《沉思录·卷八·行事与本分》第54条
No longer let thy breathing only act in concert with the air which surrounds thee, but let thy intelligence also now be in harmony with the intelligence which embraces all things. For the intelligent power is no less diffused in all parts and pervades all things for him who is willing to draw it to him than the aerial power for him who is able to respire it.
注释摘要
奥勒留在这一条札记里提出了一个比单纯忍受命运更积极的灵性要求。他不再只是说你要接受发生的一切，而是说你的内在心智应当主动融入那个遍及万物的宇宙理性。他以呼吸作类比，这个类比对于一位多瑙河畔军营里的皇帝而言极为切身。他每天呼吸着同样的空气，受着同样的寒冷，与士兵们在物理上处于同一个空间。但他要追问的是：你的呼吸与大气同调，你的理性难道就不能与宇宙普遍理性同调…