Priceless Stoic Insights From “Meditations” by Marcus Aurelius
“A philosopher without clothes and one without books. "I have nothing to eat,” says he, as he stands there half-naked, “but I subsist on the logos."And with nothing to read, I subsist on it too. Love the discipline you know, and let it support you. Entrust everything willingly to the gods and then make your way through life-no one’s master and no one’s slave. The age of Vespasian, for example. People doing the exact same things: marrying, raising children, getting sick, dying, waging war, throwing parties, doing business, farming, flattering, boasting, distrusting, plotting, hoping others will die, complaining about their own lives, falling in love, putting away money, seeking high office and power. And that life they led is nowhere to be found. Or the age of Trajan. The exact same things. And that life too - gone. Survey the records of other eras. And see how many others gave their all and soon died and decomposed into the elements that formed them. But most of all, run through the list of those you knew yourself. Those who worked in vain, who failed to do what they should have-what they should have remained fixed on and found satisfaction in. A key point to bear in mind: The value of attentiveness varies in proportion to its object. You’re better off not giving the small things more time than they deserve. … Everything fades so quickly, turns into legend, and soon oblivion covers it. And those are the ones who shone. … What is "eternal” fame? Emptiness. Then what should we work for? Only this: proper understanding; unselfish action; truthful speech. A resolve to accept whatever happens as necessary and familiar, flowing like water from that same source and spring.“
"Soon you’ll be ashes, or bones. A mere name, at most-and even that is just a sound, an echo. The things we want in life are empty, stale, and trivial. …Why are you still here?” © Marcus Aurelius, “Meditations”.
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Priceless Stoic Insights From "Meditations" by Marcus Aurelius
"A philosopher without clothes and one without books. "I have nothing to eat," says he, as he stands there half-naked, "but I subsist on the logos."And with nothing to read, I subsist on it too. Love the discipline you know, and let it support you. Entrust everything willingly to the gods and then make your way through life-no one's master and no one's slave. The age of Vespasian, for example. People doing the exact same things: marrying, raising children, getting sick, dying, waging war, throwing parties, doing business, farming, flattering, boasting, distrusting, plotting, hoping others will die, complaining about their own lives, falling in love, putting away money, seeking high office and power. And that life they led is nowhere to be found. Or the age of Trajan. The exact same things. And that life too - gone. Survey the records of other eras. And see how many others gave their all and soon died and decomposed into the elements that formed them. But most of all, run through the list of those you knew yourself. Those who worked in vain, who failed to do what they should have-what they should have remained fixed on and found satisfaction in. A key point to bear in mind: The value of attentiveness varies in proportion to its object. You're better off not giving the small things more time than they deserve. ... Everything fades so quickly, turns into legend, and soon oblivion covers it. And those are the ones who shone. ... What is "eternal" fame? Emptiness. Then what should we work for? Only this: proper understanding; unselfish action; truthful speech. A resolve to accept whatever happens as necessary and familiar, flowing like water from that same source and spring."
"Soon you'll be ashes, or bones. A mere name, at most-and even that is just a sound, an echo. The things we want in life are empty, stale, and trivial. ...Why are you still here?" (c) Marcus Aurelius, "Meditations".
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