Plain
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor

True service means keeping yourself free from violent emotions and bad feelings. Stay away from rashness and vanity. Don't be discontent with the gods or with people. Whatever comes from the gods deserves respect because they are worthy and excellent. Whatever comes from people should be met with love, since they are our family. Sometimes we should feel pity and compassion too — because people act from ignorance about what is truly good and bad. This ignorance is like being unable to tell white from black.

Meditations, Book 2, Section 11 Book 2 · 13 of 20
Doing The Right Thing Human Nature
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor Original

His service doth consist in this, that a man keep himself pure from all violent passion and evil affection, from all rashness and vanity, and from all manner of discontent, either in regard of the gods or men. For indeed whatsoever proceeds from the gods, deserves respect for their worth and excellency; and whatsoever proceeds from men, as they are our kinsmen, should by us be entertained, with love, always; sometimes, as proceeding from their ignorance, of that which is truly good and bad, (a blindness no less, than that by which we are not able to discern between white and black:) with a kind of pity and compassion also.

Meditations, Book 2, Section 11 Book 2 · 13 of 20
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor

Think about how man is connected to God, and through what part of himself. Think about how that part is affected when it spreads out everywhere. Nothing is more miserable than a soul that circles around all things, searching even the depths of the earth. It tries to guess what other people are thinking by watching for signs. Yet this soul doesn't realize something simple: it's enough for a person to focus completely on tending the spirit within himself, and to truly serve that spirit.

Meditations, Book 2, Section 11 Book 2 · 12 of 20
Knowing Yourself What Matters Most
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor Original

Consider with thyself how man, and by what part of his, is joined unto God, and how that part of man is affected, when it is said to be diffused. There is nothing more wretched than that soul, which in a kind of circuit compasseth all things, searching (as he saith) even the very depths of the earth; and by all signs and conjectures prying into the very thoughts of other men's souls; and yet of this, is not sensible, that it is sufficient for a man to apply himself wholly, and to confine all his thoughts and cares to the tendance of that spirit which is within him, and truly and really to serve him.

Meditations, Book 2, Section 11 Book 2 · 12 of 20
‹ Previous Next ›

Ancient philosophy, in plain English.

About · Support