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Only to the rational animal is it given to follow voluntarily what happens but simply to follow is a necessity imposed on all.

Marcus Aurelius

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Marcus Aurelius
Philosopher
Politician
Roman Emperor
Writer
The Eternal City
Emperor of Rome Marcus Aurelius
Caesar Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus
Emperor of Rome Marcus Aurelius Antoninus
Marcus Annius Verus
Marcus Aurelius Antoninus
Follow
Simply
Animal
Given
Happens
Voluntarily
Imposed
Necessity
Rational

More quotes by Marcus Aurelius

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Frequently consider the connection of all things in the universe.
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He who pays no attention to what his neighbor does, says or thinks, preferring to concentrate on making his own actions appropriate and justifiable, better uses his time.
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Let no act be done without purpose.
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Your manners will depend very much upon the quality of what you frequently think on for the soul is as it were tinged with the colour and complexion of thought.
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My only fear is doing something contrary to human nature - the wrong thing, the wrong way, or at the wrong time.
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A rational nature admits of nothing but what is serviceable to the rest of mankind.
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The substance of the universe is obedient and compliant and the reason which governs it has in itself no cause for doing evil, for it has no malice, nor does it do evil to anything, nor is anything harmed by it. But all things are made and perfected according to this reason.
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Remember: Matter: how tiny your share of it. Time: how brief and fleeting your allotment of it. Fate: how small a role you play in it.
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Keep yourself simple, good, pure, serious, and unassuming the friend of justice and godliness kindly, affectionate, and resolute in your devotion to duty.
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Limit time to the present. Meditate upon your last hour.
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It is in your power to withdraw yourself whenever you desire. Perfect tranquility within consists in the good ordering of the mind, the realm of your own.
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Keep in mind how fast things pass by and are gone - those that are now, and those to come. Existence flows past us like a river the what is in constant flux, the why has a thousand variations. Nothing is stable, not even what's right here. The infinity of past and future gapes before us - a chasm whose depths we cannot see.
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How very near us stand the two vast gulfs of time, the past and the future, in which all things disappear.
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Begin each day by telling yourself: Today I shall be meeting with interference, ingratitude, insolence, disloyalty, ill-will, and selfishness – all of them due to the offenders’ ignorance of what is good or evil.
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How ridiculous not to flee from one's own wickedness, which is possible, yet endeavor to flee from another's which is not.
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Because your own strength is unequal to a task, do not assume it is beyond the powers of man.
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If it's in your control, why do you do it? If it's in someone else's control, then who are you blaming? Atoms? The gods? Stupid either way. Blame no one. Set people straight, if you can. If not, just repair the damage.
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All that is harmony for you, my Universe, is in harmony with me as well. Nothing that comes at the right time for you is too early or too late for me. Everything is fruit to me that your seasons bring, Nature. All things come of you, have their being in you, and return to you.
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...small too even the longest fame thereafter, which is itself subject to a succession of little men who quickly die, and have no knowledge of themselves, let alone of those long dead.
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Never esteem anything as of advantage to you that will make you break your word or lose your self-respect.
Marcus Aurelius