Marcus Aurelius quotes [successful Roman emperor and Stoic philosopher]

[zerozero]

Marcus Aurelius - Wikiquote
The Internet Classics Archive | The Meditations by Marcus Aurelius

At dawn of day, when you dislike being called, have this thought ready: "I am called to man's labour; why then do I make a difficulty if I am going out to do what I was born to do and what I was brought into the world for?"

Though thou shouldst be going to live three thousand years, and as many times ten thousand years, still remember that no man loses any other life than this which he now lives, nor lives any other than this which he now loses. The longest and shortest are thus brought to the same. For the present is the same to all, though that which perishes is not the same; and so that which is lost appears to be a mere moment.

Take away thy opinion, and then there is taken away the complaint, "I have been harmed." Take away the complaint, "I have been harmed," and the harm is taken away.

^

Be not ashamed to be helped; for it is thy business to do thy duty like a soldier in the assault on a town. How then, if being lame thou canst not mount up on the battlements alone, but with the help of another it is possible?

Let not future things disturb thee, for thou wilt come to them, if it shall be necessary, having with thee the same reason which now thou usest for present things.

Nothing can happen to any man which is not a human accident, nor to an ox which is not according to the nature of an ox, nor to a vine which is not according to the nature of a vine, nor to a stone which is not proper to a stone. If then there happens to each thing both what is usual and natural, why shouldst thou complain? For the common nature brings nothing which may not be borne by thee.

^ not sure I understand this one

No longer talk at all about the kind of man that a good man ought to be, but be such.

"why shoot the breeze about it, when you can be about it"

 

[SonofaGod]

Nothing can happen to any man which is not a human accident, nor to an ox which is not according to the nature of an ox, nor to a vine which is not according to the nature of a vine, nor to a stone which is not proper to a stone. If then there happens to each thing both what is usual and natural, why shouldst thou complain? For the common nature brings nothing which may not be borne by thee.

^ not sure I understand this one

That one is parallel to this:
"There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man[..]"

In plain terms. The things that happens to a cow, are according to the state of [being] a cow. The things that happen to a man, can be nothing but the things that are [already] natural to man.

So dont complain, dont fear. Because the only problems/situations you can ever encounter as a man, is what is already of you, from you, and by you.

 

[zerozero]

That one is parallel to this:
"There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man[..]"

In plain terms. The things that happens to a cow, are according to the state of [being] a cow. The things that happen to a man, can be nothing but the things that are [already] natural to man.

So dont complain, dont fear. Because the only problems/situations you can ever encounter as a man, is what is already of you, from you, and by you.

interesting.. so basically, if I get into a vehicular accident and lose my leg, I shouldn't be upset because nothing happened to me that is outside my natural reality

I kinda get it.. but it's also just kind of a rhetorical trick. I think I get it though. Like you can say "you're not the first person to ever lose a leg, that's just life with a human body" and that can help you get over the emotional pain of having lost a leg.

 

[SonofaGod]

yea its basically using pious reason to overcome shock emotion. Its not really a trick cause it can be observed in daily life. The first time a chick plays you its status cause the emotion is a total shock to your system. The second time its a little more cause mentally your saying "ive been here before". Its not an emotional shock, therefore its effect has [the volume turned down]. Same here.






But it goes further than just that--

"For the common nature brings nothing which may not be borne by thee"

Things happen to an ox due to how an ox moves and acts by nature. The things that happen to you, are because of your own actions. Your own [personal] nature, led you to whatever ends you experience. Whatever situation you find yourself in, YOU birthed it.

Dont fear your own right hand. Rather, subdue it.

 

[tru_m.a.c]

interesting.. so basically, if I get into a vehicular accident and lose my leg, I shouldn't be upset because nothing happened to me that is outside my natural reality

I kinda get it.. but it's also just kind of a rhetorical trick. I think I get it though. Like you can say "you're not the first person to ever lose a leg, that's just life with a human body" and that can help you get over the emotional pain of having lost a leg.

I don't think it was meant to be used in that context. But it does "work."

I think it was moreso for the trials and tribulations associated with the first quote, "I am called to man's labour; why then do I make a difficulty if I am going out to do what I was born to do and what I was brought into the world for?"

 

[tru_m.a.c]

Can someone explain:

Take away thy opinion, and then there is taken away the complaint, "I have been harmed." Take away the complaint, "I have been harmed," and the harm is taken away.

 

[DANKTHRONE]

Marcus Aurelius was a shytty philosopher and he let his retarded son become Emperor.

 

[zerozero]

Can someone explain:

He's saying that your feeling about something that happened, is only in your mind. If you change your thought to not feel bad about it, the actual thing that happened isn't problematic anymore.

e.g. if someone robs you and you're angry about it, if you stop being mad at being robbed, then the robbery itself is meaningless, it's not a problem

 

[Joe Sixpack]

Marcus Aurelius- "If only you would of been born a man.. what a Ceasar you would of made..

You would of been strong.. I wonder would you have been just?

Druscilla- " I would been anythnig you wanted me to be..

Marcus Aurelius- How was your journey?

 

[Young_and_Reckless]

This is the same dude from Gladiator right?

 

[zerozero]

here's the full thing btw

The Internet Classics Archive | The Meditations by Marcus Aurelius

some more stuff found while skimming.. this quote is about the thing we were just discussing:

Everything which happens either happens in such wise as thou art formed by nature to bear it, or as thou art not formed by nature to bear it. If, then, it happens to thee in such way as thou art formed by nature to bear it, do not complain, but bear it as thou art formed by nature to bear it. But if it happens in such wise as thou art not formed by nature to bear it, do not complain, for it will perish after it has consumed thee. Remember, however, that thou art formed by nature to bear everything, with respect to which it depends on thy own opinion to make it endurable and tolerable, by thinking that it is either thy interest or thy duty to do this.

How can our principles become dead, unless the impressions (thoughts) which correspond to them are extinguished? But it is in thy power continuously to fan these thoughts into a flame. I can have that opinion about anything, which I ought to have. If I can, why am I disturbed? The things which are external to my mind have no relation at all to my mind.- Let this be the state of thy affects, and thou standest erect. To recover thy life is in thy power.

The idle business of show, plays on the stage, flocks of sheep, herds, exercises with spears, a bone cast to little dogs, a bit of bread into fish-ponds, labourings of ants and burden-carrying, runnings about of frightened little mice, puppets pulled by strings- all alike. It is thy duty then in the midst of such things to show good humour and not a proud air; to understand however that every man is worth just so much as the things are worth about which he busies himself.

Let not future things disturb thee, for thou wilt come to them, if it shall be necessary, having with thee the same reason which now thou usest for present things.

^^

Think not so much of what thou hast not as of what thou hast: but of the things which thou hast select the best, and then reflect how eagerly they would have been sought, if thou hadst them not. At the same time however take care that thou dost not through being so pleased with them accustom thyself to overvalue them, so as to be disturbed if ever thou shouldst not have them.

About fame: Look at the minds of those who seek fame, observe what they are, and what kind of things they avoid, and what kind of things they pursue. And consider that as the heaps of sand piled on one another hide the former sands, so in life the events which go before are soon covered by those which come after.

It is not right to vex ourselves at things,
For they care nought about it.

No joining others in their wailing, no violent emotion.

The gods who are immortal are not vexed because during so long a time they must tolerate continually men such as they are and so many of them bad; and besides this, they also take care of them in all ways. But thou, who art destined to end so soon, art thou wearied of enduring the bad, and this too when thou art one of them?

^^

How ridiculous and what a stranger he is who is surprised at anything which happens in life.

Repentance is a kind of self-reproof for having neglected something useful; but that which is good must be something useful, and the perfect good man should look after it. But no such man would ever repent of having refused any sensual pleasure. Pleasure then is neither good nor useful.

^

A spider is proud when it has caught a fly, and another when he has caught a poor hare, and another when he has taken a little fish in a net, and another when he has taken wild boars, and another when he has taken bears, and another when he has taken Sarmatians. Are not these robbers, if thou examinest their opinions?

Either there is a fatal necessity and invincible order, or a kind Providence, or a confusion without a purpose and without a director (Book IV). If then there is an invincible necessity, why dost thou resist? But if there is a Providence which allows itself to be propitiated, make thyself worthy of the help of the divinity. But if there is a confusion without governor, be content that in such a tempest thou hast in thyself a certain ruling intelligence. And even if the tempest carry thee away, let it carry away the poor flesh, the poor breath, everything else; for the intelligence at least it will not carry away.

^

 

[Nature Boy Ric Flair]

SOME GEMS I DROPPED OVER THE YEARS WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO


To be the man, you gotta beat the man!

I'm every woman's dream and every man's nightmare.

All the women want to be with me, all the men want to be like me.

Space Mountain may be the oldest ride in the park, but it has the longest line.

 

[ThatTruth777]

Nice thread

 

[zerozero]

Nice thread

I'm starting to read some books etc instead of online stuff and finding a lot of great stuff. Will be posting regularly with quotes passages and profiles. Failing that I can always fall back on posting some anti-religious polemic or political scandal as befits our forum lol

previous threads from me:

http://www.the-coli.com/higher-learning/41676-moby-d1ck-being-read-famous-personalities.html
http://www.the-coli.com/higher-lear...nibalism-vs-european-inquisition-warfare.html
http://www.the-coli.com/higher-learning/16215-what-you-reading.html

 

[WhiteDawg3000]

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