As physicians have always their instruments and knives ready for cases which suddenly require their skill, so do thou have principles ready for the understanding of things divine and human, and for doing everything, even the smallest, with a recollection of the bond which unites the divine and human to one another.
Marcus Aurelius advises preparing one's mind with principles, just as a physician prepares tools, to address all matters with wisdom and an understanding of interconnectedness.
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But everything else, whether it is in the power of thy will or not, is only lifeless ashes and smoke.
What remains, except to enjoy life by joining one good thing to another so as not to leave even the smallest intervals between?
But if it is easy to set little value on all these things, turn to that which remains, which is to follow reason and God.
The safety of life is this, to examine everything all through, what it is itself, that is its material, what the formal part; with all thy soul to do justice and to say the truth.
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