Marcus Aurelius Quotes
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Always take the short cut; and that is the rational one. Therefore say and do everything according to soundest reason.
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For thus it is, men of Athens, in truth: wherever a man has placed himself thinking it is the best place for him, or has been placed by a commander, there in my opinion he ought to stay and to abide the hazard, taking nothing into the reckoning, either death or anything else, before the baseness of deserting his post.
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In the case of most pains let this remark of Epicurus aid thee, that the pain is neither intolerable nor everlasting, if thou bear in mind that it has its limits, and if thou addest nothing to it in imagination...
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He was a man who looked at what ought to be done, not to the reputation which is got by a man's acts
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If the gods care not for me and for my children, There is a reason for it.
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That which had grown from the earth, to the earth, But that which has sprung from heavenly seed, Back to the heavenly realms returns. This is either a dissolution of the mutual involution of the atoms, or a similar dispersion of the unsentient elements.
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Οἷς συγκεκλήρωσαι πράγμασι, τούτοις συνάρμοζε σεαυτόν, καὶ οἷς συνείληχας ἀνθρώποις, τούτους φίλει, ἀλλ ἀληθινῶς.
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γεγόναμεν γὰρ πρὸς συνεργίαν ὡς πόδες, ὡς χεῖρες, ὡς βλέφαρα, ὡς οἱ στοῖχοι τῶν ἄνω καὶ κάτω ὀδόντων. τὸ οὖν ἀντιπράσσειν ἀλλήλοις παρὰ φύσιν.
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It is a base thing for the countenance to be obedient and to regulate and compose itself as the mind commands, and for the mind not to be regulated and composed by itself.
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Things that have a common quality ever quickly seek their kind.
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In the case of all things which have a certain constitution, whatever harm may happen to any of them, that which is affected becomes consequently worse; but in like case, a man becomes both better... and more worthy of praise, by making the right use of these accidents.
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Look within. Within is the fountain of the good, and it will ever bubble up, if thou wilt ever dig.
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That which comes after ever conforms to that which has gone before.
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Rememberest the gods, and that they wish not to be flattered, but wish all reasonable beings to be made like themselves; and... rememberest that what does the work of a fig-tree is a fig-tree, and that what does the work of a dog is a dog, and that what does the work of a bee is a bee, and that what does the work of a man is a man.
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Constantly and, if it be possible, on the occasion of every impression on the soul, apply to it the principles of Physic, of Ethic, and of Dialectic.
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And virtue they will curse, speaking harsh words.
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If thou canst see sharp, look and judge wisely, says the philosopher.
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The things you think about determine the quality of your mind. Your soul takes on the color of your thoughts. (Hays translation)
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How easy it is to repel and to wipe away every impression which is troublesome or unsuitable, and immediately to be in all tranquility.
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He would be the finer gentleman that should leave the world without having tasted of lying or pretence of any sort, or of wantonness or conceit.
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The lot assigned to every man is suited to him, and suits him to itself.
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How many, once lauded in song, are given over to the forgotten; and how many who sung their praises are clean gone long ago!
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Art thou angry with him whose arm-pits stink? art thou angry with him whose mouth smells foul? What good will this anger do thee?
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That which makes the man no worse than he was makes his life no worse: it has no power to harm, without or within.