《沉思录·卷八·行事与本分》第1条
This reflection also tends to the removal of the desire of empty fame, that it is no longer in thy power to have lived the whole of thy life, or at least thy life from thy youth upwards, like a philosopher; but both to many others and to thyself it is plain that thou art far from philosophy. Thou hast fallen into disorder then, so that it is no longer easy for thee to get the reputation of a philosopher; and thy plan of life also opposes it. If then thou hast truly seen where the matter lies, throw away the thought, How thou shall seem [to others], and be content if thou shalt live the rest of thy life in such wise as thy nature wills. Observe then what it wills, and let nothing else distract thee; for thou hast had experience of many wanderings without having found happiness anywhere,--not in syllogisms, nor in wealth, nor in reputation, nor in enjoyment, nor anywhere. Where is it then? In doing what man's nature requires. How then shall a man do this? If he has principles from which come his affects and his acts. What principles? Those which relate to good and bad: the belief that there is nothing good for man which does not make him just, temperate, manly, free; and that there is nothing bad which does not do the contrary to what has been mentioned.
注释摘要
这段话从一种清醒甚至冷酷的自我诊断开始。奥勒留对自己说，你不可能从头到尾以哲学家的方式度过一生了，甚至连从青年时代起的哲学生活也未能维持。这个事实不单你自己清楚，旁人也看得分明——你离哲学已经太远。这里的哲学，不是指写作或论辩的技艺，而是斯多葛派意义上的生活之道——那种时刻依从理性与德性而活的统一状态。他坦承自己陷入了混乱，以至于连“获得哲学家名声”这件事…