Marcus Aurelius
Roman emperor and Stoic-influenced philosopher (121 to 180); emperor from 161 to 180; author of the Meditations.
Marcus Aurelius did not write this page.
We collected these quotes from things they published elsewhere, and every quote links to where it was said. They have no account here and have not endorsed this site. Quotes are word for word; the short line under each one is our own restatement, not their wording. Their own site. Is this you? Claim it or ask us to remove it. Or tell us what is wrong here.
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Our reading
Acting against one another, including being vexed and turning away, is contrary to nature
Their wordsTo act against one another, then, is contrary to nature; and it is acting against one another to be vexed and to turn away.
↗Meditations (tr. George Long, 1862)gutenberg.org 1st of 8 in this piece
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Their wordsThough thou shouldest be going to live three thousand years and as many times ten thousand years, still remember that no man loses any other life than this which he now lives, nor lives any other than this which he now loses.
↗Meditations (tr. George Long, 1862)gutenberg.org 2nd of 8 in this piece
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Their wordsThe universe is transformation: life is opinion.
↗Meditations (tr. George Long, 1862)gutenberg.org 3rd of 8 in this piece
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Their wordsTake away thy opinion, and then there is taken away the complaint, "I have been harmed." Take away the complaint, "I have been harmed," and the harm is taken away.
↗Meditations (tr. George Long, 1862)gutenberg.org 4th of 8 in this piece
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Their wordsSuch as are thy habitual thoughts, such also will be the character of thy mind; for the soul is dyed by the thoughts.
↗Meditations (tr. George Long, 1862)gutenberg.org 5th of 8 in this piece
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Their wordsBut my nature is rational and social; and my city and country, so far as I am Antoninus, is Rome, but so far as I am a man, it is the world.
↗Meditations (tr. George Long, 1862)gutenberg.org 6th of 8 in this piece
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Their wordsLook within. Within is the fountain of good, and it will ever bubble up, if thou wilt ever dig.
↗Meditations (tr. George Long, 1862)gutenberg.org 7th of 8 in this piece
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Their wordsNo longer talk at all about the kind of man that a good man ought to be, but be such.
↗Meditations (tr. George Long, 1862)gutenberg.org 8th of 8 in this piece
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