Plain
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor

Do nothing against your will or that harms the community. Don't act without thinking it through first. Don't be reluctant about what you must do. Don't try to impress people with fancy words. Don't talk too much or take on too much. Let the divine part of you see that it governs a real person — someone mature, someone who cares about others, a Roman, a leader. Someone who has arranged his life like a soldier ready for the trumpet call to leave this world quickly. Someone whose word and actions are so reliable that he needs no oath or witness to back them up.

Meditations, Book 3, Section 5 Book 3 · 12 of 28
Doing The Right Thing Knowing Yourself
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor Original

Do nothing against thy will, nor contrary to the community, nor without due examination, nor with reluctancy. Affect not to set out thy thoughts with curious neat language. Be neither a great talker, nor a great undertaker. Moreover, let thy God that is in thee to rule over thee, find by thee, that he hath to do with a man; an aged man; a sociable man; a Roman; a prince; one that hath ordered his life, as one that expecteth, as it were, nothing but the sound of the trumpet, sounding a retreat to depart out of this life with all expedition. One who for his word or actions neither needs an oath, nor any man to be a witness.

Meditations, Book 3, Section 5 Book 3 · 12 of 28
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor

He also remembers that anyone who can reason is like him. Caring for all people fits human nature. But honor and praise should not be accepted from everyone — only from those who live according to nature. As for those who don't live this way, he knows what they're like. He knows how they behave at home and in public, day and night. He knows what company they keep and how they waste their time together. So he doesn't care about praise from people who can't even approve of themselves.

Meditations, Book 3, Section 4 Book 3 · 11 of 28
Human Nature What Matters Most
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor Original

He remembers besides that whatsoever partakes of reason, is akin unto him, and that to care for all men generally, is agreeing to the nature of a man: but as for honour and praise, that they ought not generally to be admitted and accepted of from all, but from such only, who live according to nature. As for them that do not, what manner of men they be at home, or abroad; day or night, how conditioned themselves with what manner of conditions, or with men of what conditions they moil and pass away the time together, he knoweth, and remembers right well, he therefore regards not such praise and approbation, as proceeding from them, who cannot like and approve themselves.

Meditations, Book 3, Section 4 Book 3 · 11 of 28
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Ancient philosophy, in plain English.

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