Quotes from Marcus Aurelius

Not to regard anything at all, though never so little, but right and reason: and always, whether in the sharpest pains, or after the loss of child, or in long diseases, to be still the same man

it is only this present, a moment of time, that a man lives: all the rest either has been lived or may never

it is only this present, a moment of time, that a man lives: all the rest either has been lived or may never be.

How intolerant it is not to permit men to cherish an impulse towards what is in their eyes congenial and advantageous! Yet in a sense thou withholdest from them the right to do this, when thou resentest their wrong-doing. For they are undoubtedly drawn to what they deem congenial and advantageous. But they are mistaken. Well, then, teach and enlighten them without any resentment.

Occupy thyself with few things, says the philosopher, if thou wouldst be tranquil.-

It is a disgrace for the soul to be the first to succumb in that life in which the body does not succumb.

So discard all else and secure these few things only. remind yourself too that each of us lives only in the present moment, a mere fragment of time; the rest is life past or uncertain future. Sure, life is a small thing, and small the cranny of the earth in which we live it; small too even the longest fame thereafter, which is itself subject to a succession of little men who will quickly die, and have no knowledge event of themselves, let alone of those long dead.

The most noble thing is to be yourself.

Há fulanos que quando fazem algum favor a alguém estão logo prontos para lançar no livro de contas o agradecimento devido.

It is in thy power to rid thyself of many unnecessary troubles, for they exist wholly in thy imagination. Thou wilt at once set thy feet in a large room by embracing the whole Universe in thy mind and including in thy purview time ever lasting, and by observing the rapid change in every part of everything, and the shortness of the span between birth and dissolution, and that the yawning immensity before birth is only matched by the infinity after our dissolution.

We ought not to think only upon the fact that our life each day is waning away, what is left of it being ever less, but this also should be a subject for thought

Remember that to change course or accept correction leaves you just as free as you were. The action is your own, driven by your impulse and judgement, indeed your own intelligence.

Your soul takes on the colour of your thoughts.

Fritter not away what is left of thy life in thoughts about others, unless thou canst bring these thoughts into

For verily thou dost hereby cut thyself off from other work, that is, by thinking what so and so is doing and why, what he is saying, having what in mind, contriving what, and all the many like things such as whirl thee aside from keeping close watch over thine own ruling Reason.

Whatever happens at all happens as it should; you will find this true, if you watch narrowly.

There is a river of creation, and time is a violent stream. As soon as one thing comes into sight, it is swept past and another is carried down: it too will be taken on its way.

Everything you see will soon alter and cease to exist. Think of how many changes you've already seen. The world is change. Our life is only perception.

A professional problem, O King, occupied me, and the mind, when so engaged, must not be detached from the prosecution of its enquiry.

There is nothing more shameful than perfidious friendship.

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.

Put an end once for all to this discussion of what a good man should be, and be one.

Nothing is more miserable than one who is always out and about, running around everything in circles and looking for signs and symptoms to divine his neighbor's minds. He doesn't realize that it is sufficient to concentrate solely on the divinity within himself and to give it true service.

When near his death, being asked by the tribune for the watchword, he said, Go to the rising sun, for I am setting.