Meditations by Emperor of Rome Marcus Aurelius (psychology books to read txt) 📖

imagination presents itself unto thee, consider

XIII. At thy first encounter with any one, say presently to thyself:

XIV. Remember, that to change thy mind upon occasion, and to follow him

XV. If it were thine act and in thine own power, wouldest thou do

XVI. Whatsoever dieth and falleth, however and wheresoever it die

XVII. Whatsoever is, was made for something: as a horse, a vine. Why

XVIII. Nature hath its end as well in the end and final consummation of

XIX. As one that tosseth up a ball. And what is a ball the better, if

XX. That which must be the subject of thy consideration, is either the

XXI. Most justly have these things happened unto thee: why dost not

XXII. Shall I do it? I will; so the end of my action be to do good unto

XXIII. By one action judge of the rest: this bathing which usually takes

XXIV. Lucilla buried Verus; then was Lucilla herself buried by others.

XXV. The true joy of a man, is to do that which properly belongs unto a

XXVI. If pain be an evil, either it is in regard of the body; (and that

XXVII. Wipe off all idle fancies, and say unto thyself incessantly; Now

XXVIII. Whether thou speak in the Senate or whether thou speak to any

XXIX. Augustus his court; his wife, his daughter, his nephews, his

XXX. Contract thy whole life to the measure and proportion of one single

XXXI. Receive temporal blessings without ostentation, when they are sent

XXXII. If ever thou sawest either a hand, or a foot, or a head lying by

XXXIII. As almost all her other faculties and properties the nature of

XXXIV. Let not the general representation unto thyself of the

XXXV. What? are either Panthea or Pergamus abiding to this day by their

XXXVI. If thou beest quick-sighted, be so in matter of judgment, and

XXXVII. In the whole constitution of man, I see not any virtue contrary

XXXVIII. If thou canst but withdraw conceit and opinion concerning that

XXXIX. That which is a hindrance of the senses, is an evil to the

XL. If once round and solid, there is no fear that ever it will change.

XLI. Why should I grieve myself; who never did willingly grieve any

XLII. This time that is now present, bestow thou upon thyself. They that

XLIII. Take me and throw me where thou wilt: I am indifferent. For there

XLIV. Is this then a thing of that worth, that for it my soul should

XLV. Nothing can happen unto thee, which is not incidental unto thee, as

XLVI. Remember that thy mind is of that nature as that it becometh

XLVII. Keep thyself to the first bare and naked apprehensions of things,

XLVIII. Is the cucumber bitter? set it away. Brambles are in the way?

XLIX. Not to be slack and negligent; or loose, and wanton in thy

L. 'They kill me, they cut my flesh; they persecute my person with

LI. He that knoweth not what the world is, knoweth not where he himself

LII. Not only now henceforth to have a common breath, or to hold

LIII. Wickedness in general doth not hurt the world. Particular

LIV. The sun seemeth to be shed abroad. And indeed it is diffused but

LV. He that feareth death, either feareth that he shall have no sense at

LVI. All men are made one for another: either then teach them better, or

LVII. The motion of the mind is not as the motion of a dart. For

LVIII. To pierce and penetrate into the estate of every one's

THE NINTH BOOK

I. He that is unjust, is also impious. For the nature of the universe,

II. It were indeed more happy and comfortable, for a man to depart out

III. Thou must not in matter of death carry thyself scornfully, but as

IV. He that sinneth, sinneth unto himself. He that is unjust, hurts

V. If my present apprehension of the object be right, and my present

VI. To wipe away fancy, to use deliberation, to quench concupiscence, to

VII. Of all unreasonable creatures, there is but one unreasonable soul;

VIII. Man, God, the world, every one in their kind, bear some fruits.

IX. Either teach them better if it be in thy power; or if it be not,

X. Labour not as one to whom it is appointed to be wretched, nor as one

XI. This day I did come out of all my trouble. Nay I have cast out all

XII. All those things, for matter of experience are usual and ordinary;

XIII. The things themselves that affect us, they stand without doors,

XIV. As virtue and wickedness consist not in passion, but in action; so

XV. To the stone that is cast up, when it comes down it is no hurt unto

XVI. Sift their minds and understandings, and behold what men they be,

XVII. All things that are in the world, are always in the estate

XVIII. it is not thine, but another man's sin. Why should it trouble

XIX. Of an operation and of a purpose there is an ending, or of an

XX. As occasion shall require, either to thine own understanding, or to

XXI. As thou thyself, whoever thou art, were made for the perfection and

XXII. Children's anger, mere babels; wretched souls bearing up dead

XXIII. Go to the quality of the cause from which the effect doth

XXIV. Infinite are the troubles and miseries, that thou hast already

XXV. When any shall either impeach thee with false accusations, or

XXVI. Up and down, from one age to another, go the ordinary things of

XXVII. Within a while the earth shall cover us all, and then she herself

XXVIII. And these your professed politicians, the only true practical

XXIX. From some high place as it were to look down, and to behold

XXX. Many of those things that trouble and straiten thee, it is in thy

XXXI. To comprehend the whole world together in thy mind, and the whole

XXXII. What are their minds and understandings; and what the things that

XXXIII. Loss and corruption, is in very deed nothing else but change and

XXXIV. How base and putrid, every common matter is! Water, dust, and

XXXV. Will this querulousness, this murmuring, this complaining and

XXXVI. It is all one to see these things for a hundred of years together

XXXVII. If he have sinned, his is the harm, not mine. But perchance he

XXXVIII. Either all things by the providence of reason happen unto every

XXXIX. Sayest thou unto that rational part, Thou art dead; corruption

XL. Either the Gods can do nothing for us at all, or they can still and

XLI. 'In my sickness' (saith Epicurus of himself:) 'my discourses were

XLII. It is common to all trades and professions to mind and intend that

XLIII. When at any time thou art offended with any one's impudency, put

THE TENTH BOOK

I. O my soul, the time I trust will be, when thou shalt be good, simple,

II. As one who is altogether governed by nature, let it be thy care to

III. Whatsoever doth happen unto thee, thou art naturally by thy natural

IV. Him that offends, to teach with love and meek ness, and to show him

V. Whatsoever it be that happens unto thee, it is that which from all

VI. Either with Epicurus, we must fondly imagine the atoms to be the

VII. All parts of the world, (all things I mean that are contained

VIII. Now that thou hast taken these names upon thee of good, modest,

IX. Toys and fooleries at home, wars abroad: sometimes terror, sometimes

X. As the spider, when it hath caught the fly that it hunted after, is

XI. To find out, and set to thyself some certain way and method of

XII. He hath got loose from the bonds of his body, and perceiving that

XIII. What use is there of suspicion at all? or, why should thoughts

XIV. What is that that is slow, and yet quick? merry, and yet grave? He

XV. In the morning as soon as thou art awaked, when thy judgment, before

XVI. Give what thou wilt, and take away what thou wilt, saith he that is

XVII. So live as indifferent to the world and all worldly objects, as

XVIII. Make it not any longer a matter of dispute or discourse, what are

XIX. Ever to represent unto thyself; and to set before thee, both the

XX. Consider them through all actions and occupations, of their lives:

XXI. That is best for every one, that the common nature of all doth send

XXII. The earth, saith the poet, doth often long after the rain. So is

XXIII. Either thou dost Continue in this kind of life and that is it,

XXIV Let it always appear and be manifest unto thee that solitariness,

XXV. He that runs away from his master is a fugitive. But the law is

XXVI. From man is the seed, that once cast into the womb man hath no

XXVII. Ever to mind and consider with thyself; how all things that now

XXVIII. As a pig that cries and flings when his throat is cut, fancy to

XXIX. Whatsoever it is that thou goest about, consider of it by thyself,

XXX. When thou art offended with any man's transgression, presently

XXXI. When thou seest Satyro, think of Socraticus and Eutyches, or

XXXII. What a subject, and what a course of life is it, that thou doest

XXXIII. Let it not be in any man's power, to say truly of thee, that

XXXIV.