. The other is
that all these things, which thou seest, change immediately and will no
longer be; and constantly bear in mind how many of these changes thou
hast already witnessed. The universe is transformation: life is opinion.

[A] Tecum habita, noris quam sit tibi curta
supellex.--_Perseus_, iv. 52.

4. If our intellectual part is common, the reason also, in respect of
which we are rational beings, is common: if this is so, common also is
the reason which commands us what to do, and what not to do; if this is
so, there is a common law also; if this is so, we are fellow-citizens;
if this is so, we are members of some political community; if this is
so, the world is in a manner a state.[A] For of what other common
political community will any one say that the whole human race are
members? And from thence, from this common political community, comes
also our very intellectual faculty and reasoning faculty and our
capacity for law; or whence do they come? For as my earthly part is a
portion given to me from certain earth, and that which is watery from
another element, and that which is hot and fiery from some peculiar
source (for nothing comes out of that which is nothing, as nothing also
returns to non-existence), so also the intellectual part comes from some
source.

[A] Compare Cicero De Legibus, i. 7.

5. Death is such as generation is, a mystery of nature; composition out
of the same elements, and a decomposition into the same; and altogether
not a thing of which any man should be ashamed, for it is not contrary
to [the nature of] a reasonable animal, and not contrary to the reason
of our constitution.

6. It is natural that these things should be done by such persons, it is
a matter of necessity; and if a man will not have it so, he will not
allow the fig-tree to have juice. But by all means bear this in mind,
that within a very short time both thou and he will be dead; and soon
not even your names will be left behind.

7. Take away thy opinion, and then there is taken away the complaint, "I
have been harmed." Take away the complaint, "I have been harmed," and
the harm is taken away.

8. That which does not make a man worse than he was, also does not make
his life worse, nor does it harm him either from without or from within.

9. The nature of that which is [universally] useful has been compelled
to do this.

10. Consider that everything which happens, happens justly, and if thou
observest