Everything is only for a day...

Everything is only for a day, both that which remembers and that which is remembered.


Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus, Meditations, Book IV - 37.

Willingly give thyself up to Clotho...

Willingly give thyself up to Clotho, one of the Fates, allowing her to spin thy thread into whatever things she pleases.


Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus, Meditations, Book IV - 36.

The words which were...

The words which were formerly familiar are now antiquated: so also the names of those who were famed of old, are now in a manner antiquated, Camillus, Caeso, Volesus, Leonnatus, and a little after also Scipio and Cato, then Augustus, then also Hadrian and Antoninus. For all things soon pass away and become a mere tale, and complete oblivion soon buries them. And I say this of those who have shone in a wondrous way. For the rest, as soon as they have breathed out their breath, they are gone, and no man speaks of them. And, to conclude the matter, what is even an eternal remembrance? A mere nothing. What then is that about which we ought to employ our serious pains? This one thing, thoughts just, and acts social, and words which never lie, and a disposition which gladly accepts all that happens, as necessary, as usual, as flowing from a principle and source of the same kind.


Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus, Meditations, Book IV - 35.

Consider, for example...

Consider, for example, the times of Vespasian. Thou wilt see all these things, people marrying, bringing up children, sick, dying, warring, feasting, trafficking, cultivating the ground, flattering, obstinately arrogant, suspecting, plotting, wishing for some to die, grumbling about the present, loving, heaping up treasure, desiring counsulship, kingly power. Well then, that life of these people no longer exists at all. Again, remove to the times of Trajan. Again, all is the same. Their life too is gone. In like manner view also the other epochs of time and of whole nations, and see how many after great efforts soon fell and were resolved into the elements. But chiefly thou shouldst think of those whom thou hast thyself known distracting themselves about idle things, neglecting to do what was in accordance with their proper constitution, and to hold firmly to this and to be content with it. And herein it is necessary to remember that the attention given to everything has its proper value and proportion. For thus thou wilt not be dissatisfied, if thou appliest thyself to smaller matters no further than is fit.


Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus, Meditations, Book IV - 34.

Love the art, poor as it may be...

Love the art, poor as it may be, which thou hast learned, and be content with it; and pass through the rest of life like one who has intrusted to the gods with his whole soul all that he has, making thyself neither the tyrant nor the slave of any man.


Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus, Meditations, Book IV - 33.

The one is a philosopher...

The one is a philosopher without a tunic, and the other without a book: here is another half naked: Bread I have not, he says, and I abide by reason.- And I do not get the means of living out of my learning, and I abide by my reason.


Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus, Meditations, Book IV - 32.

If he is a stranger...

If he is a stranger to the universe who does not know what is in it, no less is he a stranger who does not know what is going on in it. He is a runaway, who flies from social reason; he is blind, who shuts the eyes of the understanding; he is poor, who has need of another, and has not from himself all things which are useful for life. He is an abscess on the universe who withdraws and separates himself from the reason of our common nature through being displeased with the things which happen, for the same nature produces this, and has produced thee too: he is a piece rent asunder from the state, who tears his own soul from that of reasonable animals, which is one.


Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus, Meditations, Book IV - 31.

A black character, a womanish character...

A black character, a womanish character, a stubborn character, bestial, childish, animal, stupid, counterfeit, scurrilous, fraudulent, tyrannical.


Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus, Meditations, Book IV - 30.

Either it is a well-arranged universe or...

Either it is a well-arranged universe or a chaos huddled together, but still a universe. But can a certain order subsist in thee, and disorder in the All? And this too when all things are so separated and diffused and sympathetic.


Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus, Meditations, Book IV - 29.

Hast thou seen those things?

Hast thou seen those things? Look also at these. Do not disturb thyself. Make thyself all simplicity. Does any one do wrong? It is to himself that he does the wrong. Has anything happened to thee? Well; out of the universe from the beginning everything which happens has been apportioned and spun out to thee. In a word, thy life is short. Thou must turn to profit the present by the aid of reason and justice. Be sober in thy relaxation.


Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus, Meditations, Book IV - 28.

Try how the life of the good man...

Try how the life of the good man suits thee, the life of him who is satisfied with his portion out of the whole, and satisfied with his own just acts and benevolent disposition.


Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus, Meditations, Book IV - 27.

Occupy thyself with few things...

Occupy thyself with few things, says the philosopher, if thou wouldst be tranquil.- But consider if it would not be better to say, Do what is necessary, and whatever the reason of the animal which is naturally social requires, and as it requires. For this brings not only the tranquility which comes from doing well, but also that which comes from doing few things. For the greatest part of what we say and do being unnecessary, if a man takes this away, he will have more leisure and less uneasiness. Accordingly on every occasion a man should ask himself, Is this one of the unnecessary things? Now a man should take away not only unnecessary acts, but also, unnecessary thoughts, for thus superfluous acts will not follow after.


Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus, Meditations, Book IV - 26.

Everything harmonizes with me...

Everything harmonizes with me, which is harmonious to thee, O Universe. Nothing for me is too early nor too late, which is in due time for thee. Everything is fruit to me which thy seasons bring, O Nature: from thee are all things, in thee are all things, to thee all things return. The poet says, Dear city of Cecrops; and wilt not thou say, Dear city of Zeus?


Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus, Meditations, Book IV - 25.

Do not be whirled about...

Do not be whirled about, but in every movement have respect to justice, and on the occasion of every impression maintain the faculty of comprehension or understanding.


Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus, Meditations, Book IV - 24.

What is the investigation into the truth...

What is the investigation into the truth in this matter? The division into that which is material and that which is the cause of form, the formal.


Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus, Meditations, Book IV - 23.

If souls continue to exist...

If souls continue to exist, how does the air contain them from eternity?- But how does the earth contain the bodies of those who have been buried from time so remote? For as here the mutation of these bodies after a certain continuance, whatever it may be, and their dissolution make room for other dead bodies; so the souls which are removed into the air after subsisting for some time are transmuted and diffused, and assume a fiery nature by being received into the seminal intelligence of the universe, and in this way make room for the fresh souls which come to dwell there. And this is the answer which a man might give on the hypothesis of souls continuing to exist. But we must not only think of the number of bodies which are thus buried, but also of the number of animals which are daily eaten by us and the other animals. For what a number is consumed, and thus in a manner buried in the bodies of those who feed on them! And nevertheless this earth receives them by reason of the changes of these bodies into blood, and the transformations into the aerial or the fiery element.


Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus, Meditations, Book IV - 22.

Everything which is in any way beautiful...

Everything which is in any way beautiful is beautiful in itself, and terminates in itself, not having praise as part of itself. Neither worse then nor better is a thing made by being praised. I affirm this also of the things which are called beautiful by the vulgar, for example, material things and works of art. That which is really beautiful has no need of anything; not more than law, not more than truth, not more than benevolence or modesty. Which of these things is beautiful because it is praised, or spoiled by being blamed? Is such a thing as an emerald made worse than it was, if it is not praised? Or gold, ivory, purple, a lyre, a little knife, a flower, a shrub?


Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus, Meditations, Book IV - 21.

He who has a vehement desire for posthumous fame...

He who has a vehement desire for posthumous fame does not consider that every one of those who remember him will himself also die very soon; then again also they who have succeeded them, until the whole remembrance shall have been extinguished as it is transmitted through men who foolishly admire and perish. But suppose that those who will remember are even immortal, and that the remembrance will be immortal, what then is this to thee? And I say not what is it to the dead, but what is it to the living? What is praise except indeed so far as it has a certain utility? For thou now rejectest unseasonably the gift of nature, clinging to something else...


Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus, Meditations, Book IV - 20.

How much trouble he avoids...

How much trouble he avoids who does not look to see what his neighbour says or does or thinks, but only to what he does himself, that it may be just and pure; or as Agathon says, look not round at the depraved morals of others, but run straight along the line without deviating from it.


Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus, Meditations, Book IV - 19.

Do not act as if thou wert going to live...

Do not act as if thou wert going to live ten thousand years. Death hangs over thee. While thou livest, while it is in thy power, be good.


Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus, Meditations, Book IV - 18.

Within ten days thou wilt seem a god...

Within ten days thou wilt seem a god to those to whom thou art now a beast and an ape, if thou wilt return to thy principles and the worship of reason.


Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus, Meditations, Book IV - 17.

Many grains of frankincense ...

Many grains of frankincense on the same altar: one falls before, another falls after; but it makes no difference.

Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus, Meditations, Book IV - 16.

Thou hast existed as a part...

Thou hast existed as a part. Thou shalt disappear in that which produced thee; but rather thou shalt be received back into its seminal principle by transmutation.


Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus, Meditations, Book IV - 15.

Hast thou reason? I have.

Hast thou reason? I have.- Why then dost not thou use it? For if this does its own work, what else dost thou wish?


Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus, Meditations, Book IV - 14.

A man should always have these two rules...

A man should always have these two rules in readiness; the one, to do only whatever the reason of the ruling and legislating faculty may suggest for the use of men; the other, to change thy opinion, if there is any one at hand who sets thee right and moves thee from any opinion. But this change of opinion must proceed only from a certain persuasion, as of what is just or of common advantage, and the like, not because it appears pleasant or brings reputation.


Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus, Meditations, Book IV - 13.

Do not have such an opinion...

Do not have such an opinion of things as he has who does thee wrong, or such as he wishes thee to have, but look at them as they are in truth.


Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus, Meditations, Book IV - 12.

Consider that everything which happens ...

Consider that everything which happens, happens justly, and if thou observest carefully, thou wilt find it to be so. I do not say only with respect to the continuity of the series of things, but with respect to what is just, and as if it were done by one who assigns to each thing its value. Observe then as thou hast begun; and whatever thou doest, do it in conjunction with this, the being good, and in the sense in which a man is properly understood to be good. Keep to this in every action.


Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus, Meditations, Book IV - 11.