Marcus Aurelius Meditations
Marcus Aurelius: As thou dost purpose to live, when thou…
As thou dost purpose to live, when thou hast retired thyself to some such place, where neither roarer nor harlot is: so mayest thou here. And if they will not suffer thee, then mayest thou leave thy life rather than thy calling, but so as one that doth not think himself anyways wronged.
The passage follows a public-domain translation of Meditations. The reading beside it is ours.
Your peace should not depend on finding a perfectly quiet place or perfectly agreeable people. A retreat can help, but the deeper task is learning to carry your principles into the noisy, difficult world you actually inhabit. If your calm only survives on vacation, it is not yet stable.
At the same time, Marcus does not demand endless endurance of a destructive environment. If a job, relationship, or setting makes honorable living impossible, leaving can be the rational choice. The goal is neither escape at the first inconvenience nor martyrdom for a situation that is truly corrupting.
Ask yourself: Can I live well here, despite the noise? If yes, practice. If no, make a deliberate plan to change the conditions without self-pity or drama. Today, create a small inner retreat—a few quiet minutes, a walk, a journal—and bring its steadiness back into the room you must face.
Related passages
- Marcus Aurelius Others may block an act, but not your purpose or disposition. The mind can adapt, making a barrier serve its aim: what…
- Marcus Aurelius Another cause succeedeth, and undertakes the work, and in time brings a child (that wonderful effect from such a…
- Marcus Aurelius Be it all one unto thee, whether half frozen or well warm; whether only slumbering, or after a full sleep; whether…