“Only to the rational animal is it given to follow voluntarily”
X, 28
Meditations (c. 121–180 AD), Book X
Context: Only to the rational animal is it given to follow voluntarily what happens; but simply to follow is a necessity imposed on all.
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Marcus Aurelius 400
Emperor of Ancient Rome 121–180Related quotes

“Man is not a rational animal; he is a rationalizing animal.”
Source: Tunnel in the Sky (1955), Chapter 2, “The Fifth Way” (p. 42)

“Man is not a rational animal. He is only truly good or great when he acts from passion.”
Book 6, chapter 12.
Books, Coningsby (1844), Henrietta Temple (1837)

3, 18, 1
On Abstinence from Killing Animals
Source: A social information processing approach to job attitudes and task design. 1978, p. 231

“Man is a rational animal – so at least I have been told.”
Often paraphrased as "It has been said that man is a rational animal. All my life I have been searching for evidence which could support this."
1950s, Unpopular Essays (1950)
Context: Man is a rational animal – so at least I have been told. Throughout a long life, I have looked diligently for evidence in favor of this statement, but so far I have not had the good fortune to come across it, though I have searched in many countries spread over three continents.