The Thoughts Of The Emperor Marcus Aurelius Antoninus

PREFACE.Perhaps some may question the wisdom of putting out the Thoughts ofMarcus Aurelius Antoninus to be used as a Reader by children in theschools. It may appear to them better suited to the mature mind. Theprinciple, however, that has governed us in selecting reading for theyoung has been to secure the best that we could find in all ages forgrown-up people. The milk and water diet provided for my dear childrenis not especially complimentary to them. They like to be treated likelittle men and women, capable of appreciating a good thing. One finds inthis royal philosopher a rare generosity, sweetness and humility,qualities alike suited to all ages.Adopting the philosopher's robe at twelve, he remains a student all hislife. The precepts that he would give for the government of others, hehas practised upon himself. In his time, as in ours, there were goodphysicians for the mind and body, who could make wise prescriptions forthe government of their neighbors, but were unable to apply them tothemselves. The faults of our fellows are so numerous and so easy to curethat one is readily tempted to become the physician, while our own faultsare so few and so unimportant that it is hardly worth while to give anyattention to them. Hence we have a multitude of physicians for humanityin general, and a scarcity of individual healers.It was the doctrine of Marcus Aurelius that most of the ills of life cometo us from our own imagination, that it was not in the power of othersseriously to interfere with the calm, temperate life of an individual,and that when a fellow being did anything to us that seemed unjust he wasacting in ignorance, and that instead of stirring up anger within us itshould stir our pity for him. Oftentimes by careful self-examination weshould find that the fault was more our own than that of our fellow, andour sufferings were rather from our own opinions than from anything real.The circle of man's knowledge is very limited, and the largest circles donot wholly include the smallest. They are intersecting and the segmentcommon to any two is very small. Whatever lies outside this space doesnot exist for both. Hence arise innumerable contests. The man having thelargest intelligence ought to be very generous to the other. Beingthankful that he has been blessed in so many ways, he should do all inhis power to enlighten his less favored fellow, rather than be angry withhim on account of his misfortune. Is he not sufficiently punished inbeing denied the light?Assisting his uncle in the government of the great Roman Empire atseventeen, it was his aim constantly to restrain the power of the strongand to assist the weak. He studied the laws of his country, not forwisdom alone, but that he might make them more beneficial to his people.All his life he tried to bring his fellows to a higher level, and tothink charitably of each other. Occupying himself a palace he livedsimply, like other men. It was his greatest delight to retire to hiscountry home and there, dwelling among his books, to meditate upon thegreat problems of life. He claimed that a man's life should be valuedaccording to the value of the things to which he gave his attention. Ifhis whole thought was given to clothing, feeding and housing himselfcomfortably, he should be valued like other well-housed and well-fedanimals. He would, however, derive the greatest pleasure and benefit inthis life by acting in accordance with reason, which demands of everyhuman being that his highest faculties should govern all the rest, andthat each should see to it that he treated his fellow kindly andgenerously and that if he could not assist him to a higher level heshould at least not stand in his way. When he speaks of the shortness oftime and the value of fame, riches and power, for which men strive inthis world, he speaks not from the standpoint of one who would wish toobtain these things, but as a Roman emperor enjoying the highest honorsthat man might expect to attain in this world. He certainly was in aposition to speak intelligently concerning these matters, and hisopinions ought to have weight with the coming generations. Children maynot prefer to read such thoughts; perhaps the majority of children do notprefer the Bible to other books. Still, we all think it is well for themto be obliged to read it. Perhaps requiring the use of such literature inthe schools might be as valuable as the adding, subtracting, multiplyingand dividing of interminable numbers, the memorizing of all the capes,bays and rivers in the world, and the dates of all the battles that haveoccurred since the creation of man.