Who said the phrase: "Do what you do, and what will be" and what is its meaning?

The phrase "do what you do and whatever happens" has become something of an aphorism or motto. However, its popularity does not mean that the author of this statement is unequivocally known. So, for example, it is attributed to such famous Roman rhetoricians and politicians as Cato the Elder or Marcus Aurelius. However, among the many quotations from the last, exactly such a phrase can not be found. There is a similar one, which says that you should do what you should, but it will still happen that which is destined. This is one of the principles of the philosophy of stoicism.

"Do what you do, and whatever comes" - these or similar words can also be seen in the ancient Eastern texts, such as the Indian epic "Mahabharata". One of the plot lines of this great work describes the war between two feuding dynasties. One of the heroes of the epic, Prince Arjuna, is very worried about the fact that his friends and relatives are on both sides of the front. To which the man who rules his chariot (in fact it was the god Krishna, the incarnation of Vishnu), explains to him that the duty of the real warrior and believer is first of all the fulfillment of duty (dharma).

"Do what you do, and whatever comes" - such a cry was one of the favorite slogans of many medieval knights. Therefore, over time, a French proverb was formed, where the meaning of these words was conveyed. She liked to repeat and Leo Tolstoy. This phrase is so merged with Russian culture that it penetrated even into the environment of political dissidents. At such famous events as the "Sakharov May Day", these words often sounded like an example of the beloved phrase of a famous free-thinker of Soviet times.

So who actually said: "Do what you do, and come what may"? It is impossible to answer this question unequivocally. King Solomon in his parables and Dante in the "Divine Comedy", Kant in the famous categorical imperative and Confucius in his reflections on the appointment of human life - they all somehow maintained this. Martin Luther, standing in Worms before a meeting of Catholics who demanded his renunciation, said that he could not do otherwise. Hence, he believed the same.

Some doubt whether there is a moral relativism in this phrase. However, the actions of people who professed these principles tell us about their principledness and conviction. Therefore, when we interpret these words, we are not talking about something that can not be done by normal and decent people. The whole point of this phrase is to act according to the dictates of your conscience, to do what is right, not to think whether the consequences will affect you, and whether they will be beneficial to you. This does not mean that you do not need to think about the results of your actions at all. Of course, you need to calculate your own way and try to manage the situation. But, unfortunately, it often happens that we are faced with a choice that we did not want to do. But still it is necessary. And then each of us decides whether to betray the one for which you live, or not.

You can say that Jesus Christ in the parable, where he calls not to worry about tomorrow and not think about what to do after, is also the author of this phrase. After all, the most important thing for a person in life is to remain oneself, regardless of any obstacles.