《沉思录·卷八·行事与本分》第34条
If thou didst ever see a hand cut off, or a foot, or a head, lying anywhere apart from the rest of the body, such does a man make himself, as far as he can, who is not content with what happens, and separates himself from others, or does anything unsocial. Suppose that thou hast detached thyself from the natural unity,--for thou wast made by nature a part, but now thou hast cut thyself off,--yet here there is this beautiful provision, that it is in thy power again to unite thyself. God has allowed this to no other part, after it has been separated and cut asunder, to come together again. But consider the kindness by which he has distinguished man, for he has put it in his power not to be separated at all from the universal; and when he has been separated, he has allowed him to return and to be united and to resume his place as a part.
注释摘要
这条札记用了一个非常直观而惊悚的身体比喻。奥勒留让人想象一只被斩断的手、一只脚，或一颗头颅，离开身体孤零零地躺在一边。在斯多葛派的宇宙观里，整体不是个体的简单集合，而是像生物体一样的有机统一。每一个理性存在者都是这个宇宙整体的一部分，彼此关联，共同构成一个有序的、由宇宙理性贯通着的大系统。手之所以是手，脚之所以是脚，在于它仍然连着身体、服务于整个有机体的运…