Plain
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor

You have done what your nature required. Do you need to be rewarded for it? The eye doesn't ask for payment when it sees. The feet don't demand satisfaction when they walk. These parts were made by nature for their purpose. They can ask for nothing more than to work as they were designed. So it is with people. We were born to do good for others. When you help someone out of error, or even with everyday things like money, health, or advancement, you are doing what you were made to do. You can ask for nothing more.

Meditations, Book 9, Section 43 Book 9 · 60 of 60
Doing The Right Thing Human Nature
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor Original

What thy nature required, that hast thou done. Must thou be rewarded for it? As if either the eye for that it seeth, or the feet that they go, should require satisfaction. For as these being by nature appointed for such an use, can challenge no more, than that they may work according to their natural constitution: so man being born to do good unto others whensoever he doth a real good unto any by helping them out of error; or though but in middle things, as in matter of wealth, life, preferment, and the like, doth help to further their desires he doth that for which he was made, and therefore can require no more.

Meditations, Book 9, Section 43 Book 9 · 60 of 60
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor

But especially when you find fault with someone ungrateful or dishonest, you need to look at yourself first. You are clearly at fault if you expected someone with a bad character to be true to you. Or when you did someone a favor, you should have stopped there — satisfied that you had done what you set out to do. You should have thought that the act itself was your full reward. What more do you want? You did a good deed for another person. Isn't that enough?

Meditations, Book 9, Section 43 Book 9 · 59 of 60
Knowing Yourself Human Nature
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor Original

But then especially, when thou dost find fault with either an unthankful, or a false man, must thou reflect upon thyself. For without all question, thou thyself art much in fault, if either of one that were of such a disposition, thou didst expect that he should be true unto thee: or when unto any thou didst a good turn, thou didst not there bound thy thoughts, as one that had obtained his end; nor didst not think that from the action itself thou hadst received a full reward of the good that thou hadst done. For what wouldst thou have more? Unto him that is a man, thou hast done a good turn: doth not that suffice thee?

Meditations, Book 9, Section 43 Book 9 · 59 of 60
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Ancient philosophy, in plain English.

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