Plain
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor

And as for fame. This life is short. The person who praises you and the person being praised — the one who remembers and the one being remembered — will soon be dust and ashes. Besides, you are only praised in one small corner of this part of the world. And even in this corner, you don't have everyone's praise. You don't even have one person's praise all the time. And yet the whole earth itself is just one tiny point compared to the entire universe.

Meditations, Book 8, Section 19 Book 8 · 23 of 67
Death & Mortality What Matters Most
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor Original

And as for fame. This life is short. Both he that praiseth, and he that is praised; he that remembers, and he that is remembered, will soon be dust and ashes. Besides, it is but in one corner of this part of the world that thou art praised; and yet in this corner, thou hast not the joint praises of all men; no nor scarce of any one constantly. And yet the whole earth itself, what is it but as one point, in regard of the whole world?

Meditations, Book 8, Section 19 Book 8 · 23 of 67
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor

And so you must reason with yourself about both fame and death. As for the body itself — the thing that dies — do you want to know how worthless it is? Turn it around so you can see its worst sides, not just its normal pleasant form. How does it look when it's old and wrinkled? When it's sick and in pain? When it's caught up in lust and sex?

Meditations, Book 8, Section 19 Book 8 · 22 of 67
Death & Mortality What Matters Most
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor Original

And so must thou reason with thyself, both in matter of fame, and in matter of death. For as for the body itself, (the subject of death) wouldest thou know the vileness of it? Turn it about that thou mayest behold it the worst sides upwards as well, as in its more ordinary pleasant shape; how doth it look, when it is old and withered? when sick and pained? when in the act of lust, and fornication?

Meditations, Book 8, Section 19 Book 8 · 22 of 67
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Ancient philosophy, in plain English.

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