Quotes from Marcus Aurelius

That you are part of nature, and no one can prevent you from speaking and acting in harmony with it, always.

Or was I created to wrap myself in blankets and keep warm?' 'But this is more pleasant.' Were you then born for pleasure – all for feeling, not for action?

If he thinks x or y about pleasure and pain (and what produces them), about fame and disgrace, about death and life, then it shouldn't shock or surprise you when he does x or y.

Hay que reflexionar continuamente en cuántos médicos han muerto tras haber fruncido el entrecejo muchas veces por sus enfermos

What is "eternal" fame? Emptiness. Then what should we work for? Only this: proper understanding; unselfish action; truthful speech. A resolve to accept whatever happens as necessary and familiar, flowing like water from that same source and spring.

Muchas veces comete injusticia el que nada hace, no sólo el que hace algo

When faced with people's bad behavior, turn around and ask when you have acted like that. When you saw money as a good, or pleasure, or social position. Your anger will subside as soon as you recognize that they acted under compulsion (what else could they do?)

ever ready to do good, and to forgive

The foolishness of people who are surprised by anything that happens. Like travelers amazed at foreign customs.

Originally tragedies were bought on to remind us of real events, and that such things naturally occur, and that on life's greater stage you must not be vexed at things, which on the stage you find so attractive.

LII. To them that are sick of the jaundice, honey seems bitter; and to them that are bitten by a mad dog, the water terrible; and to children, a little ball seems a fine thing. And why then should I be angry? or do I think that error and false opinion is less powerful to make men transgress, than either choler, being immoderate and excessive, to cause the jaundice; or poison, to cause rage?

Alexander the Great and his mule driver both died and the same thing happened to both. They were absorbed alike into the life force of the world, or dissolved alike into atoms.

Com efeito, o presente é tudo de que se pode ser privado: afinal, tudo o que se tem é o presente, e a perda daquilo que não se possui não é possível.

People who love what they do wear themselves down doing it, they even forget to wash or eat.

The point is that you do not love yourself – otherwise you ?[?3?]?would love both your own nature and her purpose for you.

A man must learn a great deal to enable him to pass a correct judgement on another's acts.

hay que ver siempre lo humano como flor de un día e inconsistente, ayer era una mucosidad, mañana será momia y cenizas. Ese

Haga o diga alguien lo que quiera, obligado estoy a ser bueno. Como

You need to avoid certain things in your train of thought: everything random, everything irrelevant. And certainly everything self-important or malicious. You need to get used to winnowing your thoughts, so that if someone says, "What are you thinking about?" you can respond at once (and truthfully) that you are thinking this or thinking that.

Si disprezzano e tuttavia fanno a gara nell'adularsi a vicenda, e così vanno avanti a forza di inchini.

Will either passengers, or patients, find fault and complain, either the one if they be well carried, or the others if well cured? Do they take care for any more than this; the one, that their shipmaster may bring them safe to land, and the other, that their physician may effect their recovery?

Be not ashamed to be helped; for it is thy business to do thy duty like a soldier in the assault on a town. How then, if being lame thou canst not mount up on the battlements alone, but with the help of another it is possible?

Betimes in the morning say to thyself, This day I shalt have to do with an idle curious man, with an unthankful man, a railer, a crafty, false, or an envious man; an unsociable uncharitable man. All these ill qualities have happened unto them, through ignorance of that which is truly good and truly bad.

Soy afortunado porque, a pesar de haberme ocurrido eso, permanezco sin pena y no me rompo por el presente ni temo el porvenir.« Porque