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
cap chap decent face feather foot hair quite
Your face is black, your hair like flame, And one eye's damaged, one foot lame: If, still, you're quite decent chap - Well 'tis a feather in your cap
life thoughts universe
The universe is transformation; our life is what our thoughts make it.
eagerly reflect select sought thou
Think not so much of what thou hast not, as of what thou hast; but of the things which thou hast select the best, and reflect how eagerly they would have been sought if thou hadst them not
doubly joys life looking past pleasure present taste
The present joys of life we doubly taste by looking back with pleasure on the past
aim sin sinners spare writings
In all my writings my aim has been to spare sinners and assail sin
enjoy good life men past span twice
Good men make life a twofold span to last: Twice does he live who can enjoy his past
however man
However much a man gives, there is more that he withholds
astonished happens man ridiculous
How ridiculous and unrealistic is the man who is astonished at anything that happens in life.
living men praise praised seen strangely themselves time value whom
How strangely men act. They will not praise those who are living at the same time and living with themselves; but to be themselves praised by posterity, by those whom they have never seen or ever will see, this they set much value on.
altogether points save trouble
I could do without your face, Chloe, and without your neck, and your hands, and your limbs, and to save myself the trouble of mentioning the points in detail, I could do without you altogether
folk night stars thou thy
Come, Caesar, even by night - let stars delay; If thou but come, thy folk will find it day
escape finding life object oneself ranks side
The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane.
account full gratitude remember
Take full account of what excellencies which you possess, and in gratitude remember how you would hanker after them, if you had them not.
alike creatures remembered
All of us are creatures of a day; the rememberer and the remembered alike