The Catalogue proper (vv. 1–9) is a memorable poem proceeding in a stately march by a series of pairs, or antinomies, one thing and its opposite. Each pair underscores the point already stated in verse 1; the amassing of pairs drives home that everything has its time. Verses 10–15 then draw out the implications of this principle, namely that we do not understand or control the course of events, so the only reasonable approach is to enjoy life as it comes. The teaching of this unit is reformulated
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