Quotes About Philosophy

what death is, and the fact that, if a man looks at it in itself, and by the abstractive power of reflection resolves into their parts all the things which present themselves to the imagination in it, he will then consider it to be nothing else than an operation of nature;

If you are pained by any external thing, it is not this thing that disturbs you, but your own judgment about it. And it is in your power to wipe out this judgment now.

So this is how a thoughtful person should await death: not with indifference, not with impatience, not with disdain, but simply viewing it as one of the things that happen to us. Now you anticipate the child's emergence from its mother's womb; that's how you should await the hour when your soul will emerge from its compartment.

The universe is transformation: life is opinion.

Then the only proper response for me to make is this: 'You are much mistaken, my friend, if you think that any man worth his salt cares about the risk of death and doesn't concentrate on this alone: whether what he's doing is right or wrong, and his behavior a good man's or a bad one's.' 

And if the elements themselves suffer nothing by this their perpetual conversion of one into another, that dissolution, and alteration, which is so common unto all, why should it be feared by any? Is not this according to nature? But nothing that is according to nature can be evil.

In sum, remember this, that within a very little while, both thou and he shall both be dead, and after a little while more, not so much as your names and memories shall be remaining.

No hay que irritarse con las cosas, pues a ellas nada les importa

Shall I do it? I will; so the end of my action be to do good unto men. Doth anything by way of cross or adversity happen unto me? I accept it, with reference unto the Gods, and their providence; the fountain of all things, from which whatsoever comes to pass, doth hang and depend

37. Disgraceful: that the mind should control the face, should be able to shape and mold it as it pleases, but not shape and mold itself.

Don't bind yourself, with the chains of desire and fear, to things that are outside your sphere of control. This is a matter of sanity." —Epictetus

What man can you show me who places any value on his time, who reckons the worth of each day, who understands that he is dying daily? For we are mistaken when we look forward to death; the major portion of death has already passed. Whatever years be behind us are in death's hands.

And don't go expecting Plato's Republic; be satisfied with even the smallest progress, and treat the outcome of it all as unimportant.

What do you want, rational minds or irrational?" Rational minds. "What sort of rational minds, calm or disturbed?" Calm. "How can you acquire calm, rational minds?" We already have them. "Really? Then why are you squabbling among yourselves?" —Socrates

aplicar la anécdota referida a Sócrates[162] de que podía al tiempo abstenerse y disfrutar de aquello por lo que la mayoría en caso de abstinencia se siente débil y en caso de disfrute se dejan llevar; ser fuerte y resistente y en ambas cosas ser sobrio [es

to be grieved and displeased with anything that happens in the world, is direct apostacy from the nature of the universe; part of which, all particular natures of the world, are.

Nothing is so productive of greatness of mind as the ability to examine systematically and truthfully each thing we encounter in life, and to see these things in such a way as to comprehend the nature of the Cosmos.

He who loves fame considers another man's activity to be his own good; and he who loves pleasure, his own sensations; but he who has understanding considers his own acts to be his own good.

Yo, al contrario, tras haber contemplado la naturaleza del bien y ver que es algo bello, y la del mal y ver que es algo vergonzoso, y la naturaleza del que yerra y ver que es de mi linaje, no por la misma sangre o simiente, sino por ser partícipe de la inteligencia[180] y fracción divina[181], tampoco puedo subir perjuicio por parte de alguno de ellos, porque nadie me cubrirá de vergüenza; tampoco puedo encolerizarme con el que es de mi linaje ni odiarlo. Hemos

Thou art a little soul bearing about a corpse, as Epictetus used to say (I. C. 19).

For what hurt can it be unto thee whatsoever any man else doth, as long as thou mayest do that which is proper and suitable to thine own nature?

Entrar en conflicto unos con otros es contrario a la naturaleza; conflicto es enfadarse y darse media vuelta. 

If thou art pained by any external thing, it is not this thing that disturbs thee, but thy own judgement about it.

A man might have applied that to him, which is recorded of Socrates, that he knew how to want, and to enjoy those things, in the want whereof, most men show themselves weak; and in the fruition, intemperate: but to hold out firm and constant, and to keep within the compass of true moderation and sobriety in either estate, is proper to a man, who hath a perfect and invincible soul; such as he showed himself in the sickness of Maximus.