Plain
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor

When someone wrongs you, ask yourself what they thought was good or bad when they did it. Once you know this, you will pity them. You will not wonder or get angry. Either you still live with the same mistake they do — thinking the same thing is good, or something like it — and then you must forgive them since you would do the same thing. Or you no longer think those things are good or bad like they do. Then how can you not be gentle with someone who is confused?

Meditations, Book 7, Section 19 Book 7 · 22 of 58
Human Nature Calm Your Mind
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor Original

Whensoever any man doth trespass against other, presently consider with thyself what it was that he did suppose to be good, what to be evil, when he did trespass. For this when thou knowest, thou wilt pity him thou wilt have no occasion either to wonder, or to be angry. For either thou thyself dust yet live in that error and ignorance, as that thou dust suppose either that very thing that he doth, or some other like worldly thing, to be good; and so thou art bound to pardon him if he have done that which thou in the like case wouldst have done thyself. Or if so be that thou dost not any more suppose the same things to be good or evil, that he doth; how canst thou but be gentle unto him that is in an error?

Meditations, Book 7, Section 19 Book 7 · 22 of 58
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor

An angry face goes against nature. It's often the face of someone about to die. But even if you could eliminate all anger and passion completely — so it could never return — you still shouldn't be satisfied. You should use clear thinking to understand that all anger and passion are against reason. If you lose the sense of your own innocence, if you lose the comfort of knowing you act according to reason, what would be the point of living? Everything you see now exists only for a moment. Nature, which governs all things, will soon change and transform them. Then it will make other things from their substance, and then others again from those. This way the world stays fresh and new.

Meditations, Book 7, Section 18 Book 7 · 21 of 58
Calm Your Mind Knowing Yourself
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor Original

An angry countenance is much against nature, and it is oftentimes the proper countenance of them that are at the point of death. But were it so, that all anger and passion were so thoroughly quenched in thee, that it were altogether impossible to kindle it any more, yet herein must not thou rest satisfied, but further endeavour by good consequence of true ratiocination, perfectly to conceive and understand, that all anger and passion is against reason. For if thou shalt not be sensible of thine innocence; if that also shall be gone from thee, the comfort of a good conscience, that thou doest all things according to reason: what shouldest thou live any longer for? All things that now thou seest, are but for a moment. That nature, by which all things in the world are administered, will soon bring change and alteration upon them, and then of their substances make other things like unto them: and then soon after others again of the matter and substance of these: that so by these means, the world may still appear fresh and new.

Meditations, Book 7, Section 18 Book 7 · 21 of 58
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Ancient philosophy, in plain English.

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