《沉思录·卷十·顺应整体》第36条
There is no man so fortunate that there shall not be by him when he is dying some who are pleased with what is going to happen. Suppose that he was a good and wise man, will there not be at least some one to say to himself, Let us at last breathe freely, being relieved from this schoolmaster? It is true that he was harsh to none of us, but I perceived that he tacitly condemns us.--This is what is said of a good man. But in our own case how many other things are there for which there are many who wish to get rid of us? Thou wilt consider this, then, when thou art dying, and thou wilt depart more contentedly by reflecting thus: I am going away from such a life, in which even my associates in behalf of whom I have striven so much, prayed, and cared, themselves wish me to depart, hoping perchance to get some little advantage by it. Why then should a man cling to a longer stay here? Do not, however, for this reason go away less kindly disposed to them, but preserving thy own character, and friendly and benevolent and mild, and on the other hand not as if thou wast torn away; but as when a man dies a quiet death, the poor soul is easily separated from the body, such also ought thy departure from men to be, for nature united thee to them and associated thee. But does she now dissolve the union? Well, I am separated as from kinsmen, not however dragged resisting, but without compulsion; for this, too, is one of the things according to nature.
注释摘要
这一段触及了一个相当锋利的人性真相。奥勒留在这里做的，不是道德说教，而是一种冷酷的心理训练。他让自己面对这样一个场景：即便是一个好人，一个智者，在他临终时，也总会有人暗自松一口气。这不是因为那好人做了什么错事，恰恰相反，文中说得清楚，他对任何人都不苛刻。但问题就出在他的存在本身——"我感觉到他在无声地谴责我们。"一个正直的人只要活着，他的人格就是一面镜子，…