《沉思录·卷八·行事与本分》第7条
Every nature is contented with itself when it goes on its way well; and a rational nature goes on its way well when in its thoughts it assents to nothing false or uncertain, and when it directs its movements to social acts only, and when it confines its desires and aversions to the things which are in its power, and when it is satisfied with everything that is assigned to it by the common nature. For of this common nature every particular nature is a part, as the nature of the leaf is a part of the nature of the plant; except that in the plant the nature of the leaf is part of a nature which has not perception or reason, and is subject to be impeded; but the nature of man is part of a nature which is not subject to impediments, and is intelligent and just, since it gives to everything in equal portions and according to its worth, times, substance, cause [form], activity, and incident. But examine, not to discover that any one thing compared with any other single thing is equal in all respects, but by taking all the parts together of one thing and comparing them with all the parts together of another.
注释摘要
这段思考做得非常细致，它试图用一种近乎解剖的方式，来回答一个根本问题：一个理性的人，究竟在什么条件下可以说自己“走得好”、活得满足。奥勒留从“每一种本性”的普遍原理入手，然后一步步收缩到“理性的本性”即人的身上，最后用一个植物和叶子的比喻来撑开整个宇宙论的图景。我们先看他是怎么推导的。 开头的命题本身就是斯多葛伦理学的核心直觉：任何事物的“好”，就在于它完…