Historical voices

When thou hast assumed these names, good, modest, true, rational, a man of equanimity, and magnanimous, take care that thou dost not change these names; and if thou shouldst lose them, quickly return to them.

Now, if these things are done so, life must flow on happily, just as thou mayst observe that the life of a citizen is happy, who continues a course of action which is advantageous to his fellow-citizens, and is content with whatever the…

And inasmuch as I am in a manner intimately related to the parts which are of the same kind with myself, I shall do nothing unsocial, but I shall rather direct myself to the things which are of the same kind with myself, and I shall turn…

By remembering, then, that I am a part of such a whole, I shall be content with everything that happens.

For remembering this, inasmuch as I am a part, I shall be discontented with none of the things which are assigned to me out of the whole; for nothing is injurious to the part if it is for the advantage of the whole.

Whatever may happen to thee, it was prepared for thee from all eternity; and the implication of causes was from eternity spinning the thread of thy being, and of that which is incident to it (iii. 11; iv. 26).

If a man is mistaken, instruct him kindly and show him his error.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Wilt thou, then, my soul, never be good and simple and one and naked, more manifest than the body which surrounds thee?

For what more dost thou want when thou hast done a man a service? art thou not content that thou hast done something conformable to thy nature, and dost thou seek to be paid for it? just as if the eye demanded a recompense for seeing, or…

But most of all when thou blamest a man as faithless or ungrateful, turn to thyself.

Consider whether thou shouldst not rather blame thyself, because thou didst not expect such a man to err in such a way.

And what harm is done or what is there strange, if the man who has not been instructed does the acts of an uninstructed man?

For thou wilt find that no one among those against whom thou art irritated has done anything by which thy mind could be made worse; but that which is evil to thee and harmful has its foundation only in the mind.

And in all cases it is possible for thee to correct by teaching the man who is gone astray; for every man who errs misses his object and is gone astray.

For at the same time that thou dost remind thyself that it is impossible that such kind of men should not exist, thou wilt become more kindly disposed towards every one individually.

When thou art offended with any man's shameless conduct, immediately ask thyself, Is it possible, then, that shameless men should not be in the world?

Thou thus: How shall I not be afraid to lose him?

Pray thou: How shall I not desire to be released?

Do thou pray thus: How shall I not desire to lie with her?

Well, then, is it not better to use what is in thy power like a free man than to desire in a slavish and abject way what is not in thy power?