Plain
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor

Clear away all pointless thoughts. Keep telling yourself this: Right now, if I choose, I have the power to keep all wickedness out of my soul. All lust and desire. All trouble and confusion. Instead, I can see things as they really are and respond to each thing based on its true worth. Remember this power that nature gave you.

Meditations, Book 8, Section 27 Book 8 · 31 of 67
Freedom & Control Knowing Yourself
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor Original

Wipe off all idle fancies, and say unto thyself incessantly; Now if I will, it is in my power to keep out of this my soul all wickedness, all lust, and concupiscences, all trouble and confusion. But on the contrary to behold and consider all things according to their true nature, and to carry myself towards everything according to its true worth. Remember then this thy power that nature hath given thee.

Meditations, Book 8, Section 27 Book 8 · 31 of 67
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor

If pain is truly evil, it must harm either the body or the soul. But the body itself feels nothing — it's just matter. And the soul has the power to keep its peace and refuse to call pain evil. All our judgments and choices come from within. The sense that something is evil cannot reach us there unless we let it in through our own opinions.

Meditations, Book 8, Section 26 Book 8 · 30 of 67
Freedom & Control Facing Hardship
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor Original

If pain be an evil, either it is in regard of the body; (and that cannot be, because the body of itself is altogether insensible:) or in regard of the soul But it is in the power of the soul, to preserve her own peace and tranquillity, and not to suppose that pain is evil. For all judgment and deliberation; all prosecution, or aversation is from within, whither the sense of evil (except it be let in by opinion) cannot penetrate.

Meditations, Book 8, Section 26 Book 8 · 30 of 67
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Ancient philosophy, in plain English.

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