Political Quotes

Marcus Aurelius: “But a brief existence is common to all things, and yet thou avoidest and pursuest all things as if they would be…”

On the recordJanuary 1, 175
But a brief existence is common to all things, and yet thou avoidest and pursuest all things as if they would be eternal.
Said by
Marcus Aurelius

Editor's note · Context

Marcus Aurelius reflects on the universal brevity of existence, contrasting it with humanity's tendency to treat transient things as eternal.

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What remains, except to enjoy life by joining one good thing to another so as not to leave even the smallest intervals between?

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