《沉思录·卷八·行事与本分》第17条
If a thing is in thy own power, why dost thou do it? but if it is in the power of another, whom dost thou blame,--the atoms [chance] or the gods? Both are foolish. Thou must blame nobody. For if thou canst, correct [that which is the cause]; but if thou canst not do this, correct at least the thing itself; but if thou canst not do even this, of what use is it to thee to find fault? for nothing should be done without a purpose.
注释摘要
这一段是整部《沉思录》里把斯多葛派行动哲学讲得最干脆利落的地方之一。它从一个看似古怪的设问开始：如果一件事在你的力量之内，你为什么去做它？这句话要是读快了会觉得不知所云──做自己力所能及的事不是理所当然吗？但奥勒留在这里恰恰是在用反讽逼问一个更尖锐的问题：当你说一件事“在你力量之内”，你到底指的是什么？在斯多葛的严格区分里，真正在你力量之内的只有你的判断、…