《沉思录·卷八·行事与本分》第41条
Hindrance to the perceptions of sense is an evil to the animal nature. Hindrance to the movements [desires] is equally an evil to the animal nature. And something else also is equally an impediment and an evil to the constitution of plants. So then that which is a hindrance to the intelligence is an evil to the intelligent nature. Apply all these things then to thyself. Does pain or sensuous pleasure affect thee? The senses will look to that. Has any obstacle opposed thee in thy efforts towards an object? If indeed thou wast making this effort absolutely [unconditionally, or without any reservation], certainly this obstacle is an evil to thee considered as a rational animal. But if thou takest [into consideration] the usual course of things, thou hast not yet been injured nor even impeded. The things however which are proper to the understanding no other man is used to impede, for neither fire, nor iron, nor tyrant, nor abuse, touches it in any way. When it has been made a sphere, it continues a sphere (xi. 12).
注释摘要
这一条在做一个非常清晰的类比阶梯：从动物本性、植物本性，一步步推到理性本性，最后落在人该如何对待障碍这件事上。 奥勒留的推理是这样的。感官知觉受阻，对动物本性而言是恶；欲望冲动受阻，同样对动物本性是恶；植物也有其生长结构，受阻对它也是妨碍与损害。那么，到了人这里，什么才是真正的恶？就是对理智的阻碍——因为人的本性，在斯多葛派看来，首先是理性本性。这里用的是…