Marc Aurèle citations célèbres
Pensées
Marc Aurèle Citations
Marc Aurèle: Citations en anglais
“Depart then satisfied, for he also who releases thee is satisfied.”
XII, 36
Meditations (c. 121–180 AD), Book XII
“No matter what anyone says or does, my task is to be good.”
Source: Meditations (Hovory k sobě)
Variante: When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive-to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.
Source: Meditations
“The soul becomes dyed with the colour of its thoughts.”
Source: Meditations
“If it is not right, do not do it, if it is not true, do not say it.”
XII, 17
Source: Meditations (c. 121–180 AD), Book XII
Contexte: If it is not right, do not do it, if it is not true, do not say it. For let thy efforts be
Source: VII, 8 (Penguin Classics edition of Meditations, translated by Maxwell Staniforth)
“Very little is needed to make a happy life; it is all within yourself in your way of thinking.”
Source: Meditations
“Reject your sense of injury and the injury itself disappears.”
Source: Meditations
“For what else are all these things, except exercises for the reason”
X, 31
Meditations (c. 121–180 AD), Book X
Contexte: What matter and opportunity [for thy activity] art thou avoiding? For what else are all these things, except exercises for the reason, when it has viewed carefully and by examination into their nature the things which happen in life? Persevere then until thou shalt have made these things thy own, as the stomach which is strengthened makes all things its own, as the blazing fire makes flame and brightness out of everything that is thrown into it.
“There are three relations [between thee and other things]:”
VIII, 27
Meditations (c. 121–180 AD), Book VIII
Contexte: 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.
“Whatever happens at all happens as it should; you will find this true, if you watch narrowly.”
Source: Meditations (c. 121–180 AD), Book IV, 10
X, 12
Meditations (c. 121–180 AD), Book X
Contexte: What need is there of suspicious fear, since it is in thy power to inquire what ought to be done? And if thy seest clear, go by this way content, without turning back: but if thy dost not see clear, stop and take the best advisers. But if any other things oppose thee, go on according to thy powers with due consideration, keeping to that which appears to be just. For it is best to reach this object, and if thou dost fail, let thy failure be in attempting this. He who follows reason in all things is both tranquil and active at the same time, and also cheerful and collected.
“If mind is common to us, then also the reason, whereby we are reasoning beings, is common.”
IV, 4 (as translated by ASL Farquharson)
Meditations (c. 121–180 AD), Book IV
Contexte: If mind is common to us, then also the reason, whereby we are reasoning beings, is common. If this be so, then also the reason which enjoins what is to be done or left undone is common. If this be so, law also is common; if this be so, we are citizens; if this be so, we are partakers in one constitution; if this be so, the Universe is a kind of Commonwealth.
“Short-lived are both the praiser and the praised, and rememberer and the remembered”
VIII, 21
Meditations (c. 121–180 AD), Book VIII
Contexte: 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.
“Persevere then until thou shalt have made these things thy own”
X, 31
Meditations (c. 121–180 AD), Book X
Contexte: What matter and opportunity [for thy activity] art thou avoiding? For what else are all these things, except exercises for the reason, when it has viewed carefully and by examination into their nature the things which happen in life? Persevere then until thou shalt have made these things thy own, as the stomach which is strengthened makes all things its own, as the blazing fire makes flame and brightness out of everything that is thrown into it.
III, 10
Meditations (c. 121–180 AD), Book III
Contexte: 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.
“Remember that neither the future nor the past pains thee, but only the present.”
VIII, 36
Meditations (c. 121–180 AD), Book VIII
Contexte: 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.
“The universe is change; our life is what our thoughts make it.”
The universe is flux, life is opinion.
The universe is transformation: life is opinion. (Long translation)
ὁ κόσμος ἀλλοίωσις, ὁ βίος ὑπόληψις.
IV, 3
Variante: Our life is what our thoughts make it.
Source: Meditations (c. 121–180 AD), Book IV
“The memory of everything is very soon overwhelmed in time.”
Source: Meditations
“Because a thing seems difficult for you, do not think it impossible for anyone to accomplish.”
Source: The Meditations of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius Antoninus
“What is not good for the swarm is not good for the bee.”
VI, 54
Source: Meditations (c. 121–180 AD), Book VI
“Love the little trade which thou hast learned, and be content therewith.”
IV, 31
Meditations (c. 121–180 AD), Book IV
