Plain
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor

In a mind that is truly disciplined and cleansed, you cannot find anything foul or impure, or anything festering. Nothing that is slavish or fake. No unfair attachments. No spiteful hatred. Nothing harmful. Nothing hidden. Death can never catch such a person unprepared. It would be like an actor who dies before finishing the play — you might say the performance was incomplete, but the actor was ready.

Meditations, Book 3, Section 9 Book 3 · 18 of 28
Knowing Yourself Death & Mortality
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor Original

In the mind that is once truly disciplined and purged, thou canst not find anything, either foul or impure, or as it were festered: nothing that is either servile, or affected: no partial tie; no malicious averseness; nothing obnoxious; nothing concealed. The life of such an one, death can never surprise as imperfect; as of an actor, that should die before he had ended, or the play itself were at an end, a man might speak.

Meditations, Book 3, Section 9 Book 3 · 18 of 28
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor

Never consider anything profitable if it forces you to break your word, lose your dignity, hate someone, become suspicious, curse, lie, or crave things that need to be hidden behind closed doors. But the person who values their rational mind above all else, and the sacred principles of virtue that flow from it — they will never complain or cry out in anguish. They will never sigh with longing. They won't need either solitude or company. Most importantly, they will live without craving or fear. Whether they enjoy a long life or a short one, with their soul housed in this body, makes no difference to them. Even if they had to die right now, they would be as ready for that as for any other action done with dignity and grace. Throughout their entire life, this is their only concern: that their mind stays focused on thoughts and goals fitting for a rational, social being.

Meditations, Book 3, Section 8 Book 3 · 17 of 28
Doing The Right Thing Knowing Yourself Freedom & Control
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor Original

Never esteem of anything as profitable, which shall ever constrain thee either to break thy faith, or to lose thy modesty; to hate any man, to suspect, to curse, to dissemble, to lust after anything, that requireth the secret of walls or veils. But he that preferreth before all things his rational part and spirit, and the sacred mysteries of virtue which issueth from it, he shall never lament and exclaim, never sigh; he shall never want either solitude or company: and which is chiefest of all, he shall live without either desire or fear. And as for life, whether for a long or short time he shall enjoy his soul thus compassed about with a body, he is altogether indifferent. For if even now he were to depart, he is as ready for it, as for any other action, which may be performed with modesty and decency. For all his life long, this is his only care, that his mind may always be occupied in such intentions and objects, as are proper to a rational sociable creature.

Meditations, Book 3, Section 8 Book 3 · 17 of 28
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Ancient philosophy, in plain English.

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