Understanding purpose and existence

The George Long translation of 1862:

He who does not know what the world is, does not know where he is. And he who does not know for what purpose the world exists, does not know who he is, nor what the world is. But he who has failed in any one of these things could not even say for what purpose he exists himself. What then dost thou think of him who avoids or seeks the praise of those who applaud, of men who know not either where they are or who they are?  Marcus Aurelius.  Meditations.  Book 8.

Chrystal's 2017 rendering based on the Foulis translation of 1742:

He who knows not what the Universe is knows not what is his place therein. He who knows not for what end it was created, knows not himself and knows not the world. He who is deficient in either of these parts of knowledge cannot even say for what end he himself was created. What sort of man then does he appear to you who pursues the applause or dreads the anger of those who know neither where nor what they are?  Marcus Aurelius.  Meditations.  Book 8.


Image: The Younger Pliny Reproved by Angelika Kaufmann, 1785, now in the collections of the Princeton University Art Museum courtesy of Wikimedia Commons contributor Daderot (digitally adjusted to remove color cast)

 

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