Marcus Aurelius

“In this process of constant evaluation there is only one standard of good and evil: virtue and vice.”

“The phase 'in agreement with' (homologou- menos) is significant; by Nature the Stoics meant the highest form of human nature - Reason (Logos).”

“There are two things common to the souls of all rational creatures, god or man: they are immune to any external impediment, and the good they seek resides in a just disposition and just action, with this the limit of their desire.”

“His human constitution was made up of earth, water, air, and fire; his soul of air and his mind of fire.”

“Reason too has its fruit, both universal and particular: other things grow from it which share its own nature. 11 If you can, show them the better way.”

“First: in your own actions, nothing aimless or other than Justice herself would have done; in external happenings either chance or providence is at work, and one should not blame chance or indict providence.”

“The salvation of life lies in seeing each object in its essence and 29 its entirety, discerning both the material and the causal: in applying one's whole soul to doing right and speaking the truth.”

“As was the Stoic Seneca before him, Marcus was generous to Epicurus, and he had so deeply absorbed Epicurus' heroic atti- tude towards death that he can quote one of his letters from memory - inaccurately to the letter, but faithfully to his mes- sage.”

“'But the man is endowed with reason', you say, 'and if he puts his mind to it he can work out why he causes offence.' Well, good for you!”

“Those of good and evil - the belief that nothing is good for a human being which does not make him just, self-controlled, brave, and free: and nothing evil which does not make him the opposite of these.”

“So let your reason cause itself no pain, and if some other part of you is in trouble, it can form its own judgement for itself. 41 An obstacle to sense perception is harmful to animal nature.”

“Remember, though, that you are by nature born to bear all that your own judgement can decide bearable, or tolerate in action, if you represent it to yourself as benefit or duty.”

“In Epicurean writings there is laid down the precept that one 26 should continually keep in mind one of those who followed the path of virtue in earlier times.”

“'There was a time when I met luck at every turn.' But luck is 37 the good fortune you determine for yourself: and good fortune consists in good inclinations of the soul, good impulses, good actions.”

“What does not make a human being worse in himself cannot 8 make his life worse either: it cannot harm him from outside or inside.”

“But this transference must always spring from a conviction of justice or the common good: and your preferred course must be likewise, not simply for apparent pleasure or popularity. 13 'Do you possess reason?' 'I do.' 'Why not use it then?”

“I seek the truth, which never harmed anyone: the harm is to persist in one's own self-deception and ignorance. 22 I do my own duty: the other things do not distract me.”

“I have only one anxiety: that I myself should not do something 20 which the human constitution does not intend - or does not intend in this way or at this time.”

“Can there be 2 anything, then, in this happening which prevents you being just, high-minded, self-controlled, intelligent, judicious, truth- ful, honourable and free - or any other of those attributes whose combination is the fulfilment of man's proper nature?”

“If you think of the true goods there are - wisdom, for example, self-control, justice, courage - with these in your mind you could not give any credence to the popular”

“How one should be in both body and soul when overtaken by 7 death; the shortness of life; the immensity of time future and past; the feebleness of all things material.”

“He is one of those consoling and hope-inspiring marks, which stand for ever to remind our weak and easily discouraged race how high human goodness and perseverance have once been carried and may be carried again' (Essays in Criticism: First Series [London, 1865]).”

“Remind yourself of your duty to be a good man and rehearse what man's nature demands: then do it straight and unswerving, or say what you best think right.”

“In this way you will always look on human life as mere smoke and nothing, especially if you remind yourself also that what has once changed will be no more for the infinity of time.”