appear to them to be suitable to their nature and profitable! And yet in
a manner thou dost not allow them to do this, when thou art vexed because
they do wrong. For they are certainly moved towards things because they
suppose them to be suitable to their nature and profitable to them.--But
it is not so.--Teach them then, and show them without being angry.

28. Death is a cessation of the impressions through the senses, and of
the pulling of the strings which move the appetites, and of the
discursive movements of the thoughts, and of the service to the flesh
(II. 12).

29. It is a shame for the soul to be first to give way in this life, when
thy body does not give way.

30. Take care that thou art not made into a Caesar, that thou art not
dyed with this dye; for such things happen. Keep thyself then simple,
good, pure, serious, free from affectation, a friend of justice, a
worshipper of the gods, kind, affectionate, strenuous in all proper acts.
Strive to continue to be such as philosophy wished to make thee.
Reverence the gods, and help men. Short is life. There is only one fruit
of this terrene life,--a pious disposition and social acts. Do everything
as a disciple of Antoninus. Remember his constancy in every act which was
conformable to reason, and his evenness in all things, and his piety, and
the serenity of his countenance, and his sweetness, and his disregard of
empty fame, and his efforts to understand things; and how he would never
let anything pass without having first most carefully examined it and
clearly understood it; and how he bore with those who blamed him unjustly
without blaming them in return; how he did nothing in a hurry; and how he
listened not to calumnies, and how exact an examiner of manners and
actions he was; and not given to reproach people, nor timid, nor