This  then  remains  :  Remember  to  retire  into  this  little
territory  of  thy  own,1  and  above  all  do  not  distract  or
strain  thyself,  but  be  free,  and  look  at  things  as  a  man,  as  a
human  being,  as  a  citizen,  as  a  mortal.  But  among  the
things  readiest  to  thy  hand  to  which  thou  shalt  turn,
let  there  be  these,  which  are  two.  One  is  that  things
do  not  touch  ttie  soul,  for  they  are  external  and  remain

1  Tccum  habita,  noris  quam  sit  tibi  curta  supellex. — Pcrsius,
iv.  52.
iv  MARCUS    AURELIUS  99

immovable;  but  our  perturbations  come  only  from  the
opinion  which  is  within.  The  other  is  that  all  these
things,  which  thou  seest,  change  immediately  and  will
no  longer  be ;  and  constantly  bear  in  mind  how  many  of
these  changes  thou  hast  already  witnessed.  The  universe
is  transformation  :  life  is  opinion.
4.  If  our  intellectual  part  is  common,  the  reason  also.
