Against grumbling at one's station. A one-line imperative aimed at Marcus's sorest point — the imperial office (8.1: "your station opposes it too," ἡ ὑπόθεσις). The prohibition is double: let no one hear you complaining "of life at court" (τὸν ἐν αὐλῇ βίον) — and let you yourself not hear it either (μηδὲ σὺ σεαυτοῦ): outward abstention from complaint must come from within, or it is hypocrisy (8.5: ἀνυποκρίτως).

The court is no bar. Behind the ban stands a doctrine: the station fate has allotted is no impediment to virtue — DOGMAto accept one's lot, including one's "stage" (cf. 5.16 — the soul is dyed by its thoughts, yet even at court one may live as one ought; 6.30 — not to be "Caesarified," to keep oneself unstained). To grumble at circumstance is a form of vexation at the common nature that assigned you this role. The governing discipline is desire (not to reject one's lot), the sustaining one assent (not to pass on the court the verdict "unbearable").