Marcus Aurelius
Marcus Aurelius
Marcus Aureliuswas Roman Emperor from 161 to 180. He ruled with Lucius Verus as co-emperor from 161 until Verus' death in 169. Marcus Aurelius was the last of the so-called Five Good Emperors. He was a practitioner of Stoicism, and his untitled writing, commonly known as the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius, is the most significant source of our modern understanding of ancient Stoic philosophy...
NationalityRoman
ProfessionPolitician
Date of Birth26 April 121
CityRome, Italy
gratitude cheer men
Mark how fleeting and paltry is the estate of man-yesterday in embryo, tomorrow a mummy or ashes. So for the hairsbreadth of time assigned to thee, live rationally, and part with life cheerfully, as drops the ripe olive, extolling the season that bore it and the tree that matured it.
perception human-nature unhappiness
Both happiness and unhappiness depend on perception
attitude soul body
It is a shameful thing for the soul to faint while the body still perseveres.
atheist wish use
Hast thou reason? I have. Why then dost not thou use it? For if this does its own work, what else dost thou wish?
positive-thinking color soul
The things you think about determine the quality of your mind. Your soul takes on the color of your thoughts.
change things-change universe
Everything is only for a day ... the universe loves nothing so much as to change things.
change shrinks
Why do we shrink from change? What can come into being save by change?
time men gone
The passing minute is every man's equal possession but what has once gone by is not ours.
path fulfilled organisms
Every living organism is fulfilled when it follows the right path for its own nature.
revenge anger aggressors
The most complete revenge is not to imitate the aggressor.
letting-go gone action
It is not the actions of others which trouble us (for those actions are controlled by their governing part), but rather it is our own judgments. Therefore remove those judgments and resolve to let go of your anger, and it will already be gone. How do you let go? By realizing that such actions are not shameful to you.
taken asking firsts
As far as you can, get into the habit of asking yourself in relation to any action taken by another: "What is his point of reference here?" But begin with yourself: examine yourself first.
helping ashamed
Do not be ashamed of help.
common harm badness
If this is neither my own badness, nor an effect of my own badness, and the common weal is not injured, why am I troubled about it? And what is the harm to the common weal?