《沉思录·卷十一·灵魂的属性》第1条
These are the properties of the rational soul: it sees itself, analyzes itself, and makes itself such as it chooses; the fruit which it bears itself enjoys--for the fruits of plants and that in animals which corresponds to fruits others enjoy--it obtains its own end, wherever the limit of life may be fixed. Not as in a dance and in a play and in such like things, where the whole action is incomplete if anything cuts it short; but in every part, and wherever it may be stopped, it makes what has been set before it full and complete, so that it can say, I have what is my own. And further it traverses the whole universe, and the surrounding vacuum, and surveys its form, and it extends itself into the infinity of time, and embraces and comprehends the periodical renovation of all things, and it comprehends that those who come after us will see nothing new, nor have those before us seen anything more, but in a manner he who is forty years old, if he has any understanding at all, has seen by virtue of the uniformity that prevails all things which have been and all that will be. This too is a property of the rational soul, love of one's neighbor, and truth and modesty, and to value nothing more than itself, which is also the property of Law. Thus the right reason differs not at all from the reason of justice.
注释摘要
奥勒留在这里做的事情，是给理性灵魂画一张完整的素描。他不是在论证，而是在清点。他一连列了好几条属性，每一条都是从不同侧面描摹同一个东西：人的理性灵魂到底能做什么，它本来的状态是什么。 第一条属性，灵魂看自己、分析自己、把自己做成它选择的样子。这里触及的是斯多葛派的一个核心洞见，即人的主宰能力可以反观自身。斯多葛派认为，灵魂不是被动接受印象的蜡块，它有自我审…