W

July    2nd

ON  DUTY    AND CIRCUMSTANCE

“Never  shirk   the proper  dispatch    of  your    duty,   no  matter  if  you are freezing    or  hot,    groggy  or

well-rested,    vilified    or  praised,    not even    if  dying   or  pressed by  other   demands.    Even    dying   is

one of  the important   assignments of  life    and,    in  this    as  in  all else,   make    the most    of  your

resources   to  do  well    the duty    at  hand.”

—MARCUS AURELIUS,   MEDITATIONS,    6.2

ill this make me rich? Will people be impressed? How hard do I need to try? How long will this
take? What’s in it for me? Should I do this other thing instead? These are the questions we ask
ourselves amid the day’s opportunities and obligations.
Marcus Aurelius had many responsibilities, as those who hold executive power do. He judged cases,
heard appeals, sent troops into battle, appointed administrators, approved budgets. A lot rode on his
choices and actions. Should he do this or that? What about this concern or that concern? When would he
get to enjoy himself? The simple reminder above was a way to cut through the Gordian knot of incentives,
complaints, fears, and competing interests.
It’s what we must use to decide what to do in each and every phase of life. Morality can be
complicated—but the right thing is usually clear and intuitive enough to feel in our gut. Our duty is rarely
easy, but it is important. It’s also usually the harder choice. But we must do it.