harmonious to thee, O
Universe. Nothing for me is too early nor too late, which is in due time
for thee. Everything is fruit to me which thy seasons bring, O Nature:
from thee are all things, in thee are all things, to thee all things
return. The poet says, Dear city of Cecrops; and wilt not thou say, Dear
city of Zeus?

24. Occupy thyself with few things, says the philosopher, if thou
wouldst be tranquil.--But consider if it would not be better to say, Do
what is necessary, and whatever the reason of the animal which is
naturally social requires, and as it requires. For this brings not only
the tranquillity which comes from doing well, but also that which comes
from doing few things. For the greatest part of what we say and do being
unnecessary, if a man takes this away, he will have more leisure and
less uneasiness. Accordingly, on every occasion a man should ask
himself, Is this one of the unnecessary things? Now a man should take
away not only unnecessary acts, but also unnecessary thoughts, for thus
superfluous acts will not follow after.

25. Try how the life of the good man suits thee, the life of him who is
satisfied with his portion out of the whole, and satisfied with his own
just acts and benevolent disposition.

26. Hast thou seen those things? Look also at these. Do not disturb
thyself. Make thyself all simplicity. Does any one do wrong? It is to
himself that he does the wrong. Has anything happened to thee? Well; out
of the universe from the beginning everything which happens has been
apportioned and spun out to thee. In a word, thy life is short. Thou
must turn to profit the present by the aid of reason and justice. Be
sober in thy relaxation.

27. Either it is a well-arranged universe[A] or a chaos huddled
together, but still a universe. But can a certain order subsist in thee,
and disorder in the All? And this too when all things are so separated
and diffused and sympathetic.

[A] Antoninus here uses the word [Greek: kosmos] both in the
sense of the Universe and of Order; and it is difficult to
express his meaning.

28. A black character, a womanish character, a stubborn character,
bestial, childish, animal, stupid, counterfeit, scurrilous, fraudulent,
tyrannical.

29. If he is a stranger to the universe who does not know what is in it,
no less is he a stranger who does not know what is going on in it. He is
a runaway, who flies from social reason; he is blind, who shuts the eyes
o