Meditations by Marcus Aurelius translated by George W. Chrystal (~180) Book 3

 Meditations by Marcus Aurelius translated by George W. Chrystal (~180) Book 3

Bonus:

Today in, "not the video I was looking for, but sure..."

Summary: YOU'RE GOING TO DIE! BE HONEST! (I'm thinking Arby's)

Commentary:

1. Every day you have less life left than the day before. Also, you'll probably be mostly useless for a period of time before you die. You should do stuff.

2. Sometimes, unwanted accidents lead to good things. Like when bread gets bubbles and cracks. It looks tasty, even if it wasn't the baker's plan. If you look at things the right way, almost anything can be good.

3. We're all gonna die. If there's an afterlife, go live it. If not, at least you've shrugged off your mortal coil and are done with pain. The soul is what's important, not the body.

4. Don't waste your life worrying about what other people think. Guard your soul and be judicious in your thoughts and actions. Think only about things that are worthy of sharing and make your life better. (Don't worry about what other people think, but only think things that are good for sharing is a thing you could write.)

5. Be direct and self supporting.

6. The satisfaction of the soul (truth, justice, etc.) is better than any physical pleasure.

7. Don't take advantage of anything that would make you betray your honor or values. Live how you know is right, and you'll have nothing to worry about.

8. THE SOUL OF THE RIGHTEOUS IS PURE! (Marcus Aurelius writes Dawn of War poke quotes.)

9. Develop and respect your good judgement.

10. Keep only the most important things in your life. Also, you're going to die.

11. Learn to to accurately define/describe everything.

This is actually a really good one, and something I've been trying to work on. I might try one of those novel copying exercises. 

12. If you do your duty honestly no one can stop you. (What if someone has an opposite duty?)

13. 

As surgeons have ever their knives and instruments at hand for the sudden emergencies of their art, so do you keep ready the principles requisite for understanding things divine and human, and for doing all things, even the least important, in the remembrance of the bond between the two. For in neglecting this, you will scant your duty both to Gods and men.

Ok, keep your reason with you/sharp is good advice, but did ancient Roman doctors really always have their scalpels or whatever with them? "I'm gonna go out to the market, but let me grab my KNIFE BAG, just in case."

14. Worry about your life instead of wandering through random books.

15. You can't understand everything with just your senses, or all words just by their base meaning.

16.

Body= senses
Soul= Passion
Intelligence= Principles

Only intelligence is unique to man (divine, even), and is the most important.

Historical tidbit: much like the Enchiridion, Meditations isn't a "real book." It's basically just a collection of Aurelius's journals/musing. That's probably why it's so receptive. I'm sure if someone went through and bound up this blog I say a lot of the same stuff over and over.

Meditations by Marcus Aurelius translated by George W. Chrystal (~180) Book 2

 Meditations by Marcus Aurelius translated by George W. Chrystal (~180) Book 2

Bonus: 

Spaceballs the Stoicism

Summary: You're going to die! Worry about how you think of yourself, not other people.

Commentary: 

1. Every day, you're going to meet assholes, because they don't know better. But you're also going to meet good things. Don't throw it all away on the assholes. Mankind was meant to help each other.

 Say this to yourself in the morning: Today I shall have to do with meddlers, with the ungrateful, with the insolent, with the crafty, with the envious and the selfish. All these vices have beset them, because they know not what is good and what is evil.

This is probably the most famous Meditations quote.

2. All of you is either body, breath, or brain. Listen to your brain, and don't let it be enslaved by stupid whims.

3. Whatever the gods plan is good. Chance isn't separate from that. Don't read too much (also in #2)

4. Thing of all the opportunities you wasted procrastinating. Your life is limited.

5. Always strive to do you best, and to be humble, kind, free and just. Do everything like it's your last chance. 

6. Life is short. (Today's are either very thematic or very repetitive.)

7. Use your leisure to improve yourself. (Start a classics blog.)

8. Paying attention to other people won't make you happy. Not paying attention to yourself will make you unhappy.

9. Think about how you relate to the universe and act accordingly.

10. Doing bad for pleasure is worse than doing it in a fit of pain.

11. Remember, everything you do might be your last chance. Death isn't bad. Don't corrupt your own life.

12. Everything dies, even memories.

13. Don't worry about other people, study yourself.

14. No matter how long or short your life is, it's your only one. Use it.

15. "Yeah? Well, you know, that's just like uh, your opinion, man." Both the good and bad of this statement are obvious.

16. Your soul is corrupt if you: Try to separate yourself from the universe, worry about a specific event in the grand scheme of things, hurt other people, give in to pleasure/pain, are a hypocrite, and do pointless things.

17. Life is short; do philosophy. 

Remember that you're going to die, and worry about yourself instead of other people, are both good pieces of advice but kind of receptive. 

Meditations by Marcus Aurelius translated by George W. Chrystal (~180) Book 1

 Meditations by Marcus Aurelius translated by George W. Chrystal (~180)

Bonus: 

So many crystal meditation videos.

Summary:

Commentary: 

Going to try to do this as a "book" a day, which means it'll take me about two week. We'll see if any are super short or long. 

1. Grandad: Manners and not raging out

2. Dad: Modest and manly

3. Mom: Piety, generosity, avoiding evil thoughts, frugality

4. Great Grandad: Tutor

5. Tutor: 

 My tutor taught me not to favour either green or blue at the chariot races, nor, in the contests of gladiators, to be a supporter either of light or heavy armed.

I will always call out these, "don't like stuff" sections in Stoicism. If you're not going to cheer for one team that's obviously morally superior to the other, what's even the point of going to a contest? (You can still appreciate the other team's prowess, and please don't have to go to fan-court.)

6. Diognetus: Don't be vain, don't be superstitious, don't get mad at what other people say, do philosophy

7. Rusticus: Learned to improve self, don't be obnoxious, go with the flow, think and read deeply, EPICTETUS!

8. Apollonius: Liberty, tenacity, 

9. Sextus: Don't lose your temper, govern your family affectionately, keep affection without anger.

10. Alexander the Grammarian: 

 I learned from Alexander the Grammarian to avoid censuring others, to refrain from flouting them for a barbarism, solecism, or any false pronunciation. Rather was I dexterously to pronounce the words rightly in my answer, confining approval or objection to the matter itself, and avoiding discussion of the expression, or to use some other form of courteous suggestion.

Focus on being right, not proving others wrong.

I like this one a lot. I was just reading an article today about a professor complaining about how racist It's A Wonderful Life apparently is. Even if that's true, wouldn't you be better off making something yourself than just whining about an 80 year old movie?

11. Fronto: Nobility are given less affection than commoners.

12. Alexander the Platonist: Help others and fulfill your duties.

13. Catalus: Don't be mad at your friends when they try to talk you out of something, praise your teachers, love your kids.

14. Severus (brother): Love family, truth, and justice. Be ready to go good and be generous. Trust your friends and keep hope. Be honest and candid.

This one is kind of interesting since so much of Enchiridion is about not criticizing others. Excited to see what else is different.

15. Maximus: Control yourself, judge fairly, keep a good attitude, get your work done. 

16. Father (adoptive): Be gentle, think before judging, work hard and carefully, listen when people want to help, be severe or lenient when it's right, don't be horny for little boys, be humble. Be balanced and detail oriented, don't give in to flattery, take care of your body, don't be fickle, temperance!

17. The Gods: Good family, friends, and teachers. I'm glad I didn't offend you. Glad I wasn't brought up with a concubine, and stayed out of love/lust as a young man. You don't need a bunch of pageantry to be a prince. A good wife, a cure for vertigo, didn't fall for superstition.

Meditations by Marcus Aurelius translated by George W. Chrystal (~180)

 Unlike the Enchiridion I'm not going to spend three days agonizing over which translation to read for Meditations. Chrystals is public domain, nicely laid out, and very readable. It's not the one from T5FSOB, that's George Long. This one was only about half a dozen years old at the time, which would be pretty recent for Eliot.

I'm curious to see how it compares to the Enchiridion, since they're kind of similar "short notes on Stoicism", but a bit later.

“The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry (1905)

 “The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry (1905)

Bonus: 

And they were roommates!

Summary: A poor couple sell their most valuable possessions to buy gifts that require those possessions!

Commentary:

She should've just bought the gloves. According to my research she could've bought a really nice pair of gloves, and still had at least 50 cents left over.

That aside, I've always enjoyed the writing in this story ("It did not exactly beggar description, but it certainly had that word on the lookout for the mendicancy squad.") more than the actual plot and themes.

They're the wisest gift givers because they gave something away to give a (now) worthless gift because they loved each other? Couldn't they just love each other and have cheap gifts? Wouldn't it be wiser to just give a small present and enjoy your time together than make a dramatic sacrifice? Especially since Jim (presumably) loves Della's hair and Della obviously loves Jim's pocket watch? They're just ruining things for each other!

At least Della can grow her hair back and use the combs. Maybe by next Christmas. That'd be kind of funny, wrap them up again and give them to herself or something. Jim's kinda screwed though. Maybe she can resell her hair again, but the watch, put it on the chain, regrow her hair again and they can really drag this whole thing out.

Merry Christmas, this story is goofy.

"A Visit From St. Nicholas" ('Twas The Night Before Christmas) by Clement Clarke Moore (1823)

 A Visit From St. Nicholas

Bonus:

The power of Christmas in the palm of his hand.

Summary: 'Twas the night before Christmas.

Commentary: Sugar plums are not always sugared plums, but small plum shaped candy.

Pre red Santa: He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,

And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;

Some Fruits of Solitude By William Penn (1682) Part 12: Right Marriage (79-87)

 Some Fruits of Solitude By William Penn (1682) Part 12: Right Marriage (79-87)

Bonus: 

I don't think I've ever actually heard this song. Just club mixes and stuff.

Summary: Marry for the right reasons. Being horny and money are bad reasons.

Commentary: 

79: Only marry for love, but make sure you love good things.

80: Otherwise, you'll go cheat on your spouse.

81: Enjoy your affections.

82/83: Love grows in time, lust diminishes.

84: Don't marry for money, you won't be happy.

85/86: Men are more careful with the breeding of their animals than children.

87: Worship God, not money.

Should've saved this set for Valentine's Day. Pretty solid all around.