本书简介:
《沉思录》是古罗马皇帝奥勒留写给自己的书,内容大部分是他在鞍马劳顿中写成的。作品来自奥勒留对身羁宫廷的自己和自己所处混乱世界的感受,追求一种冷静而达观的生活。这部著作是斯多葛学派的一个里程碑,亦是温总理放在枕边,读了不下百遍的书。
本书原文由古希腊文而作,英文版选择比较权威的George Long的版本,中文版选择何怀宏的版本作参考。笔记中的英文释义摘自《牛津高阶英汉双解词典》

 作者简介:
马可•奥勒留(Marcus Aurelius,公元121—180年),著名的“帝王哲学家”,古罗马帝国皇帝,在希腊文学和拉丁文学、修辞、哲学、法律、绘画方面受过很好的教育,晚期斯多葛学派代表人物之一。奥勒留也许是西方历史上唯一的一位哲学家皇帝。他是一个比他的帝国更加完美的人,他的勤奋工作最终并没有能够挽救古罗马,但是他的《沉思录》却成为西方历史上的伟大名著。

卷六05

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

6.16 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 suspicious, nor a sophist; and with how little he was satisfied, such as lodging, bed, dress, food, servants; and how laborious and patient; and how he was able on account of his sparing diet to hold out to the evening, not even requiring to relieve himself by any evacuations except at the usual hour; and his firmness and uniformity in his friendships; and how he tolerated freedom of speech in those who opposed his opinions; and the pleasure that he had when any man showed him anything better; and how religious he was without superstition. Imitate all this that thou mayest have as good a conscience, when thy last hour comes, as he had.

 Notes:
serenity [a]calm and peaceful
             e.g.: a lake, still and serene in the sunlight.
evacuate [v]
  1 [transitive] to move people from a place of danger to a safer place
      evacuate something Police evacuated nearby buildings.
      evacuate somebody (from…) (to…)
       e.g.: Children were evacuated from London to escape the bombing.
               Families were evacuated to safer parts of the city.
  2 [transitive, intransitive]
      evacuate (something)
 to move out of a place because of danger, and leave the place empty
       e.g.:  Employees were urged to evacuate their offices immediately.
 

 先尝试自己翻译一下吧,参考译文见下:

中文翻译:
6.15 这是一个羞愧:当你的身体还没有衰退时,你的灵魂就先在生活中衰退。

6.16 注意你并不是要被造成一个凯撒,你并不是以这种染料染的,以便这样的事情发生。那么使你自己保持朴素、善良、纯洁、严肃、不做作、爱正义、崇敬神灵、和善、温柔、致力于所有恰当的行为吧。不断努力地使自己成为一个哲学希望你成为的人。尊重神灵、帮助他人。生命是短暂的,这一尘世的生命只有一个果实:一个虔诚的精神和友善的行为。做任何事情都要像安东尼的一个信徒一样。记住他在符合理性的每一行为中的坚定一贯,他在所有事情上出的胸怀坦荡,他的虔诚,他面容的宁静,他的温柔,他对虚荣的鄙视,他对理解事物的努力;他如何经手每一件事情都先行仔细的考察并达到清楚的理解;他如何忍受那些不公正地责备他的人而不反过来责备他们;他从不仓促行事,不信谣言诽谤;他是一个关于方法和行为的十分精细的考察者,不对愤怒的民众让步,不胆怯,不多疑,不诡辩;在住处、眠床、衣服、食物和仆人方面,很少一点东西就能使他满足;记住他如何能够靠他节俭的一餐而支持到夜晚,甚至除了在通常的时刻之外不需要任何休息来放松一下自己,记住他在友谊中的坚定性和一致性,他如何容忍反对他意见的人的言论自由,当有人向他展示较好的事情时他获得的快乐,他的不掺任何迷信的宗教气质。要模仿所有这些品行以使你能在你最后的时刻来临时,拥有一颗和他一样好的良心。

 

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