Marcus Aurelius · 121–180 CE
Meditations 6.10 — Marcus Aurelius
Translation by George Long (1862)
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 6.10
The universe is either a confusion, and a mutual involution of things, and a dispersion; or it is unity and order and providence. If then it is the former, why do I desire to tarry in a fortuitous combination of things and such a disorder? And why do I care about anything else than how I shall at last become earth? And why am I disturbed, for the dispersion of my elements will happen whatever I do. But if the other supposition is true, I venerate, and I am firm, and I trust in him who governs.
Cite this passage
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 6.10, tr. George Long (1862)
https://whatwouldstoicsdo.com/passage/meditations/6.10
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, tr. George Long (1862). Text: Standard Ebooks (CC0). Sources and licences
In plain English
AI-written notesWhether the world is random chaos or an ordered whole run by providence, worrying does not help. If it is chaos, nothing here is worth being disturbed over, since my body will break down regardless; if it is order, I can trust the governing reason and stay steady.
Older wording
- “providence”
- — the world being guided by a wise purpose
- “fortuitous”
- — accidental or random
- “venerate”
- — deeply respect or worship
Themes and situations
- Acceptance and fate
- Nature and the cosmos
- Fear and anxiety
- Peace of mind
- Anxiety about the future
- Searching for meaning
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