Thoughts by Marcus Aurelius/Gedanken von Macus Aurelius/ Pensieri di Marcus Aurelius

1. THOUGTHS
FROM
“MEDITATIONS”
BY
MARCUS
AURELIUS,
ROMAN
EMPEROR AND
PHILOSOPHER

2. WHICH IS FULL UP OF VERY INTERESTING AND HELPFUL ADVICE, EVEN FOR
A LAYMAN SUCH AS MYSELF, OF HOW TO HANDLE OUR LIVES BETTER.
2

3. Marcus Aurelius was born on
April 26, 121, in Italy, and was
chosen by Emperor Hadrian to be
his successor. In 161, Aurelius
took control of the Roman Empire
along with his “brother” Verus,
who had also been adopted like
he himself by Aurelius Antonius,
according to Hadrian’s
instruction
War and disease threatened
Rome on all sides. Marcus
Aurelius held his territory, but
was weakened as a ruler after the
death of his brother Verus. His
son Commodus later became co-ruler
in 177, only three years
before Aurelius died on March 17,
180. He had been a very diligent
student, knew Latin and Greek,
but was most interested in
philosophy or fate, reason and
self-restraint.
3

4. 4
He said for example:
“The happiness of
your life depends
upon the quality of
your thoughts,
therefore guard
accordingly; and take
care that you
entertain no notions
unsuitable to virtue,
and reasonable
nature.”
http://rivella49.wordpress.c
om/

5. “LOOK WELL INTO YOURSELF; THERE IS A SOURCE OF STRENGTH
WHICH WILL ALWAYS SPRING UP IF YOU WILL ALWAYS LOOK
THERE. “
5

6. “FROM MY GRANDFATHER VERUS I HAVE LEARNT TO BE
GENTLE AND MEEK, AND TO REFRAIN FROM ALL ANGER AND
PASSION.”
6

7. “FROM MY MOTHER I HAVE LEARNT TO BE RELIGIOUS, AND BOUNTIFUL; AND
TO FORBEAR, NOT ONLY TO DO, BUT TO INTEND ANY EVIL; TO CONTENT
MYSELF WITH SPARE DIET, AND TO FLY ALL SUCH EXCESS AS IS INCIDENTAL
TO GREAT WEALTH.”

8. “FROM DIOGNETUS I LEARNT, NOT TO BUSY MYSELF ABOUT
VAIN THINGS, AND NOT EASILY TO BELIEVE THOSE THINGS,
WHICH ARE COMMONLY SPOKEN.”

9. “FROM RUSTICUS I LEARNT TO BE EASY AND READY TO BE
RECONCILED, AND WELL PLEASED WITH THEM THAT HAD OFFENDED
ME, AS SOON AS ANY OF THEM WOULD BE CONTENT TO SEEK INTO
ME AGAIN.”

10. “TO READ WITH DILIGENCE; NOT TO REST SATISFIED WITH A
LIGHT AND SUPERFICIAL KNOWLEDGE.”

11. “LET IT BE THE EARNEST AND INCESSANT CARE AS A ROMAN AND MAN TO
PERFORM WHATSOEVER IT IS THAT YOU ARE ABOUT, WITH TRUE AND
UNFEIGNED GRAVITY, NATURAL AFFECTION, FREEDOM AND JUSTICE.
7

12. IN THE SEVENTH BOOK HE ASKS WHAT WICKEDNESS IS AND GIVES THE FOLLOWING ANSWER:
“IT IS THAT WHICH MANY TIME AND OFTEN YOU HAVE ALREADY SEEN AND KNOWN IN THE WORLD.
GENERALLY, ABOVE AND BELOW, YOU WILL FIND BUT THE SAME THINGS. THE VERY SAME THINGS
WHEREOF ANCIENT STORIES, MIDDLE AGE STORIES, AND FRESH STORIES ARE FULL.. ALL THINGS
THAT ARE, ARE BOTH USUAL AND OF LITTLE CONTINUANCE.”
8

13. LABOUR NOT AS ONE TO WHOM IT IS APPOINTED TO BE WRETCHED, NOR AS
ONE THAT EITHER WOULD BE PITIED, OR ADMIRED; BUT LET THIS BE YOUR
ONLY CARE AND DESIRE; SO ALWAYS AND IN ALL THINGS TO PROSECUTE OR
TO FORBEAR, AS THE LAW OF CHARITY, OR MUTUAL SOCIETY DOES
REQUIRE.
9

14. IN THE NINTH BOOK HE SAID THAT HE THAT IS UNJUST IS ALSO IMPIOUS, BECAUSE THE
NATURE OF THE UNIVERSE, HAVING MADE ALL REASONABLE CREATURES ONE FOR
ANOTHER, TO THE END THAT THEY SHOULD DO ONE ANOTHER GOOD AND SHOULD IN
NOWISE HURT ONE ANOTHER.

15. HE ALSO THOUGHT ABOUT THE PROCEDURE IN CASE WE WOULD LIKE TO DO
SOMETHING, BUT DON’T KNOW HOW TO GO ABOUT IT AND ADVISED TO
RATHER GET HELP FROM SOMEBODY THAN TO GIVE UP A PLAN.

16. “HOW MUCH TIME HE SAVES, WHO DOES NOT LOOK TO SEE WHAT
HIS NEIGHBOR SAYS OR DOES OR THINKS.”

17. “IF YOU ARE PAINED BY EXTERNAL THINGS, IT IS NOT THEY THAT DISTURB
YOU, BUT YOUR OWN JUDGMENT OF THEM AND IT IS IN YOUR POWER TO
WIPE OUT THAT JUDGMENT NOW.”

18. “ALL THINGS THAT ARE IN THE WORLD, ARE ALWAYS IN THE ESTATE
OF ALTERATION. YOU ARE IN A PERPETUAL CHANGE, YES AND
UNDER CORRUPTION TOO, IN SOME PART: AND SO IS THE WHOLE
WORLD. “ EVERY CHANGE FROM ONE AGE TO ANOTHER IS A KIND OF
DEATH!
.

19. FROM FRONTO I LEARNED TO OBSERVE WHAT ENVY, AND DUPLICITY, AND HYPOCRISY
ARE IN A TYRANT, AND THAT GENERALLY THOSE AMONG US WHO ARE CALLED
PATRICIANS ARE RATHER DEFICIENT IN PATERNAL AFFECTION.

20. MANY OF THOSE THINGS THAT TROUBLE AND STRAITEN YOU IT IS IN YOUR POWER TO
CUT OFF, AS WHOLLY DEPENDING FROM MERE CONCEIT AND OPINION; AND THEN YOU
WILL HAVE ROOM ENOUGH.

21. AND THESE YOUR PROFESSED POLITICIANS, THE ONLY TRUE PRACTICAL
PHILOSOPHERS OF THE WORLD, (AS THEY THINK OF THEMSELVES) SO FULL
OF AFFECTED GRAVITY, OR SUCH PROFESSED LOVERS OF VIRTUE AND
HONESTY, WHAT WRETCHES ARE THEY IN VERY DEED; HOW VILE AND
CONTEMPTIBLE IN THEMSELVES?

22. “IT IS NOT DEATH THAT A MAN SHOULD FEAR, BUT HE SHOULD
FEAR NEVER BEGINNING TO LIVE.”