Plain
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor

What you need to think about is one of these things: the raw facts themselves, the belief or teaching about it, how it works, or what it really means.

Meditations, Book 8, Section 20 Book 8 · 24 of 67
Knowing Yourself Calm Your Mind
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor Original

That which must be the subject of thy consideration, is either the matter itself, or the dogma, or the operation, or the true sense and signification.

Meditations, Book 8, Section 20 Book 8 · 24 of 67
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
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Ancient philosophy, in plain English.

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