Plain
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor

Anywhere you go, you can quickly find what Plato said about his philosopher. He said the philosopher can be as private and alone as if he were locked in a shepherd's hut on top of a hill. There you can ask yourself these questions: What is my ruling part that controls everything else? What state is it in right now as I use it? What am I using it for? Does it still have reason or not? Is it free and separate? Or is it so stuck and frozen together with the body that it gets pulled around by physical desires?

Meditations, Book 10, Section 24 Book 10 · 37 of 57
Knowing Yourself Calm Your Mind
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor Original

For anywhere it thou wilt mayest thou quickly find and apply that to thyself; which Plato saith of his philosopher, in a place: as private and retired, saith he, as if he were shut up and enclosed about in some shepherd's lodge, on the top of a hill. There by thyself to put these questions to thyself or to enter in these considerations: What is my chief and principal part, which hath power over the rest? What is now the present estate of it, as I use it; and what is it, that I employ it about? Is it now void of reason ir no? Is it free, and separated; or so affixed, so congealed and grown together as it were with the flesh, that it is swayed by the motions and inclinations of it?

Meditations, Book 10, Section 24 Book 10 · 37 of 57
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor

Remember that solitude and remote places, which many philosophers praise so highly, are just what they are. All things are the same nature everywhere. They appear the same to people who live in towns and deal with others as they do to those who retreat to mountaintops, deserted harbors, or any other empty places.

Meditations, Book 10, Section 24 Book 10 · 36 of 57
Calm Your Mind What Matters Most
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor Original

Let it always appear and be manifest unto thee that solitariness, and desert places, by many philosophers so much esteemed of and affected, are of themselves but thus and thus; and that all things are them to them that live in towns, and converse with others as they are the same nature everywhere to be seen and observed: to them that have retired themselves to the top of mountains, and to desert havens, or what other desert and inhabited places soever.

Meditations, Book 10, Section 24 Book 10 · 36 of 57
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Ancient philosophy, in plain English.

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