《沉思录·卷七·痛苦与忍受》第46条
But, my good friend, reflect whether that which is noble and good is not something different from saving and being saved; for+ as to a man living such or such a time, at least one who is really a man, consider if this is not---a thing to be dismissed from the thoughts:+ and there must be no love of life: but as to these matters a man must intrust them to the Deity and believe what the women say, that no man can escape his destiny, the next inquiry being how he may best live the time that he has to live.
注释摘要
这段话在进行一次尖锐的价值剥离：把“高尚与善”从“苟全性命”中剖开。奥勒留借柏拉图之口追问，一个人若自命为真正的人，难道可以把活得更长当作最高的善吗？他给出的答案是否定的。这里他推翻的不是生命本身，而是对生命长度的那种紧抓不放的贪恋。在斯多葛的视角里，生命属于“外在事物”，不在我们的主导能力之内；把善建立在一个你根本做不了主的东西上，正是所有焦虑与道德软弱…