James Vila Blake, Sonnets from Marcus Aurelius 2

2. 

. . .  I can not be disabled or harmed by any one whom I may meet, since no one can hurl me over into shame or misbehavior; nor can I be angry with one of the same source, kith and kin, with me, nor hold a harsh and ruthless mind toward such a one.

—Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 2.1 

2. 

Some man hath done me ill. What ’s that to me? 

His is the act, and his thereof the fruit, 

And his the disposition that led to ’t; 

From both and him I am afar and free. 

Whatever he hath heart to do or be, 

Albeit mayhap the fury of a brute, 

Or man more monstrous, sagely dissolute, 

’Tis his adventure and hath naught in me. 

Nature that sitteth queened on starry throne 

Assigneth me my place, and my soul’s wit 

To follow her confirms me what to heed. 

And yet he wrongs me, say you? Haply his own 

Wish ’tis; but on wrong’s brow no powers sit. 

But slanders me with lies ? Poor man, indeed!