peculiar quality of anything nor its
value escape thee.

4. All existing things soon change, and they will either be reduced to
vapor, if indeed all substance is one, or they will be dispersed.

5. The reason which governs knows what its own disposition is, and what
it does, and on what material it works.

6. The best way of avenging thyself is not to become like [the
wrong-doer].

7. Take pleasure in one thing and rest in it, in passing from one social
act to another social act, thinking of God.

8. The ruling principle is that which rouses and turns itself, and while
it makes itself such as it is and such as it wills to be, it also makes
everything which happens appear to itself to be such as it wills.

9. In conformity to the nature of the universe every single thing is
accomplished; for certainly it is not in conformity to any other nature
that each thing is accomplished, either a nature which externally
comprehends this, or a nature which is comprehended within this nature,
or a nature external and independent of this (xi. 1; vi. 40; viii. 50).

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 (iv. 27).

11. When thou hast been compelled by circumstances to be disturbed in a
manner, quickly return to thyself, and do not continue out of tune
longer than the compulsion lasts; for thou wilt have more mastery over
the harmony by continually recurring to it.

12. If thou hadst a step-mother and a mother at the same time, thou
wouldst be dutiful to thy step-mother, but still thou wouldst constantly
return to thy mother. Let the court and philosophy now be to thee
step-mother and mother: return to philosophy frequently and repose in
her, through whom what thou meetest with in the court appears to thee
tolerable, and thou appearest tolerable in the court.

13. When we have meat before us and such eatables, we receive the
impression that this is the dead body of a fish, and this the dead body
of a bird or of a pig; and again, that this Falernian is only a little
grap