《沉思录·卷六·宇宙即变化》第36条
Asia, Europe, are corners of the universe; all the sea a drop in the universe; Athos a little clod of the universe: all the present time is a point in eternity. All things are little, changeable, perishable. All things come from thence, from that universal ruling power, either directly proceeding or by way of sequence. And accordingly the lion's gaping jaws, and that which is poisonous, and every harmful thing, as a thorn, as mud, are after-products of the grand and beautiful. Do not then imagine that they are of another kind from that which thou dost venerate, but form a just opinion of the source of all (vii. 75).
注释摘要
这条札记展示的是斯多葛宇宙观中极具张力的一个环节：一方面，宇宙在空间与时间上都极其浩瀚；另一方面，经验世界中的万物包括有害之物，都来自同一个根源，且这个根源是值得尊敬的。 奥勒留用了典型的「从高处俯瞰」的方法。他把地理学上的骄傲——亚细亚、欧罗巴——说成宇宙里的小角落；把人们觉得浩瀚无边的海说成宇宙中的一滴水；把希腊圣山阿托斯说成一小块土。这样一来，人的政…