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Meditations: Book I to Book XII
Meditations: Book I to Book XII

Chapter IV

Chapter 4, section 1: They grieved; they wondered; they complained. And where are they now? All dead and gone. Wilt thou also be like one of them? Or rather leaving to men of the world (whose life both
Context Illustration Reading 1/89 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
They grieved; they wondered; they complained.
And where are they now?
All dead and gone.
Wilt thou also be like one of them?
Or rather leaving to men of the world (whose life both in regard of themselves, and them that they converse with, is nothing but mere mutability; or men of as fickle minds, as fickle bodies; ever changing and soon changed themselves) let it be thine only care and study, how to make a right use of all such accidents.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Meditations: Book I to Book XII

Chapter IV

Reading 1/89 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
They grieved; they wondered; they complained.
Line 2
And where are they now?
Line 3
All dead and gone.
Line 4
Wilt thou also be like one of them?
Line 5
Or rather leaving to men of the world (whose life both in regard of themselves, and them that they converse with, is nothing but mere mutability; or men of as fickle minds, as fickle bodies; ever changing and soon changed themselves) let it be thine only care and study, how to make a right use of all such accidents.

Learner Dictionary

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.

Dead noun US /dead/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “All dead and gone.”

Ever noun US /ever/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Or rather leaving to men of the world (whose life both in regard of themselves, and them that they converse with, is nothing but mere mutability; or men of as fickle minds, as fickle bodies; ever changing and soon changed themselves) let it be thine only care and study, how to make a right use of all such accidents.”

Grieved verb US /ɡriːvd/

felt extremely sad, especially because of a loss

From this reading “They grieved; they wondered; they complained.”

Let auxiliary verb US /let/

used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker

From this reading “Or rather leaving to men of the world (whose life both in regard of themselves, and them that they converse with, is nothing but mere mutability; or men of as fickle minds, as fickle bodies; ever changing and soon changed themselves) let it be thine only care and study, how to make a right use of all such accidents.”

Life noun US /life/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Or rather leaving to men of the world (whose life both in regard of themselves, and them that they converse with, is nothing but mere mutability; or men of as fickle minds, as fickle bodies; ever changing and soon changed themselves) let it be thine only care and study, how to make a right use of all such accidents.”

Make noun US /make/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Or rather leaving to men of the world (whose life both in regard of themselves, and them that they converse with, is nothing but mere mutability; or men of as fickle minds, as fickle bodies; ever changing and soon changed themselves) let it be thine only care and study, how to make a right use of all such accidents.”

Nothing pronoun US /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading “Or rather leaving to men of the world (whose life both in regard of themselves, and them that they converse with, is nothing but mere mutability; or men of as fickle minds, as fickle bodies; ever changing and soon changed themselves) let it be thine only care and study, how to make a right use of all such accidents.”

One pronoun US /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading “Wilt thou also be like one of them?”

Right noun US /right/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Or rather leaving to men of the world (whose life both in regard of themselves, and them that they converse with, is nothing but mere mutability; or men of as fickle minds, as fickle bodies; ever changing and soon changed themselves) let it be thine only care and study, how to make a right use of all such accidents.”

Soon noun US /soon/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Or rather leaving to men of the world (whose life both in regard of themselves, and them that they converse with, is nothing but mere mutability; or men of as fickle minds, as fickle bodies; ever changing and soon changed themselves) let it be thine only care and study, how to make a right use of all such accidents.”

Themselves pronoun US /ðemˈselvz/

used when the people doing the action are also its object

From this reading “Or rather leaving to men of the world (whose life both in regard of themselves, and them that they converse with, is nothing but mere mutability; or men of as fickle minds, as fickle bodies; ever changing and soon changed themselves) let it be thine only care and study, how to make a right use of all such accidents.”

Thine pronoun US /ðaɪn/

an old word for “yours”

From this reading “Or rather leaving to men of the world (whose life both in regard of themselves, and them that they converse with, is nothing but mere mutability; or men of as fickle minds, as fickle bodies; ever changing and soon changed themselves) let it be thine only care and study, how to make a right use of all such accidents.”

Thou pronoun US /ðaʊ/

an old word for “you”, as the subject, speaking to one person

From this reading “Wilt thou also be like one of them?”

Whose determiner US /huːz/

belonging to which person

From this reading “Or rather leaving to men of the world (whose life both in regard of themselves, and them that they converse with, is nothing but mere mutability; or men of as fickle minds, as fickle bodies; ever changing and soon changed themselves) let it be thine only care and study, how to make a right use of all such accidents.”

Wilt modal verb US /wɪlt/

an old form of “will”, used with “thou”

From this reading “Wilt thou also be like one of them?”

Wondered noun US /wondered/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “They grieved; they wondered; they complained.”

All words in this reading · 61

Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading Or rather leaving to men of the world (whose life both in regard of themselves, and them that they converse with, is nothing but mere mutability; or men of as fickle minds, as fickle bodies; ever changing and soon changed themselves) let it be thine only care and study, how to make a right use of all such accidents.

accidents

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Or rather leaving to men of the world (whose life both in regard of themselves, and them that they converse with, is nothing but mere mutability; or men of as fickle minds, as fickle bodies; ever changing and soon changed themselves) let it be thine only care and study, how to make a right use of all such accidents.

All

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading All dead and gone.

also

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Wilt thou also be like one of them?

AndconjunctionUS /ənd/

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading And where are they now?

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading And where are they now?

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading Or rather leaving to men of the world (whose life both in regard of themselves, and them that they converse with, is nothing but mere mutability; or men of as fickle minds, as fickle bodies; ever changing and soon changed themselves) let it be thine only care and study, how to make a right use of all such accidents.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading Wilt thou also be like one of them?

bodies

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Or rather leaving to men of the world (whose life both in regard of themselves, and them that they converse with, is nothing but mere mutability; or men of as fickle minds, as fickle bodies; ever changing and soon changed themselves) let it be thine only care and study, how to make a right use of all such accidents.

bothdeterminerUS /boʊθ/

the two together, not just one

From this reading Or rather leaving to men of the world (whose life both in regard of themselves, and them that they converse with, is nothing but mere mutability; or men of as fickle minds, as fickle bodies; ever changing and soon changed themselves) let it be thine only care and study, how to make a right use of all such accidents.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Or rather leaving to men of the world (whose life both in regard of themselves, and them that they converse with, is nothing but mere mutability; or men of as fickle minds, as fickle bodies; ever changing and soon changed themselves) let it be thine only care and study, how to make a right use of all such accidents.

care

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Or rather leaving to men of the world (whose life both in regard of themselves, and them that they converse with, is nothing but mere mutability; or men of as fickle minds, as fickle bodies; ever changing and soon changed themselves) let it be thine only care and study, how to make a right use of all such accidents.

changed

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Or rather leaving to men of the world (whose life both in regard of themselves, and them that they converse with, is nothing but mere mutability; or men of as fickle minds, as fickle bodies; ever changing and soon changed themselves) let it be thine only care and study, how to make a right use of all such accidents.

changing

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Or rather leaving to men of the world (whose life both in regard of themselves, and them that they converse with, is nothing but mere mutability; or men of as fickle minds, as fickle bodies; ever changing and soon changed themselves) let it be thine only care and study, how to make a right use of all such accidents.

complained

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading They grieved; they wondered; they complained.

converse

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Or rather leaving to men of the world (whose life both in regard of themselves, and them that they converse with, is nothing but mere mutability; or men of as fickle minds, as fickle bodies; ever changing and soon changed themselves) let it be thine only care and study, how to make a right use of all such accidents.

deadnounUS /dead/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading All dead and gone.

evernounUS /ever/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Or rather leaving to men of the world (whose life both in regard of themselves, and them that they converse with, is nothing but mere mutability; or men of as fickle minds, as fickle bodies; ever changing and soon changed themselves) let it be thine only care and study, how to make a right use of all such accidents.

fickle

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Or rather leaving to men of the world (whose life both in regard of themselves, and them that they converse with, is nothing but mere mutability; or men of as fickle minds, as fickle bodies; ever changing and soon changed themselves) let it be thine only care and study, how to make a right use of all such accidents.

gone

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading All dead and gone.

grievedverbUS /ɡriːvd/

felt extremely sad, especially because of a loss

From this reading They grieved; they wondered; they complained.

how

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Or rather leaving to men of the world (whose life both in regard of themselves, and them that they converse with, is nothing but mere mutability; or men of as fickle minds, as fickle bodies; ever changing and soon changed themselves) let it be thine only care and study, how to make a right use of all such accidents.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading Or rather leaving to men of the world (whose life both in regard of themselves, and them that they converse with, is nothing but mere mutability; or men of as fickle minds, as fickle bodies; ever changing and soon changed themselves) let it be thine only care and study, how to make a right use of all such accidents.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading Or rather leaving to men of the world (whose life both in regard of themselves, and them that they converse with, is nothing but mere mutability; or men of as fickle minds, as fickle bodies; ever changing and soon changed themselves) let it be thine only care and study, how to make a right use of all such accidents.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Or rather leaving to men of the world (whose life both in regard of themselves, and them that they converse with, is nothing but mere mutability; or men of as fickle minds, as fickle bodies; ever changing and soon changed themselves) let it be thine only care and study, how to make a right use of all such accidents.

leaving

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Or rather leaving to men of the world (whose life both in regard of themselves, and them that they converse with, is nothing but mere mutability; or men of as fickle minds, as fickle bodies; ever changing and soon changed themselves) let it be thine only care and study, how to make a right use of all such accidents.

letauxiliary verbUS /let/

used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker

From this reading Or rather leaving to men of the world (whose life both in regard of themselves, and them that they converse with, is nothing but mere mutability; or men of as fickle minds, as fickle bodies; ever changing and soon changed themselves) let it be thine only care and study, how to make a right use of all such accidents.

lifenounUS /life/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Or rather leaving to men of the world (whose life both in regard of themselves, and them that they converse with, is nothing but mere mutability; or men of as fickle minds, as fickle bodies; ever changing and soon changed themselves) let it be thine only care and study, how to make a right use of all such accidents.

like

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Wilt thou also be like one of them?

makenounUS /make/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Or rather leaving to men of the world (whose life both in regard of themselves, and them that they converse with, is nothing but mere mutability; or men of as fickle minds, as fickle bodies; ever changing and soon changed themselves) let it be thine only care and study, how to make a right use of all such accidents.

men

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Or rather leaving to men of the world (whose life both in regard of themselves, and them that they converse with, is nothing but mere mutability; or men of as fickle minds, as fickle bodies; ever changing and soon changed themselves) let it be thine only care and study, how to make a right use of all such accidents.

mere

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Or rather leaving to men of the world (whose life both in regard of themselves, and them that they converse with, is nothing but mere mutability; or men of as fickle minds, as fickle bodies; ever changing and soon changed themselves) let it be thine only care and study, how to make a right use of all such accidents.

minds

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Or rather leaving to men of the world (whose life both in regard of themselves, and them that they converse with, is nothing but mere mutability; or men of as fickle minds, as fickle bodies; ever changing and soon changed themselves) let it be thine only care and study, how to make a right use of all such accidents.

mutability

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Or rather leaving to men of the world (whose life both in regard of themselves, and them that they converse with, is nothing but mere mutability; or men of as fickle minds, as fickle bodies; ever changing and soon changed themselves) let it be thine only care and study, how to make a right use of all such accidents.

nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading Or rather leaving to men of the world (whose life both in regard of themselves, and them that they converse with, is nothing but mere mutability; or men of as fickle minds, as fickle bodies; ever changing and soon changed themselves) let it be thine only care and study, how to make a right use of all such accidents.

now

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading And where are they now?

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Wilt thou also be like one of them?

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Wilt thou also be like one of them?

only

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Or rather leaving to men of the world (whose life both in regard of themselves, and them that they converse with, is nothing but mere mutability; or men of as fickle minds, as fickle bodies; ever changing and soon changed themselves) let it be thine only care and study, how to make a right use of all such accidents.

OrconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Or rather leaving to men of the world (whose life both in regard of themselves, and them that they converse with, is nothing but mere mutability; or men of as fickle minds, as fickle bodies; ever changing and soon changed themselves) let it be thine only care and study, how to make a right use of all such accidents.

rather

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Or rather leaving to men of the world (whose life both in regard of themselves, and them that they converse with, is nothing but mere mutability; or men of as fickle minds, as fickle bodies; ever changing and soon changed themselves) let it be thine only care and study, how to make a right use of all such accidents.

regard

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Or rather leaving to men of the world (whose life both in regard of themselves, and them that they converse with, is nothing but mere mutability; or men of as fickle minds, as fickle bodies; ever changing and soon changed themselves) let it be thine only care and study, how to make a right use of all such accidents.

rightnounUS /right/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Or rather leaving to men of the world (whose life both in regard of themselves, and them that they converse with, is nothing but mere mutability; or men of as fickle minds, as fickle bodies; ever changing and soon changed themselves) let it be thine only care and study, how to make a right use of all such accidents.

soon

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Or rather leaving to men of the world (whose life both in regard of themselves, and them that they converse with, is nothing but mere mutability; or men of as fickle minds, as fickle bodies; ever changing and soon changed themselves) let it be thine only care and study, how to make a right use of all such accidents.

study

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Or rather leaving to men of the world (whose life both in regard of themselves, and them that they converse with, is nothing but mere mutability; or men of as fickle minds, as fickle bodies; ever changing and soon changed themselves) let it be thine only care and study, how to make a right use of all such accidents.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading Or rather leaving to men of the world (whose life both in regard of themselves, and them that they converse with, is nothing but mere mutability; or men of as fickle minds, as fickle bodies; ever changing and soon changed themselves) let it be thine only care and study, how to make a right use of all such accidents.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Or rather leaving to men of the world (whose life both in regard of themselves, and them that they converse with, is nothing but mere mutability; or men of as fickle minds, as fickle bodies; ever changing and soon changed themselves) let it be thine only care and study, how to make a right use of all such accidents.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading Or rather leaving to men of the world (whose life both in regard of themselves, and them that they converse with, is nothing but mere mutability; or men of as fickle minds, as fickle bodies; ever changing and soon changed themselves) let it be thine only care and study, how to make a right use of all such accidents.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading Wilt thou also be like one of them?

themselvespronounUS /ðemˈselvz/

used when the people doing the action are also its object

From this reading Or rather leaving to men of the world (whose life both in regard of themselves, and them that they converse with, is nothing but mere mutability; or men of as fickle minds, as fickle bodies; ever changing and soon changed themselves) let it be thine only care and study, how to make a right use of all such accidents.

TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading They grieved; they wondered; they complained.

thinepronounUS /ðaɪn/

an old word for “yours”

From this reading Or rather leaving to men of the world (whose life both in regard of themselves, and them that they converse with, is nothing but mere mutability; or men of as fickle minds, as fickle bodies; ever changing and soon changed themselves) let it be thine only care and study, how to make a right use of all such accidents.

thoupronounUS /ðaʊ/

an old word for “you”, as the subject, speaking to one person

From this reading Wilt thou also be like one of them?

toparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading Or rather leaving to men of the world (whose life both in regard of themselves, and them that they converse with, is nothing but mere mutability; or men of as fickle minds, as fickle bodies; ever changing and soon changed themselves) let it be thine only care and study, how to make a right use of all such accidents.

use

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Or rather leaving to men of the world (whose life both in regard of themselves, and them that they converse with, is nothing but mere mutability; or men of as fickle minds, as fickle bodies; ever changing and soon changed themselves) let it be thine only care and study, how to make a right use of all such accidents.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading And where are they now?

whosedeterminerUS /huːz/

belonging to which person

From this reading Or rather leaving to men of the world (whose life both in regard of themselves, and them that they converse with, is nothing but mere mutability; or men of as fickle minds, as fickle bodies; ever changing and soon changed themselves) let it be thine only care and study, how to make a right use of all such accidents.

Wiltmodal verbUS /wɪlt/

an old form of “will”, used with “thou”

From this reading Wilt thou also be like one of them?

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Or rather leaving to men of the world (whose life both in regard of themselves, and them that they converse with, is nothing but mere mutability; or men of as fickle minds, as fickle bodies; ever changing and soon changed themselves) let it be thine only care and study, how to make a right use of all such accidents.

wonderednounUS /wondered/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading They grieved; they wondered; they complained.

world

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Or rather leaving to men of the world (whose life both in regard of themselves, and them that they converse with, is nothing but mere mutability; or men of as fickle minds, as fickle bodies; ever changing and soon changed themselves) let it be thine only care and study, how to make a right use of all such accidents.