EVERY place is safe to him who lives with justice.
EPICTETUS. FRAGMENTS. 97.
SO live as indifferent to the world, and all worldly objects, as one who liveth by himself alone upon some desert hill. For whether here, or there, if the whole world be but as one Town, it matters not much for the place.
MARCUS AURELIUS. MEDITATIONS. Book x. 17.
WHATSOEVER doth happen in the world, doth happen justly, and so if thou dost well take heed, thou shalt find it. I say not only in right order by a series of inevitable consequences, but according to Justice and as it were by way of equal distribution, according to the true worth of everything. Continue then to take notice of it, as thou hast begun, and whatsoever thou doest, do it not without this proviso, that it be a thing of that nature that a good man, (as the word good is properly taken) may do it. This observe carefully in every action.
MARCUS AURELIUS. MEDITATIONS. Book iv. 8.
To live according to Justice... "the principle or ideal of just dealing or right action,conformity to truth, fact or reason." In order to live according to Justice we must have our definition of Justice grounded in truth and virtue.
ReplyDeleteIf we study and seek out what truth and virtue are we can then seek to live justly and with Justice as our goal.
'Whatever you do, ask yourself if it is something that a good person would do. Thus observe yourself carefully in every action.'
ReplyDeleteToo often we confuse expedience with appropriateness. Just because it is beneficial to me, does not necessarily mean that it is good. Conversely, just because it is appropriate, just, courageous and wise, the right thing to do, does not mean that I will necessarily benefit directly from it. It may even cause me some discomfort. If I am to be a good man at all, I must be a good man to all.
Kind of like the "WWJD" idea, only with the Stoic Sage as the model. "What Would Socrates Do? (WWSD)".
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