# Ancient Greek: "This is no misfortune..."



## sanders2021

Hello,

I haven't had much luck translating on my own, since I have absolutely no knowledge of Modern nor Ancient Greek, so I thought I'd come here and see if anyone might be able to help out. I'm trying to translate the following phrase from Marcus Aurelius' _Meditations_ into Ancient Greek: "This is no misfortune, but to bear it true to yourself is good fortune."

The full sentence, for context: "So in all future events which might induce sadness remember to call on this principle: 'this is no misfortune, but to bear it true to yourself is good fortune.'"

Any help anyone can provide would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!


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## sotos

The first part of the sentence can be "Ούτον ουκ έστιν ατύχημα". Ι don't understand the meaning of "to bear it true to yourself".


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## sanders2021

sotos said:


> The first part of the sentence can be "Ούτον ουκ έστιν ατύχημα". Ι don't understand the meaning of "to bear it true to yourself".



Thank you! "To bear it true to yourself" means to endure or get through the misfortune in a way that's consistent with your own moral character. Does that make sense? I've also seen translations that read, "This is no misfortune, but to bear it nobly is good fortune," if that helps any.

Thanks again!


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## sotos

There are more than one ways to translate it, but a simple one is this (2nd part): " ... αλλ' ασμένως αίρειν ούτον, ευτυχές εστίν."

Notice that the v. αίρω is commonly used in the expression "bearing the Cross".


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## sanders2021

sotos said:


> There are more than one ways to translate it, but a simple one is this (2nd part): " ... αλλ' ασμένως αίρειν ούτον, ευτυχές εστίν."
> 
> Notice that the v. αίρω is commonly used in the expression "bearing the Cross".



This is great. Thank you very much, sir!


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## modus.irrealis

Marcus Aurelius actually wrote in Ancient Greek and you can find the Meditations at http://el.wikisource.org/wiki/Τα_εις_εαυτόν. The phrase you're looking for is

οὐχὶ τοῦτο ἀτύχημα, ἀλλὰ τὸ φέρειν αὐτὸ γενναίως εὐτύχημα

The full sentence is μέμνησο λοιπὸν ἐπὶ παντὸς τοῦ εἰς λύπην σε προαγομένου τούτῳ χρῆσθαι τῷ  δόγματι˙ ὅτι οὐχὶ τοῦτο ἀτύχημα, ἀλλὰ τὸ φέρειν αὐτὸ γενναίως εὐτύχημα.

sotos, what do you mean by Ούτον?


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## fdb

Well spotted Modus. The quotation is at the end of section με' of book 4. The reading of the manuscripts is actually: οὐχ ὅτι τοῦτο ἀτύχημα…. The form that you found (ὅτι οὐχὶ τοῦτο ἀτύχημα….) is an unnecessary emendation.


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## sotos

modus.irrealis said:


> sotos, what do you mean by Ούτον?



Oops! Should be τούτον (neutr.).


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