himself exaggerates venial peccadilloes into heinous sins.
But Marcus Aurelius is neither vulgar nor unctuous;
he extenuates nothing, but nothing sets down in malice.
He never poses before an audience; he may not be profound,
he is always sincere. And it is a lofty and serene soul
which is here disclosed before us. Vulgar vices seem to have no
temptation for him; this is not one tied and bound with chains
which he strives to break. The faults he detects in himself
are often such as most men would have no eyes to see.
To serve the divine spirit which is implanted within him,
a man must 'keep himself pure from all violent passion and
evil affection, from all rashness and vanity, and from all
manner of discontent, either in regard of the gods or men':
or, as he says elsewhere, 'unspotted by pleasure, undaunted by pain.'
Unwavering courtesy and consideration are his aims.
'Whatsoever any man either doth or saith, thou must be good;'
'doth any man offend? It is against himself that he doth offend:
why should it trouble thee?' The offender needs pity, not wrath;
those who must needs be corrected, should be treated with tact
and gentleness; and one must be always ready to learn better.
'The best kind of revenge is, not to become like unto them.'
There are so many hints of offence forgiven, that we
may believe the notes followed sharp on the facts.
Perhaps he has fallen short of his aim, and thus seeks to call
his principles to mind, and to strengthen himself for the future.
That these sayings are not mere talk is plain from the story
of Avidius Cassius, who would have usurped his imperial throne.
Thus the emperor faithfully carries out his own principle, that evil
must be overcome with good. For each fault in others, Nature
(says he) has given us a counteracting virtue; 'as, for example,