Plain
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor

Someone who craves fame and wants to be remembered after death doesn't think this through. The people who remember him will soon die too. Then the people who come after them will also die. Eventually all memory of him will disappear completely. It has always worked this way — people admire someone, then die, then get replaced by others who also die.

But let's say the people who remember you could live forever, and your memory could last forever too. What good does that do you? I won't even ask what good it does after you're dead. What good does praise do you while you're still alive? The only use is for practical reasons — what we might call strategy or management.

Meditations, Book 4, Section 16 Book 4 · 20 of 54
Death & Mortality What Matters Most
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor Original

He who is greedy of credit and reputation after his death, doth not consider, that they themselves by whom he is remembered, shall soon after every one of them be dead; and they likewise that succeed those; until at last all memory, which hitherto by the succession of men admiring and soon after dying hath had its course, be quite extinct. But suppose that both they that shall remember thee, and thy memory with them should be immortal, what is that to thee? I will not say to thee after thou art dead; but even to thee living, what is thy praise? But only for a secret and politic consideration, which we call οἰκονομίαν, or dispensation.

Meditations, Book 4, Section 16 Book 4 · 20 of 54
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor

How much time and peace you gain when you don't worry about what your neighbor said or did or tried to do. Focus only on your own actions — that they may be just and holy. As Agathos put it: Don't look around at the bad behavior of others, but run straight ahead without getting distracted or worked up.

Meditations, Book 4, Section 15 Book 4 · 19 of 54
What Matters Most Calm Your Mind
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor Original

Now much time and leisure doth he gain, who is not curious to know what his neighbour hath said, or hath done, or hath attempted, but only what he doth himself, that it may be just and holy? or to express it in Agathos' words, Not to look about upon the evil conditions of others, but to run on straight in the line, without any loose and extravagant agitation.

Meditations, Book 4, Section 15 Book 4 · 19 of 54
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Ancient philosophy, in plain English.

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