James Vila Blake, Sonnets from Marcus Aurelius 14

14. 

λοιπὸν οὖν σύνες εἰς τίνας σεαυτὸν κατατάσσεις: ἐκεῖνος μὲν γὰρ πάντως σοι καλῶς χρήσεται ὁ τὰ ὅλα διοικῶν καὶ παραδέξεταί σε ὡς μέρος τι τῶν συνεργῶν καὶ συνεργητικῶν, ἀλλὰ σὺ μὴ τοιοῦτο μέρος γένῃ, οἷος ὁ εὐτελὴς καὶ γελοῖος στίχος ἐν τῷ δράματι, οὗ Χρύσιππος μέμνηται. 

Every one is worked into the Universal Purpose in some manner. Therefore in fine consider well with whom you join and range yourself. For the Ruler of all things assuredly and in every case will make use of you to the full, and assign you a part among those who work under his rule and help it on. But become no such part as is expressed in the paltry and ridiculous line in the play which Crysippus mentions. For, says he, as comedies include ridiculous epigrams which in themselves are bad, yet contribute a certain grace to the whole work, so you may reproach wickedness in itself, but it is not useless to other things.

—Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 6.42 

14. 

Ay, go you shall, and that full swift enough! 

Your sole will but affects what way you keep 

Your place in ranks that throng unto the bluff 

Where every one shall take the hardy leap. 

This all-hail host, the army of the Lord, 

Marshals in order so immense and wide 

It doth amaze me as some monstrous horde, 

Because the whole is not by me descried. 

Bethink you then how you will pass along, 

Whether under the high commandery of the day 

Advisedly, obedient and strong, 

Or skulk in vain to be a run-a-way. 

For you straight up like men shall march your lot, 

Or dragged at chariot wheels go where you ’d not. 

IMAGE: Ludovico Carracci, Allegory of Providence (1604)