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

In the application of thy principles thou must be like the pancratiast, not like the gladiator; for the gladiator lets fall the sword which he uses and is killed; but the other always has his hand, and needs to do nothing else than use it.

Labor not unwillingly, nor without regard to the common interest, nor without due consideration, nor with distraction; nor let studied ornament set off thy thoughts, and be not either a man of many words, or busy about too many things.

But if there is a providence which allows itself to be propitiated, make thyself worthy of the help of the divinity.

He was also easy in conversation, and he made himself agreeable without any offensive affectation.