Marcus Aurelius
Marcus Aurelius
Marcus Aureliuswas Roman Emperor from 161 to 180. He ruled with Lucius Verus as co-emperor from 161 until Verus' death in 169. Marcus Aurelius was the last of the so-called Five Good Emperors. He was a practitioner of Stoicism, and his untitled writing, commonly known as the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius, is the most significant source of our modern understanding of ancient Stoic philosophy...
NationalityRoman
ProfessionPolitician
Date of Birth26 April 121
CityRome, Italy
time action unnecessary
Most of what we say and do is unnecessary: remove the superfluity, and you will have more time and less bother. So in every case one should prompt oneself: 'Is this, or is it not, something necessary?' And the removal of the unnecessary should apply not only to actions but to thoughts also: then no redundant actions either will follow.
valentines-day fate destiny
Love the people with whom fate brings you together
satisfaction satisfied
Be satisfied with your business, and learn to love what you were bred to.
pain soul mind
It will suffice thee to remember as concerning pain ... that the mind may, by stopping all manner of commerce and sympathy with the body, still retain its own tranquility.
single-life soul substance
The universe is a single life comprising one substance and one soul.
ignorance errors deeds
Persuade me or prove to me that I am mistaken in thought or deed, and I will gladly change - for it is the truth I seek, and the truth never harmed anyone. Harm comes from persisting in error and clinging to ignorance.
judgment ifs
If you are pained by any external thing, it is not this that disturbs you, but your own judgment about it.
cheerful reason tranquil
He who follows reason in all things is both tranquil and active at the same time, and also cheerful and collected.
life-is persons
A person's life is what their thoughts make it.
reason vain appetite
Blot out vain pomp; check impulse; quench appetite; keep reason under its own control.
character soul mind
Your mind will take on the character of your most frequent thoughts: souls are dyed by thoughts.
giving roving leisure
Why should any of these things that happen externally distract thee? Give thyself leisure to learn some good thing: cease roving to and fro.
art soul littles
Thou art a little soul bearing about a corpse.
intelligent breathing air
No longer let thy breathing only act in concert with the air which surrounds thee, but let thy intelligence also now be in harmony with the intelligence which embraces all things. For the intelligent power is no less diffused in all parts and pervades all things for him who is willing to draw it to him than the aërial power for him who is able to respire it.