Plain
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor

To steal, to plant, to buy, to rest, to see what needs to be done — this kind of seeing is not with the eyes, but with a different kind of sight. People don't understand what these words really mean or the different ways they can be understood. The body, the soul, the mind. The senses belong naturally to the body. Desires and emotions belong to the soul. And principles belong to the mind.

Meditations, Book 3, Section 16 Book 3 · 26 of 28
Knowing Yourself What Matters Most
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor Original

To steal, to sow, to buy, to be at rest, to see what is to be done (which is not seen by the eyes, but by another kind of sight:) what these words mean, and how many ways to be understood, they do not understand. The body, the soul, the understanding. As the senses naturally belong to the body, and the desires and affections to the soul, so do the dogmata to the understanding.

Meditations, Book 3, Section 16 Book 3 · 26 of 28
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor

Don't fool yourself. You will never live long enough to read all those moral commentaries you planned to study. You won't read the histories of famous Romans and Greeks. You won't get through those excerpts from books you've been saving for your old age. Stop putting things off and give up these empty hopes. Help yourself now while you still can, if you truly care about yourself.

Meditations, Book 3, Section 15 Book 3 · 25 of 28
What Matters Most Death & Mortality
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor Original

Be not deceived; for thou shalt never live to read thy moral commentaries, nor the acts of the famous Romans and Grecians; nor those excerpta from several books; all which thou hadst provided and laid up for thyself against thine old age. Hasten therefore to an end, and giving over all vain hopes, help thyself in time if thou carest for thyself, as thou oughtest to do.

Meditations, Book 3, Section 15 Book 3 · 25 of 28
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Ancient philosophy, in plain English.

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