Marcus Aurelius · 121–180 CE
Meditations 12.14 — Marcus Aurelius
Translation by George Long (1862)
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 12.14
Either there is a fatal necessity and invincible order, or a kind Providence, or a confusion without a purpose and without a director [Book IV]. If then there is an invincible necessity, why dost thou resist? But if there is a Providence which allows itself to be propitiated, make thyself worthy of the help of the divinity. But if there is a confusion without governor, be content that in such a tempest thou hast in thyself a certain ruling intelligence. And even if the tempest carry thee away, let it carry away the poor flesh, the poor breath, everything else; for the intelligence at least it will not carry away.
Cite this passage
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 12.14, tr. George Long (1862)
https://whatwouldstoicsdo.com/passage/meditations/12.14
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, tr. George Long (1862). Text: Standard Ebooks (CC0). Sources and licences
In plain English
AI-written notesWhether the world runs on iron necessity, caring providence or sheer chaos, resisting and complaining helps nothing. If it is fate, stop fighting it; if there is a god who answers, make yourself worthy of help; if it is chaos, be glad you still have your own reasoning mind, which no storm can sweep away.
Older wording
- “Providence”
- — a caring, wise order governing the world
- “propitiated”
- — won over or appeased
- “ruling intelligence”
- — your reasoning mind
Themes and situations
- Acceptance and fate
- Nature and the cosmos
- What is in our control
- Peace of mind
- Resilience and endurance
- Anxiety about the future
- Searching for meaning
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