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Marcus Aurelius Quotes
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400 Quotes on Life, Mortality, and the Importance of Living in the Present Moment

Discover the timeless wisdom of Marcus Aurelius with his profound quotes on life and mortality. Reflect on the importance of living in the present moment and embracing goodness while we still have the time.

Marcus Aurelius Antoninus was a Roman emperor and Stoic philosopher who reigned from 161 to 180 AD. He belonged to the Nerva–Antonine dynasty and was the last of the Five Good Emperors. Marcus Aurelius was born during the reign of Hadrian and was raised by his mother and paternal grandfather after his father's death. After Antoninus Pius adopted him, he became heir to the throne. As emperor, he faced military conflicts in the East against the Parthian Empire and Kingdom of Armenia, as well as against Germanic tribes in Europe. Marcus Aurelius is known for his writings in "Meditations," which provide insights into ancient Stoic philosophy.

Despite facing challenges during his reign, Marcus Aurelius implemented significant changes such as modifying the silver purity of Roman currency, the denarius. Although there were increased persecutions of Christians during this time, historians doubt Marcus' direct involvement in them. The Antonine Plague also occurred during his rule, causing widespread devastation with an estimated death toll of five to ten million people. Unlike other emperors, Marcus did not adopt an heir but had children including Lucilla and Commodus. His military victories were celebrated through monuments like the Column and Equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius that still stand in Rome today. His philosophical writings continue to be revered by writers, philosophers, monarchs, and politicians even centuries after his death.

✵ 26. April 121 – 17. March 180  •  Other names Antonius Marcus Aurelius
Marcus Aurelius photo
Marcus Aurelius: 400 quotes151 likes

Marcus Aurelius Quotes

“The things... which are proper to the understanding no other man is used to impede, for neither fire, nor iron, nor tyrant, nor abuse, touches it in any way. When it has been made a sphere, it continues a sphere.”

Marcus Aurelius book Meditations

Source: Meditations (c. AD 121–180), Book VIII, 41

“Remember that neither the future nor the past pains thee, but only the present. But this is reduced to a very little, if thou only circumscribest it, and chidest thy mind, if it is unable to hold out against even this.”

Marcus Aurelius book Meditations

Meditations (c. AD 121–180), Book VIII, 36

“There are three relations [between thee and other things]: the one to the body which surrounds thee; the second to the divine cause from which all things come to all; and the third to those who live with thee.”

Marcus Aurelius book Meditations

Source: Meditations (c. AD 121–180), Book VIII, 27

“Short-lived are both the praiser and the praised, and rememberer and the remembered: and all this in a nook of this part of the world; and not even here do all agree, no, not any one with himself: and the whole earth too is a point.”

Marcus Aurelius book Meditations

Source: Meditations (c. AD 121–180), Book VIII, 21

“Where any work can be done conformably to the reason which is common to gods and men, there we have nothing to fear; for where we are able to get profit by means of the activity which is successful and proceeds according to our constitution, there no harm is to be suspected.”

Marcus Aurelius book Meditations

Source: Meditations (c. AD 121–180), Book VII, 53

“That which had grown from the earth, to the earth, But that which has sprung from heavenly seed, Back to the heavenly realms returns. This is either a dissolution of the mutual involution of the atoms, or a similar dispersion of the unsentient elements.”

Marcus Aurelius book Meditations

Source: Meditations (c. AD 121–180), Book VII, 50

“Thou mayest foresee... the things which will be. For they will certainly be of like form, and it is not possible that they should deviate from the order of things now: accordingly to have contemplated human life for forty years is the same as to have contemplated it for ten thousand years.”

Marcus Aurelius book Meditations

Source: Meditations (c. AD 121–180), Book VII, 49

“Wipe out the imagination. Stop pulling the strings. Confine thyself to the present. ...Divide and distribute every object into the causal [formal] and the material. ...Let the wrong which is done by a man stay there where the wrong was done.”

Marcus Aurelius book Meditations

Source: Meditations (c. AD 121–180), Book VII, 29

“Remember that man lives only in the present, in this fleeting instant; all the rest of his life is either past and gone, or not yet revealed. Short, therefore, is man's life, and narrow is the corner of the earth wherein he dwells.”

Marcus Aurelius book Meditations

Source: Meditations (c. AD 121–180), Book III, 10

“Of Fronto, to how much envy and fraud and hypocrisy the state of a tyrannous king is subject unto, and how they who are commonly called [Eupatridas Gk.], i.e. nobly born, are in some sort incapable, or void of natural affection.”

Marcus Aurelius book Meditations

Source: Meditations (c. AD 121–180), Book I, 8

“That to expect bad people not to injure others is crazy. It's to ask the impossible. And to let them behave like that to other people but expect them to exempt you is arrogant—the act of a tyrant.”

Marcus Aurelius book Meditations

Hays translation
XI, 18
Meditations (c. AD 121–180), Book XI

“A straightforward, honest person should be like someone who stinks: when you're in the same room.”

Marcus Aurelius book Meditations

Source: Meditations (c. AD 121–180), Book XI

“Someone despises me. That's their problem. Mine: not to do or say anything despicable. Someone hates me. Their problem. Mine: to be patient and cheerful with everyone, including them.”

Marcus Aurelius book Meditations

Hays translation
Source: Meditations (c. AD 121–180), Book XI, 13

“To live your brief life rightly, isn't that enough?”

Marcus Aurelius book Meditations

Hays translation
Source: Meditations (c. AD 121–180), Book X, 31

“Everything that happens is either endurable or not. If it's endurable, then endure it. Stop complaining. If it's unendurable . . . then stop complaining. Your destruction will mean its end as well.”

Marcus Aurelius book Meditations

Hays translation
Source: Meditations (c. AD 121–180), Book X, 3

“Yes, boorish people do boorish things. What's strange or unheard-of about that? Isn't it yourself you should reproach—for not anticipating that they'd act this way?”

Marcus Aurelius book Meditations

Hays translation
Source: Meditations (c. AD 121–180), Book IX, 42

“Objective judgment, now, at this very moment. Unselfish action, now, at this very moment. Willing acceptance—now, at this very moment—of all external events. That's all you need.”

Marcus Aurelius book Meditations

Hays translation
Source: Meditations (c. AD 121–180), Book IX, 6

“The cucumber is bitter? Then throw it out. There are brambles in the path? Then go around them. That's all you need to know.”

Marcus Aurelius book Meditations

Hays translation
Source: Meditations (c. AD 121–180), Book VIII, 50

“External things are not the problem. It's your assessment of them. Which you can erase right now.”

Marcus Aurelius book Meditations

Hays translation
Source: Meditations (c. AD 121–180), Book VIII, 47

“It's silly to try to escape other people's faults. They are inescapable. Just try to escape your own.”

Marcus Aurelius book Meditations

Hays translation
Source: Meditations (c. AD 121–180), Book VII, 71

“The only thing that isn't worthless: to live this life out truthfully and rightly. And be patient with those who don't.”

Marcus Aurelius book Meditations

Hays translation
Source: Meditations (c. AD 121–180), Book VI, 47

“Just that you do the right thing. The rest doesn't matter. Cold or warm. Tired or well-rested. Despised or honored. Dying . . . or busy with other assignments.”

Marcus Aurelius book Meditations

Hays translation
Source: Meditations (c. AD 121–180), Book VI, 2

“Consider all that you've gone through, all that you've survived. And that the story of your life is done, your assignment complete. How many good things have you seen? How much pain and pleasure have you resisted? How many honors have you declined? How many unkind people have you been kind to?”

Marcus Aurelius book Meditations

Hays translation
Source: Meditations (c. AD 121–180), Book V, 31

“It's unfortunate that this has happened. No. It's fortunate that this has happened and I've remained unharmed by it—not shattered by the present or frightened of the future. It could have happened to anyone. But not everyone could have remained unharmed by it.”

Marcus Aurelius book Meditations

Source: Meditations (c. AD 121–180), Book IV, 49a

“You're better off not giving the small things more time than they deserve.”

Marcus Aurelius book Meditations

Hays translation
Source: Meditations (c. AD 121–180), Book IV, 32

“Because most of what we say and do is not essential. If you can eliminate it, you'll have more time, and more tranquillity. Ask yourself at every moment, “Is this necessary?” But we need to eliminate unnecessary assumptions as well. To eliminate the unnecessary actions that follow.”

Marcus Aurelius book Meditations

Hays translation
Source: Meditations (c. AD 121–180), Book IV, 24

“Not to live as if you had endless years ahead of you. Death overshadows you. While you're alive and able—be good.”

Marcus Aurelius book Meditations

Hays translation
Source: Meditations (c. AD 121–180), Book IV, 17

“Choose what's best.—Best is what benefits me.”

Marcus Aurelius book Meditations

Hays translation
Source: Meditations (c. AD 121–180), Book III, 6

“Concentrate every minute like a Roman—like a man—on doing what's in front of you with precise and genuine seriousness, tenderly, willingly, with justice. And on freeing yourself from all other distractions.”

Marcus Aurelius book Meditations

Hays translation
Source: Meditations (c. AD 121–180), Book II, 5