From Sextus, a benevolent disposition, and the example of a family governed in a fatherly manner, and the idea of living conformably to nature; and gravity without affectation, and to look carefully after the interests of friends, and to tolerate ignorant persons, and those who form opinions without consideration: he had the power of readily accommodating himself to all, so that intercourse with him was more agreeable than any flattery; and at the same time he was most highly venerated by those who associated with him: and he had the faculty both of discovering and ordering, in an intelligent and methodical way, the principles necessary for life; and he never showed anger or any other passion, but was entirely free from passion, and also most affectionate; and he could express approbation without noisy display, and he possessed much knowledge without ostentation.
Marcus Aurelius Meditations, book I. 167 AD
From Sextus, a benevolent disposition, and the example of a family governed in a fatherly manner, and the idea of living conformably to nature; and gravity without affectation, and to look carefully after the interests of friends, and to tolerate ignorant persons, and those who form opinions without consideration: he had the power of readily accommodating himself to all, so that intercourse with him was more agreeable than any flattery; and at the same time he was most highly venerated by those who associated with him: and he had the faculty both of discovering and ordering, in an intelligent and methodical way, the principles necessary for life; and he never showed anger or any other passion, but was entirely free from passion, and also most affectionate; and he could express approbation without noisy display, and he possessed much knowledge without ostentation.
Marcus Aurelius Meditations, book II. 167 AD
Do wrong to thyself, do wrong to thyself, my soul; but thou wilt no longer have the opportunity of honouring thyself. Every man's life is sufficient. But thine is nearly finished, though thy soul reverences not itself but places thy felicity in the souls of others.
Marcus Aurelius Meditations, book II. 167 AD
Remember that all is opinion. For what was said by the Cynic Monimus is manifest: and manifest too is the use of what was said, if a man receives what may be got out of it as far as it is true.
Marcus Aurelius Meditations, book II. 167 AD
Labour not unwillingly, nor without regard to the common interest, nor without due consideration, nor with distraction; nor let studied ornament set off thy thoughts, and be not either a man of many words, or busy about too many things. And further, let the deity which is in thee be the guardian of a living being, manly and of ripe age, and engaged in matter political, and a Roman, and a ruler, who has taken his post like a man waiting for the signal which summons him from life, and ready to go, having need neither of oath nor of any man's testimony. Be cheerful also, and seek not external help nor the tranquility which others give. A man then must stand erect, not be kept erect by others.
Marcus Aurelius Meditations, book III. 167 AD
Never value anything as profitable to thyself which shall compel thee to break thy promise, to lose thy self-respect, to hate any man, to suspect, to curse, to act the hypocrite, to desire anything which needs walls and curtains: for he who has preferred to everything intelligence and daemon and the worship of its excellence, acts no tragic part, does not groan, will not need either solitude or much company; [...]
Marcus Aurelius Meditations, book III. 167 AD
No longer wander at hazard; for neither wilt thou read thy own memoirs, nor the acts of the ancient Romans and Hellenes, and the selections from books which thou wast reserving for thy old age. Hasten then to the end which thou hast before thee, and throwing away idle hopes, come to thy own aid, if thou carest at all for thyself, while it is in thy power.
Marcus Aurelius Meditations, book III. 167 AD
The substance of the universe is obedient and compliant; and the reason which governs it has in itself no cause for doing evil, for it has no malice, nor does it do evil to anything, nor is anything harmed by it. But all things are made and perfected according to this reason.
Marcus Aurelius Meditations., book VI 167 AD
When thou hast been compelled by circumstances to be disturbed in a manner, quickly return to thyself and do not continue out of tune longer than the compulsion lasts; for thou wilt have more mastery over the harmony by continually recurring to it.
Marcus Aurelius Meditations, book VI. 167 AD
Above, below, all around are the movements of the elements. But the motion of virtue is in none of these: it is something more divine, and advancing by a way hardly observed it goes happily on its road.
Marcus Aurelius Meditations, book VI. 167 AD
It is a shame for the soul to be first to give way in this life, when thy body does not give way.
Marcus Aurelius Meditations, book VI. 167 AD
That which is not good for the swarm, neither is it good for the bee.
Marcus Aurelius Meditations, book VI. 167 AD
Thou hast not leisure or ability to read. But thou hast leisure or ability to check arrogance: thou hast leisure to be superior to pleasure and pain: thou hast leisure to be superior to love of fame, and not to be vexed at stupid and ungrateful people, nay even to care for them.
Marcus Aurelius Meditations, book VIII. 167 AD
Am I doing anything? I do it with reference to the good of mankind. Does anything happen to me? I receive it and refer it to the gods, and the source of all things, from which all that happens is derived.
Marcus Aurelius Meditations, book VIII. 167 AD
Receive wealth or prosperity without arrogance; and be ready to let it go.
Marcus Aurelius Meditations, book VIII. 167 AD
Do not disturb thyself by thinking of the whole of thy life. Let not thy thoughts at once embrace all the various troubles which thou mayest expect to befall thee: but on every occasion ask thyself, What is there in this which is intolerable and past bearing? For thou wilt be ashamed to confess. In the next place remember that neither the future nor the past pains thee, but only the present. But this is reduced to a very little, if thou only circumscribest it, and chidest thy mind, if it is unable to hold out against even this.
Marcus Aurelius Meditations, book VIII. 167 AD
Observe what thy nature requires, so far as thou art governed by nature only: then do it and accept it, if thy nature, so far as thou art a living being, shall not be made worse by it.
Marcus Aurelius Meditations, book X. 167 AD
Inquire of thyself as soon as thou wakest from sleep, whether it will make any difference to thee, if another does what is just and right. It will make no difference.
Marcus Aurelius Meditations, book X. 167 AD
Look at everything that exists, and observe that it is already in dissolution and in change, and as it were putrefaction or dispersion, or that everything is so constituted by nature as to die.
Marcus Aurelius Meditations, book X. 167 AD
He who flies from his master is a runaway; but the law is master, and he who breaks the law is a runaway. And he also who is grieved or angry or afraid, is dissatisfied because something has been or is or shall be of the things which are appointed by him who rules all things, and he is Law, and assigns to every man what is fit. He then who fears or is grieved or is angry is a runaway.
Marcus Aurelius Meditations, book X. 167 AD
God sees the minds (ruling principles) of all men bared of the material vesture and rind and impurities. For with his intellectual part alone he touches the intelligence only which has flowed and been derived from himself into these bodies. And if thou also usest thyself to do this, thou wilt rid thyself of thy much trouble. For he who regards not the poor flesh which envelops him, surely will not trouble himself by looking after raiment and dwelling and fame and such like externals and show.
Marcus Aurelius Meditations, book XII. 167 AD
How can it be that the gods after having arranged all things well and benevolently for mankind, have overlooked this alone, that some men and very good men, and men who, as we may say, have had most communion with the divinity, and through pious acts and religious observances have been most intimate with the divinity, when they have once died should never exist again, but should be completely extinguished?
Marcus Aurelius Meditations, book XII. 167 AD
Consider in what condition both in body and soul a man should be when he is overtaken by death; and consider the shortness of life, the boundless abyss of time past and future, the feebleness of all matter.
Marcus Aurelius Meditations, book XII. 167 AD
Does the light of the lamp shine without losing its splendour until it is extinguished; and shall the truth which is in thee and justice and temperance be extinguished before thy death?
Marcus Aurelius Meditations, book XII. 167 AD
Constantly bring to thy recollection those who have complained greatly about anything, those who have been most conspicuous by the greatest fame or misfortunes or enmities or fortunes of any kind: then think where are they all now? Smoke and ash and a tale, or not even a tale. And let there be present to thy mind also everything of this sort, how Fabius Catullinus lived in the country, and Lucius Lupus in his gardens, and Stertinius at Baiae, and Tiberius at Capreae and Velius Rufus (or Rufus at Velia); and in fine think of the eager pursuit of anything conjoined with pride; and how worthless everything is after which men violently strain; and how much more philosophical it is for a man in the opportunities presented to him to show
Marcus Aurelius Meditations, book XII. 167 AD
A man should be upright, not be kept upright.
Marcus Aurelius Meditations. 167 AD
A man's worth is no greater than his ambitions.
Marcus Aurelius Meditations. 167 AD
A noble man compares and estimates himself by an idea which is higher than himself; and a mean man, by one lower than himself. The one produces aspiration; the other ambition, which is the way in which a vulgar man aspires.
Marcus Aurelius Meditations. 167 AD
Accept the things to which fate binds you, and love the people with whom fate brings you together, but do so with all your heart.
Marcus Aurelius Meditations. 167 AD
Adapt yourself to the things among which your lot has been cast and love sincerely the fellow creatures with whom destiny has ordained that you shall live.
Marcus Aurelius Meditations. 167 AD
And thou wilt give thyself relief, if thou doest every act of thy life as if it were the last.
Marcus Aurelius Meditations. 167 AD
Anger cannot be dishonest.
Marcus Aurelius Meditations. 167 AD
Anything in any way beautiful derives its beauty from itself and asks nothing beyond itself. Praise is no part of it, for nothing is made worse or better by praise.
Marcus Aurelius Meditations. 167 AD
Aptitude found in the understanding and is often inherited. Genius coming from reason and imagination, rarely.
Marcus Aurelius Meditations. 167 AD
As the same fire assumes different shapes When it consumes objects differing in shape, So does the one Self take the shape Of every creature in whom he is present.
Marcus Aurelius Meditations. 167 AD
Be content to seem what you really are.
Marcus Aurelius Meditations. 167 AD
Be content with what you are, and wish not change; nor dread your last day, nor long for it.
Marcus Aurelius Meditations. 167 AD
Because a thing seems difficult for you, do not think it impossible for anyone to accomplish.
Marcus Aurelius Meditations. 167 AD
Because your own strength is unequal to the task, do not assume that it is beyond the powers of man; but if anything is within the powers and province of man, believe that it is within your own compass also.
Marcus Aurelius Meditations. 167 AD
Begin - to begin is half the work, let half still remain; again begin this, and thou wilt have finished.
Marcus Aurelius Meditations. 167 AD
Confine yourself to the present.
Marcus Aurelius Meditations. 167 AD
Death is a release from the impressions of the senses, and from desires that make us their puppets, and from the vagaries of the mind, and from the hard service of the flesh.
Marcus Aurelius Meditations. 167 AD
Death, like birth, is a secret of Nature.
Marcus Aurelius Meditations. 167 AD
Despise not death, but welcome it, for nature wills it like all else.
Marcus Aurelius Meditations. 167 AD
Dig within. Within is the wellspring of Good; and it is always ready to bubble up, if you just dig.
Marcus Aurelius Meditations. 167 AD
The only wealth which you will keep forever is the wealth you have given away.
Marcus Aurelius Meditations. 167 AD
The secret of all victory lies in the organization of the non-obvious.
Marcus Aurelius Meditations. 167 AD
The sexual embrace can only be compared with music and with prayer.
Marcus Aurelius Meditations. 167 AD
The soul becomes dyed with the color of its thoughts.
Marcus Aurelius Meditations. 167 AD
The universal order and the personal order are nothing but different expressions and manifestations of a common underlying principle.
Marcus Aurelius Meditations. 167 AD
The universe is change; our life is what our thoughts make it.
Marcus Aurelius Meditations. 167 AD
The universe is transformation; our life is what our thoughts make it.
Marcus Aurelius Meditations. 167 AD
There is nothing happens to any person but what was in his power to go through with.
Marcus Aurelius Meditations. 167 AD
Time is a sort of river of passing events, and strong is its current; no sooner is a thing brought to sight than it is swept by and another takes its place, and this too will be swept away.
Marcus Aurelius Meditations. 167 AD
To live happily is an inward power of the soul.
Marcus Aurelius Meditations. 167 AD
To refrain from imitation is the best revenge.
Marcus Aurelius Meditations. 167 AD
To the wise, life is a problem; to the fool, a solution.
Marcus Aurelius Meditations. 167 AD
To understand the true quality of people, you must look into their minds, and examine their pursuits and aversions.
Marcus Aurelius Meditations. 167 AD
Tomorrow is nothing, today is too late; the good lived yesterday.
Marcus Aurelius Meditations. 167 AD
Very little is needed to make a happy life; it is all within yourself, in your way of thinking.
Marcus Aurelius Meditations. 167 AD
Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one.
Marcus Aurelius Meditations. 167 AD
We are too much accustomed to attribute to a single cause that which is the product of several, and the majority of our controversies come from that.
Marcus Aurelius Meditations. 167 AD
We ought to do good to others as simply as a horse runs, or a bee makes honey, or a vine bears grapes season after season without thinking of the grapes it has borne.
Marcus Aurelius Meditations. 167 AD
What springs from earth dissolves to earth again, and heaven-born things fly to their native seat.
Marcus Aurelius Meditations. 167 AD
Whatever the universal nature assigns to any man at any time is for the good of that man at that time.
Marcus Aurelius Meditations. 167 AD
Source: European Graduate School (EGS)
