Meditations, Book 10, Section 24

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?

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?