Plain
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor

You must also consider this: many things trouble and irritate you without you realizing it. You're not prepared for them with patience because they don't usually get called 'pain.' But they really are the same as pain — like restless sleep, suffering from heat, or losing your appetite. When any of these things make you unhappy, remind yourself: 'Pain has beaten me. My courage has failed.'

Meditations, Book 7, Section 35 Book 7 · 47 of 58
Facing Hardship Knowing Yourself
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor Original

This also thou must consider, that many things there be, which oftentimes unsensibly trouble and vex thee, as not armed against them with patience, because they go not ordinarily under the name of pains, which in very deed are of the same nature as pain; as to slumber unquietly, to suffer heat, to want appetite: when therefore any of these things make thee discontented, check thyself with these words: Now hath pain given thee the foil; thy courage hath failed thee.

Meditations, Book 7, Section 35 Book 7 · 47 of 58
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor

Whatever pain you are in, remember this right away: pain is not shameful. It cannot damage the part of you that makes decisions and rules over everything else. Pain cannot change or corrupt your mind, either in what it is or in its purpose to serve the common good. In most pain, you can also find help in this thought from Epicurus: pain is 'neither unbearable nor eternal' — as long as you stay within the bounds of reason and do not give in to wild thoughts.

Meditations, Book 7, Section 35 Book 7 · 46 of 58
Facing Hardship Calm Your Mind
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor Original

What pain soever thou art in, let this presently come to thy mind, that it is not a thing whereof thou needest to be ashamed, neither is it a thing whereby thy understanding, that hath the government of all, can be made worse. For neither in regard of the substance of it, nor in regard of the end of it (which is, to intend the common good) can it alter and corrupt it. This also of Epicurus mayst thou in most pains find some help of, that it is 'neither intolerable, nor eternal;' so thou keep thyself to the true bounds and limits of reason and give not way to opinion.

Meditations, Book 7, Section 35 Book 7 · 46 of 58
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Ancient philosophy, in plain English.

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