、友爱、自由和正义去做手头上的事情，使自己从其它一切思想中解放出来。如果你做生活中的每一件事都像做生命中的最后一件事那样，抛却一切粗心大意和对理性的强烈嫌恶，抛却一切伪善、自私和对已经分配给你的命运的不满，那么你将能使自己得到解脱。你会明白，一个人只要抓住这么少的东西就能够过着宁静的生活，就像神明的存在一样；因为对神明来说，他们并不需要索取更多的东西。

6.你自己做错了，你自己做错了，我的灵魂啊，你不再有机会使自己荣耀；每个人的人生都是充足的。但你的人生正接近尾声，而你的灵魂关注的不是本身，而是将自己的快乐寄托于他人的灵魂里。

7.外界加于你身上的事情让你分心吗？给自己时间去学习一些新鲜和美好的东西，停止兜圈子吧。但你同时必须避免被带入另一条道路。因为那些在生活中被自己弄得筋疲力尽的人也是放浪者，因为他们没有一个目标去指引他们的每一个行动，总而言之，他们的总体思想都是毫无目标的。

8.不要注意别人心里在想什么，一个人很少被看作是不幸福的；但那些不关注自己内心想法的人一定是不幸福的。

9.这些你必须牢记在心：什么是整体本性，什么是我的本性，二者之间如何发生联系，我的本性是一个什么性质的整体的一部分，没有人会阻止你按照你是其中一部分的本性来说话和做事。

10.在他比较各种恶行时，西奥菲拉斯图斯就像一个真正的哲学家一样说（这种比较就像一个人按照人类的共同概念所做的比）：因欲望而犯罪的人比因愤怒而犯罪的人更应该受到谴责。因为因愤怒而激动的人看来是被某种痛苦和潜意识里的患病而失去了理性；但因欲望而犯罪的人，被愉悦所战胜，他的犯罪的方式更放纵和更懦弱。接着，他又用一种配得上哲学的方式说，因愉悦而犯罪比因痛苦而犯罪更应该受谴责；总之，前者似乎是先被别人冒犯，痛苦被迫转为愤怒；后者则是被自己的冲动驱使而犯罪，被欲望驱使而做错事。

11.既然你很可能在此时离开人世，那就相应地整理你的每一个行动和思想吧。但要从芸芸众生中离开，如果有神明存在，那并不是什么可怕的事情，因为神明不会使你卷入邪恶；但如果它们确实不存在，或者如果他们对人类的事务并不关心，那么我生活在一个没有神明或神意的宇宙里又有什么意义呢？但事实上它们是存在的，它们并不关心人类的事务，并且它们已经将一切手段都放入人的力量之中，使人类不陷入真正的恶。至于其它的恶，如果有的话，神明也不会让人陷入恶中。一个人是完全有力量决定自己是否会陷入恶中的。既然它们不会使人变坏，又怎么会使人的生活变坏呢？宇宙的本性可能会忽略它们，但既不是因为无知，也不是因为有知，也不是没有力量去防卫或者纠正这些事情，更不是宇宙的本性可能犯了一个巨大的错误——使好事和坏事不加区分地发生在好人和坏人身上，而这并不是因为它缺乏力量或者技巧。但肯定的是，死亡和生存、荣耀和耻辱、痛苦和快乐以及所有这些都同等地发生在好人和坏人身上，成为使我们变得更好或更坏的东西。因此，他们既不是好的也不是坏的。

人只能活在当下

12.所有这一切发生得多快呀，在宇宙中是事物本身消失，在时间中是它们的记忆消失。这就是一切可感知的事物，尤其是以快乐为诱饵或是以痛苦为恐吓的事物，或是那些如蒸汽般远播国外的浮名的性质。它们是多么无用、可鄙、肮脏、腐坏和易逝啊——所有这一切都是理智能力需要注意的。理智能力还需注意的是那些以发表意见和言论博取生命的人，注意死亡是什么，以及这样一个事实，即一个人观察死亡本身，通过反省的抽象力量将他想象中关于死亡的一切分解成各个部分，那么他就会把死亡视为只不过是自然运转的一个部分；如果一个人害怕自然的运转，那他就是个孩子。然而，这不仅仅是自然运转的一部分，而且是有益于实现自然目标的事情。理智能力还需注意人是如何接近神性的，运用人的哪一个部分去接近神性，以及这个部分是在什么时候这样做的。

13.没有什么比这更可悲的了：一个人旋转着穿越一切，就像诗人所说的那样，打听地下的事情，臆测邻居内心的想法，而不懂得只要专注于自己内心的神并真诚地尊崇它就足够了。尊崇自己的神包括避免激情、自私和对神明和别人的不满，保持内心的纯洁。因为来自神明的东西是具有优越性的、值得我们崇敬的；而来自人的东西，由于我们和他们存在血缘关系，我们也是应该珍重的；有时他们甚至在某种程度上因对善恶的无知而引起我们的怜悯；这一缺陷不亚于那些剥夺我们分清黑白是非的力量的东西。

14.尽管你希望活到三千年，甚至数万年，但你仍然要记住，任何人失去的不是什么其它的生活，而是他现在的生活；任何人过着的不是其它的生活，而是他现在过着的生活。因此，生命的长久或短暂都是一样的。尽管已经逝去的是不一样的，但现在对于所有人都是一样的。因而，逝去的东西看起来仅仅是一个瞬间。因为一个人既不能失去过去，也不能失去未来，因为如果一个人什么都没有，那么别人又怎么从他身上夺走这些东西呢？这两件事情你一定要牢记于心：第一，来自永恒的东西犹如形式，是在一个圆圈中打转轮回的，它决定了一个人在一百年、两百年或是无限的时间里是否看见相同的东西；第二，最长寿的人和最短命的人失去的东西都是一样的。因为现在是一个人唯一能够被人剥夺的东西，如果这真的是他唯一拥有的，那么一个人就不可能失去他没有的东西。

15.记住一切都是意见。因为犬儒派摩尼穆斯所说的话是很显然的，如果一个人注意从中汲取教益，这些真话的用途也是很明显的。

16.人的灵魂的确是会自我摧残的：首先是在当它成为或者可能成为一个脓疮、一个宇宙中的肿瘤的时候。因为对任何发生的事情感到愤怒就意味着我们与自然的分离；第二，灵魂的自我摧残发生在当它被从人身上移除，或是以伤害为目的靠近人的时候，比如那些愤怒的人的灵魂；第三，灵魂的自我摧残发生在它被快乐或痛苦战胜的时候；第四，当它扮演一个角色，言行不真诚的时候；第五，当它允许自己有任何无目标的行为，做任何不加考虑和不加辨别的事，因为甚至是最小的事情也需要一个参照才能做对，而理性动物的目标是遵循理性和最古老的城邦的法律。

17.人的一生只是一个时间点，物质处于一种流逝中，感知是迟钝的，整个身体的结构是容易腐烂的，灵魂是一个漩涡，命运是难以捉摸的，名声是不根据理性来判断的。总而言之，一切属于身体的东西只是一条溪流，一切属于灵魂的东西只是一个梦幻。生活是一场战争，一个过客的旅居，名声过后就会被遗忘。那么什么是能够主宰一个人的东西？只有一件而且是唯一的一件，那就是哲学。但这包括保护人内心的神，使之不自我摧残和受到伤害，超越一切痛苦和快乐，不做毫无目标的事；拒绝虚伪和欺瞒，漠视别人做或不做任何事情的需求；此外，接受所发生的一切、所分配给他的份额，不管它们是什么，不管它们来自哪里，都把它们当作从自己的地方来一样；最后，以愉快的心情等待死亡，就像与构成每一样生物的元素的分解一样。但如果在每一个事物的不断变化中元素本身并没有受到损害，那么人又何必对一切元素的改变和分解感到忧惧呢？这是按照本性进行的，而本性的东西是没有恶的。

作于卡农图姆。

1.Begin the morning by saying to thyself， I shall meet with the busy-body， the ungrateful， arrogant， deceitful， envious， unsocial. All these things happen to them by reason of their ignorance of what is good and evil. But I who have seen the nature of the good that it is beautiful， and of the bad that it is ugly， and the nature of him who does wrong， that it is akin to me， not only of the same blood or seed， but that it participates in the same intelligence and the same portion of the divinity， I can neither be injured by any of them， for no one can fix on me what is ugly， nor can I be angry with my kinsman， nor hate him， For we are made for co-operation， like feet， like hands， like eyelids， like the rows of the upper and lower teeth. To act against one another then is contrary to nature； and it is acting against one another to be vexed and to turn away.

2.Whatever this is that I am， it is a little flesh and breath， and the ruling part. Throw away thy books； no longer distract thyself： it is not allowed； but as if thou wast now dying， despise the flesh； it is blood and bones and a network， a contexture of nerves， veins， and arteries. See the breath also， what kind of a thing it is， air， and not always the same， but every moment sent out and again sucked in. The third then is the ruling part： consider thus： Thou art an old man； no longer let this be a slave， no longer be pulled by the strings like a puppet to unsocial movements， no longer either be dissatisfied with thy present lot， or shrink from the future.

3.All that is from the gods is full of Providence. That which is from fortune is not separated from nature or without an interweaving and involution with the things which are ordered by Providence. From thence all things flow； and there is besides necessity， and that which is for the advantage of the whole universe， of which thou art a part. But that is good for every part of nature which the nature of the whole brings， and what serves to maintain this nature. Now the universe is preserved， as by the changes of the elements so by the changes of things compounded of the elements. Let these principles be enough for thee， let them always be fixed opinions. But cast away the thirst after books， that thou mayest not die murmuring， but cheerfully， truly， and from thy heart thankful to the gods.

4.Remember how long thou hast been putting off these things， and how often thou hast received an opportunity from the gods， and yet dost not use it. Thou must now at last perceive of what universe thou art a part， and of what administrator of the universe thy existence is an efflux， and that a limit of time is fixed for thee， which if thou dost not use for clearing away the clouds from thy mind， it will go and thou wilt go， and it will never return.

5.Every moment think steadily as a Roman and a man to do what thou hast in hand with perfect and simple dignity， and feeling of affection， and freedom， and justice； and to give thyself relief from all other thoughts. And thou wilt give thyself relief， if thou doest every act of thy life as if it were the last， laying aside all carelessness and passionate aversion from the commands of reason， and all hypocrisy， and self-love， and discontent with the portion which has been given to thee. Thou seest how few the things are， the which if a man lays hold of， he is able to live a life which flows in quiet， and is like the existence of the gods； for the gods on their part will require nothing more from him who observes these things.

6.Do wrong to thyself， do wrong to thyself， my soul； but thou wilt no longer have the opportunity of honouring thyself. Every man's life is sufficient. But thine is nearly finished， though thy soul reverences not itself but places thy felicity in the souls of others.

7.Do the things external which fall upon thee distract thee？ Give thyself time to learn something new and good， and cease to be whirled around. But then thou must also avoid being carried about the other way. For those too are triflers who have wearied themselves in life by their activity， and yet have no object to which to direct every movement， and， in a word， all their thoughts.

8.Through not observing what is in the mind of another a man has seldom been seen to be unhappy； but those who do not observe the movements of their own minds must of necessity be unhappy.

9.This thou must always bear in mind， what is the nature of the whole， and what is my nature， and how this is related to that， and what kind of a part it is of what kind of a whole； and that there is no one who hinders thee from always doing and saying the things which are according to the nature of which thou art a part.

10.Theophrastus， in his comparison of bad acts- such a comparison as one would make in accordance with the common notions of mankind- says， like a true philosopher， that the offences which are committed through desire are more blameable than those which are committed through anger. For he who is excited by anger seems to turn away from reason with a certain pain and unconscious contraction； but he who offends through desire， being overpowered by pleasure， seems to be in a manner more intemperate and more womanish in his offences. Rightly then， and in a way worthy of philosophy， he said that the offence which is committed with pleasure is more blameable than that which is committed with pain； and on the whole the one is more like a person who has been first wronged and through pain is compelled to be angry； but the other is moved by his own impulse to do wrong， being carried towards doing something by desire.

11.Since it is possible that thou mayest depart from life this very moment， regulate every act and thought accordingly. But to go away from among men， if there are gods， is not a thing to be afraid of， for the gods will not involve thee in evil； but if indeed they do not exist， or if they have no concern about human affairs， what is it to me to live in a universe devoid of gods or devoid of Providence？ But in truth they do exist， and they do care for human things， and they have put all the means in man's power to enable him not to fall into real evils. And as to the rest， if there was anything evil， they would have provided for this also， that it should be altogether in a man's power not to fall into it. Now that which does not make a man worse， how can it make a man's life worse？ But neither through ignorance， nor having the knowledge， but not the power to guard against or correct these things， is it possible that the nature of the universe has overlooked them； nor is it possible that it has made so great a mistake， either through want of power or want of skill， that good and evil should happen indiscriminately to the good and the bad. But death certainly， and life， honour and dishonour， pain and pleasure， all these things equally happen to good men and bad， being things which make us neither better nor worse. Therefore they are neither good nor evil.

12.How quickly all things disappear， in the universe the bodies themselves， but in time the remembrance of them； what is the nature of all sensible things， and particularly those which attract with the bait of pleasure or terrify by pain， or are noised abroad by vapoury fame； how worthless， and contemptible， and sordid， and perishable， and dead they are- all this it is the part of the intellectual faculty to observe. To observe too who these are whose opinions and voices give reputation； what death is， and the fact that， if a man looks at it in itself， and by the abstractive power of reflection resolves into their parts all the things which present themselves to the imagination in it， he will then consider it to be nothing else than an operation of nature； and if any one is afraid of an operation of nature， he is a child. This， however， is not only an operation of nature， but it is also a thing which conduces to the purposes of nature. To observe too how man comes near to the deity， and by what part of him， and when this part of man is so disposed.

13.Nothing is more wretched than a man who traverses everything in a round， and pries into the things beneath the earth， as the poet says， and seeks by conjecture what is in the minds of his neighbours， without perceiving that it is sufficient to attend to the daemon within him， and to reverence it sincerely. And reverence of the daemon consists in keeping it pure from passion and thoughtlessness， and dissatisfaction with what comes from gods and men. For the things from the gods merit veneration for their excellence； and the things from men should be dear to us by reason of kinship； and sometimes even， in a manner， they move our pity by reason of men's ignorance of good and bad； this defect being not less than that which deprives us of the power of distinguishing things that are white and black.

14.Though thou shouldst be going to live three thousand years， and as many times ten thousand years， still remember that no man loses any other life than this which he now lives， nor lives any other than this which he now loses. The longest and shortest are thus brought to the same. For the present is the same to all， though that which perishes is not the same； and so that which is lost appears to be a mere moment. For a man cannot lose either the past or the future： for what a man has not， how can any one take this from him？ These two things then thou must bear in mind； the one， that all things from eternity are of like forms and come round in a circle， and that it makes no difference whether a man shall see the same things during a hundred years or two hundred， or an infinite time； and the second， that the longest liver and he who will die soonest lose just the same. For the present is the only thing of which a man can be deprived， if it is true that this is the only thing which he has， and that a man cannot lose a thing if he has it not.

15.Remember that all is opinion. For what was said by the Cynic Monimus is manifest： and manifest too is the use of what was said， if a man receives what may be got out of it as far as it is true.

16.The soul of man does violence to itself， first of all， when it becomes an abscess and， as it were， a tumour on the universe， so far as it can. For to be vexed at anything which happens is a separation of ourselves from nature， in some part of which the natures of all other things are contained. In the next place， the soul does violence to itself when it turns away from any man， or even moves towards him with the intention of injuring， such as are the souls of those who are angry. In the third place， the soul does violence to itself when it is overpowered by pleasure or by pain. Fourthly， when it plays a part， and does or says anything insincerely and untruly. Fifthly， when it allows any act of its own and any movement to be without an aim， and does anything thoughtlessly and without considering what it is， it being right that even the smallest things be done with reference to an end； and the end of rational animals is to follow the reason and the law of the most ancient city and polity.

17.Of human life the time is a point， and the substance is in a flux， and the perception dull， and the composition of the whole body subject to putrefaction， and the soul a whirl， and fortune hard to divine， and fame a thing devoid of judgement. And， to say all in a word， everything which belongs to the body is a stream， and what belongs to the soul is a dream and vapour， and life is a warfare and a stranger's sojourn， and after-fame is oblivion. What then is that which is able to conduct a man？ One thing and only one， philosophy. But this consists in keeping the daemon within a man free from violence and unharmed， superior to pains and pleasures， doing nothing without purpose， nor yet falsely and with hypocrisy， not feeling the need of another man's doing or not doing anything； and besides， accepting all that happens， and all that is allotted， as coming from thence， wherever it is， from whence he himself came； and， finally， waiting for death with a cheerful mind， as being nothing else than a dissolution of the elements of which every living being is compounded. But if there is no harm to the elements themselves in each continually changing into another， why should a man have any apprehension about the change and dissolution of all the elements？ For it is according to nature， and nothing is evil which is according to nature.

This in Carnuntum.