Quotes from book
Meditations

Meditations
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.

Marcus Aurelius photo

“It doesn’t hurt me unless I interpret its happening as harmful to me. I can choose not to.”

Marcus Aurelius book Meditations

Hays translation
VII, 14
Meditations (c. 121–180 AD), Book VII

Marcus Aurelius photo

“I can control my thoughts as necessary; then how can I be troubled?”

Marcus Aurelius book Meditations

Hays translation
VII, 2
Meditations (c. AD 121–180), Book VII

Marcus Aurelius photo

“Where have they gone, the brilliant, the insightful ones, the proud?”

Marcus Aurelius book Meditations

Hays translation
VIII, 25
Meditations (c. AD 121–180), Book VIII

Marcus Aurelius photo

“For we carry our fate with us — and it carries us.”

Marcus Aurelius book Meditations

Hays translation
III, 4
Meditations (c. AD 121–180), Book III

Marcus Aurelius photo

“You could leave life right now. Let that determine what you do and say and think.”

Marcus Aurelius book Meditations

Hays translation
II, 11
Meditations (c. AD 121–180), Book II

Marcus Aurelius photo

“But true good fortune is what you make for yourself. Good fortune: good character, good intentions, and good actions.”

Marcus Aurelius book Meditations

Hays translation
V, 37
Meditations (c. AD 121–180), Book V

Marcus Aurelius photo

“Disturbance comes only from within—from our own perceptions.”

Marcus Aurelius book Meditations

Hays translation
IV, 4
Meditations (c. AD 121–180), Book IV

Marcus Aurelius photo

“Self-control and resistance to distractions. Optimism in adversity—especially illness.”

Marcus Aurelius book Meditations

Hays translation
I, 15
Meditations (c. AD 121–180), Book I

Marcus Aurelius photo

“Remember that what pulls the strings is the force hidden within; there lies the power to persuade, there the life,—there, if one must speak out, the real man.”

Marcus Aurelius book Meditations

Source: Meditations (c. AD 121–180), Book X, 38

Marcus Aurelius photo

“In the case of all things which have a certain constitution, whatever harm may happen to any of them, that which is affected becomes consequently worse; but in like case, a man becomes both better... and more worthy of praise, by making the right use of these accidents.”

Marcus Aurelius book Meditations

Source: Meditations (c. AD 121–180), Book X, 33

Marcus Aurelius photo

“Only to the rational animal is it given to follow voluntarily what happens; but simply to follow is a necessity imposed on all.”

Marcus Aurelius book Meditations

Source: Meditations (c. AD 121–180), Book X, 28

Marcus Aurelius photo

“What is my ruling faculty now to me? and of what nature am I now making it? and for what purpose am I now using it? is it void of understanding? is it loosed and rent asunder from social life? is it melted and mixed with the poor flesh so as to move together with it?”

Marcus Aurelius book Meditations

Source: Meditations (c. AD 121–180), Book X, 24

Marcus Aurelius photo

“Constantly contemplate the whole of time and the whole of substance, and consider that all individual things as to substance are a grain of a fig, and as to time the turning of a gimlet.”

Marcus Aurelius book Meditations

Source: Meditations (c. AD 121–180), Book X, 17

Marcus Aurelius photo

“To her who gives and takes back all, to nature, the man who is instructed and modest says, Give what thou wilt; take back what thou wilt. And he says this not proudly, but obediently and well pleased with her.”

Marcus Aurelius book Meditations

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

Marcus Aurelius photo

“Why dost thou not pray... to give thee the faculty of not fearing any of the things which thou fearest, or of not desiring any of the things which thou desirest, or not being pained at anything, rather than pray that any of these things should not happen or happen?”

Marcus Aurelius book Meditations

Source: Meditations (c. AD 121–180), Book IX, 40

Marcus Aurelius photo

“Let there be freedom from perturbations with respect to the things which come from the external cause; and let there be justice in the things done by virtue of the internal cause, that is, let there be movement and action terminating in this, in social acts, for this is according to thy nature.”

Marcus Aurelius book Meditations

Source: Meditations (c. AD 121–180), Book IX, 31

Marcus Aurelius photo

“The mind which is free from passions is a citadel, for man has nothing more secure to which he can fly for refuge and for the future be inexpugnable. He then who has not seen this is an ignorant man: but he who has seen it and does not fly to this refuge is unhappy.”

Marcus Aurelius book Meditations

Source: Meditations (c. AD 121–180), Book VIII, 48

Marcus Aurelius photo

“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

Marcus Aurelius photo

“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

Marcus Aurelius photo

“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