MARCVS AVRELIVS ANTONINUS THE ROMAN EMPEROR , HIS MEDITATIONS Concerning HIMSELFE : TREATING OF A NATVRALL Mans happinesse ; Wherein it consisteth , and of the meanes to attaine unto it .

TRANSLATED OVT OF THE Originall Greeke ; with Notes : BY MERIC CASAVBON , B. of D. and Prebendarie of CHRIST Church , Canterbury .

LONDON , Printed by M. FLESHER , for RICHARD MYNNE , in Little Britaine at the Signe of S. Paul .

MDCXXXIV .

OF all the severall sects and professions of Philosophers that ever were knowne or heard of in the world , there was not any that ever did hold maximes and opinions so contrary to flesh and blood ; never any that was judged even by the learned Heathens themselves ( witnesse learned Plutarch , who hath written a whole Booke of this very subject : ) so grossely and manifestly to oppose nature , and to overthrow all grounds and principles of humane sense or reason , as the Stoicks did . And yet of all sects and professions , never any , that either with the best was of more credit , or with the vulgar more plausible . So plausible and popular , that there have beene times , Lucian in Hermotimo , & Is : C. ad ista Pers. Si Cynico barbam petulans , &c. pag ▪ 165. when the number of the Stoicks alone , did exceed all the followers and professors of all other sects being put together . A thing the more to be wondred at , because that for that very reason , Christianity ( though nothing so harsh in comparison : ) hath ever by them of contrary professions , beene much opposed and contradicted . Of this a maine reason I conceive to have beene , that the Stoicks , though by their particular Tenets and opinions , they might seeme of all others most to oppose nature , yet that which they proposed unto themselves as the end of their lives , and the ground of all their Philosophie ; that which they did ever sound in the eares of men and presse them with , was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to live according to nature . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : B. V. N. IX . Remember that philosophie requireth no more at thy hands , then what thine owne nature doth require , and leads thee unto : saith Antoninus . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . B. VI. N. XXV . What acruell and unnaturall thing would it bee to restraine men from the pursuite of those things , which they conceive to themselves and their owne nature , See Ant. B. V. Numb . I. most proper and convenient ? So they all speake , and that which they all generally did most beate upon , was this . Now whether the particular meanes which they did commend & propose unto that end , were indeed proper and naturall unto that end , unto which they did propose them , I will not here dispute . For the end , whether true or pretended , is that which men usually take most notice of . As for the meanes , how direct or indirect to that end , is not so easilie discerned . Their end therefore , being of it selfe so plausible and acceptable , I conceive it to have beene the thing especially , which made their doctrin and philosophie so too . And I am as verily perswaded , that a conceit and opinion many Christians have , that most of those things which are reproved in them as sinnes and vices , agree best with their natures ; and many , if not most , of those duties that are required of them as Christians , are against , not depraved and corrupted only , which is not properly nature ; but absolutely against the nature of man : and in generall that divine law and humane sense and reason , are things contrary and opposite ; is that as much as any thing that doth discourage them from the intent practice and study of those things , which they by their profession cannot but acknowledge themselves bound unto . For it is not more naturall to a man to love his owne flesh , ( which the Apostle witnesseth , no man ever hated : ) then to love nature , and what he conceives to bee according to nature . Though it bee not so , yet if hee conceive it so , he affects it naturally , and in time it becomes naturall unto him indeed .

Now concerning Christianity , I know it is the opinion of many , that , matters of Faith and the Sacraments only excepted , there is nothing in the whole Gospell which is not juris naturalis , and most agreeable to humane reason . For my part , as I would not take upon mee , See Hugo Grot. de jure Belliac P. lib. 1. cap. 2. § 6. to maintaine their opinion precisely true in all points , and circumstances ; so I must needs say , if wee esteeme that naturall , which naturall men of best account by the meere strength of humane reason , have taught and taken upon them to maintaine as just and reasonable , I know not any Euangelicall precept , or duty belonging to a Christians practice , ( even the harshest , and those that seeme to ordinary men most contrary to flesh and blood , not excepted , ) but upon due search and examination , will prove of that nature . I say upon due search and examination . Many have touched upon this point , rather to shew the way unto others , then by way of undertaking themselves : among others , of late , the best able that I know now living to performe this or any thing else that belongs to a generall and compleate Scholler , Mr. Hugo Grotius , in his collection and Translation of Greeke sentences . There be too , I know , that have undertaken much in this kinde : but of whom ( as many as I have seene : ) I may boldly say ( and the more boldly because I name none : ) that in many respects they have performed but little . I wish it with all my heart , that some able and judicious man would thinke it worth his labour and paines : were it but to this end , that the harshnesse which many Christians ( though Christians , yet flesh and blood they will say ) doe conceive to be in many divine precepts , might bee mollified and lessned , when it shall appeare that the very same things did not seeme harsh to them , that ( in comparison of them whom God hath called by more speciall and supernaturall illumination : ) were nothing but flesh and blood . That they who as men can so hardly prevaile upon themselves to strive against nature , and to yeeld to those things which they conceive against all humane sense and reason ; might be of another minde , when they shall see that mere naturall men , who in humane sense and reason , of all others most excelled , have both esteemed themselves bound by nature , and others most unnaturall that refused , to follow or to forbeare those very things : ut quivis arbitratur ( saith Minutius F. though upon another occasion ) aut nunc Christianos philosophos esse , aut philosophos fuisse jam tunc Christianos . But not to prosecute this generall any further at this present . Of all Bookes in this kinde that ever have beene written by any Heathens . I know not any which either in regard of it selfe , ( for the bulke thereof ; ) or in regard of the Author , deserves more respect , then this of Marcus Antoninus ; sonne by name of Annius Verus ( a man of great qualitie in Rome ) and adopted sonne of Antoninus Pius , a Romane Emperour , whom also hee succeeded in the Empire about the yeare of our Lord 162 , or 163. The chiefest subject of the Booke , is , the vanity of the world and all worldly things , as wealth , honour , life , &c. and the end and scope of it , to teach a man how to submit himselfe wholly to Gods providence , and to live content and thankfull in what estate or calling soever . But the Booke , I doubt not , will sufficiently commend it selfe , to them who shall bee able to read it with any judgement , and to compare it with all others of the same subject , written either by Christians or Heathens : so that it bee remembred that it was written by a Heathen : that is , one that had no other knowledge of any God , then such as was grounded upon naturall reasons meerely : no certaine assurance of the Immortality of the soule ; no other light whereby he might know what was good or bad , right or wrong , but the light of nature , and humane reason . Which though it were , ( such as it was ) from God the Author of nature ( as what is not ? ) yet inregard it was not by any revelation , or any other extraordinary meanes , is therefore called humane and naturall . As for the Booke it selfe then , to let it speake for it selfe ; In the Author of it two maine things I conceive very considerable , which because by the knowledge of them , the use and benefit of the Booke may bee much the greater then otherwise it would bee , I would not have any ignorant of . The things are these : first , that he was a very great man , one that had good experience of what he spake ; and secondly , that he was a very good man , one that lived as he did write , and exactly ( as farre as was possible to a naturall man , ) performed what hee exhorted others unto .

For the first , I have alwayes thought that it was not without Gods especiall Providence , that of all them that once were the peculiar people of God , hee was chosen to write against the vaine pleasures and delights of this world , who of all the rest had had most knowledge and experience of those things , that hee did write against . A poore man may from his heart perchance declaime against the vanity of wealth , and pleasures ; and a private man , against the vanity of honour , and greatnesse ; it may be from their hearts , but it is ever suspicious , and therefore of lesse power and efficacie . Suspicious I meane , that they are angry with that they would faine , and cannot get themselves ; yea , and perchance inveigh of purpose , that by inveighing ( an ordinary thing in the world : ) they may get that which they inveigh against . But at the best , that they make a vertue of necessitie ; that they speake against they know not what ; and though they meane sincerely , as now ; yet if they were in place themselves , God knowes what minde they would be of . And the event indeed , doth justifiie these suspicions but too often . But when a man shall heare such a one as Salomon was , speaking in this manner : I said in my heart , Goe to now , I will proove thee with mirth &c. I made me great workes , &c. I made mee gardens and orchards , &c. I made me pooles of water , &c. I got mee servants and maidens , &c. I gathered mee silver and gold , &c. So I was great , &c. And whatsoever mine eyes desired , I kept not from them , I withheld not my heart from any joy , &c. Then I looked on all the workes that my hands had wrought , and on the labour that I had laboured to doe ; and behold , all was vanitie and vexation of spirit , and there was no profit under the Sunne . Is there any man so bewitched , and besotted with worldly wealth and pleasure , whom such a confession from such a one , will not move for a while at the least ? And if this of Salomon , who at first had received such measure of Grace and illumination from God , that it may be more justly wondred , that he ever did any thing contrary to this profession , then that he should professe so much ; how much more should that confession of Antoninus move us , dilated here by him and inlarged into XII . bookes and briefly expressed and summed up in these words of his eight Booke . B. VIII . N. I. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . Thou hast already had sufficient experience , that of all the things that hitherto thou hast wandred and erred about , thou couldst not finde happinesse in any of them : not in syllogismes , and Logicall subtilties ; not in wealth , not in honour and reputation ; not in pleasure : in none of all these . Of Antoninus I say , a meere Heathen , lead by humane reason only ; Antoninus a man for worldly wealth and greatnesse so farre greater then Salomon , as Lord and Master I dare say of more great Kingdomes , then Salomon was of great townes in all his Kingdome ; Antoninus , a man for his goodnesse and wisedome , by all men during his life , had in that honour and reputation , as never man either before him was , or ( that wee know of ) ever after him .

But his goodnesse was the second consideration . It hath ever beene the complaint of all ages : There hath ever beene store enough of men that could speake well , and give good instructions : But great want of them that either could , or so much as endeavoured , to doe as they spake and taught others to doe . And what is the good that such can doe ? The only good I can conceive , is , that they perswade men as much as in them lies ( and they goe very effectually about it : ) that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . That all this that we call vertue and godlinesse , so much spoken of amongst men , are but words and emptie sounds ; that there is no such thing really existent indeed , as piety and justice , but that it is a meere figment of some cunning juglers and impostors , or at the best a pretty device of Law-makers , and founders of common-wealths , to keepe silly people in awe and feare . Can any man thinke otherwise ( if otherwise he be not better grounded : ) that shall heare them speake and then looke upon their actions ? Such therefore in my judgement might deserve farre more thankes if they did forbeare , and would rather lose the commendations of either a smooth tongue , or a ready pen , then to incurre both the just suspicion of being Atheists themselves , and the certaine guilt and crime of having made many others so . Bee it therefore spoken to the immortall praise and commendation of this famous Antoninus , that as 〈◊〉 did write so he did live . Never did writers so conspire to give all possible testimonie of goodnesse , uprightnesse , innocency , and whatsoever could among Heathens be most commendable , as they have done to commend this One. They commend him , not as the best Prince only , but absolutely as the best man , and best Philosopher that ever was . And it is his proper commendation , that being so commended , hee is commended without exception . If any thing hath ever beene talked against him , the Historians mention it but as a talke : not credited by them nor by any that ever were of any credit . Thus the Heathens of Him . The Christians had but little reason to speake well of him , as having suffered many cruell persecutions under him : And in this case how free they have beene ( some of them : ) even with all extremity to enveigh against other Emperors , though much commended and magnified by the Heathens , is not unknowne . Yet I find not that ever they could fasten any thing upon our Antoninus , whereby to staine his reputation ; that ever they did so much as object unto Him , these many and grievous persecutions which they did suffer under him , as his owne act , or charge Him therefore of crueltie . And though it be granted , that Antoninus gave way to those persecutions , which certainly he could not altogether be ignorant of ; yet to them that know the state of those dayes , it can be no wonder , that such a thing should happen in the dayes of such a Prince as Antoninus was . When Christians , besides the infamy of many horrible crimes , as common incest , homicide , &c. which ( such was the power of calumny : ) lay upon them ; were generally accounted no better , then meere Atheists and Epicures . For indeed Atheists , Christians , and Epicures , were commonly joyned together as names , if not of the same signification , yet of very great affinity , and hardly distinguished by the vulgar , but that of the three , the Christian was thought the worst . Let it be then Antoninus his commendation , the greater and the more incredible in this age , the more the age is full of dissimulation and hypocrisie , that hee was not ( as now they rightly stile themselves , whom the common received Names of Christians , and Protestants will not content , such is their Zeale and puritie they thinke : ) a Professor : as he spake and wrote , so he did . His meditations were his actions . His deeds ( so still you remember Him a man and a Heathen : ) did agree with his sentences . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. And againe , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. That hee did not only as he spake , but what he did , he did it out of meere love to vertue . That it was a cleere case , which no man doubted of , that hee was in very deed a good man ; so incapable was he of any dissimulation . So Dio of him , and so others . And now that I have spoken so much of Antoninus his life , it will not bee amisse to say somewhat of that surname the Philosopher , which by many hath beene given and appropriated to this Emperor . In so much as Xylander , though he found it not at all ( as hee confesseth ) in his MS. yet thought it fitting to adde it in the Title , and Inscription of these bookes as his proper and usuall Cognomen . But sure enough it is ( as hath beene observed by learned men : ) that this Title of Philosopher was never taken by Antoninus himselfe , nor given unto him by others , as a proper surname , as his father Antoninus was surnamed PIUS , and others otherwise , but only as a deserved Elogium and testimonie , at the discretion of them that either did speake unto Him , or wrote of Him . And so indeed it was very commonly , and even by those learned and Pious Christians , that directed Apologies unto Him for the Christians , adscribed unto him as an Elogium , and Testimonie : just indeed and deserved , but arbitrary and not proper unto Him , by way of a Cognomen or surname .

But , an Elogium and testimony of what think you ? of his great learning ( as we take learning now ; ) and progresse in the Sciences ? Read him himselfe , and judge how much he would have esteemed such a commendation . A man would thinke , if Heathens , through their ignorance of the true God , and of his truth , had beene mistaken in the true application of words of praise or dispraise , that wee , by the helpe of a better light , might have rectified them , and not followed their examples . But now it is fallen out quite contrary . Who they be that the holy Scriptures usually call wise ; who they to whom they adscribe knowledge and understanding ; and who they are , who by them are termed fooles , blinde , ignorant , and the like , is not unknowne unto any . So spake the Ancient Heathens , when they would speake properly . He that was an honest upright , vertuous man , without dissimulation and hypocrisie , though hee were such a one as had never beene brought up to learning , yea such a one as could neither read nor write , was their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their good scholler , their learned man , their Philosopher . His life and his actions , were all that they stood upon , though indeed they were of opinion , that it was very difficult , if not altogether impossible , for a man to come to the knowledge , of that which was right and wrong , just or unjust , and by consequent of true vertue , without much studie and paines taking . On the other side , an unjust man , a cunning , an intemperate ; in generall , a vicious man , was their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their Illiterate , their Ignorant , their Idiot . The most ordinary distinction was , of an Idiot , and a Philosopher . Neither was this the proper language of the Stoicks ( which sect our Antoninus was much addicted unto : ) but of the Platonicks likewise , and of most others . But the maine and principall property , whereby they did distinguish a Philosopher from all other men , was that he did all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , with a relation unto God and his Providence ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as Epictetus ( in Arrianus ) speaketh . This you shall finde that Antoninus doth much stand upon . For indeed they did esteeme it the very character and essentiall note of a philosopher . In so much as that if any man seemed never so just and upright in his actions , yet if it were not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , they esteemed him little more then a meere Idiot .

Much more I had here to say concerning this matter , both in defence of Plato ( whose name hath much suffered through some mens ignorance of the true sense of this word Philosophus ) and for the clearing of many obscure places of Antoninus , which otherwise I thinke will hardly be understood . But because I feare it would make the bodie of this Preface to swell too much beyond the proportion of the rest , See Notes upon B. VIII . N. I. and that in the Notes it will come in well enough , I will reserve it unto that place .

Now for this my Translation of Antoninus , which is the last thing wee are to speake of , were it so that this Booke were as commonly knowne , and as easie to be got as many others of lesse worth are , I should bee well content to spare my labour , and referre it wholly to the judgement of the Reader . But for as much as by my owne experience I know the Booke , ( though twice printed , ) to be so rare , that it is not to bee found in many private studies , and sometimes not for many yeares together , in any Booke-sellers shop : ( I was beholding to learned Mr. Holsworths well furnished library for the first sight , and long use of the latter and better Edition ; as also for the use of many other Bookes : ) and that the Latine Translation of Xylander , hath beene commended and approved by the most learned ( doctissimus ; eruditissimus Interpres ; vir profundae eruditionis , &c. So they speake of him : ) I doe thinke it very necessary , both that I should give the Reader that satisfaction , that I doe not actum agere , and doe my selfe that right , that whereas I take upon me to translate Marcus Antoninus Augustus , I may not be suspected to have translated Guilielmus Xylander Augustanus . Indeed what might bee expected from Xylanders Interpretation , may be collected by his owne ingenuous intimation , both in his Preface , where he is faine to Apologize for it , that he durst undertake it , professing that in quibusdam hee was constrained , to divinare & audacter à codice Graeco aut usu communi recedere ; as also in his Notes , where his words are , Sunt autem passim permulta , in quibus ariolo magis quam Interprete opus sit : And that he doth so indeed , it doth but too manifestly appeare by his Translation . For I dare boldly say , and doe him no wrong , that sometimes in a whole page , he hath not two lines of Antoninus his sense , and meaning . Besides the liberty that hee takes unto himselfe to supply of his owne head , to leave out sometimes words , sometimes lines , to change and alter at his will ; without any reason given for it , or so much as the Reader acquainted with it . And whereas Xylander puts the fault of all this upon the corruption and imperfection of the copie , I cannot any wayes approve it . For first , as I confesse the faults and corruptions of it , if in the printed copies they have not beene made more , then they were in the Manuscript ( which I doe not beleeve : ) to be many , so of those many , I know none or very few , that may be termed incurable . And as for the Lacunae of it , I hope that they neither in this Translation ( and what ancient booke is there almost but hath some ? ) will not bee found many . As for any greater hiatus , as perchance of many leafes together , if any shall suspect the Copie to have beene defective in that kinde , the method and composition of the booke being such , that it doth for the most part consist of certaine Aphorismes and Canons , ( they called them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. ) without any certaine order or series , either in regard of the whole ( but that they all tend to one purpose ; ) or in regard of the parts themselves : as it is not possible by the matter it selfe for any man , to determine how much more in this kinde may have beene written by Antoninus ; so if there were never so much extant , yet how this that we have here , could thereby be made more perfect then it is , I doe not see . Their conceit , who by reason of this undependance of matters , would have the whole booke to be but excerpts and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of a greater , and better compacted worke ; there being so many other bookes both sacred and prophane written in the same kinde ; and Epictetus ( the Patterne of all latter Stoicks : ) his Enchiridion among the rest , it can at the best passe but for a meere conceit , and needs I hope no other refutation .

To tell you then what I have done , and that you may be the better satisfied that I except not against Xylanders Interpretation without cause , it remaines that for a Specimen I produce some few passages , by which it will be easie for any to judge of the rest . But first I must faithfully professe that my purpose in all this is not any wayes to detract , either from Xylander himselfe , or from the judgement of those learned men , by whom he hath beene highly commended , but rather to follow ( after my best abilitie : ) Xylanders owne example ; whom for his great paines , and labour in his life-time to further and promote learning , I acknowledge to have deserved much honour & respect from all that love learning . I might adde that I shall deal with him more ingenuously too , then some others have done , who take upon them to correct some corrupt places of Antoninus , which Xylander in his Translation , whereof they take no notice , had already plainly corrected . But now to Antoninus .