Marcus Aurelius: “Short is the little which remains to thee of life.”

There is one light of the sun, though it is interrupted by walls, mountains, and other things infinite.

And how small a part of the whole substance; and how small a part of the universal soul; and on what a small clod of the whole earth thou creepest!

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.

But everything else, whether it is in the power of thy will or not, is only lifeless ashes and smoke.