Thoughts of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus

Socrates in the Crito (c. 10) says the same in other words, and St. Paul (Ep. to the Romans, xii. 17). "When a man has done thee any wrong, immediately consider with what opinion about good or evil he has done wrong. For when thou hast seen this, thou wilt pity him and wilt neither wonder nor be angry

A branch cut off from the adjacent branch must of necessity be cut off from the whole tree also. So too a man when he is separated from another man has fallen off from the whole social community

Simple and modest is the work of philosophy. Draw me not aside to insolence and pride

If thou art able, correct by teaching those who do wrong; but if thou canst not, remember that indulgence is given to thee for this purpose. And the gods, too, are indulgent to such persons; and for some purposes they even help them to get health, wealth, reputation; so kind they are. And it is in thy power also; or say, who hinders thee

Labor not as one who is wretched, nor yet as one who would be pitied or admired; but direct thy will to one thing only—to put thyself in motion and to check thyself, as the social reason requires

Everything which is earthy turns towards the earth, everything which is liquid flows together, and everything which is of an aerial kind does the same, so that they require something to keep them asunder, and the application of force

He who does wrong does wrong against himself. He who acts unjustly acts unjustly to himself, because he makes himself bad

Things seemingly the most insignificant imaginable are perpetually observed to be necessary conditions to other things of the greatest importance

And indeed he who pursues pleasure as good, and avoids pain as evil, is guilty of impiety.

Receive [wealth or prosperity] without arrogance; and be ready to let it go