Plain
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor

From Alexander the Platonist I learned not to tell people 'I'm too busy' unless it's truly necessary. Don't use the excuse of urgent business to avoid the duties you owe to friends and others in your life.

Meditations, Book 1, Section 9 Book 1 · 11 of 30
Doing The Right Thing Human Nature
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor Original

Of Alexander the Platonic, not often nor without great necessity to say, or to write to any man in a letter, 'I am not at leisure'; nor in this manner still to put off those duties, which we owe to our friends and acquaintances (to every one in his kind) under pretence of urgent affairs.

Meditations, Book 1, Section 9 Book 1 · 11 of 30
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor

From Fronto I learned how much envy, fraud, and hypocrisy surround a tyrant. I also learned that those who are commonly called noble-born often lack natural human affection.

Meditations, Book 1, Section 8 Book 1 · 10 of 30
Human Nature Knowing Yourself
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor Original

Of Fronto, to how much envy and fraud and hypocrisy the state of a tyrannous king is subject unto, and how they who are commonly called εὐπατρίδαι, _i.e._ nobly born, are in some sort incapable, or void of natural affection.

Meditations, Book 1, Section 8 Book 1 · 10 of 30
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Ancient philosophy, in plain English.

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