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Read/Book VI/6.12
MED. 6.12Discipline of assent
George Long · 1862EN · Long

If thou hadst a step-mother and a mother at the same time, thou wouldst be dutiful to thy step-mother, but still thou wouldst constantly return to thy mother. Let the court and philosophy now be to thee step-mother and mother: EXERCISEreturn to philosophy frequently and repose in her, through whom what thou meetest with in the court appears to thee tolerable, and thou appearest tolerable in the court.

Original · ancient Greek

Εἰ μητρυιάν τε ἅμα εἶχες καὶ μητέρα, ἐκείνην τ̓ ἂν ἐθεράπευες καὶ ὅμως ἡ ἐπάνοδός σοι πρὸς τὴν μητέρα συνεχὴς ἐγίνετο. τοῦτό σοι νῦν ἐστιν ἡ αὐλὴ καὶ ἡ φιλοσοφία· ὧδε πολλάκις ἐπάνιθι καὶ προσαναπαύου ταύτῃ, δι’ ἣν καὶ τὰ ἐκεῖ σοι ἀνεκτὰ φαίνεται καὶ σὺ ἐν αὐτοῖς ἀνεκτός.

Leopold · Teubner 1908
Commentary

Genre and place in the book. A companion to 06-11: the same verbs of return and repose (ἐπάνιθι, προσαναπαύου) and the same motif of constancy (συνεχής, πολλάκις). The exercise of EXERCISEwithdrawal into oneself is given here through the homely image of "mother and stepmother" and applied to Marcus's own life. The principal discipline is assent (the return to philosophy); the sustaining one is desire (the court becomes bearable).

Mother and stepmother. The image is tender and exact: philosophy is the true mother (the home to which one is drawn by nature); the court (αὐλή) is the stepmother (you render her her due, ἐθεράπευες, but it is not home). A rare autobiographical glimpse: an emperor who is closer to philosophy than to palace affairs — yet who "attends" the stepmother-court too, without abandoning his duty. The word αὐλή is precisely Marcus's imperial court.

Return and repose (ἐπάνιθι / προσαναπαύου). "Return here often and repose in her" — the same withdrawal into oneself as in 06-11 (συνεχῶς) and 04-03. Philosophy is the place where the soul rests. The verb προσαναπαύου echoes 06-07 (repose in social action): there rest is found in action, here in the return to the maternal principles of philosophy.

The double fruit (ἀνεκτά). Philosophy gives a twofold gift: "both what is there [at court] becomes bearable (ἀνεκτά) to you, and you become bearable in it." The first is equanimity toward the court (the discipline of desire); the second is being endurable to others (the discipline of action). Note the sober measure of the word: not "wonderful" but "bearable" — a realistic bar for life in a wearisome milieu; and a gentle self-irony — philosophy makes bearable not only the court to you, but you to the court.

Disciplines and parallels. The principal one is assent (the return to philosophy as a withdrawal into oneself); the secondary is desire (the court made bearable), with an active by-product (you made bearable to others). Parallels: 06-11 (return continually, repose); 04-03 (no place quieter than one's own soul); Med. 2.17 (philosophy the one guide, keeper of the daimon).

DisciplineDiscipline of assent
Record added2026-07-16
Statuspublished
Read·Book VI
Discipline of assent

George Long · 1862· EN · Long

If thou hadst a step-mother and a mother at the same time, thou wouldst be dutiful to thy step-mother, but still thou wouldst constantly return to thy mother. Let the court and philosophy now be to thee step-mother and mother: EXERCISEreturn to philosophy frequently and repose in her, through whom what thou meetest with in the court appears to thee tolerable, and thou appearest tolerable in the court.

Original · ancient Greek

Εἰ μητρυιάν τε ἅμα εἶχες καὶ μητέρα, ἐκείνην τ̓ ἂν ἐθεράπευες καὶ ὅμως ἡ ἐπάνοδός σοι πρὸς τὴν μητέρα συνεχὴς ἐγίνετο. τοῦτό σοι νῦν ἐστιν ἡ αὐλὴ καὶ ἡ φιλοσοφία· ὧδε πολλάκις ἐπάνιθι καὶ προσαναπαύου ταύτῃ, δι’ ἣν καὶ τὰ ἐκεῖ σοι ἀνεκτὰ φαίνεται καὶ σὺ ἐν αὐτοῖς ἀνεκτός.

Leopold · Teubner 1908
Related1
EXERCISERetreat into oneself — ἀναχώρησις εἰς ἑαυτόν (the inner citadel)
Commentary

Genre and place in the book. A companion to 06-11: the same verbs of return and repose (ἐπάνιθι, προσαναπαύου) and the same motif of constancy (συνεχής, πολλάκις). The exercise of EXERCISEwithdrawal into oneself is given here through the homely image of "mother and stepmother" and applied to Marcus's own life. The principal discipline is assent (the return to philosophy); the sustaining one is desire (the court becomes bearable).

Mother and stepmother. The image is tender and exact: philosophy is the true mother (the home to which one is drawn by nature); the court (αὐλή) is the stepmother (you render her her due, ἐθεράπευες, but it is not home). A rare autobiographical glimpse: an emperor who is closer to philosophy than to palace affairs — yet who "attends" the stepmother-court too, without abandoning his duty. The word αὐλή is precisely Marcus's imperial court.

Return and repose (ἐπάνιθι / προσαναπαύου). "Return here often and repose in her" — the same withdrawal into oneself as in 06-11 (συνεχῶς) and 04-03. Philosophy is the place where the soul rests. The verb προσαναπαύου echoes 06-07 (repose in social action): there rest is found in action, here in the return to the maternal principles of philosophy.

The double fruit (ἀνεκτά). Philosophy gives a twofold gift: "both what is there [at court] becomes bearable (ἀνεκτά) to you, and you become bearable in it." The first is equanimity toward the court (the discipline of desire); the second is being endurable to others (the discipline of action). Note the sober measure of the word: not "wonderful" but "bearable" — a realistic bar for life in a wearisome milieu; and a gentle self-irony — philosophy makes bearable not only the court to you, but you to the court.

Disciplines and parallels. The principal one is assent (the return to philosophy as a withdrawal into oneself); the secondary is desire (the court made bearable), with an active by-product (you made bearable to others). Parallels: 06-11 (return continually, repose); 04-03 (no place quieter than one's own soul); Med. 2.17 (philosophy the one guide, keeper of the daimon).

DisciplineDiscipline of assent
Record added2026-07-16
Statuspublished