Building upon many years of privately shared thoughts on the real benefits of Stoic Philosophy, Liam Milburn eventually published a selection of Stoic passages that had helped him to live well. They were accompanied by some of his own personal reflections. This blog hopes to continue his mission of encouraging the wisdom of Stoicism in the exercise of everyday life. All the reflections are taken from his notes, from late 1992 to early 2017.
The Death of Marcus Aurelius
Wednesday, March 27, 2019
Epictetus, Golden Sayings 84
When disease and death overtake me, I would gladly be found engaged in the task of liberating my own Will from the assaults of passion, from hindrance, from resentment, from slavery.
Thus would I gladly to be found employed, so that I may say to God, "Have I in anything transgressed Your commands? Have I in anything perverted the faculties, the senses, the natural principles that You did give me? Have I ever blamed You or found fault with Your administration?
"When it was Your good pleasure, I fell sick—and so did other men: by my will I consented. Because it was Your pleasure, I became poor: but my heart rejoiced. No power in the State was mine, because You would not give it: such power I never desired! Have You ever seen me of more doleful countenance on that account? Have I not ever drawn close unto You with a cheerful look, waiting upon Your commands, attentive to Your signals? Do You wish that I now depart from the great Assembly of men? I go. I give You all thanks, You that have deemed me worthy to take part with You in this Assembly: to behold Your works, to comprehend this Your administration."
Such I hope would be the subject of my thoughts, my pen, my study, when death overtakes me.
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