Marcus Aurelius: “Soon, very soon, thou wilt be ashes, or a skeleton, and either a name or not even a name; but name is sound and echo.”

The third, then, is the ruling part; consider thus: Thou art an old man; no longer let this be a slave, no longer be pulled by the strings like a puppet to unsocial movements, no longer be either dissatisfied with thy present lot, or…

Further, he was not fond of change nor unsteady, but he loved to stay in the same places, and to employ himself about the same things; and after his paroxysms of headache he came immediately fresh and vigorous to his usual occupations.

Do not then consider life a thing of any value. + For look to the immensity of time behind thee, and to the time which is before thee, another boundless space.

In the morning when thou risest unwillingly, let this thought be present,--I am rising to the work of a human being.