Marcus Aurelius · 121–180 CE
Meditations 11.10 — Marcus Aurelius
Translation by George Long (1862)
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 11.10
There is no nature which is inferior to art, for the arts imitate the nature of things. But if this is so, that nature which is the most perfect and the most comprehensive of all natures, cannot fall short of the skill of art. Now all arts do the inferior things for the sake of the superior; therefore the universal nature does so too. And, indeed, hence is the origin of justice, and in justice the other virtues have their foundation: for justice will not be observed, if we either care for middle things [things indifferent], or are easily deceived and careless and changeable.
Cite this passage
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 11.10, tr. George Long (1862)
https://whatwouldstoicsdo.com/passage/meditations/11.10
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, tr. George Long (1862). Text: Standard Ebooks (CC0). Sources and licences
In plain English
AI-written notesNature, being the most complete craftsperson of all, arranges lesser things for the sake of higher ones, and from this comes justice, which underlies the other virtues. Justice cannot be kept by someone who cares about things that are really neither good nor bad, or who is careless, gullible and unstable.
Older wording
- “middle things [things indifferent]”
- — things that are neither good nor bad in themselves, like wealth or health
Themes and situations
- Justice and fairness
- Nature and the cosmos
- Virtue and character
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