Man towards Passing and Transitory Nature of the Moment in Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations

Abstract

In his Meditations, the emperor-Stoic Marcus Aurelius very often goes back to the motive of passing and transitory nature of human life. On the one hand this permanent and pessimistic motive may be interpreted as a certain kind of spiritual exercises, practised not only by Stoics. On the other hand we cannot exclude that they are a manifestation of the author’s personal views and experiences. Marcus often touched upon the topic of death, a fact that was not an expression of his fear before what was inevitable, especially that according to the Stoic doctrine death belongs to the immutable order of the world and is compatible with nature, hence it is completely acceptable. Marcus Aurelius is afraid rather of the transitory nature of the moment given to us to be used. He stresses that life “is running down” each day and at the same time he is tormented with the lack of time that must be filled with good and respectable behaviour, with life in conformity with the orders of reason, or the deity. Marcus Aurelius is not frightened by death itself, but the possibility to lose control over one’s life, loss of consciousness, and the ability to reflect (in the case of a illness or old age). He also stresses firmly the importance of favours that we may and should render to others, for despite the proper shape of one’s soul this is the goal of human life.