Quotes from book
Meditations

Name: Meditations
Author: Marcus Aurelius

Marcus AureliusOriginal title Τὰ εἰς ἑαυτὸν

Meditations is a series of personal writings by Marcus Aurelius, Roman Emperor from 161 to 180 AD, recording his private notes to himself and ideas on Stoic philosophy.

“The rottenness of the matter which is the foundation of everything!”

Marcus Aurelius book Meditations

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

“No carelessness in your actions. No confusion in your words. No imprecision in your thoughts.”

Marcus Aurelius book Meditations

Hays translation
Be not careless in deeds, nor confused in words, nor rambling in thought.
VIII, 51
Meditations (c. 121–180 AD), Book VIII

“The ruling power within, when it is in its natural state, is so related to outer circumstances that it easily changes to accord with what can be done and what is given it to do.”

Marcus Aurelius book Meditations

IV, 1
Meditations (c. 121–180 AD), Book IV

“All things are implicated with one another, and the bond is holy; and there is hardly anything unconnected with any other things. For things have been co-ordinated, and they combine to make up the same universe. For there is one universe made up of all things, and one god who pervades all things, and one substance, and one law, and one reason.”

Marcus Aurelius book Meditations

VII, 9
Meditations (c. 121–180 AD), Book VII

“The controlling Intelligence understands its own nature, and what it does, and whereon it works.”

Marcus Aurelius book Meditations

VI, 5
Meditations (c. 121–180 AD), Book VI

“The universal intelligence puts itself in motion for every separate effect… or it puts itself in motion once, and everything else comes by way of a sequence in a manner; or individual elements are the origin of all things. In a word, if there is a god, all is well; and if chance rules, do not thou be governed by it.”

Marcus Aurelius book Meditations

IX, 28
Meditations (c. 121–180 AD), Book IX

“Though thou be destined to live three thousand years and as many myriads besides, yet remember that no man loseth other life than that which he liveth, nor liveth other than that which he loseth.”

Marcus Aurelius book Meditations

Source: Meditations (c. 121–180 AD), Book II, 14

“Let it not be in any man's power to say truly of thee that thou art not simple or that thou art not good; but let him be a liar whoever shall think anything of this kind about thee; and this is altogether in thy power.”

Marcus Aurelius book Meditations

X, 32
Meditations (c. 121–180 AD), Book X

“Either all things proceed from one intelligent source and come together as in one body, and the part ought not to find fault with what is done for the benefit of the whole; or there are only atoms, and nothing else than a mixture and dispersion. Why, then, art thou disturbed? Say to this ruling faculty, Art thou dead, art thou corrupted, art thou playing the hypocrite, art thou become a beast, dost thou herd and feed with the rest?”

Marcus Aurelius book Meditations

IX, 39
Meditations (c. 121–180 AD), Book IX

“Earth loves the rain, the proud sky loves to give it. The whole world loves to create futurity. I say then to the world, "I share your love." Is this not the source of the phrase, "This loves to happen"?”

Marcus Aurelius book Meditations

The last phrase is quoted in J. D. Salinger's Franny and Zooey as "It loved to happen".
Meditations (c. 121–180 AD), Book X, 21
Original: (el) ῾Ἐρᾷ μὲν ὄμβρου γαῖα, ἐρᾷ δὲ ὁ σεμνὸς αἰθήρ,᾿ ἐρᾷ δὲ ὁ κόσμος ποιῆσαι ὃ ἂν μέλλῃ γίνεσθαι. λέγω οὖν τῷ κόσμῳ ὅτι σοὶ συνερῶ. μήτι δὲ οὕτω κἀκεῖνο λέγεται, ὅτι: φιλεῖ τοῦτο γίνεσθαι;

“If thou canst see sharp, look and judge wisely, says the philosopher.”

Marcus Aurelius book Meditations

VIII, 38
Meditations (c. 121–180 AD), Book VIII

“Understand however that every man is worth just so much as the things are worth about which he busies himself.”

Marcus Aurelius book Meditations

Source: Meditations (c. 121–180 AD), Book VII, 3

“Give thyself time to learn something new and good, and cease to be whirled around.”

Marcus Aurelius book Meditations

II, 7
Meditations (c. 121–180 AD), Book II

“Blot out vain pomp; check impulse; quench appetite; keep reason under its own control.”

Marcus Aurelius book Meditations

IX, 7
Meditations (c. 121–180 AD), Book IX