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。

卷六07

6.21 Whatever of the things which are not within thy power thou shalt suppose to be good for thee or evil, it must of necessity be that, if such a bad thing befall thee or the loss of such a good thing, thou wilt blame the gods, and hate men too, those who are the cause of the misfortune or the loss, or those who are suspected of being likely to be the cause; and indeed we do much injustice, because we make a difference between these things. But if we judge only those things which are in our power to be good or bad, there remains no reason either for finding fault with God or standing in a hostile attitude to man.

 Notes:

befall [v]~ somebody (used only in the third person) (literary) (of something unpleasant): to happen to somebody
        e.g.: They were unaware of the fate that was to befall them.

6.22 We are all working together to one end, some with knowledge and design, and others without knowing what they do; as men also when they are asleep, of whom it is Heraclitus, I think, who says that they are labourers and co-operators in the things which take place in the universe. But men co-operate after different fashions: and even those co-operate abundantly, who find fault with what happens and those who try to oppose it and to hinder it; for the universe had need even of such men as these. It remains then for thee to understand among what kind of workmen thou placest thyself; for he who rules all things will certainly make a right use of thee, and he will receive thee among some part of the co-operators and of those whose labours conduce to one end. But be not thou such a part as the mean and ridiculous verse in the play, which Chrysippus speaks of. 

 Notes:

hinder [v] to make it difficult for somebody to do something or for something to happen.

6.23 Does the sun undertake to do the work of the rain, or Aesculapius the work of the Fruit-bearer (the earth)? And how is it with respect to each of the stars, are they not different and yet they work together to the same end?

 先尝试自己翻译一下吧,参考译文见下:

中文翻译:
6.21 如果你假设那不在你力量范围之内的事物对你是好的或坏的,那必然是这样:如果这样一件坏事降临于你或者你丧失了一个好的事物,那你将谴责神灵,也恨那些造成这不幸或损失的人们,或者恨那些被怀疑是其原因的人们;我们的确做了许多不义的事情,因为我们在这些事物之间做出好与坏的区别。但如果我们仅仅判断那在我们力量范围之内的事物为好的或坏的,那就没有理由或者挑剔神灵或者对人抱一种敌意。

6.22 我们都是朝着一个目标而在一起工作的,有些人具有知识和计划,而另一些人却不知道他们在做什么,就像睡眠的人们一样。我想,那是赫拉克利特说的,他说他们在发生于宇宙的事物中是劳动者和合作者。但人们是多少勉强地合作的,甚至那些充分合作的人们,他们也会对那发生的事情和试图反对和阻挠合作的人不满,因为宇宙甚至也需要这样一些人。那么这件事仍然保留给你,即懂得你把自己放在哪种工作者之中,因为那一切事物的主宰者将肯定要正确地用你,他将派你作为使用者和那些其劳作倾向于一个目的的人的一个。但你不要使自己扮演这一角色,正像克内西帕斯所说,扮演一个戏剧中贫乏的可笑的角色。

6.23 太阳承担了雨的工作,或者艾斯库累普承担了果树(大地)的工作吗?那每个星星又是怎样呢,它们是不同的,但它们不还是一起致力于同一目的吗?

回顾:《沉思录》读书笔记系列>>