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Marcus Aurelius Quotes - Page 17

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For nowhere either with more quiet or more freedom from trouble does a man retire than into his own soul, particularly when he has within him such thoughts that by looking into them he is immediately in perfect

For nowhere either with more quiet or more freedom from trouble does a man retire than into his own soul, particularly when he has within him such thoughts that by looking into them he is immediately in perfect tranquility; and I affirm that tranquility is nothing else than the good ordering of the mind.

Marcus Aurelius
Peace, Men, Perfect
Meditations IV.3

You need to be prepared for firm decisions and action, without losing gentleness towards those who obstruct or abuse you. It's as great a weakness to be angry with them as it is to abandon your plan of action and give up through fear.

Marcus Aurelius
Giving Up, Decision, Abuse

Do not expect Plato's ideal republic; be satisfied with even the smallest step forward, and consider this no small achievement.

Marcus Aurelius
Plato, Achievement, Republic
Marcus Aurelius (Emperor of Rome) (1963). “The Meditations”, Bobbs-Merrill Company

Despise not death, but welcome it, for nature wills it like all else.

Marcus Aurelius
Death, Philosophical, Dying
Marcus Aurelius (2014). “Delphi Complete Works of Marcus Aurelius (Illustrated)”, p.94, Delphi Classics

A man should always have these two rules in readiness. First, to do only what the reason of your ruling and legislating faculties suggest for the service of man. Second, to change your opinion whenever anyone at hand sets you right and unsettles you in an opinion, but this change of opinion should come only because you are persuaded that something is just or to the public advantage, not because it appears pleasant or increases your reputation.

Marcus Aurelius
Men, Hands, Two

Men are born for each other's sake, so either teach people or endure them

Marcus Aurelius
Men, People, Sake
Marcus Aurelius (Emperor of Rome) (1963). “The Meditations”, Bobbs-Merrill Company

We are born for cooperation, as are the feet, the hands, the eyelids, and the upper and lower jaws.

Marcus Aurelius
Hands, Feet, Cooperation

Don't go on discussing what a good person should be. Just be one.

Marcus Aurelius
Inspirational, Goes On, Good Person

The best revenge is to be unlike him who performed the injury.

Marcus Aurelius
Inspirational, Revenge, Hatred

Reverence the gods, and help men. Short is life.

Marcus Aurelius
Men, Helping, Help Me
Marcus Aurelius (2016). “Meditations”, p.40, Enhanced Media Publishing

Look beneath the surface; let not the several quality of a thing nor its worth escape thee.

Marcus Aurelius
Gratitude, Quality, Looks
"Meditations" by Marcus Aurelius, Book VI, (3), (c. 161 - 180 AD).

Each of us needs what nature gives us, when nature gives us.

Marcus Aurelius
Giving, Needs
Marcus Aurelius (2002). “Meditations: A New Translation”, p.137, Modern Library

All is as thinking makes it so

Marcus Aurelius
Thinking
Marcus Aurelius (2006). “Meditations”, p.262, Penguin UK

Men exist for the sake of one another.

Marcus Aurelius
Philosophical, Men, Sake
Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius, Lucius Annaeus Seneca (2016). “Stoic Six Pack: Meditations of Marcus Aurelius, Golden Sayings, Fragments and Discourses of Epictetus, Letters from a Stoic and The Enchiridion”, p.95, Enhanced Media Publishing

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.

Marcus Aurelius
Wall, Hate, Hypocrite
馬可•奧里略 (Marcus Aurelius) (2014). “沉思錄:讀了一百年還要再讀一百年的不朽鉅著”, p.67, 德威國際文化

To my great-grandfather I owed the advice to dispense with the education of the schools and have good masters at home instead - and to realize that no expense should be grudged for this purpose.

Marcus Aurelius
School, Home, Advice

All things are in the act of change; thou thyself in ceaseless transformation and partial decay, and the whole universe with thee.

Marcus Aurelius
Decay, Transformation, Thee
Marcus Aurelius (Emperor of Rome) (1906). “The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus”

Let it be your constant method to look into the design of people's actions, and see what they would be at, as often as it is practicable; and to make this custom the more significant, practice it first upon yourself.

Marcus Aurelius
Practice, People, Design
Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (Emperor of Rome.), Alice Zimmern (189?). “Meditations”

If the gods care not for me and for my children, There is a reason for it.

Marcus Aurelius
Children, Care, Reason
Marcus Aurelius, Epictetus, Lucius Annaeus Seneca (2015). “Stoic Six Pack: Meditations of Marcus Aurelius The Golden Sayings Fragments and Discourses of Epictetus Letters from a Stoic and The Enchiridion”, p.40, Lulu.com

Every instant of time... is a pinprick of eternity.

Marcus Aurelius
Inspirational, Life, Positive
Marcus Aurelius (2009). “Meditations”, p.40, Everyman's Library

The man who doesn't know what the universe is doesn't know where he lives.

Marcus Aurelius
Science, Men, He Man

Take it that you have died today, and your life's story is ended; and henceforward regard what future time may be given you as uncovenanted surplus, and live it out in harmony with nature.

Marcus Aurelius
Life, Future, Stories

Persuade me or prove to me that I am mistaken in thought or deed, and I will gladly change - for it is the truth I seek, and the truth never harmed anyone. Harm comes from persisting in error and clinging to ignorance.

Marcus Aurelius
Ignorance, Errors, Deeds
Marcus Aurelius, C. Scot Hicks, David Hicks (2002). “The Emperor's Handbook: A New Translation of The Meditations”, p.69, Simon and Schuster

Consider that everything is opinion, and opinion is in thy power.

Marcus Aurelius
Opinion
Marcus Aurelius (2015). “Meditations”, p.126, Sheba Blake Publishing

To live each day as though one's last, never flustered, never apathetic, never attitudinizing - here is the perfection of character.

Marcus Aurelius
Life, Character, Perfection
c. AD 170-180 Meditations, bk.7, no.69 (translated by M Staniforth).

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