Quotes About Stoicism

Above all, remember that the door stands open. Be not more fearful than children; but as they, when they weary of the game, cry, I will play no more, even so, when thou art in the like case, cry, I will play no more and depart. But if thou stayest, make no lamentation.

It is not events that disturb people, it is their judgements concerning them.

Men are disturbed not by things, but by the view which they take of them.

The knowledge of what is mine and what is not mine, what I can and cannot do. I must die. But must I die bawling? I must be exiled; but is there anything to keep me from going with a smile, calm and self-composed?

28. If a person gave your body to any stranger he met on his way, you would certainly be angry. And do you feel no shame in handing over your own mind to be confused and mystified by anyone who happens to verbally attack you?

Restrict yourself to choice and refusal; and exercise them carefully, with discipline and detachment.

Be free from grief not through insensibility like the irrational animals, nor through want of thought like the foolish, but like a man of virtue by having reason as the consolation of grief.

Those proficient praise no one, blame no one, and accuse no one. They say nothing concerning their self as being anybody or knowing anything.

You will never have to experience defeat if you avoid contests whose outcome is outside your control.

The wise person knows it is fruitless to project hopes and fears on the future. This only leads to forming melodramatic representations in your mind and wasting time.

Who, then, is the invincible human being? One who can be disconcerted by nothing that lies outside the sphere of choice.

Let your will to avoid have no concern with what is not in man's power; direct it only to things in man's power that are contrary to nature.

If you choose, you are free; if you choose, you need blame no man—accuse no man. All things will be at once according to your mind and according to the Mind of God.

I must die; so must I die groaning too?

What upsets people is not things themselves but their judgements about these things.

Let whatever appears to be the best be to you an inviolable law. And if any instance of pain or pleasure, glory or disgrace, be set before you, remember that now is the combat, now the Olympiad comes on, nor can it be put off; and that by one failure and defeat honor may be lost or—won.

We aren't filled with fear except by things that are bad; and not by them, either, as long as it is in our power to avoid them.

Why are you pestering me, pal? My own evils are enough for me.

I have learned to see that whatever comes about is nothing to me if it lies beyond the sphere of choice.

Man is disturbed not by things, but by the views he takes of them.

Whatever moral rules you have deliberately proposed to yourself. abide by them as they were laws, and as if you would be guilty of impiety by violating any of them. Don't regard what anyone says of you, for this, after all, is no concern of yours.

Men are disturbed, not by things, but by the principles and notions which they form concerning things. Death

People are not disturbed by things, but by the view they take of them.

Do not wish that all things will go well with you, but that you will go well with all things.